Programme Officer [Temporary]

The mandate of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is to promote regional cooperation for inclusive economic and social development in the Asian and Pacific region. ESCAP’s role as a regional development arm of the United Nations Secretariat is to support its membership through its analytical, normative and technical cooperation work taking into account the development priorities and changing needs of the Asian and Pacific region. The ESCAP Subregional Office for North and Central Asia covers Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The position is located in ESCAP Subregional Office for North and Central Asia (SONCA) in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The incumbent reports to the Senior Economic Affairs Officer of the Office.

Within delegated authority, the Programme Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

•Participates in the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the subprogramme on Subregional activities for development: North and Central Asia and its legislated outputs, including the United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA); monitors and analyzes project development and implementation funded from the Regular Programme of Technical Cooperation, Development Account and extrabudgetary sources; reviews relevant documents and reports; identifies programmatic and budgetary issues to be addressed and proposes corrective actions; and liaises with relevant parties, including the Strategy and Programme Management Division as Programme Monitoring and Evaluation focal point.

•Act as the focal point for the implementation of technical cooperation activities, including those reflected in the SPECA work plan, in collaboration with substantive divisions and UNECE. Supports establishment of partnerships with subregional programmes and organizations, including the Eurasian Economic Commission and Shanghai Cooperation Organization, as well as members of the United Nations Development Group, to enable implementation of joint activities.

•Researches, analyzes and presents information gathered from diverse sources. Assists in policy development, including the review and analysis of issues and trends. Prepares evaluations or other research activities and studies. Reviews, analyzes and interprets responses, identifies problems/issues and prepares conclusions and recommendations.

•Provides substantive support to consultative and other meetings, including the annual SPECA Economic Forums and the sessions of the Governing Council, by proposing agenda topics, identifying participants and preparing documents and presentations.

•Provides guidance to government officials and other parties through bilateral meetings, particularly on SPECA related issues; facilitates external relations with the host country, representatives of Member States and relevant entities; and ensures appropriate protocol are followed during official missions and meetings.

•Coordinates activities related to administration, budget and funding (programme/project preparation and submissions, progress and terminal reports and financial statements) and prepares related documents/reports (pledging, work programme, programme budget.). Monitors contributions to the General Trust Fund.

•Performs other duties related as required.

•Professionalism: Knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches relevant to particular sector, functional area or other specialized field. 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 sources on the internet, intranet and other databases. Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, plan own work and manage conflicting priorities. 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& 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.

•Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business administration, management, economics or a field related to the functions of the post. A recognized first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in project or programme management, administration or related area is required.
Extensive knowledge of United Nations programmes, policies, rules and regulations an asset. Relevant IT skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office and web-based applications is desirable.

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

Qualified applicants may be evaluated through a competency-based interview and/or other assessment methods.

This post is open to Kazakh nationals only.

Appointment against this post is on a local basis; candidates shall be nationals of Kazakhstan and will be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of the SONCA office. If no suitable local candidate is identified, Kazakh nationals residing elsewhere may be considered, in which case the candidate would be responsible for any costs related to travelling and relocating to Almaty in the event of an employment offer.

Note to current staff members at the General Service level:

Should a current General Service staff member be selected for this post, he/she would need to resign from his/her General Service appointment before receiving a new appointment at the NO level. Locally recruited General Service staff members applying for this post must meet the minimum requirements, including academic qualifications and years of relevant experience. Relevant experience in the General Service category at G-6 and G-7 levels may count towards experience requirements.

This temporary position is funded from general temporary assistance and extra budgetary resources and is available from 25 July until 15 December 2018. Any extension of appointment is subject to satisfactory performance and continued availability of the post.

Candidates will be required to meet the requirements of Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter as well as the requirements of the position. The United Nations is committed to the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity for all its human resources, including but not limited to respect for international human rights and humanitarian law. Candidates may be subject to screening against these standards, including but not limited to whether they have committed, or are alleged to have committed criminal offences and/or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

The United Nations shall place 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. (Charter of the United Nations - Chapter 3, article 8). The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the At-a-Glance on "The Application Process" and the Instructional Manual for the Applicants, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of inspira account-holder homepage.

Applications are pre-screened by the system according to the published requirements of the job opening on the basis of the information provided in the application. In relation to the requirements of the job opening, applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their qualifications, including their education, work experience, and language skills. Each applicant must bear in mind that submission of incomplete or inaccurate applications may render that applicant ineligible for consideration for the job opening. Initial screening and evaluation of applications will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted. Applications cannot be amended following submission. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to a reference-checking process to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at midnight (New York time) on the deadline date.

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.