Principal Military Advisor

The Principal Military Advisor will be responsible for the following duties: 

• Advise the Special Envoy on strategic military issues related to Yemen; 

• Develop and maintain relations with high-level defense and security officials, local armed stakeholders and others; 

• Collect and analyze information to assist the Special Envoy in maintaining a common understanding of the military situation and its implications as it pertains to Yemen and the region;. 

• Prepare written assessments and analysis and contribute to options, planning and briefing papers and materials for the Special Envoy in relation to military and security issues;

• Actively promote communication and facilitate discussions between parties to the conflict and other actors as appropriate on issues including de-escalation, cessation of hostilities and ceasefire requirements;

• Provide guidance and advice on the planning and implementation of a cessation of hostilities or other conflict reduction modalities and mechanisms;

• Work closely and in tandem with OSESGY Security Arrangements Team including through the provision of feedback on the development and implementation of, and reception by the parties to, proposed interim and/or transitional security arrangements in Yemen;

• Conduct visits to Yemen and the region when requested by the Special Envoy;

• Represent OSESGY in, and report to wider OSESGY sections on, various standing and ad-hoc inter- entity committees, working groups and task forces as directed by the Special Envoy;

• Engage with UN Headquarters and other UN counterparts in support of functions and tasks;

• Manage a team of assigned project staff, and

• Undertake other duties as required.

Key Results Expected

• 1. Advisory/ Effectively advise the Special Envoy on strategic and operational military issues

• 2. Coordination / Effectively coordinate, plan and implement conflict reduction modalities and mechanisms

• 3. Communication / Effectively facilitate discussions between parties to the conflict and other actors as appropriate

• 4. Relationship/ Effectively develop, maintain and report on relations with high-level defense and security officials at international, regional and national levels

• 5. Analysis/ Effectively contribute to options, planning and briefing papers and materials for the Special Envoy in relation to military and security issues

Impact Of Results

• 1. SE is provided with high quality advise on military issues related to the Yemeni conflict.

• 2. Conflict reduction modalities and mechanisms are well-coordinated, planned and implemented as appropriate

• 3. Discussions between Yemeni actors take place as appropriate

• 4. Relationship with security related officials is well maintained

• 5. Military and security related analysis are provided accurately and in a timely manner.

Functional Competencies 

Core Competencies 

Professionalism: 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. 

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 the 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 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. 

Managerial competencies 

Leadership: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow; empowers others to translate 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 commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing. 

Building Trust: Provides an environment in which others can talk and act without fear or repercussion. Manages in a deliberate and predictable way. Operates with transparency, has no hidden agenda. Follows through on agreed upon actions. 

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.

• Advanced University Degree (Master's or equivalent degree) in International Relations, Political Science, Security Studies, or related fields.
•  A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. 

•  A minimum of (15) years of progressively responsible experience in security sector reform or military and security affairs or related field. 

• Experience in Security sector reform and guiding defense or security forces is desirable.

English and French are the working languages of the UN Secretariat.
For the position advertised, English is required. Knowledge of Arabic is desirable. 

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 

• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions 

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 

• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.

• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.