Economic Affairs Officer, P-3

Position description

Org. Setting and Reporting

Created in December 1999, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) is the designated focal point in the United Nations system for the coordination of efforts to reduce disasters and to ensure synergies among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations and regional organizations and activities in both developed and less developed countries. Led by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction (SRSG), UNDRR has over 150 staff located in its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and in regional offices. Specifically, UNDRR guides, monitors, analyses and reports on progress in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, supports regional and national implementation of the Framework and catalyzes action and increases global awareness to reduce disaster risk working with UN Member States and a broad range of partners and stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector, parliamentarians and the science and technology community.

This project position is located in the UNDRR Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia in Brussels. The Economic Affairs Officer reports to the Deputy Chief of the UNDRR Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:

• Analyses socio-economic databases and qualitative information necessary for specified recurrent or ad hoc assignments on topics of DRR financing and resilient infrastructure.
• Interprets, applies and, as necessary, adapts methodologies on financial viability of investments, to determine trends, patterns and relationships and to identify gaps in public spending on DRR and mainstreaming risk reduction into the financial frameworks.
• Drafts specified inputs for technical papers, country-support methodologies, and analytical studies on selected global, regional, national or sector aspects of economic development.
• Identifies and analyses policy proposals made elsewhere relating to assigned topics.
• Attends international, regional, and national meetings to collect information, present UNDRR knowledge products and hold discussions with colleagues in other institutions.
• Assists in the organization and servicing of expert group meetings, seminars, etc. on development issues.
• Prepares speeches and other inputs for presentations by senior staff.
• Provides substantive support on economic issues related to Disaster Risk Reduction to UNDRR partners including intergovernmental bodies, member states, local governments, private sector, UN agencies and others.
• Attends international, regional and national meetings, and prepares inputs to statements by members of the Bureau and Secretariat staff to such meetings.
• Assists in the organization of panels, round tables etc. on development issues for intergovernmental processes.
• Identifies opportunities for partnerships with other organizations and entities to advance DRR priorities, including mobilization of resources for their implementation.
• Coordinates the implementation of Disaster Risk Reduction financing and de-risking initiatives, including on resilient infrastructure, in the region and at national level, working in cooperation with HQ colleagues and external partners ensuring they are delivered on time and within budget.
• Carries out development of Integrated National Financing Frameworks, risk sensitive budget reviews and cost-benefit analyses in support of UN partners and national authorities at the country level, and facilitates related training and/or capacity-building events.
• Participates in missions on development issues, usually as a member of a team, including to support the implementation of technical cooperation projects at the national level.
• Organizes training seminars for national experts.
• Prepares documentation for technical cooperation programmes and projects on topics of DRR financing and resilient infrastructure.
• Contributes to the preparation of material for the approval of regional, country or sector technical cooperation projects.
• Monitors, backstops and assesses the implementation of technical cooperation programme s and projects.
• Collaborates with relevant UNDRR staff and units to support and coordinate the planning, implementation and evaluation of UNDRR policies and programming on risk-informed investment across various global and regional initiatives, such as Regional Risk Assessment Report, UNDRR’s Private Sector Network (ARISE), Making Cities Resilient Programme (MCR2030), Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and others.
• Performs other related duties as required, including a variety of administrative tasks necessary for the final delivery of the work unit’s services.
• Undertakes on-the-job and other training activities, both internally and externally.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Ability to apply economic theories and concepts in different sectors of economic and sustainable development. Ability to conduct independent research on economic topics, determine suitability, validity and accuracy of data provided by different sources. Shows skill in developing sources for data collection. 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. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
• 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.
• Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Education

• An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in economics or related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

• A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in economic research and analysis, policy formulation, financial analysis of investments, application of economic principles in development programmes or related area is required.
• Work experience in development finance and/or resilient infrastructure is required.
• Work experience in disaster risk reduction is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French or Russian is desirable.

Application instructions

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