Senior Programme Management Officer

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Support Partnerships Service (SPS) within the Division for Special Activities (DSA) in the Department of Operational Support (DOS). DOS was established to provide end-to-end operational support advisory services and other solutions to operating entities across the Secretariat, including other departments, offices-away-from headquarters, field missions, and regional commissions. DSA oversees a range of specialized or cross-cutting operational capacities. A large part of its responsibilities is to support start-up, surge, transition and liquidation requirements and to exercise authority on behalf of entities to which authority has not been granted owing to a lack of capacity or from which authority has been temporarily withdrawn. SPS is a dedicated support partnerships capacity to coordinate and maintain bilateral and trilateral relationships with key partners, such as regional organizations, other United Nations actors and governments, for the receipt or provision of operational support from or to Secretariat entities. The Senior Programme Management Officer reports to the Chief of Service.

Responsibilities

Under the guidance of the Chief of Service, the Senior Programme Management Officer, Support Partnerships, will be responsible for the timely completion of outputs related to the work of the Service. Takes the lead to develop, implement and evaluate assigned programmes/projects, and directs subordinates in programme/project development, implementation, monitoring and assessment; directs review of relevant documents and reports; identifies priorities, problems and issues to be addressed and proposes corrective actions; liaises with relevant parties; identifies and initiates follow-up actions.

• Coordinates and strengthens cooperation on major partnership-based operational support initiatives with key partners outside the United Nations Secretariat, including regional organizations, other United Nations actors and governments, for the receipt or provision of operational support from or to Secretariat entities.
• Ensures implementation of gender mainstreaming guidelines by assessing the implications for men and women of any planned action, including legislation, policies or programmes, in all areas and at all levels.
• Directs research and programme evaluation and presents information gathered from diverse sources.
• Acts as coordinator for complex coordination of operational support issues and supports efforts to build specialized or cross-cutting operational capacities of key partners outside the United Nations Secretariat.
• Participates in policy development; prepares guidelines and standard operating procedures; reviews the assessments of issues and trends, preparation of evaluations or research activities and studies.
• Undertakes survey initiatives; guides design of data collection instruments; reviews, analyzes and interprets responses, identifies problems/issues and prepares conclusions.
• Supervises preparation of various written outputs, including background papers, analysis, substantial sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, statements, and speeches, in coordination with the relevant Divisions and in consultation with relevant UN system partners as appropriate.
• Directs substantive support to consultative and other meetings, conferences, etc., to include proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations, etc.
• Manages outreach activities; designs and conducts training workshops, seminars, etc., makes presentations on assigned topics/activities.
• Leads field missions, including provision of guidance to external consultants, government officials and other parties and drafting mission summaries, etc.
• Coordinates activities related to budget and funding (programme/project preparation and submissions, progress reports, financial statements, etc.) and ensures preparation of related documents/reports.
• Serves as an effective spokesperson and establishes collaboration and partnerships with key officials at all levels inside and outside the organization.
• Ensures effective utilization, supervision and development of staff; Guides, evaluates and mentors staff.
• May perform other duties as required.

Education

• An Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in public administration, management, economics, law, political or social sciences or a 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 ten years of progressively responsible experience in project or programme management, administration or related area is required.
• Experience working on partnership issues in or with an international organization, regional or sub regional organizations is required.
• Experience in providing administrative or programmatic support to or in a field operation of an international organization is required.
• Experience in contributing to the UN’s, or a comparable international organization, systemwide response to crisis or emergency situations is required.
• Experience in negotiating multi-stakeholder agreements is desirable.
• Experience in drafting and overseeing the preparation of policy briefings, analytical reports and papers, as well as high level speeches or statements is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required; and knowledge of French is desirable. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable.

Source: https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/240083?language=en