Deputy Chief of Protocol

Org. Setting and Reporting

The position is located in the Protocol and Liaison Service, Department for General Assembly and Conference Management, New York. The incumbent will report to the Chief of Protocol.




Responsibilities

Within the delegated authority, the Deputy Chief of Protocol will be responsible for performing the following duties: Under the supervision of the Chief of Protocol, the incumbent will be responsible for the smooth operation of the daily activities of the Protocol and Liaison Service. S/He will organize all protocol aspects for the Secretary-General and the Deputy Secretary-General with regards to bilateral and multilateral meetings with foreign dignitaries, and official travel as necessary. In co-operation with the Chief of Protocol, s/he will prepare and assist at events such as dinners, luncheons or concerts hosted by the Secretary-General. S/He will be responsible for VIP treatment of visiting Heads of States and Governments, Ministers of Foreign Affairs and other foreign dignitaries at Headquarters. S/He will advice Permanent Missions on protocol and related matters such as diplomatic privileges, registration of new members of delegations and questions of precedence and flag regulations. S/He will liaise between missions and the host country, also in the field of privileges and immunities. S/He will assists high ranking UN officials in protocol matters, will assists the Chief of Protocol in safe-guarding and developing rules of Protocol and procedures to be applied at Headquarters and other duty stations. S/He will prepare and give lectures on protocol matters, privileges and immunities to various stakeholders. S/He will oversee the administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the Office, including management and performance evaluations of the staff who have her as a first reporting officer. S/He will substitute for the Chief of Protocol in all his/her functions when and if necessary. S/He will undertake any additional assignments requested by the Chief of Protocol.




Competencies

Professionalism: Knowledge of protocol and/or event management in a governmental or international organization context including knowledge of working with host governments. Knowledge of norms, rules and customs of international diplomatic protocol, including practices developed within the United Nations System. Knowledge of administrative procedures and practices of international organizations such as the United Nations. Familiarity with the United Nations Flag Code and Regulations, United Nations Order of Precedence and United Nations Manual of Protocol. Ability to identify and analyze issues, formulate opinions, make conclusions and recommendations and solve problems. Political awareness and sensitivity. Ability to oversee, review and edit the work of others. Ability to work under stress. Shows pride in work and in achievements. Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter. Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results. Is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns. Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing. Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals. Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others. Places team agenda before personal agenda. Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position. Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings. Planning and organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies. Identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required. Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work. Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning. Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary. Uses time efficiently. Judgement/decision making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly. Gathers relevant information before making a decision. Considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them. Takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization. Proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information. Checks assumptions against facts. Determines that the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision. Makes tough decisions when necessary. Managing performance: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority. Makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member. Accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills. Monitors progress against milestones and deadlines. Regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff. Encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative. Actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff. Appraises performance fairly.




Education

An advanced university degree (Master’s or Doctorate degree, or equivalent) in Political Science, International Relations, Law, Public Administration or related fields is required. A first-level degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in the specified fields of studies with two additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.




Job - Specific Qualification

Not available.




Work Experience

A minimum of ten years of experience in protocol, external relations or related area is required. Experience in an international organization and/or the United Nations System is desirable. Experience in bilateral protocol or event management is desirable. Experience in the area of protocol or event management in a multilateral setting is desirable.




Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position(s) advertised, fluency in both English and French is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.




Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.




Special Notice

This is a non-rotational position. Staff members of the United Nations Secretariat must fulfil the lateral move requirements to be eligible to apply for this vacancy. Staff members are requested to indicate all qualifying lateral moves in their Personal History Profile (PHP) and cover letter. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or under-represented in the UN Secretariat as of 31 May 2024, are strongly encouraged to apply: Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, China, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Germany, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Nauru, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu.




United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.




No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.