Senior Government Liaison Assistant

The Senior Government Liaison Assistant supports coordination and communication between UNHCR and government authorities, providing information exchange and assistance on protocol and operational matters. The role involves drafting correspondence, maintaining information on government developments, liaising with partners, and supporting workshops and meetings.

Responsibilities

• Draft routine correspondence and reports, prepare tables and draft corresponding text, prepare background material for use in discussions and briefing sessions
• Collect, register and maintain information on the Government, local and international developments which may have a political or operational impact on the office's relationship with the Government, including latest developments with regard to the implementation of the GCR, UN reform etc.
• Maintain close working relations with the local authorities, governmental and non-governmental implementing partners and other external parties, providing co-operation and guidance if necessary
• Collect and maintain information on statistics in regard to persons of concern
• Assist the supervisor in preparation and facilitation of workshops, trainings, seminars and other meetings
• Liaise directly with Government partners to provide requested information and follow-up on pending issues
• Manage external queries and information flows by identifying and anticipating required action
• Prepare reports and correspondence related to office's contacts and activities
• Manage budget, when requested, including tracking expenditures
• Act as interpreter and translator when needed
• Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
• Perform other related duties as required

Requirements

• For G5- 2 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 1 year relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher
• Good knowledge of UNHCR operations and good political awareness (desirable)
• Minimum of three years of protocol experience
• Leadership skills to act as backup for the Head of Unit
• Thorough operational experience and solid understanding of UNHCR roles and responsibilities in refugees and IDPs response
• Demonstrated good experience working within teams and fostering a collaborative work environment
• Proven ability to analyze complex situations, identify key issues and develop innovative solutions
• Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to engage with a wide range of stakeholders including Government officials
• Previous experience in Protocol related areas with embassies, UN agencies and other relevant entities
• Strong IT and communication skills including written and verbal proficiency in English
• Experience in the UN system is desirable
• Previous experience with Government Liaison is desirable
• Strong Microsoft skills and computer knowledge
• Filing and archiving experience

Skills

• UNHCR Operations Knowledge
• Political Awareness
• Protocol Experience
• Leadership Skills
• Refugee Response Operations
• Team Collaboration
• Situation Analysis
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Protocol Liaison
• Written Communication
• Verbal Communication
• Microsoft Office Suite
• Filing and Archiving
• Government Liaison
• UN System Experience

Languages

English