Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations in New York

Posted: January 19th 2015

JOB OPENING
The Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations in New York
is looking for a
PRESS AND ELECTION OFFICER

The Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations in New York is seeking a qualified candidate for the
st
position of Press and Election officer beginning on June 1 2015. This is a locally recruited position.
The position is located within the Swiss Missions Legal/Human rights/Budget Division. The unit promotes and
defends Swiss interests related to a wide array of issues in the fields of budget/management, legal affairs, media,
elections and counter-terrorism.
Our ideal candidate is a highly motivated, proactive, eloquent and flexible individual, ideally with prior direct
exposure to the work of the United Nations and with an excellent command of English. The candidate should also
have a good understanding of Switzerlands foreign policy and international affairs. The working hours are
dictated by the hectic environment which characterizes the United Nations - during peak phases this can mean
well into the night or even into the weekend.
The candidate should have several years of experience in media relations, solid editing skills and the ability to
work under time pressure. We are looking for a natural networker who is able to apply strong social and
diplomatic skills in a competitive multilateral environment. Ideally this person has organizational know-how, is
flexible, as well as assertive.
Duties and responsibilities:

As Press Officer of the Mission of Switzerland to the UN, the individual is responsible for media
relations as well as internal and external communication in a broader sense. Tasks include
answering questions from Swiss and international media on UN policy; organizing press briefings,
and interviews as well as informational events for the broader public. Other tasks include the editing
of press releases and official statements in collaboration with the Foreign Departments media office.
This person will also be in charge of the web site and social media of the Swiss Mission (mainly
Twitter); give briefings to visitor groups (such as students), look after parliamentary delegations
visiting the UN, in addition to overseeing the International Parliamentary Union IPU. Furthermore, this
person will coordinate and edit weekly reports on the highlights of the Missions activities every week
( "weekly mail" ).

As Election Officer the individual is responsible for election matters with a focus on the Swiss
candidatures. This includes planning and implementation of Swiss election campaigns at the UN
headquarters; managing the correspondence of verbal notes as well as the election-database; and
representing the Swiss Mission at election-related events (like bilateral meetings with candidates,
information sessions, receptions etc.)

Besides these two priority areas, the Swiss Mission may assign other tasks or projects as needed.
Requirements:

Swiss national or permanent resident of Switzerland

University degree in international relations, political or social sciences, law or the humanities;

Full computer literacy (Microsoft Office)

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

Strong organizational and drafting skills

Well versed in the use of modern communication technologies and social media

Excellent command of English, good command of French as second UN working language and of
another Swiss national language

Ability to work under tight deadlines and pressure and to deliver high quality results

Good understanding of Switzerlands political institutions and its foreign policy

This is a full-time job, 40 hrs per week, 4 weeks paid vacation per calendar year. Salary to be agreed upon.
Please send your resume (C.V.) and cover letter by February 1
nyc.job-application-un@eda.admin.ch

st

2015 to:

or by mail to:
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Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations, Human Resources, 633 Third Avenue, 29 Floor
New York, NY 10017-7606
Please do not contact the Mission by phone or fax. Applications by e-mail or mail are welcome. Do not send original documents
of your degrees/diplomas etc. No acknowledgments will be sent. We will contact you in due time.

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