Mar 28, 2016

Chief of Section, Investigations Africa

Employer: United Nations
Duty Station: Bangui

Closing: 29 March 2016
Job Opening Number: 56874

Special Notice
Please note that this is a temporary job opening, open to internal as well as external candidates. The position is available until 30 June 2016, with a possibility of extension, and the selected candidate is expected to start as soon as possible. All posts are subject to the availability of funds.

A current staff member who holds a fixed-term, permanent or continuing appointment may apply for temporary positions no more than one level above his or her current grade. However, a current staff member who holds an appointment at the G-6 or G-7 level may also apply to temporary positions in the Professional category up to and including the P-3 level, subject to meeting all eligibility and other requirements for the position. A staff member holding a temporary appointment shall be regarded as an external candidate when applying for other positions, and may apply for other temporary positions at any level, subject to section 5.7 below and staff rule 4.16 (b) (ii). Therefore, a staff member holding a temporary appointment in the General Service or related categories may only apply to positions within those categories. For full information on eligibility requirements, please refer to section 5 of ST/AI/2010/4Rev.1 on Temporary Appointments. In its resolution 66/234, the General Assembly further “stressed that the Secretary-General should not recur to the practice of temporarily filling posts in the Professional and higher categories with General Service staff members who have not passed the General Service to Professional category examination other than on an exceptional basis, and requests the Secretary-General to ensure that temporary occupation of such posts by the General Service staff shall not exceed a period of one year, effective 1 January 2013…” Consequently, eligible candidates in the General Service or related categories for temporary job openings in the Professional category that have not passed the competitive examination may be selected only on an exceptional basis endorsed by the Office of Human Resources Management where no other suitable candidate could be identified. Upon separation from service, including, but not limited to, expiration or termination of, or resignation from, a fixed-term, continuing or permanent appointment, a former staff member will be ineligible for re-employment on the basis of a temporary appointment for a period of 31 days following the separation. In the case of separation from service on retirement, a former staff member will be ineligible for re-employment for a period of three months following the separation. This equally applies, mutatis mutandis, with respect to a former or current staff member who has held or holds an appointment in another entity applying the United Nations Staff Regulations and Rules and who applies for a temporary position with the Secretariat. While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post. An external candidate selected for this position is bound by the prevailing condition of the staff selection system under ST/AI/2010/3, as amended, and ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1. A staff member holding a temporary appointment who is recruited in the Professional and above categories on a temporary appointment, and placed on a position authorized for one year or longer may not apply for or be reappointed to his/her current position within six months of the end of his/her current service. This provision does not apply to staff members holding temporary appointments and placed on positions authorized for one year or more in duty stations authorized for peacekeeping operations or special political missions. The expression “Internal candidates”, shall mean staff members who have been recruited after a competitive examination under staff rule 4.16 or after the advice of a central review body under staff rule 4.15. Please note that candidates will be required to meet the requirements of Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter as well as the requirements of the position. The United Nations is committed to the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity for all its human resources, including but not limited to respect for international human rights and humanitarian law. Candidates may be subject to screening against these standards, including but not limited to whether they have committed, or are alleged to have committed criminal offences and/or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law. For information on special post allowance, please refer to ST/AI/1999/17. For more details on the administration of temporary appointments please refer to ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1. The Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and administrative issuances governing staff appointments can be viewed at: http://www.un.org/hr_handbook/English

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA). The incumbent will report to the Deputy Director in the Nairobi Regional Office of the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS).

OIOS is an independent office reporting to the Secretary-General and the General Assembly. The Investigations Division (ID) follows up on reports of possible violations of rules or regulations, mismanagement, misconduct, waste of resources, or abuse of authority.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the incumbent will serve as a Chief of the Investigation Section in Bangui, Central African Republic. The incumbent is responsible for all day-to-day operations of the OIOS/ID Office in that particular duty station. 

The incumbent:

1) Plans, organizes, conducts, and/or supervises investigations of the most serious and complex cases in the field of corruption and fraud, as well as sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA). This includes adducing evidence, obtaining and reviewing pertinent documentation, conducting interviews and taking statements, analyzing facts and determining findings;

2) Ensures that investigations are carried out in a timely fashion and coordinated within the work of the Division and with other organizations of the UN system, as appropriate, and develops, implements, monitors, and evaluates assigned investigations;

3) Ensures the preparation of investigation reports, together with findings and recommendations and related disciplinary and jurisdictional actions, as well as evidence and materials to support such actions; assigns tasks to investigation team members to assist in carrying out the assignments;

4) Creates and maintains a case activity list of the active and open investigations for priority setting and overall case management by the Deputy Director and the Director;

5) Prepares cases for submission to the UN justice system and/or referral to relevant national jurisdictions; responds to requests for information, assistance, and advice from offices and departments outside the Division; supervises intake, processing, and evaluation of all new matters for jurisdictional decisions; coordinates the Division's information management to ensure conformity and relevance to UN legal requirements, as applicable; has responsibility for the management and handling of evidentiary material, including locating and liaising with relevant forensic institutions; liaises and coordinates between the Division and the relevant UN legal offices -- the Administrative Law Section and the Office of Legal Affairs; carries out responsibilities for ensuring the legal sufficiency of planning and reporting documents of the Division, including matters concerning peer reviews;

6) Liaises with other Offices’ and Departments’ staff and management both at Headquarters in New York and at field missions worldwide in discussing the work of the Office; coordinates the presentation of criminal or administrative disciplinary cases to national jurisdictions or administrative disciplinary bodies; provides advice and expertise on investigatory matters;

7) Oversees administrative tasks as appropriate in the duty station; and

8) Carries out other tasks as may be assigned by the Deputy Director.Competencies

• Professionalism: Knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts, and approaches relevant to administrative and criminal investigations; good research, analytical, and problem-solving skills; ability to identify and participate in the resolution of issues/problems; ability to apply good judgment in the context of given assignments; ability to plan own work and manage conflicting priorities; good management skills. Strong English drafting skills required, especially with respect to the preparation of complex reports of investigation. Comprehensive knowledge of United Nations policies, procedures, and operations is desirable, including good knowledge of the conditions prevailing in areas where the United Nations conducts peacekeeping missions. An understanding of public sector procedures and practices and knowledge and appreciation of public sector fraud and corruption issues is an advantage. Proven ability to gather evidence and interview suspects and witnesses; proficiency in software applications used in administrative investigations is desirable. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery in the area of investigations; 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.

• Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others, and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style, and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

• Planning & Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates an 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.

• Leadership: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow; empowers others to translate a vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands. 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 a commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.

• 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; makes 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 whether the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.Education

Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in law, police studies, or related fields. A combination of a first-level university degree in law, police studies, or related fields together with formal qualifications and/or certifications in investigations in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.Work Experience

A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in investigatory work, including criminal and administrative investigations, is required. Experience in investigation management and administration together with supervisory functions is required. Experience with international investigation activities is required. Experience with an international or multilateral public institution is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the functions advertised, fluency in 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 a competency-based interview.

United Nations Considerations

The United Nations shall place 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. (Charter of the United Nations - Chapter 3, article 8). The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

Candidates will be required to meet the requirements of Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter as well as the requirements of the position. The United Nations is committed to the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity for all its human resources, including but not limited to respect for international human rights and humanitarian law. Candidates may be subject to screening against these standards, including but not limited to whether they have committed, or are alleged to have committed criminal offences and/or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

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