Senior Programme Officer (Mental Health UN System Global Lead)

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Office of Human Resources (OHR) in the Department of Management Strategy, Policy, and Compliance (DMSPC) in Bonn. The Senior Programme Officer reports to the Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) who is the Chair of the Implementation Board (IB) of the UN System Workplace Mental Health and Well-being Strategy for 2024 and beyond, and also serves in the role as the Co-Chair of the Human Resources Network (HRN). While the Senior Programme Officer reports directly to ASG, the post is accountable to the Implementation Board on implementation of global actions. As approved by the High-level Committee on Management (HLCM) in October 2023, the UN System Workplace Mental Health and Well-being Strategy for 2024 and beyond reflects the UN’s ongoing high-level commitment to the mental health and well-being of UN personnel. The strategy builds on the foundations developed and moves towards a sustainable and integrated approach to mental health and well-being across the UN system. The strategy aims to promote a psychologically healthy and safe workplace that promotes a positive culture and staff well-being, prevents stigma and discrimination, and contributes to a productive and positive working environment. A variety of organization-specific and inter-agency efforts have been made to address psychosocial well-being and mental health in the United Nations workplace. The Strategy is designed to assist the United Nations in creating a working environment that is conducive to good mental health and ensures that support is available when needed. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) recently released guidelines for workplace mental health that have informed the strategy. This common approach will allow UN organizations to share good practices and use economies of scale for products and services. The Senior Programme Officer will contribute to the strategic definition and implementation of the next iteration of the UN System Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being Strategy. The post is funded by UN system organizations and will therefore support all organizations of the UN system.

Responsibilities

• Takes the lead in close collaboration with the Implementation Board (IB) to develop, implement and evaluate assigned products as outlined by the Strategy and with a view of their applicability across the UN System. • Provides strategic leadership and advocacy for decision makers to implement the Strategy across the UN common system. • Provides guidance to UN organizations on how to implement the Strategy. • Directs research and programme evaluation and presents information gathered from diverse sources. • Reviews the assessments of issues and trends as it relates to the Strategy, including preparation of evaluations or research activities, • Undertakes survey initiatives; guides design of data collection instruments; reviews, analyzes and interprets responses, identifies problems/issues and prepares conclusions for consideration by the Implementation Board. • Supervises preparation of various written outputs, e.g. background papers, analysis, substantial sections of reports and studies, etc. • Directs substantive support to consultative and other meetings as it relates to the Strategy. • Implements the necessary management structure to plan, coordinate, and project manage the implementation programme in collaboration with partners and stakeholders. • Ensures integration of the Strategy with other system-wide strategies. • Prepare monitoring reports to the Implementation Board, ensuring that Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are met, and reporting is delivered by partners and UN Common System organizations. • Leads programmes of work as agreed with the Implementation Board. • Oversees and ensures a streamlined monitoring, evaluation and reporting. • Manages personnel employed or seconded to support Strategy implementation. • Manages the recruitment of staff and consultants. • Manages outreach activities; undertakes communication and change management activities, including campaigns, multimedia and digital products and events. • Coordinates activities related to budget and funding of the Strategy (programme/project preparation and submissions, progress reports, financial statements, etc.) and ensures preparation of related documents/reports (pledging, work programme, programme budget, etc.). • Serves as an effective spokesperson for the Strategy and establishes collaboration and partnerships with key officials at all levels across the UN System. • Manages the Global Mental Health and Well-Being Team in Bonn, including performance management and capacity building. • Ensures a conducive work environment in line with the goals of the Strategy. • Coordinates the collection of the Strategy implementation scorecards and prepare the report for the Chair of the Implementation Board and the High-Level Committee on Management (HLCM). • Maintains strategic partnerships within and outside of the UN Common System; • Advocates for and engages the necessary leadership support, champions, and partners to sustain momentum for successful Strategy implementation, including the needed resources to alleviate constraints faced during the implementation of the programme. • Mainstreams mental health and well-being as part of workforce planning across all UN mandates and operations. • Advocates for System-wide efforts relating to mental health promotion, stigma reduction and prevention. • Establishes a knowledge management system accessible to members of the Implementation Board. • Coordinates the visibility of the Strategy and its activities across the UN System. • Performs other duties as required.

Competencies

Professionalism: Knowledge of mental health related policies, strategies, practices and procedures, trends, and latest developments both within and outside of the UN. Understanding of how the UN common system functions. Ability to identify key issues, analyze and formulate opinions, make conclusions and recommendations on complex workplace mental health and wellbeing policies and development issues. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Capacity to network, engage with stakeholders and maintain collaborative relationships with them and amongst them. Establish contacts with potential donors, sponsors and academic institutions interested in supporting the mental health at work efforts in the UN. 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. 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. 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. 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 improvement; 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. 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

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in healthcare discipline relevant to Mental health services (medicine, nursing, psychology or allied health) therapies, public administration, public health/health care (preferably mental health), occupational health, human resources, business administration, management, or a related field is required. A first-level university 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.

Job – Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in project or programme management at the governmental, administrative services or Inter-Governmental level is required. Minimum 5 years demonstrated experience in project management and leadership of system change/improvement programs is required. Experience working on workplace or population psychosocial and mental health issues is required. At least five years of management and leadership responsibilities of comparable size and complexity is desirable. Experience in the multilateral sector or humanitarian relief/development is desirable. Experience in managing diverse teams of staff and consultants is desirable.

Languages

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

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

This post is financed by extrabudgetary resources. The appointment or assignment and renewal thereof are subject to the availability of the post or funds, budgetary approval or extension of the mandate. Appointment or assignment against this position is for an initial period of one year. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. Staff members of the United Nations Secretariat must fulfil the lateral move requirements to be eligible to apply for this vacancy. Staff members are requested to indicate all qualifying lateral moves in their Personal History Profile (PHP) and cover letter. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.