Programme Assistant

Description
The Programme Assistant will support the Foundation’s core programmatic activities. The position also will involve supporting development of a new multi-year strategic framework and programmatic activities that are conceptualised and initiated to implement the new strategy.
The Foundation’s programmatic work falls within four thematic areas that are inherently linked and integrated:
1. Peacebuilding and sustaining peace;
2. Multilateralism and international norms and governance;
3. Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; and
4. Repositioning of the UN system.
The Programme Assistant position will be engaged in and support all areas of the Foundation’s programmatic work.
Responsibilities and tasks
· Support planning, implementation and follow-up for projects, including in-house and external events (eg. seminars, workshops, lectures) through for example drafting invitations, making travel arrangements and compiling and disseminating materials.
· Contribute to production and editing of written material (articles, policy papers, reports, blog posts) related to the assigned project(s).
· Follow ongoing research and events on issues and themes related to the Foundation’s work programmes and report back to Programme Director(s) and Managers.
· Coordinate and support projects and activities across all thematic focus areas of the Foundation.
· Participate in teams working on strategy, policy, monitoring and evaluation of the Foundation’s activities.
· Perform additional tasks in support of work programmes or administration as assigned by the Programme Director(s) and/or the Executive Director.
Qualifications
· Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (eg. international relations, political science, global studies). A Master’s degree is preferred but not required.
· Minimum of three years relevant professional experience, preferably with global issues, UN processes or development cooperation.
· Excellent oral and written communication skills in English are required. Proficiency in other languages is desired.
· Detail-oriented and the ability to take initiative to develop activities and to advance programmatic work.
· Open-mindedness, flexibility, the ability to be a good team player and an understanding of the work of a values-based organisation. Ability to maintain professionalism, creativity, and enthusiasm working in a fast-paced international environment.
· Willingness and ability to participate in limited international travel when it becomes possible and safe to do so in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reporting and relations
· The Programme Assistant will report to a Programme Director.
· Internal: Support to staff engaged in programmatic work. Collaboration takes place mostly within project teams, but the Programme Assistant will also work closely with the Communications team and administrative staff.
· External: Collaboration with partners and external consultants as relevant to programmatic work.
Terms of employment
· The Programme Assistant will be based at the Foundation’s office in Uppsala, Sweden. (Note: At present, Foundation staff are for the most part working remotely in accordance with guidelines for minimising the risk of contracting or spreading COVID-19.)
· The position is temporary for a two-year period, with six months of probation. The salary will be determined based on the individual’s experience and qualifications.
· The Foundation offers generous leave benefits and a wellness allowance based on full-time employment.
· Pensions are stipulated in the Foundation’s Pensions Policy.
Applications should include a cover letter and a CV in English and be sent to recruitment@daghammarskjold.se no later than 30 April 2021.
About the Foundation
The Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation (Stiftelsen Dag Hammarskjölds Minnesfond) is a non-governmental organisation established in 1962 in memory of the second Secretary-General of the United Nations which aims to advance dialogue and policy for sustainable development and peace. The Foundation is not a grant-giving institution, and is autonomous and unaffiliated with any political, religious or ideological groups. Its work is guided by respect for and alignment to the principles outlined in the UN Charter.
The Foundation is governed by an international Board of Trustees and its work is carried out by a permanent Secretariat based in Uppsala. This work is anchored in the Foundation’s Statutes and guided by a Strategic Framework with four thematic areas to focus its engagement. The Foundation is a values-based organisation, and its employees should share its vision and ideals and understand what it means to work in and represent Hammarskjöld’s legacy in an international context. The working language is English.