Principal Economic Affairs Officer, D-1

Position description

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Office of the Executive Secretary in the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), based in Geneva, Switzerland. The incumbent will report directly to the Executive Secretary and Under-Secretary-General of UNECE.

Responsibilities

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

• Assists and advises the Executive Secretary on substantive policy issues, strategic initiatives, sustainable development challenges and trends and related processes with an impact on the work of UNECE, by undertaking the following functions:
  • Prepares reports, policy notes and strategic papers on cross-cutting economic and sustainable development issues in UNECE’s priority areas of work;
  • Coordinates and oversees the preparation of policy reports of the Executive Secretary for consideration by Member States at sessions of the Commission and its Executive Committee on cross-cutting issues and interdisciplinary activities, such as SDGs, climate change, gender, Financing for Development (FfD), as well as on general socio-economic and related matters not falling within the mandates of substantive Divisions;
  • Coordinates and oversees the preparation of substantive analytical inputs to the reports of the UN Secretary General for the UN General Assembly, ECOSOC and other intergovernmental fora, including UNECE contributions to global conferences and summits, along with progress reports on UNECE contribution to the implementation of their results;
  • Leads the preparations for the annual session of the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development for the UNECE region and its follow-up at the global level;
  • Leads UNECE’s work on the implementation of the reform of the UN development system(UNDS) in the framework of the Regional Collaborative Platform (RCP);
  • Drafts, contributes to, and oversees the preparation of policy statements and speeches of the Executive Secretary at international conferences and meetings, along with draft policy statements and messages of the UN Secretary-General or the Deputy Secretary-General to such forums and conferences;
  • Coordinates the substantive preparation of annual reports of UNECE and analytical inputs thereto;
  • Coordinates and oversees the preparation of Country Profiles, focusing on the socio-economic situation, developments and challenges of UNECE member States, including for the bilateral visits of the Executive Secretary and other high-level UN officials, as required;
  • Engages actively with other UN Regional Commissions and oversees the preparation of UNECE substantive inputs to joint reports/studies and policy papers on crosscutting and interdisciplinary issues;
  • Proactively develops and maintains liaison and interaction with other international organizations, civil society representatives, local authorities, regional and national research institutions and think tanks, as well as the academic community with a view to, inter alia, identifying possible synergies, engagement strategies, opportunities for collaboration and joint activities and building and strengthening partnerships;
  • Follows current economic developments in the UNECE region and in the world economy at large and identifies new or emerging development issues of potential concern to UNECE, particularly those of a regional nature;
  • Proactively develops policy and strategy for successful implementation of Secretary General strategic initiatives (including, inter alia, women’s economic empowerment and gender mainstreaming, multilingualism, UN 2.0 (including strategic foresight), and disability inclusion;
  • Provides accountable leadership as Chief of the Sustainable Development and Policy Unit.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Demonstrated ability to assimilate, analyze, and synthesize material across a broad spectrum of economic sectors. Excellent knowledge of socio-economic developments, trends and challenges, along with solid knowledge of policy instruments to address such challenges, in particular in the UNECE region. Proven knowledge of the UN development system and demonstrated knowledge of global and regional intergovernmental processes. Excellent analytical skills and drafting ability. 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. 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;
• 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 the audience. Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed;
• Planning and 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;
• Vision: Identifies strategic issues, opportunities and risks. Clearly communicates links between the Organization’s strategy and the work unit’s goals. Generates and communicates broad and compelling organizational direction, inspiring others to pursue that same direction. Conveys enthusiasm about future possibilities;
• 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 that the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision. Makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education

• An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in international economics, socio-economic policy development, or related fields is required. A first-level degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in the specified fields of studies with two additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

• At least fifteen (15) years of relevant experience in the area of international economic relations, socio-economic development or related policy development is required. Five years of experience in provision of policy advice on complex matters is required. A minimum of five years of demonstrated experience in preparing and editing analytical reports, studies, and publication is required.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat and Russian is a working language of ECE. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required.

Application instructions

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