Chief of Service, Economic Affairs, D-1

Position description

Org. Setting and Reporting

The position is located in the Office of the High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS) The incumbent heads the Policy Development and Coordination, Monitoring and Reporting Service of OHRLLS and oversees the LDC, LLDC, and SIDS units. The Chief of Service reports to the Director.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority and under the overall supervision of the USG and direct supervision of the Director:

• Formulates and implements the substantive work programme of the Service under his/her supervision on policy follow up and monitoring of the programmes of action for least developed countries (LDCs), landlocked developing countries (LLDCs), and small island developing states (SIDS) at national, regional, and global levels, including resource mobilization;
• Advises the Under Secretary-General and Director on substantive and management questions and assumes responsibility on their behalf, as required;
• Oversees the management of activities undertaken by the Service ensures that programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion and co-ordinates work in the different areas both within the Division and Department, and with other organizations of the United Nations System, as appropriate;
• Leads, supervises and carries out the work programme of the Service under his/her responsibility. Co-ordinates the work carried out by different work units under the Service and by other agencies and bodies of the United Nations system; provides programmatic/substantive reviews of the drafts prepared by others;
• Oversees conceptualization, reporting and intergovernmental discussions on key deliverables and targets of the 3 Programmes of Action to intergovernmental bodies such as the Economic and Social Council, the General Assembly and other policy-making organs, as appropriate;
• Reports to intergovernmental bodies on budget/programme performance or on programmatic/substantive issues, as appropriate, particularly those presented in biannual and/or annual reports;
• Ensures that the outputs produced by the Service maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data. Ensures that all outputs produced by the Sections under his/her supervision meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates;
• Assists the Director in preparing the work programme of the Service determining priorities and allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery;
• Undertakes or oversees the programmatic/administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the Service, including preparation of budgets, reporting on budget/programme performance, evaluation of staff performance (PAS), interviews of candidates for job openings, evaluation of candidates and preparation of inputs for results-based budgeting;
• Recruits staff, taking due account of geographical balance;
• Manages, guides, develops and trains staff under his/her supervision;
• Fosters teamwork and communication among staff in the Service and across organizational boundaries;
• Leads and supervises the organization of meetings, seminars, etc. on substantive issues. Manages the substantive preparation and organization of such meetings or seminars;
• Participates in international, regional or national meetings and provides programmatic/substantive expertise on an issue or holds programmatic/substantive and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions;
• Represents the Division at international, regional or national meetings.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Knowledge of economic issues, particularly those related to LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS and relevant sustainable development issues, interlinkages, intergovernmental processes and consensus-building in negotiations. Knowledge of the substantive field of work in general and of specific areas being supervised. Ability to produce reports and papers on technical issues and to review and edit the work of others. Ability to apply UN rules, regulations, policies and guidelines in work situations. 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;
• 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;
• Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable;
• 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;
• Managing Performance: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills; monitors progress against milestones and deadlines; regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff; encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative; actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff; appraises performance fairly.

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in economics, development studies, international relations, public administration, or related area is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

• A minimum of fifteen years of progressively responsible combined experience in economic analysis, sustainable development and related field of which ten years must be at the international level in the field of international development is required;
• Experience in sustainable development is required;
• Experience in intergovernmental processes and providing substantive support to intergovernmental and expert bodies is required;
• Experience in mobilizing extra budgetary resources is required;
• Experience in coordinating programmes relating to LDCs, LLDCs and/or SIDS with other development organizations is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in English (both oral and written) is required; Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.

Application instructions

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