Org. Setting and Reporting

In its Resolution A/RES/72/279, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed the transformation of the Development Operations Coordination Office (DOCO) as a stand-alone coordination office within the United Nations Secretariat. The new Development Coordination Office (DCO) assumed managerial and oversight functions of the Resident Coordinator system under the collective ownership of the members of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG). The position is located in the Office of the Assistant Secretary-General for the United Nations Development Coordination Office in New York. The incumbent reports to the DCO Regional Director for Arab States.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the incumbent will be responsible for the following: • Undertakes liaison duties at Headquarters for the UNDCO Regional Team, supporting regional inter-agency coordination and networking, and keeping the UNDCO Regional Team informed of political developments and issues at Headquarters. • Provides direct support to Resident Coordinators and Resident Coordinator Offices on a wide range of strategic, programmatic, and operational matters. • Contributes to technical-level preparatory meetings and processes for UN senior leadership visits and meetings concerning the Arab States. • Engages in global policy discussions to ensure Arab States regional dimensions are duly considered. • Produces comprehensive background notes and relevant materials for the DCO Director’s participation in Executive Committee meetings and for the Regional Director and DCO Deputy-Director in Deputies Committee meetings. • Coordinates all taskings from EOSG to ensure production of quality background notes and talking points for senior leadership. • Produces and maintains comprehensive background notes for each Arab States country to be used in DCO senior leaderships meetings with Arab State RCs. • Represents the Regional Office in relevant Headquarters fora, including country-specific EC/DC preparatory meetings, RMRs, Integrated Task Forces, Inter-Agency Task Forces, and country-focused and thematic working groups. • Maintains strong working relationships with Permanent Missions in New York. Coordinates information management and knowledge sharing on Member State positions in various UN fora, including ECOSOC, General Assembly, and specialized meetings. • Monitors deliberations in UN intergovernmental bodies, including the General Assembly and ECOSOC, on issues concerning Arab States, providing timely, high-quality analysis to DCO Senior Management. • Provides technical analysis and recommends actions to the Regional Director and DCO Senior Leadership on Member State positions regarding issues relevant to the Arab States. • Prepares written outputs on country-specific and regional policy issues (e.g., draft background papers, briefing notes, analyses, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, key messages, etc.). • Contributes to the work of the Joint Secretariat of the Regional Coordination Platform (RCP), including on RCP/IBC strategy, preparation for meetings, and liaising with other RCP members as needed. • Stays informed about emerging trends and innovative approaches in United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework partnerships and programs and facilitates the regional community of practice for partnership officers. • Provides substantive backstopping for consultative and other meetings and conferences, including proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, and preparing documents and presentations on sustainable development issues. • Coordinates activities related to budget funding for strategic partnerships and programs. • Performs other related duties as required.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Ability to apply sustainable development theories, concepts and approaches. Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems. Ability to conduct data collection using various methods. Conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis, including familiarity with and experience in the use of various research sources, including electronic resources on the internet, intranet and other databases. 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. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. 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. 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. 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.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in sustainable development, economics, public policy, public administration, finance, natural resources management, engineering, law, social sciences or related field. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job – Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in political affairs, partnerships, development coordination or policy-oriented work in a broad range of sustainable development issues is required. Experience in producing high quality background notes and talking points for senior leadership is required. Experience in developing and maintaining partnerships within the UN system or a similar diplomatic environment is required. Experience in the United Nations system or a comparable international organization at a headquarters level is desirable. Field experience with inter-agency and/or intergovernmental coordination in the development sector is desirable. Experience with issues in the Arab States 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 Arabic is desirable. Knowledge of another UN official 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.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

This position is available for an initial three months. Extension of appointment is subject to the availability of funds. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment. While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post. Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station. This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15. Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation. Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as “retirement.” Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.

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.