PROGRAMME COORDINATION OFFICER

The position is located in the Office of the Secretary-General (OSG) of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Geneva.

Under the overall supervision of the Secretary-General of UNCTAD and as part of the OSG team under the guidance of the Chief of Service, the Programme Coordination Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

• Supports the UNCTAD’s communications team in ensuring that the corporate communication strategy for UNCTAD 15 is consistent and reflects the organization’s strategic vision.
• Supports the Secretary-General in identifying communication opportunities to advance the communication of UNCTAD’s work and ensure proper execution across all channels identified by the Secretary-General, in close coordination with UNCTAD’s Communication Information and External Relations (CER) team.
• Undertakes the search for new partnerships and seeks opportunities to enhance the reputation of the brand, and coordinates publicity events as required. Performs due diligences on all partners prior to SG’s engagements and commitments.
• Coordinates and prepares reports on various activities as required. Monitors and analyzes programme documents and implementation; reviews relevant documents and reports; identifies problems and issues to be addressed and initiates correction actions; liaises with relevant parties; ensures follow-up actions.
• Researches, analyzes and presents information gathered from diverse sources.
• Develops or oversees development of coherent messaging and high profile partnerships and advocacy campaigns for use by the Secretary-General across all channels and ensures their link to a large audience, including on the identification of new projects and products; monitors good understanding of messages by target audience; ensures close cooperation with the Communications, Information and Outreach Section within UNCTAD.
• Designs studies of selected projects and initiatives.
• Attends international, regional, and national meetings to hold discussions with representatives of other institutions; follows-up on agreement reached with other institutions or delegations.
• Leads and/or participates in large, complex field missions, including provision of guidance to external consultants, government officials and other parties and drafting mission summaries, etc.
• Supports junior staff, reviewing their work and providing feedback.
• Performs other duties as required.

PROFESSIONALISM:Ability to identify key strategic partnership issues, opportunities and risks. Ability to generate and communicate broad and compelling organizational direction. Ability to Communicate clearly links between the Organization's strategy and the work unit's goals. Demonstrated ability to provide innovative technical leadership by performing and/or overseeing the planning, development, and management of operations. Demonstrated ability to negotiate and apply good judgment. Demonstrated ability to organize and oversee high level events. 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.

• 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.

• 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.

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in organizational development, business administration, management, economics or a related field is required. A 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 seven years of progressively responsible experience in project or programme management, administration or related area is required.
Five years of experience in communication is desirable.

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

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which will be followed by a 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.

For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat as of 31 October 2019, are strongly encouraged to apply: Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Central African Republic, China, Comoros, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, 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, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Suriname, 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, 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.

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.