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Chief of Bangkok Office

Bangkok

  • Organization: UNHABITAT - United Nations Human Settlements Programme
  • Location: Bangkok
  • Grade: Senior level - P-5, International Professional - Internationally recruited position
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Development Cooperation and Sustainable Development Goals
    • International Relations
    • Economics
    • Infrastructure and Urban-Rural development
    • Urban Development, planning and design
  • Closing Date: Closed

Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, is the agency for human settlements and sustainable urbanization. It is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all. UN-Habitat is playing a key role implementing Goal 11 of the Sustainable Development Goals adopted in September 2015 as well as the New Urban Agenda adopted in Quito, Ecuador in October 2016.

The Quito Declaration re-affirmed the role and expertise of UN-Habitat as a focal point on sustainable urbanization and human settlements and charged the Programme with implementing, following-up, and monitoring the New Urban Agenda (NUA) in collaboration with other UN entities.

The Regional Office for the Asia Pacific (ROAP) was established in 1997 in Fukuoka, Japan, to oversee and support agency technical cooperation programs and projects with member states in the Asia and the Pacific region.

The post is located in Bangkok sub-office of Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. Under the general supervision of the Director of the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) in Fukuoka, working closely with ROAP’s HSOs, the country offices of UN-Habitat in the region, Programme and External Relations Divisions and other units at headquarters, Nairobi, the Incumbent will perform the following tasks:

Responsibilities

1.Support Regional Director for the full representation in the regional institutions in Bangkok, and when requested, elsewhere in the region.
2. Serve as the UN-Habitat representative to Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore and develop an expanded partnership and funded programme of collaboration with Thai institutions.
3. Develop and implement a biennial funded work programme in one or more thematic work programme areas, in coordination with ROAP and relevant branches, to enhance specific regional programmes, strategies, partnerships. e.g. Implementation of NUA, with a special emphasis on innovation and maximum visibility amongst Bangkok and ASEAN based institutions.
a)Spearhead advocacy, representation, inter-agency partnerships, and coordinate with Bangkok and ASEAN based stakeholder entities of UN-Habitat’s Strategic Plan and Work Programme for mobilization of resources.
b)Promote broad-based policy dialogue with regional constituents, development partners, regional thematic and operational hubs of sister UN entities;
c)Provide direct inputs to sustainable urbanization, human settlements analysis and needs assessments of the agency and partners, identify and promote ‘Sustainable urbanization’ tools, initiatives and champions at regional and global forums like World Urban Campaign, and World Urban Forums
d)Lead the roll-out of agency’s global strategies, tools, initiatives and plans in the ASEAN region in close consultation with ROAP, branches, units, and liaison offices of UN-Habitat.
e)Ensure representation of UN-Habitat and provide regular executive summaries on UN, substantial, institutional update reports and summaries derived in the regional coordination mechanisms of the UN, and civil society forums, the regional knowledge hubs, to ROAP and headquarters.
f)In close liaison with regional director and HSOs and relevant Branches, lead mandatory processes such as UNDAF/UNSRF, review of RCM, appeals, UN joint programming, where country office are not available or able; and support country office which can do these functions.
g)Mobilize partnerships for the activities within the strategic plan and work programme with UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, regional level public institutions, local governments, Non-Governmental Organizations, civil society and private sector;

4. Advise on Project Identification, Preparation and Negotiation;
a)In close consultation with HSOs and country offices and partnership with stakeholders; identify priority interventions on ‘sustainable urbanization and human settlements’ arena, to support implementation of the New Urban Agenda for achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, and develop important project documentation and ensure consensus on suggested strategies and funding, with a particular focus on the ASEAN sub-region.
b)Participate in the appraisal, revision and approval of project design(s) by all relevant parties in accordance with established guidelines;
c)Negotiate with multilateral / bilateral donors, regional funding mechanisms and member states for resource mobilization and promoting/coordinating joint activities of strategic importance;

5. Provide advisory services with cost recovery to UN-Habitat country offices, national and local governments, UN-ESCAP, UN Development Programme and other UN Agencies, bilateral and multi-lateral donors, UNDAF processes, UN reform, support to UNDAF and advocacy in countries, LDC, and small island states where agency is not present, if supported by the regional or HQ offices on issues of priority.

a)Develop, update and present information and training material for staff incumbents and staff training programmes, with regard to UN in the region, UN system reform, good practices on UNDAF, regional funding opportunities; supported by an updated roster of regional decision-makers, donor contacts, regional institutional specialists, and regional partners.
b)Develop participation opportunities for ROAP, country programmes with partners at advocacy opportunities, such as WUF and other international advocacy platforms, coordinate joint initiatives, identify resources, implement as required for ROAP and provide reports to the reporting focal point of ROAP.
c)Support HSOs in developing project concept notes and proposals; support R-PAG in reviewing these, with a special emphasis on identifying collaboration opportunities with UN entities and partners; provide a quality assurance role for donor documents, on such issues as (cross)-references to regional donor strategies, SGD priorities, UN reform expectations, regionally identified good practices.
d)Contribute to the overall policy and strategy development within UN-Habitat and undertake technical support and advisory missions to carry out high-level consultations and to develop policy initiatives in sustainable urbanization and human settlements issues, with particular focus on the ASEAN sub-region;
e)Assist governments in the ASEAN sub-region in organizing and convening meetings of policymakers and technical experts, such as National Urban Forums, to formulate, review, adopt and implement their National Plan for Action for New Urban Agenda and other issues related to the Sustainable Development Goals;
f)Advise UN-Habitat management, in consultation with the Regional Director, on programme and policy issues pertaining to the region;

6. Manage and supervise the work of the office, including responsibility for (financial) administration; (i) Guide and oversee the expansion of the Office; (ii) Take responsibility for the Office’s monitoring and reporting requirements.

Competencies

Professionalism: Demonstrated experience in policy analysis, programme design and management and understanding of Institutional dynamics pervading development. Specific knowledge in human settlements issues related to poverty reduction, disaster preparedness, post-conflict analysis, urban management and space-economy. Shows pride in work and in achievements; 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.

Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

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.

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.

Building Trust: Provides an environment in which others can talk and act without fear of repercussion; Manages in a deliberate and predictable way; Operates with transparency; has no hidden agenda; Places confidence in colleagues, staff members and clients; Gives proper credit to others; Follows through on agreed-upon actions; Treats sensitive or confidential information appropriately

Education

Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in urban and/or regional planning, civil engineering, developmental economics or related science degree relevant to sustainable urbanization and human settlements or sustainable development. A first-level university degree with a combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten (10) years' of relevant professional experience in multi-disciplinary human settlements and urban development projects and programmes at the national level of which at least five (5) years at the international level is required.
Work experience in the region either in public, private or external sector is required. Excellent computer and presentation skills is an asset.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in written and oral English is required. Working knowledge of another UN language would be an asset.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

• This position is temporarily available for 364 days. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.

• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post.

• Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.

• This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.

• Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.

• Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as "retirement." Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.

 

United Nations Considerations

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.

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.

No Fee

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.

This vacancy is now closed.
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