Vacancy Notice

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.

The Office of the Secretary-General is responsible for establishing the strategic vision of the Organization, in coordination with all Members and partners, and coordinating and supervising all Departments of the Secretariat. It is also responsible for supervising the preparation, implementation and evaluation of the Programme of Work of the Organization.

The Chief of Cabinet provides strategic advice and executive leadership in coordinating the work of the Office of the Secretary-General and advancing the Organization's institutional priorities. The incumbent consults the Secretary-General on complex strategic, governance, managerial and operational matters; facilitates decision-making at the highest level; and ensures effective coordination across organizational units and timely implementation of executive decisions and follow-up on, including ongoing Member State matters and ensuring that the Programme of Work is delivered in a timely manner.

Under the supervision of the Secretary-General, the incumbent performs the following duties:

1. Strategic Leadership and Executive Coordination

• Directs and coordinates the work of the Office of the Secretary-General, ensuring alignment with the Organization's strategic priorities, the Secretary-General's mandate and established institutional objectives.
• Consults the Secretary-General on strategic, institutional, managerial and operational matters, providing analysis, identifying emerging issues and risks, and recommending appropriate courses of action to facilitate informed decision-making.
• Reviews and prioritizes submissions, reports, correspondence and other documentation requiring the Secretary-General's consideration, ensuring their accuracy, completeness and conformity with applicable rules, regulations, policies and established practices.
• Promotes effective coordination across organizational units and senior management, monitors the implementation of decisions and directives, and

ensures timely follow-up, accountability and reporting on agreed actions using already established reporting standards.

2. Institutional Governance, Advice and Stakeholder Relations

• – Consults with the Secretary-General and, as appropriate, senior management, on institutional precedents, governance arrangements, administrative policies, rules of procedure, protocol and sensitive organizational matters, in consultation with the competent offices.
• – Coordinates proposals to improve internal regulations, procedures and working methods, in consultation with the Legal Counsel, the Director of Administration and Finance and other relevant departments, and in accordance with the Organization's governing instruments and applicable policies.
• – Serves as a principal liaison between the Secretary-General, senior management, Member States, host-country authorities, United Nations entities and other stakeholders, facilitating high-level consultations, responsive communication and systematic follow-up.
• – Participates in senior management meetings and high-level consultations and represents the Secretary-General when delegated, ensuring appropriate follow-up and consistency with the Organization's positions and established procedures.

3. Management of the Office of the Secretary-General

• – Directs the administrative and operational management of the Office, establishes priorities and oversees its programme of work, budget, staffing and resource allocation within delegated authority ensuring protocols are considered wherever relevant.
• – Oversees the preparation and quality of the Secretary-General's official correspondence, speeches, presentations, briefing notes and other executive communications, collaborating with the Communications Department and other relevant units and drafting materials as required.
• – Plans and coordinates the Secretary-General's official engagements and travel, including itineraries, protocol arrangements, logistical requirements, speeches and briefing materials.
• – Oversees the performance and professional development of staff assigned to the Office, including performance appraisal, workload allocation and staff-related matters, in collaboration with Human Resources as appropriate.

4. Oversight of Conference and Language Services

• – Provides managerial oversight and strategic guidance to the Conference Services Department, including Language Services, ensuring effective planning, coordination and delivery of statutory meetings, conferences, official events and related services.
• – Oversees conference scheduling, the maintenance of relevant databases, logistical and protocol arrangements, participant services and coordination with internal and external stakeholders.
• – Supervises relations with host-country authorities, service providers and other partners concerning conference and event arrangements, including the preparation and coordination of agreements and contracts within delegated authority and in accordance with applicable rules.
• – Coordinates with the Chief of Language Services to ensure the effective deployment of interpreters and translators and the timely provision of quality linguistic services.
• – Monitors operational performance, resource utilization and service delivery, identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, cost-effectiveness and the quality of conference and language services.

5. Management, Accountability and Organizational Effectiveness

• Leads teams under the incumbent's direct supervision, setting work priorities, performance objectives and accountability arrangements, and fostering collaboration, staff development and a results-oriented working environment.
• All Department Heads (Technical, Operational and Regional) are required to report to the Chief of Cabinet on a weekly basis. The Chief of Cabinet is responsible for ensuring that departmental reports are submitted on time, progress is monitored, and established Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are met before the reports are presented to the Secretary-General.
• Oversees work planning, budget implementation and the responsible use of human and financial resources within assigned areas, in close coordination with the Director of Administration and Finance and other competent offices and in accordance with applicable regulations and delegated authorities.
• Identifies operational, institutional and reputational risks within the incumbent's areas of responsibility and initiates appropriate measures to address them.
• Promotes continuous improvement in organizational processes, management practices and service delivery, and performs other related duties as required by the Secretary-General, consistent with the level and responsibilities of the post.

6. Performs other related duties as required.

REQUIREMENTS

Academic

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in international relations, political science, economics, public administration, business administration, tourism management, law or a related field. A first-level university degree combined with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience and Basic Competencies

• At least fifteen years of progressively responsible professional experience in senior leadership, public administration, institutional management, tourism policy, programme or project management, or related fields, including substantial responsibility for strategic planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation;
• Proven experience translating institutional or government-wide strategies into actionable plans, coordinating multiple departments or public authorities, setting delivery priorities and monitoring implementation against measurable objectives;
• Demonstrated experience managing complex, high-value public programmes or investment portfolios, including budget oversight, accountability mechanisms, performance reporting, compliance and coordination with oversight or funding institutions;
• Demonstrated experience building consensus and working across ministries, regional or local authorities, senior officials and diverse public- and private-sector stakeholders;
• Substantial experience in international relations, bilateral or multilateral engagement and high-level representation, including dialogue with government counterparts and international organizations;
• A proven record of leading multidisciplinary teams, managing sensitive institutional matters and delivering results under demanding deadlines in a multicultural environment;
• Experience in audit, public financial management, internal control, compliance or institutional governance is an asset;

however, no guarantee either that the initial contract will be renewed or that a career appointment within UN Tourism will subsequently be offered.

Any extension of the appointment will be subject to the continuation of the mandate of the Secretary-General and/or the availability of funds.

The incumbent shall comply with the Staff Regulations and Rules of the Organization, in particular those relating to conduct and confidentiality, and with any Conflict of Interest, financial disclosure or ethics framework adopted by the Organization during the term of appointment.

Application Procedure

Interested applicants are requested to complete the Online UN Tourism Personal History Form. Please note that UN Tourism will only accept applications received through our web-based system. Applications sent by other means (e.g. post, email, etc.) or received after the deadline indicated above, will not be taken into consideration.

• Candidates who do not receive any feedback within three months of the deadline should consider their application as unsuccessful;
• In filling vacancies, due regard will be paid towards maintaining a staff selected on a wide and equitable geographical basis. Candidates of all nationalities are welcome to apply; under similar circumstances, preference will be given to nationals of UN Tourism Member States. Women candidates and nationals from non-represented Member States in the UN Tourism Secretariat are encouraged to apply;
• Short-listed candidates may be asked to take a competitive exam as part of the final phase of the selection process. These candidates will be contacted directly for this purpose.