Special Assistant to Assistant Secretary-General

About the role

The Special Assistant supports the Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) of the Development Operations Coordination Office (DCO) in New York, helping to steer the Resident Coordinator System and ensure effective engagement with UN partners and stakeholders.

Key responsibilities

• Manage the ASG’s engagements, calendar, and follow‑up actions, ensuring timely support from UN departments and partners.
• Coordinate and produce a wide range of documents, including briefing notes, talking points, analytical reports, and correspondence.
• Lead the establishment and maintenance of working relationships with UN agencies, funds, programmes, and external partners such as the Executive Office of the Secretary‑General and the Chair of the UNSDG.
• Represent the UN in meetings, conferences and working groups, providing substantive support and advice on political implications of developments.

Required profile

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in political science, international relations, law, public administration or related field.
• Minimum seven years of progressively responsible experience in political analysis, security, development management, conflict resolution or related areas.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain high‑level relationships across UN agencies, governments, civil society and academia.

Required skills

• Dialogue facilitation, mediation and negotiation.
• Project management.
• Drafting of policy papers, briefing notes and analytical reports.
• Maintaining confidentiality, integrity and availability of information.