Director, Sub Regional Office - Eastern Africa

Established by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations (UN) in 1958 as one of the UN's five regional commissions, ECA's mandate is to promote the economic and social development of its Member States, foster intra-regional integration, and promote international cooperation for Africa's development. Made up of 54 Member States, and playing a dual role as a regional arm of the UN and as a key component of the African institutional landscape, ECA is well positioned to make unique contributions to address the Continent's development challenges. The strategic objective of ECA is framed around delivering ideas and actions for an empowered, inclusive and transformed Africa in the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063 of the African Union through its three core functions, namely, its function as a think tank, its convening function and its operational function.

This post is located in the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Sub Regional Office for Eastern Africa (SRO-EA) in Kigali, Rwanda. The incumbent will work under the direct supervision of the Deputy Executive Secretary (Programme), in close collaboration with the Deputy Executive Secretary (Programme Support) and under the overall supervision of the Executive Secretary.

The Sub Regional Office for Eastern Africa serves the following countries: Burundi, Comoros, D.R Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

Within delegated authority, the Director of the Sub Regional Office formulates and implements the substantive work programme of the SRO-EA and will be responsible for the following duties:

• Oversee the management of activities undertaken by the SRO-EA, ensure that programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion and co-ordinate work in the different
areas both within the SRO and Headquarters, and with other organizations of the United Nations System, as appropriate.

• Provide intellectual, technical and managerial vision and leadership for the SRO-EA.

• Serve as principal technical and substantive adviser to the Executive Secretary on all matters pertaining to the regional integration, AfCFTA and cooperation in the Eastern Africa sub-region and to the SROs.

• In the context of the sub-region, assess economic and social development needs, develop policy, organize research, design and execute programme initiatives, and monitor
results in close collaboration with ECA Divisions and other SROs.

• Lead, supervise and carry out the work programme of the SRO-EA. Co-ordinate the work carried out by different work units under the SRO-EA and by other agencies and bodies
of the United Nations system; provide programmatic/ substantive reviews of the drafts prepared by others.

• Co-ordinate and oversee the preparation of reports for presentation to intergovernmental bodies such as the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE) and the Conference of
African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and other policy-making organs as appropriate.

• Develop, establish and sustain strategic partnership with Member states in the region, regional economic communities and key national and international partners (bi-lateral and
multilateral partners, UN development system, Think Tank organizations, Academic Institutions civil society organizations).

• Report to intergovernmental bodies on budget/ programme performance or on programmatic/ substantive issues, as appropriate, particularly those presented in biannual and/or annual reports.

• Ensure that the outputs produced by the SRO-EA maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data. Ensure that all outputs produced by the Sections under his/her supervision meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates and are disseminated to policy makers in the region.

• Lead the preparation of the work programme of the SRO-EA in determining priorities, and allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery.

• Undertake or oversee the programmatic/ administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the SRO-EA, including preparation of budgets, reporting on budget/programme performance, evaluation of staff performance (e-PAS), interviews of candidates for job openings, evaluation of candidates and preparation of inputs for results based budgeting.

• Recruit staff, taking due account of geographical and gender balance.

• Manage, guide, develop and train staff under his/her supervision.

• Foster teamwork and communication among staff in the SRO-EA and across organizational boundaries.

• Lead and supervise the organization of meetings, seminars, etc. on substantive issues. Manage the substantive preparation and organization of such meetings or seminars.

• Participate in international, regional or national meetings and provide programmatic. substantive expertise on an issue, or hold programmatic/ substantive and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions.

• Represent the Division at international, regional or national meetings.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Work implies frequent interaction with the following:

• Managers and staff within the Division, Department, Office, Commission and/or Mission.

• Senior Staff within the UN Secretariat, Missions Heads and other UN offices, funds, programmes and specialized agencies.

• Representatives of Governments and representatives of non-governmental organizations.

• Chairs and members of intergovernmental bodies.

Results expected:

Produce high-quality outputs on key issues. Effectively and efficiently manage available human and financial resources to ensure the timely delivery of programmed outputs. Provide solid substantive support in the servicing of various committees and intergovernmental bodies; report for these bodies are clear and focused on the issues at hand and the meetings or
seminars are well-organized and address the topics covered in a comprehensive manner. Effectively develop staff under his/her supervision, including their on-going learning and
development. Effectively assist, guide and support programme managers in meeting their objectives and outputs.

• Professionalism:

Has expert knowledge of the substantive field of regional integration and social and economic structural transformation in the context of Africa in general and in the specific areas being supervised; has proven ability to produce reports and documents on such issues and to review and edit the work of others; is able to manage the work of a team requiring an in-depth understanding of its strategic direction and is able to integrate the work of the SRO into the work programme of UNECA; Is able to provide expert advice on substantive issues and to defend and explain difficult issues with respect to key decisions and positions to staff, senior officials and members of the intergovernmental bodies; 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 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.

•Accountability:

Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honors 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.

•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 improvement; does not accept the status quo. Shows the courage to take unpopular stands.

•Managing Performance:

Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; Makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; Accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills; Monitors progress against milestones and deadlines; Regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff; Encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative; Actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff; Appraises performance fairly.

Advanced university degree (Master’s or Doctorate) in economics, public administration, social sciences, development management or related areas is required. A first-level degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in the specified fields with two additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. A Ph.D. in economics or development economics is an advantage.

A minimum of fifteen years of progressively responsible experience in research, management and analysis of socio-economic development issues is required. Experience in leading a team of specialists in an interdisciplinary effort is required. Experience in handling a multidisciplinary portfolio of tasks and duties is required. Experience of management of development programmes in an international organization is desirable. Experience in facilitating and conducting intergovernmental processes is desirable. Experience of regional integration and social and economic structural transformation in the context of Africa is desirable. Qualifying years of experience are calculated following the receipt of the first-level university degree recognized by the United Nations.

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English or French is required; knowledge of the other is desirable. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.

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

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.

For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat as of 31 October 2018, are strongly encouraged to apply: Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belarus, Belize, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Central African Republic, China, Comoros, Cyprus, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Mozambique, Nauru, Norway, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Suriname, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential.

Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.

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 or sexual abuse, or crimes other than minor traffic offences, 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.

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.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side 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.

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.