Job Opening
Job Opening ID: 224532
Job Network : Economic, Social and Development
Job Family : Sustainable Development
Category and Level : Professional and Higher Categories, D-1
Duty Station : GABORONE
Department/Office : Resident Coordinator System
Date Posted : Jan 23, 2024
Deadline : Feb 5, 2024

Org. Setting and Reporting
In its resolution 72/279 of 31 May 2018, the General Assembly created a dedicated, impartial empowered and sustainable development-focused coordination function for the United Nations development system, drawing on the expertise and assets of all United Nations development system entities, including specialized and non-resident agencies.

The Resident Coordinator system ensures the coordination of all organizations of the United Nations dealing with operational activities for development at the country level, regardless of the nature of their presence in the country. It encompasses the UN Resident Coordinator, the UN Country Team and Resident Coordinator’s Office and is served by the UN Development Coordination Office.

In line with this General Assembly mandate, the Resident Coordinator (RC) is the highest-ranking representative of the United Nations development system (UNDS) at the country level, with the responsibility to lead United Nations country teams, and ensure system-wide accountability on the ground – including through a matrixed dual reporting model – for the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework and coordinating UN support to countries in their implementation of the 2030 Agenda. She/he brings to the role an appreciation of the breadth of assets of the United Nations in the service of sustaining peace.

The Resident Coordinator is the designated representative of – and reports to – the SecretaryGeneral. The Resident Coordinator also reports annually to the host Government on the systemwide implementation of the UN Cooperation Framework.

The Resident Coordinator system is focused on the advancement of sustainable development, leaving no one behind, and with the eradication of poverty in all its forms and dimensions as an overarching objective, consistent with the integrated nature of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In performing her/his functions, the Resident Coordinator is guided by the respective UN Cooperation Framework and international frameworks, norms and standards agreed amongst the Member States of the United Nations.
Responsibilities
• Represents the United Nations at the highest-levels of state and together with the relevant agency representative(s) fosters engagement with Government, civil society, bilateral and multilateral partners, academia and private sector to enable the UN development system to address national needs, priorities and sustainable development challenges to advance the 2030 Agenda and to advocate for action and acceleration on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);
• Leads the UN country team in the development, monitoring and reporting on the UN Cooperation Framework, and enables the UN Country Team’s implementation of the UN Cooperation Framework, in full consultation with Government, and through engagement with diverse partners;
• Coordinates UN system-wide support to Government, taking a preventive approach and identifying and mitigating risks to the achievement of the SDGs and their benefit to all;
• Supports, catalyzes and advocates for the work of UNCT member agencies, funds and programmes and supports Country Representatives in reaching their agency-specific goals;
• Coordinates UN entities’ contributions to context and trend analysis, including a high-quality Common Country Analysis, sharing key findings with the Government and keeping the Secretary-General informed, as appropriate;
• Promotes and advocates for the fundamental values, standards and principles of the UN Charter, including respect for and protection of human rights and gender equality and advocacy on the SDG commitment to leave no one behind in achieving the sustainable development goals, and reaching the furthest behind first;
• Together with the UN development system entities, engages, convenes and forges strategic partnerships at the national and sub-national level with diverse entities including with civil society, trade unions and employers’ organizations, networks of young people, the private sector, parliamentarians, academia, media and think tanks, and the broader development community, around UN’s collective support to the 2030 Agenda;
• Advances, with Government and the UN Country Team and relevant regional entities, regional knowledge-sharing and collaboration, south-south and triangular exchanges, multi-country and transboundary initiatives in pursuit of greater system-wide results and impact on the implementation of Agenda 2030 in country;
• Identifies, and leverages expertise and assets from across the UN development system, resident or non-resident, to improve shared results, addressing gaps in SDG coverage, effectively utilizing the mandates, capacities, comparative and collaborative advantages within the UN system to do so and ensures alignment of UN development efforts with national 2 development needs and priorities, to foster coherence and impact, and to reduce overlaps, duplication and fragmentation;
• Provides governance and oversight of system-wide country financing instruments. Pursues funding on behalf of the UN development system for joint UN efforts, system-wide plans and initiatives in support of the UN Cooperation Framework and public and private financing for the implementation of Agenda 2030;
• Leads continued engagement on and pursuance of the UN’s normative agenda, as per international and regional treaties, conventions and recommendations in support of national capacity development in normative and operational areas, in accordance with respective mandates and based on the UN’s comparative advantage, roles and responsibilities;
• Fosters an enabling environment inside and outside the UN, aimed at facilitating collaboration, knowledge and data gathering, analysis and sharing practices to underpin a dynamic and forward-thinking UN contribution to the country, drawing on the global knowledge and expertise of the entire UN system to benefit the country’s access to sustainable development solutions;
• Facilitates access to national, regional and global resources to advance new avenues and pathways to innovation around but not limited to financing and new technologies for sustainable development;
• Leads and enhances, together with the UN Country Team, strategic communication that advances UN system efforts and collective results to promote the 2030 Agenda, including for national goals and priorities for sustainable development to generate positive public support and ownership;
• When appointed as Designated Official, ensures effective coordination of country-level security and is accountable to the Secretary-General, through the Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security, for the security of United Nations personnel and their eligible family members, UN premises and assets throughout the country, designated area or mission, and leads the inter-agency Security Management Team;
• Promotes and nurtures staff learning and the implementation of staff rules and policies, including on prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse and sexual harassment, and gender parity;
• Where the RC is the highest UN official, the RC has system-wide responsibility for developing collective protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) strategies and ensuring that action plans are implemented, thereby capacitating the UNCT to lead on overseeing such initiatives.
• Manages a matrixed dual reporting system with UN country team heads with respect to their contributions to the UN Cooperation Framework objectives and the collective results of the 3 UN development system towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda at the country level, in accordance with the Management and Accountability Framework;
• Advances, with the UN Country Team, country-specific measures to promote UN common business operations, including common premises and back-offices, to enable joint work and generate greater efficiencies, synergies and coherence, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 71/243;
• In contexts where international humanitarian assistance is required, and a separate Humanitarian Coordinator is not designated and when there is no lead agency designated by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, leads and coordinates the response efforts of United Nations and relevant humanitarian actors, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 46/182 and related resolutions, and facilitates linkages between humanitarian and development programming for enhanced and sustainable impact;
• In conflict and post-conflict settings facilitates the integration of the UN Country Team’s work with UN peacekeeping or political missions to fully contribute to building resilience, prevention, sustaining peace and transition planning and management; and
• Manages and provides strategic guidance and oversight to the Resident Coordinators Office.
Competencies
The Resident Coordinator competencies are embedded in the RC Leadership Profile. (https://unsdg.un.org/resources/resident-coordinator-leadership-profile)
Education
Master’s degree – or equivalent post graduate qualification – in development studies, international relations, political science, economics, social sciences, human rights, law or closely related fields (for otherwise suitably qualified candidates, a first level university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications and experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced post graduate university degree).
Job – Specific Qualification
Not available.
Work Experience
Minimum 15 years of substantive experience and results in leadership roles at the international level is required (including five years of cumulative experience in development, human rights, rule of law peace-building or humanitarian work at country level outside of one’s own country).

Previous RC experience is desirable.

Experience in the management and/or coordination of humanitarian programmes, disaster, and emergency response, preferably at the country level is desirable.

Excellent political judgement and strong diplomatic skills, with prior experience navigating a politically sensitive environment as a senior official are desirable.

Demonstrated ability to engage with all relevant stakeholders, including with government representatives, donors, civil society and (sub)regional organisations is desirable.

Previous experience as a UN Designated Official (DO) for Security is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in English is required.