Deputy Executive Secretary (Programme)

Established by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations (UN) in 1958 as one of the UN's five regional commissions, the mandate of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) 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 position is located in the Office of the Executive Secretary (OES) at the ECA. The incumbent, also the Chief Economist of the Commission, works under the direct supervision of the Executive Secretary and in close collaboration with the Deputy Executive Secretary (Programme Support).

As Deputy Executive Secretary of the Commission, the incumbent will assist the Executive Secretary in carrying out the mandate of ECA in assisting governments of the region in their regional and sub-regional economic development efforts, and promoting cooperation among them, in close collaboration with other agencies and organizations. Within the framework of the policies of the United Nations and subject to the general guidance of ECA Conference of Ministers and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the supervision of the Executive Secretary, the incumbent oversees and coordinates the implementation of the various work programmes and priorities of the Commission.

Under the general supervision of the Executive Secretary, the Deputy Executive Secretary is responsible for the following duties:

•Assists the Executive Secretary in the planning, coordination, direction and management of the programme of work of ECA to promote economic and technical cooperation for economic and social development of Member States development; Contributes to the formulation of the ECA’s overall strategies and policies by participating in various committees, preparing documents on policy issues, and acting, as required, in an advisory capacity to the Executive Secretary; contribute to the overall management of the ECA’s activities and operations.

•Provides leadership to the development of innovative and/or change management programmes.

•Oversees ECA’s operational activities, coordinate the divisions' work and the work of the Sub Regional Offices (SRO) and the African Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP) and promote inter-divisional activities of a cross-sectional nature in the Commission secretariat;

•Maintains liaison with member and observer member Governments of the Commission, UN organs and specialized agencies and other organizations through the Commission sessions, other intergovernmental conferences and meetings, missions and other forms of communications;

•Formulates and implement the substantive work programme of the Office/Division under his/her supervision, determining priorities, and allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery.

•Oversees the management of activities undertaken by the Office/Division, ensuring that programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion and co-ordinates work in the different areas both within the Office/Division and ECA, and with other organizations of the United Nations System, donors and agencies as appropriate.

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

•Ensures follow-up of the implementation of resolutions and decisions of the Commission, the Economic and Social Council and other intergovernmental organizations;

•Acts as Chairperson of the various standing and adhoc inter-divisional committees established by the Executive Secretary;

•Maintains liaison with member and observer member Governments of the Commission, UN organs and specialized agencies and other organizations through the work of the sub-Regional Offices and IDEP, the Commission sessions, other intergovernmental conferences and meetings, missions and other forms of communications;

•Advises the Executive Secretary on matters concerning the operations of the organization and its work in the region, with emphasis on the technical and political implications or consequences of planned action or activities;

•Ensures that the outputs produced by the Office/Division maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data. Ensures that all outputs produced by the office/division under his/her supervision meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates.

•Undertakes or oversees the programmatic/administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the Office/Division, including preparation of budgets, assigning and monitoring of performance parameters and critical indicators, reporting on budget/programme performance, preparation of inputs for results-based budgeting, evaluation of staff performance, interviews of candidates for job openings and evaluation of candidates.

•Oversees the recruitment of staff for Office/Division taking due account geographical and gender balance and other institutional values.

•Manages, guides, develops and trains staff under hi/her supervision; foster teamwork and communication among staff in the office/division and across organizational boundaries.

•Chairs meetings, seminars, etc., on substantive-related issues; represents the Organization at international, regional, inter-agency meetings, seminars and conference; provides programmatic/substantive expertise on an issue, or holds programmatic/substantive and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions.

•Performs other related duties as requested by the senior management of the Organization.

•Manages the Commission secretariat in the absence of the Executive Secretary.

•Professionalism: Expert knowledge in the African socio-economic development issues; ability to plan, coordinate and implement the managerial, financial and administrative work of the organization; ability to guide the work of others; and proven ability to plan and organize the work and teams. Shows ability to apply UN rules, regulations, policies and guidelines in work situations. 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.

•Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

•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.

•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 improvements; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.

•Judgement/Decision-making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.

Advanced university degree (Master’s or Doctorate) in economics, social sciences public administration, law, political science, international relations or related area is required. A PhD in economics or other related areas is an advantage. A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in the specified fields with additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Over fifteen years of progressively responsible experience in management and analysis of socio-economic development issues, management of development programmes, or related areas, is required. Experience in senior policy-making and leadership positions at the international level is required. Experience in management of development programmes in the context of Africa is desirable. Experience in facilitating and conducting intergovernmental negotiating processes is desirable. Experience in handling a multidisciplinary portfolio of tasks and duties is desirable. Experience in research and publishing research on socio-economic development issues is desirable.

Fluency in one of the working languages of the UN Secretariat, 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.

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.

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.

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

For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat as of 30 November 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, Montenegro, 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.

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.