Job Opening
Job Opening ID: 224732
Job Network : Economic, Social and Development
Job Family : Sustainable Development
Category and Level : Professional and Higher Categories, P-5
Duty Station : FREETOWN
Department/Office : Resident Coordinator System
Date Posted : Dec 29, 2023
Deadline : Jan 7, 2024

Org. Setting and Reporting
The UN Secretary-General launched on 1 January 2019 a bold and new global reform which repositioned the UN Development System to deliver more effectively and efficiently with the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. As part of this reform, UN Resident Coordinator Offices (UN RCO), under the leadership of an empowered and independent UN Resident Coordinator – the highest-ranking official of the UN Development System and Representative of the UN Secretary-General at country level – support countries in the achievement of their development priorities and the attainment of the SDGs.

The Head of the RCO manages the resources of the Office in order to provide support to the Resident Coordinator and the UNCT on sustainable development analysis, strategic planning, programming, financing, communications, advocacy, and partnerships. The Head of RCO serves as a key adviser to the RC in the pursuit of all their functions and is accountable for the overall quality and timeliness of the work of the office.

The position is located in the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) in Sierra Leone and reports to the UN Resident Coordinator (RC).
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the incumbent will perform the following duties:

1. LEADS THE PROVISION OF STRATEGIC GUIDANCE TO THE RC AND UNCT OF EFFECTIVE, QUALITY, AND TIMELY UN SUPPORT FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2030 AGENDA THROUGH A NEW GENERATION CCA/UNSDCF:
• Leads and coordinates substantive support to the RC/UNCT in articulating and actively communicating a credible and convincing strategic vision for the UN, articulated through the UNSDCF, which is consistent with national development goals and priorities, UN values, aligned with the 2030 Agenda and committed to the principles of universality, equality and leaving no one behind;
• In line with CCA/UNSDCF, provides strategic direction and develops recommendations to facilitate decision-making by the RC/UNCT to reposition the UN in the country to advance the objectives of UN development system reform;
• Develops policy recommendations to the RC/UNCT on the development, implementation, monitoring, reporting, and evaluation of the new generation CCA/UNSDCF as the primary instrument for the planning and implementation of UN development activities in the country;
• Ensures effective guidance to the RC/UNCT in asserting vision and accountability for the UN to operate as a nimble, innovative, and enterprising development partner, demonstrating characteristics of a knowledge-based organization and thought leader;
• Leads the strategic design of the UN’s policy and programmatic services, operational capabilities, and partnership mechanisms;
• Establishes and promotes close engagement across the humanitarian, development, and peace domains, as required by the country context;
• Leads the identification, analysis, and prioritization of joint programmatic work of UN entities in response to national priorities and in line with the UNSDCF and the 2030 Agenda;
• Leads the coordination of the UNSDCF through the Joint Workplan and results groups; directs UNSDCF monitoring, evaluation, learning (MEL), and reporting through the UNINFO platform; and guides preparation and provision of the annual UN Country Results Report to the Government and other stakeholders;
• Promotes the engagement of all relevant agencies – with and without physical presence in the country – from across the UN system, including at Headquarters and at the (sub-) regional level in inter-agency fora and in discussions with external partners;
• Ensures quality control and oversight over strategic communications and advocacy activities related to the implementation of the UNSCDF;
• Ensures coherence across the different intra-agency coordination bodies, including with Humanitarian Country Teams and the Security Management Team.

2. FACILITATES AND OVERSEES THE INITIATION, ESTABLISHMENT, AND COORDINATION OF EXTERNAL PARTNERSHIPS AND JOINT RESOURCE MOBILIZATION EFFORTS FOR THE NEW GENERATION UNSDCF:
• Facilitates and oversees the initiation, establishment, and coordination of effective working relationships with national and international public and private partners to ensure knowledge sharing throughout the UNSDCF cycle;
• Directs substantive support for positioning the UN as a key provider of integrated services and as a platform in support of the SDGs, in consultation with a broad range of stakeholders;
• Based on the UNSDCF, and in close collaboration with the Development Partnerships Officer, oversees the formulation and implementation of the partnership approach as well as the resource mobilization strategy, and other initiatives in support of SDG achievement through the UNSDCF;
• Oversees the implementation of the SDG Country Fund/country-level pooled fund (where relevant) in support of the UNSDCF and SDG acceleration;
• Oversees strategic messaging and communication initiatives by RC/UNCT.

3. COORDINATES AND SUPPORTS ROLL-OUT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EFFICIENCY AGENDA (BUSINESS OPERATIONS STRATEGY, COMMON PREMISES, AND LOCAL SHARED SERVICE CENTERS/COMMON BACK OFFICE):
• In collaboration with the Operations Management Team (OMT), directs substantive support to the RC/UNCT on business innovations for the UN in the country;
• Provides substantive support to the Resident Coordinator and UNCT in formulating, implementing, and monitoring the UN country-level Business Operations Strategy;
• Supports the RC and the UNCT in their leading role in implementing common premises, and in establishing a common back office for location-dependent services;
• Promotes a culture of continuous improvement and client orientation in operational service delivery, including the implementation of high-impact standardized common services, fostering the SDG impact through common operations;
• Coordinates effective participation of entities at the country level in the operations management team and represents the RC in the OMT.

4. MANAGES AND DIRECTS KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES IN- AND OUTSIDE THE UN SYSTEM:
• Creates an enabling environment for knowledge generation, sharing, and collaboration, as well as usage of existing good practices and lessons learned within the RCO and in the UN Country Team. Leads by example.
• Coordinates effective communications within the RCO, in the UN Country Team, and among other stakeholders;
• Leads and coordinates the sharing of good practices and lessons learned on issues related to UN strategic planning frameworks, methodologies, and tools, among others, within the DCO
(at regional and global levels), across the UN system and with external partners;
• Oversees the analysis of UN experiences, lessons learned and knowledge networking to contribute to strategic planning processes.
• Keeps abreast of emerging innovative approaches and encourages the RCO and UNCT to apply new ways of working, where relevant.

5. LEADS AND COORDINATES OVERALL MANAGEMENT OF THE RCO TO ENSURE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE SUBSTANTIVE COORDINATION SUPPORT TO THE RC/UNCT AND ADHERENCE TO ORGANIZATIONAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES:
• Coordinates the formulation and implementation of the substantive work programme of the UNCT; allocates and monitors RCO resources for the delivery of outputs and reporting on
results;
• Supervises the activities undertaken by the RCO and manages performance of RCO staff, ensuring that programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion;
• In close collaboration with Service Providers, performs the role of certifying officer in the UNDP IRIS platform and performs the UMOJA approver role over processes related to
human and financial resource management, procurement, general administration, security, time management, and information technology for the RCO;
• Manages, guides, and trains staff under his/her supervision; promotes teamwork and communications among staff in the RCO and across organizational boundaries; ensures staff complete mandatory training and UMOJA certifications;
• Establishes and maintains a work environment in the RC Office and across UN entities that is conducive to innovation and engagement with a diverse set of stakeholders and delivers results in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
• Leads team members efforts to collect and analyze data and provides insight to identify trends or patterns for data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting; Ensures that everyone can discover, access, integrate and share the data they need;
• Performs other duties as assigned.
Competencies
PROFESSIONALISM: The ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision making and convey resulting information to management. Proven knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches relevant to sustainable development. Ability to identify key strategic issues, opportunities and risks. Ability to generate and communicate broad and compelling organizational direction. Ability to communicate clearly links between the Organization’s strategy and the work unit’s goals. Demonstrated ability to provide innovative technical leadership by performing and/or overseeing the planning, development, and management of operation. Demonstrated ability to negotiate and apply good judgment. Proven ability to analyze complex data and produce reports leading to sound policy recommendations for achieving sustainable development; Solid understanding of the political environment and the programmes and activities of the UN system in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals; Ability to think strategically, to identify key emerging sustainable development issues and related policy implications. 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.

ACCOUNTABILITY: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honors 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.

CLIENT ORIENTATION: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

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.

JUDGMENT/DECISION-MAKING: Identifies key issues in complex situations, 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 actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.
Education
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in business or public administration, sustainable development, social sciences, education, or related area, 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. Certification in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is an advantage.
Job – Specific Qualification
Not available.
Work Experience
A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in strategic planning, sustainable development policy, and programme development and management in the context of development cooperation or related area, is required.

Experience with multi-stakeholder coordination in the context of development cooperation or related areas, is required.

Experience in designing and implementing partnership and resource mobilization strategies, is desirable.

Experience in promoting knowledge management in the context of development cooperation, is desirable.

Experience in team leadership and management is required.

Experience in UN inter-agency coordination and multi-stakeholder consultations for the Cooperation Framework, is desirable.

Two (2) years or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the two working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

Note: “Fluency” equals a rating of “fluent” in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and “knowledge of” equals a rating of “Confident” in two of the four areas.