Associate Programme Specialist

The mission of the Movable Heritage and Museums (MHM) Unit, located within the Culture and Emergencies Entity of the Culture Sector, is to ensure the effective implementation of the 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, including by providing the Secretariat of the Statutory Organs of the Convention, as well as the Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property to its Countries of Origin or its Restitution (ICPRCP) and the 2015 Recommendation on the Protection and Promotion of Museums and Collections, their Diversity and their Role in Society.

Under the overall authority of the Assistant Director-General for Culture (ADG/CLT), the general supervision of the Director of the Culture and Emergencies Entity (DIR/CEM), who is also the Secretary of the 1970 Convention and ICPRCP, and the direct supervision of the Head of the Movable Heritage and Museum Unit, the incumbent will exercise the functions of Associate Programme Specialist by contributing to the coordination, development, management and monitoring of activities related to the statutory instruments.

The incumbent will also contribute to the implementation of initiatives related to UNESCO’s Global Priorities (Africa and Gender Equality), priority groups and transversal thematic areas, such as Culture and Education, Culture and Climate Change, Indigenous Peoples, SIDS, and Youth.

In particular, the incumbent shall:

Contribute to the planning, coordination and follow-up of the statutory meetings related to the 1970 Convention and ICPRCP, as well as the activities of the Unit, by analysing and interpreting background documentation, drafting and contributing to technical working documents, identifying implementation issues and recommending corrective actions as appropriate, preparing briefings, presentations, reports, drafting correspondence to Member States and other stakeholders.

• Support the development, implementation and monitoring of operational activities and training workshops, capacity-building tools, as well as communication and outreach strategies for the implementation of the 1970 Convention.
• Maintain relations and support the provision of backstopping, guidance and information to Field Offices and other Convention’s stakeholders in the promotion and implementation of the 1970 Convention.
• Facilitate liaison and communication with representatives of the media, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other groups, including the general public.
• Contribute to resource mobilization in line with the strategies and priorities of the Culture Sector in the framework of the Medium-Term Strategy (C/4) and Programme and Budget (C/5); Monitor and make proposals to the supervisor on programme and budget implementation related to the 1970 Convention and ICPRCP.
• Assist in the drafting and editing of reports and briefings, contribute to the drafting of responses to queries from Member States, Statutory Organs, partners, the general public and the media. Ensure monitoring of auctions of archaeological objects on the web, undertake legal research, as appropriate. Prepare alerts to States Parties and institutions regarding their heritage on sale and provide support to Member States following requests for the suspension of sales of cultural property of dubious provenance.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in the field of culture, political science, law, international relations, or related field.

Work Experience

• At least two (2) years of professional experience in the field of culture, international development or related field, of which preferably one (1) year acquired at the international level.

Skills/Competencies

• Excellent written and oral communication skills, in particular the ability to collect, synthesize and analyse information from various sources and to write documents in a clear and concise manner.
• Strong planning and organizational skills; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor own work plan; ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines as well as flexibility to adjust work schedules and priorities.
• Ability to develop clear goals that are consistent with agreed procedures.
• Demonstrated ability to interact efficiently with a wide range of partners and stakeholders within and outside the Organization.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team and to maintain effective working relationships in a multidisciplinary and multicultural environment.
• Strong analytical and IT skills, including the ability to use in‐house computerized systems and applications.
• Skills in document production (use of styles, PDF, etc.).

Languages 

• Excellent knowledge of English (written and oral) or French and good knowledge of the other language.

Source: https://careers.unesco.org/job/Paris-Associate-Programme-Specialist-%28Culture%29/791362902/