Director, Economic Affairs, D2

Position description

Org. Setting and Reporting

The position is located at the Office of the High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS). The Director reports to the Under-Secretary-General (USG) of OHRLLS.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority and under the supervision of the USG, the Director will be responsible for the following.

• Directs and manages the work programme of the OHRLLS, including the full mobilization of the UN system for coordinated implementation, coherence in the follow up and monitoring of programmes of action for least developed countries (LDCs), landlocked developing countries (LLDCs), and small island developing states (SIDS) at national, regional, and global levels, and resource mobilization;
• Contributes to the formulation of the Office’s overall strategies and policies by participating in various committees, preparing documents on policy issues, and acting, as required, in an advisory capacity to the USG; contribute to the overall management of the Department’s activities and operations;
• Oversees – the development of innovative and/or change management programmes;
• Formulates and implement the substantive work programme of the Office under his/her supervision, determining priorities, and allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery;
• Oversees the management of activities undertaken by the Office ensuring that programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion and co-ordinates work in the different areas both within the Office, and with other organizations of the United Nations System, donors and agencies as appropriate;
• Co-ordinates and oversees the preparation of reports for presentation 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 Office maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data. Ensures that all outputs produced by the office under his/her supervision meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates;
• Undertakes or oversees the programmatic and administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the Office, including preparation of budgets, assigning and monitoring of performance parameters and critical indicators, reporting on budget/programme performance, preparation of inputs for results-based budgeting, evaluation of staff performance (PAS), interviews of candidates for job openings and evaluation of candidates;
• Oversees the recruitment of staff for Office taking due account geographical and gender balance and other institutional values;
• Manages, guides, develops and trains staff under his/her supervision, foster teamwork and communication among staff in the office and across organizational boundaries;
• Represents the Office at international, regional, inter-agency meetings, seminars and conference; provides programmatic/substantive expertise on an issue or holds programmatic/substantive and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions;
• Perform other related duties as requested by the senior management of the Office.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Knowledge of sustainable development issues related to LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS and their programmes of action and relevant interlinkages, intergovernmental processes and consensus-building in intergovernmental negotiations. Shows ability to produce reports and papers on technical issues and to review and edit the work of others. Shows 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 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 development studies, economics, international relations, public administration, or related area 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

• Over fifteen years of progressively responsible combined experience in economic analysis, sustainable development, programme management, human resources management, administration, and related field of which ten years must be at the international level leading teams in the field of international development issues/sustainable development is required;
• Experience in supporting implementation of the 2030 Agenda is required;
• Experience in providing substantive support to global intergovernmental and expert bodies, and related intergovernmental processes is required;
• Experience in resource mobilization is required;
• Experience in building collaborative partnerships with international organizations working on sustainable development 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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