Position description
Org. Setting and Reporting
This position is located in the Office of the Under-Secretary-General (OUSG) of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). The Office of the Under-Secretary-General supports the senior leadership of the Department in the overall coordination and management of its programmes and resources, as well as the implementation of Department-wide initiatives. The incumbent reports to the Principal Programme Management Officer/Chief of Office, OUSG, DESA.
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Senior Programme Management Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
- Provides substantive, advisory and technical support to the Principal Programme Management Officer/Chief of Office; provides insights to identify trends or patterns for effective work-planning and decision-making, in assigned areas;
- Takes the lead to develop, implement and evaluate assigned programmes/projects, etc.; directs subordinates in programme/project development, implementation, monitoring and assessment; directs review of relevant documents and reports; identifies priorities, problems and issues to be addressed and proposes corrective actions; liaises with relevant parties; identifies and initiates follow-up actions;
- Coordinates and/or advises on policy development; reviews the assessments of issues and trends, preparation of evaluations or research activities and studies in areas of social, economic and sustainable development, assists the Principal Programme Management Officer/Chief of Office in ensuring that strategic advice by the Under-Secretary-General and Assistant Secretaries-General is coherently integrated into the work of the department;
- Undertakes survey initiatives; guides design of data collection instruments; reviews, analyzes and interprets responses, identifies problems/issues and prepares conclusions;
- Supervises and/or coordinates preparation of various written outputs, e.g. background papers, analysis, substantial sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, etc., and manages the coordination, clearance and review of the Department’s parliamentary documentation;
- Edits, including rewriting, abridging and restructuring, texts and complex material addressing various dimensions of social, economic and sustainable development to ensure accuracy, clarity, cohesion and conformity with UN and international research standards, to ensure greater readability and/or relevance to requisite intergovernmental processes;
- Directs substantive support to consultative and other meetings, conferences, etc., to include proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations, etc.;
- Manages preparation of diverse materials to support the external and internal engagements of the Under-Secretary-General and Assistant Secretaries-General on assigned topics/activities;
- Supports senior leadership to lead field missions, including provision of guidance to external consultants, government officials and other parties and drafting mission summaries, etc.;
- Coordinates activities related to human resource management and senior-level recruitment and ensures preparation of related documents/reports;
- Serves as an effective spokesperson and establishes collaboration and partnerships with key officials at all levels inside and outside the organization; conducts sensitive liaison work on behalf of the Principal Programme Management Officer/Chief of Office;
- Ensures effective utilization, supervision and development of staff; guides, evaluates and mentors staff;
- May perform other duties as required.
Competencies
- Professionalism: Ability to identify key strategic issues, opportunities and risks. Proven technical expertise in research and analysis of social, economic and/or sustainable development issues. Demonstrated writing and editorial skills, effective oral presentation skills with particular ability to present analytical information in a clear concise and accurate manner. Knowledge of the mandates, operations and priorities of development-focused intergovernmental processes and mechanisms at the international level. Ability to generate and communicate broad and compelling organizational direction. Ability to communicate clearly links between the Organization’s strategy and the work unit’s goals. Demonstrated ability to provide innovative technical leadership by performing and/or overseeing the planning, development, and management of operation. Demonstrated ability to negotiate and apply good judgment. 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 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;
- 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;
- 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 the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary;
Education
- Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in business administration, management, economics, international relations, public administration, or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Work Experience
- A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in project or programme management, administration, international relations, public administration or related area is required;
- Experience with knowledge management in an intergovernmental organization is required;
- Experience with writing for an intergovernmental audience on social, economic or sustainable development issues is required;
- Experience with research and/or policy analysis of social, economic or sustainable development issues in an academic, national government or international organization setting is required;
- Experience supporting senior officials in an intergovernmental or diplomatic setting is desirable;
- Experience managing recruitment in Inspira or similar talent management system is desirable.
Languages
- English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of the other is desirable. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.
Application instructions
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