OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) contributes to peace and security by promoting international cooperation in education, natural sciences, social and human sciences, culture, and communication and information. UNESCO promotes knowledge sharing and the free flow of ideas to accelerate cross-cultural understanding. The Organization comprises 194 Member States and 12 Associate Members and employs over 2,300 staff members from 170+ nationalities at its Headquarters and 54 field offices worldwide.

This position is located in UNESCO’s Social and Human Sciences Sector (SHS), which strives to accomplish a fundamental humanist mission by enhancing efforts against violence, racism and discrimination, combatting gender stereotypes, deploying the power of sports for social inclusion, promoting intercultural dialogue and supporting youth, women and people with disabilities. SHS collaborates with Member States to protect scientists and trust in science through UNESCO’s 2017 Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers and enhance the science-policy nexus particularly on major trends including climate, digital and inequalities.

SHS also focuses on fostering inclusive societies and ensuring the ethical development of emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), in line with UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of AI. This global standard aims to harness the benefits of AI while mitigating its inherent risks. Establishing effective AI governance is one of the most pressing challenges of our time, prompting countries worldwide to implement the Recommendation. UNESCO is actively supporting these efforts through targeted capacity-building initiatives, empowering nations to navigate the complexities of AI with confidence and responsibility.

The incumbent will work under the overall authority of the Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences (SHS) and the direct supervision of the Director of the UNESCO Office in Beijing, China. He/she will be responsible for advancing the major flagships of SHS in the region covered by the Beijing Office (China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Japan, Mongolia, Republic of Korea). This includes identifying regional priorities and fostering partnerships with both public and private sectors that align with UNESCO’s mission. The incumbent will oversee the design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of the UNESCO Social and Human Sciences Programme for the region. Additionally, he/she will ensure SHS’s contribution to the United Nations Country Team’s (UNCT) programmatic work and Delivering as One exercise in the countries covered by the Office.

In this context the incumbent will perform the following tasks:

• Enhance the effectiveness of Social and Human Sciences (SHS) programmes by focusing on key initiatives like the Recommendation on the AI ethics and neurotechnology. Implement the Readiness Assessment Methodology for AI ethics in East Asia, challenge gender stereotypes, promote inclusive mindsets, support the Inclusive Policy Lab, advance anti-doping efforts in sports, and aid people with disabilities. Make sure these efforts align with regional needs and create strong connections between local priorities and SHS programmes.
• Manage, coordinate, implement and monitor SHS programmes in the countries covered by the office, in line with the Programme and Budget document, the UNESCO Country Programming Documents, the countries’ United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and other common UN strategic country instruments, particularly through capacity building, policy advice, technical assistance, and networking of relevant stakeholders in the SHS Sector’s fields of competence.
• Prepare inputs for the Programme and Budget documents (C/5) and related work plans and cooperate with other programme sectors at Headquarters and contribute to the report of the Director-General on the activities of the Organizations (C/3) and Medium-Term Strategy document (C/4). This includes integrating findings from regular programme reviews and upcoming regional events like the Nanjing Peace Forum, Yangtze River Culture Forum, and International Youth Forum. Additionally, liaise with the Chinese National Commission, Changsha and Nanjing Municipal Governments to coordinate the execution of these events, ensuring successful planning and action.

• Conduct research programmes aligned with national policy needs or development cooperation initiatives, following UNESCO Recommendation as basis for cooperation with developing countries.
• Provide strategic and operational advice to Governments in close cooperation with the SHS Sector at Headquarters, in SHS thematic areas. Provide input, including data and statistics for the preparation of reports and briefings on the implementation of programmes and projects.
• Develop strategic partnerships and actively mobilize extra-budgetary resources by fostering collaborations with diverse stakeholders (public, private etc) and engaging local communities, international organizations to reinforce the Regular Programme. Promote and strengthen partnerships and networking, as well as research and capacity-building, on SHS Sector priority areas namely with with Asia and the Pacific social scientists’ organizations.

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

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REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s) in the field of social and human sciences, political science or a related discipline.

Work Experience

• Minimum 7 years of progressive relevant professional experience in the areas of social and human sciences at national and international level of which preferably 3 years acquired at international level
• Good understanding of evidence-based policy responses to advance better socio-economic outcomes for people
• Knowledge on the governance of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence to advance implementation of the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence
• Experience in one or more of the following thematic areas: youth policies and programs; sports for social transformations; gender equality and changing mentalities; protection and promotion of science and scientist, ethics of emerging technologies,; including human genome, neurotechnology
• Experience in managing research programmes in the social field, to contribute to the scientific program of SHS, “Managing of Social Transformations”
• Excellent networks in academic institutions and leading thinkers in the region
• Experience in fund raising and resource mobilization
• Experience in conducting research and producing research papers.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Advanced university degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) in social human sciences or a related discipline.

Work Experience

• Demonstrated experience in international cooperation programmes
• Demonstrated experience in establishing and maintaining professional networks
• Research and analysis in the fields relevant to the post as demonstrated through authored peer-reviewed publications
• Good knowledge of UNESCO’s work in the field, and familiarity with SHS Sector activities

Skills and Competencies

• Experience in communication and raising visibility through different medias
• Experience in working in the UN system
• Knowledge of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
• Good knowledge of the UNESCO Social and Human Sciences Programmes
• Knowledge of the political context of the region.

Languages

• Knowledge of other official UN languages (French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish)