ECONOMIC AFFAIRS OFFICER

This position is located in the Trading Systems, Services and Creative Economy Branch of the Division on International Trade and Commodities, in the United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The Economic Affairs Officer works under the supervision of the Chief of the Trading Systems Section.

Within delegated authority, the Economic Affairs Officer will perform the following duties: Economic or sector analysis • Monitors, assesses and reports on persistent and emerging issues in international trade and South-South trade, particularly those among the members of the Global System of Trade Preferences among Developing Countries (GSTP), and their policy implications for sustainable development. • Interprets, applies and, as necessary, adapts econometric models to determine trends, patterns and relationships and to analyze the effects of alternative policies and assumptions. • Drafts specified inputs for technical papers and analytical studies on selected global, regional,, national or sector aspects of international trade and South-South trade, and sustainable development. • Identifies and analyses policy proposals made elsewhere relating to South-South trade cooperation and trading systems, such as GSTP. • Attends international, regional, and national meetings to collect information and to hold discussions with colleagues in other institutions. • Assists in the organization and servicing of expert group meetings and, seminars, etc. on development issues. • Prepares speeches and other inputs for presentations by senior staff. Intergovernmental support • Prepares inputs for reports to intergovernmental bodies such as the GSTP Committee of Participants (COP). • Follows intergovernmental meetings and prepares summary reports. • Prepares inputs to statements by members of the GSTP COP and Secretariat staff to such meetings. • Assists in the organization of panels and round tables for such intergovernmental processes. Technical cooperation • Participates in technical cooperation activities and missions, usually as a member of a team, on issues pertaining to trading systems, especially South-South trade cooperation under the Global System of Trade Preferences among Developing Countries (GSTP). • Organizes training seminars for government officials and stakeholders. • Prepares documentation for technical cooperation programmes and projects. • Contributes to the preparation of material for the approval of regional, country or sector technical cooperation projects. • Monitors, backstops and assesses the implementation of technical cooperation programmes and projects. General • Performs other related duties as required, including a variety of administrative tasks necessary for the final delivery of the GSTP COP. • Undertakes on-the-job and other training activities, both internally and externally.

• Professionalism: Ability to apply economic theories and concepts to the analysis of persistent and emerging issues of international and South-South trade in goods, services and creative economy from a sustainable development perspective. Ability to conduct independent research on economic topics, determine suitability, validity and accuracy of data provided by different sources. Shows skill in data collection and analysis. 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. • Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours 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. • Creativity: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in economics or 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.

Not available.

A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in economic research and analysis, policy formulation, application of economic principles in development programmes or related area is required. A minimum of three years of experience in international and South-South trade for sustainable development is desirable. Experience in monitoring and supporting the negotiation and implementation of trade agreements among developing countries in international organizations is desirable. Experience in backstopping the management and delivery of trade-related technical cooperation project is desirable.

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English

and

French are required. Either Arabic

or

Spanish

or

Chinese (Mandarin)

or

Russian is desirable. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult

https://languages.un.org

for details).

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Required Languages

Language

Reading

Writing

Listening

Speaking

English

UN Level III

UN Level III

UN Level III

UN Level III

French

UN Level II

UN Level II

UN Level II

UN Level II

Desirable Languages

Language

Reading

Writing

Listening

Speaking

Arabic

UN Level I

UN Level I

UN Level I

UN Level I

Spanish

UN Level I

UN Level I

UN Level I

UN Level I

Russian

UN Level I

UN Level I

UN Level I

UN Level I

Chinese (Mandarin)

UN Level I

UN Level I

UN Level I

UN Level I

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

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. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. 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.

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. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section ‎2.2 (a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2. (c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

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