Humanitarian Diplomacy Advisor - United Nations

Position description

Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) Center is an international nonprofit and nongovernmental organization with offices around the world working to improve protection for civilians in conflict zones. Our mission is to support communities affected by conflict in their quest for protection and strengthen the resolve and capacity of armed actors and relevant institutions to prevent and respond to civilian harm. We are advocates who believe that no civilian caught in conflict should be ignored, and advisors who provide practical solutions to preventing and responding to civilian harm. Learn more at civiliansinconflict.org.  

UN Program and New York Office Context 

CIVIC’s New York Office serves as a core humanitarian diplomacy hub, advancing the organization’s protection of civilians (PoC) priorities through sustained engagement with the United Nations (UN) system, Member States, I/NGOs and civil society actors. The office ensures that CIVIC’s work on the ground with conflict-affected communities, and security and defense forces meaningfully informs and shapes multilateral decision-making, UN normative and policy development, mandates, and practice. 

Within this context, the UN Advisor plays a critical role in translating CIVIC’s strategic advocacy priorities into concrete policy engagement, analysis, and influence with key actors in New York across UN peace operations, Security Council and other UN processes, and thematic protection agendas.

 

About the Position

The Humanitarian Diplomacy Advisor, United Nations supports the implementation of CIVIC’s humanitarian diplomacy and advocacy objectives at the United Nations in New York, including the delivery of funded projects, under the strategic direction of the Director, UN and Humanitarian Diplomacy. 

The role focuses on day-to-day policy engagement with UN member states and other international organizations in New York, as well as research, monitoring, and reporting with a particular emphasis on PoC thematic priorities (e.g. peace operations, Protection of Humanitarian Personnel, EWIPA and other arms related issues), and selected country and thematic files. 

The Advisor plays a key role in developing and maintaining partnerships with key PoC partners in New York and contributes substantively to CIVIC’s influence within UN decision-making spaces in line with CIVIC’s field priorities and organizational strategy. 

Location: New York, NY (Hybrid) - Full Time

Department: United Nations

Reports to: Director, UN and Humanitarian Diplomacy 

Key Responsibilities 

1.Strategic Policy Engagement 

• Conduct strategic policy engagement at expert level with UNSC and other UN member states, UN agencies and other key stakeholders.  

• As a member of the PoC Week Steering Committee, coordinate CIVIC’s efforts on the strategic orientation and coordination of PoC Week under the guidance of the Director. 

• Regularly engage with I/NGO and other counterparts to advance CIVIC’s priorities on PoC thematic issues, peace operations, and civilian harm mitigation. 

• Represent CIVIC in relevant UN meetings, briefings, consultations, and side events, as delegated by the Director. 

• Regularly assess alignment of CIVIC’s policy engagement in New York and other diplomatic/multilateral hubs, with CIVIC’s work in the field, supporting field offices in leveraging global policy opportunities to advance or escalate local and national POC. priorities.  

  2.Monitoring, Analysis, and Research

• Monitor UNSC and other UN member state positions on PoC, UN Security Council deliberations, mandate renewals, and thematic processes relevant to PoC. 

• Provide timely, high-quality political analysis and written reporting to inform CIVIC’s advocacy positioning and leadership decision-making. 

• Conduct applied, policy-relevant research on protection trends, gaps, and emerging issues within the UN system, contributing to CIVIC’s broader evidence base. 

 3.Advocacy Products and Policy Development

• Draft advocacy materials including briefing notes, background papers, talking points, and proposed language for UN resolutions, statements, and reports. 

• Contribute to CIVIC’s policy outputs and thematic publications. 

• Support the translation of field-based findings into UN-relevant policy recommendations, in coordination with program and technical colleagues. 

 4.Coalition Engagement and Civil Society Coordination

• Support CIVIC’s engagement with key I/NGO and civil society partners as Co-Chair of the Informal NGO Working Group on PoC. 

• Contribute to joint advocacy initiatives, shared messaging, and coordinated engagement with UN and other actors. 

• Expand and maintain working-level relationships with partner organizations, think tanks, and advocacy coalitions. 

 5.Communications and Visibility

• Contribute to external communications products, including blogs, short analytical pieces, social media content, and advocacy messaging. 

• Support the preparation of public and private briefings, events, and convenings hosted or co-hosted by CIVIC in New York. 

6.Program Support and Institutional Contribution

• Support internal reporting, monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) processes related to UN advocacy work. 

• Supervise interns and provide mentoring support to junior colleagues, as relevant. 

  

Qualifications

Required Qualifications 

• Master’s degree in international relations, political science, international law, or a related field, with a minimum of seven (7) years of relevant professional experience at both field and policy level. 

• Demonstrated commitment to civilian protection, and CIVIC’s mission. 

• Strong understanding of the UN system, particularly the UN Security Council, peacekeeping operations, and Member State dynamics. 

• Strong understanding of opportunities and challenges related to PoC in the current geopolitical climate 

• Proven ability to conduct policy analysis and translate research into effective advocacy. 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience drafting policy and advocacy materials. 

• Strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced diplomatic environment. 

• Strategic thinker, able to work autonomously and strong team player, skilled at developing and maintaining partnerships 

• High degree of professionalism, discretion, and political judgment. 

• Valid authorization to work in the United States without the need for current or future visa sponsorship. 

 

Desired Experience 

• Substantive knowledge of the UN system and multilateral institutions. 

• Strong understanding of international humanitarian law, human rights law, and protection of civilians’ frameworks. 

• Regional or thematic expertise aligned with CIVIC’s work and operational priorities (e.g. DRC, Sahel, Somalia, Sudan, Ukraine, Yemen, peace operations, protection of humanitarian personnel, WPS, the impacts of AI and technology on warfare, EWIPA). 

• Knowledge of a specific country, region, and thematic issues relevant to CIVIC's work. 

• Experience supporting coalition-based advocacy or multi-stakeholder initiatives. 

• Fluency in French or another UN working language is an asset. 

Application instructions

Please be sure to indicate you saw this position on Globaljobs.org