Chief, Global Policy Advocacy and Regional Cooperation

Contract

This is a P-5 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 10 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 156,547 USD and 196,189 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

Org. Setting and Reporting Desertification, along with climate change and the loss of biodiversity, were identified as the greatest challenges to sustainable development during the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. Established in 1994, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management. The Convention seeks to support countries to address Desertification, Land Degradation, and Drought (DLDD). The mission of the Global Policy, Advocacy and Regional Cooperation (GPARC) Unit is to position the UNCCD as a credible and trusted partner in addressing DLDD. To achieve this goal, the Unit develops and then communicates relevant and persuasive policy messages to decision makers at all levels. It places a special emphasis on supporting the work of Parties at regional level to elevate DLDD agenda as a political priority and to facilitate support to the national efforts in the implementation of the objectives of the convention.

Responsibilities Under the general supervision of the Under Secretary General, Executive Secretary and direct oversight from the Deputy Executive Secretary, the Chief Global Policy, Advocacy and Regional Cooperation (GPARC) Unit will have the following responsibilities and tasks:

1. Provides advice and guidance on strategy and policy advocacy to the Executive Secretary, Secretariat, Global Mechanism, and key partners. Acts as the main contact on ways and means to enhance the delivery of policy, derived from Country of Parties (COP) decisions, and included in the programme of work or otherwise, related to DLDD. 2. Develops and maintains relations with national focal points and senior officials of state Parties to the Convention and ensures an appropriate response to requests for advice and support on policy matters. 3. Analyses critical policy issues in the context of the DLDD [mainly climate change, biodiversity, sustainable agriculture and forestry, drought and water scarcity, disaster risk management, sand and dust storms, migration, gender, and rights-based approaches]. Leads research on the identification of new and emerging issues and presents plausible recommendations for action. 4. Provides substantive input in the preparation of UNCCD reports, studies, background papers, policy guidelines, correspondence, presentations, background papers, policy guidelines, parliamentary documents, etc. 5. Works with other Units, to mainstream the prioritized policy issues in the different internal workstreams, and collaborates with different Units, and particularly with Communication, External Relations and Partnerships (CERP)in the identification, promotion and development of strategic partnerships. 6. Plans and oversees the management of activities undertaken by the Unit; ensures that substantive work programmes and activities are carried out in a timely fashion and to the highest quality standards, coordinating diverse initiatives and projects in the Unit, and, in liaison with other UNCCD units, specialized organizations of the UN System, donors and agencies as appropriate. 7. Carries out programmatic/administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the Unit, including preparation of budgets, monitoring and reporting on results, evaluation of staff performance (ePAS), interviewing of candidates for vacancies taking due account geographical and gender balance and other institutional values, managing, training, and fostering teamwork and communication among staff in the Unit and across organizational boundaries. 8. Performs any other job-related activity required to achieve the goals and objectives of the unit, sub-unit, programme or the secretariat.

Competencies Professionalism: Proven knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches relevant to sustainable development. Ability to identify key strategic 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 operation. Demonstrated ability to negotiate and apply good judgment. Proven ability to analyze complex data and produce reports leading to sound policy recommendations for achieving sustainable development; Solid understanding of the political environment and the programmes and activities of the UN system in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals; Ability to think strategically, to identify key emerging sustainable development issues and related policy implications. 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.

Planning and 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.

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.

Managing Performance: Ability to make timely decisions, establish priorities and coach, mentor, motivate and develop staff and encourage good performance; delegates responsibility, clarifies expectations and gives staff autonomy in important areas of their work; encourages others to set challenging goals; holds others accountable for achieving results related to their area of responsibility.

Education Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent degree) in business or public administration, sustainable development, social sciences, political sciences, natural sciences or international relations and related fields 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.

Work Experience A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in strategic planning, sustainable development policy, project/programme management, or resource mobilization in the context of development cooperation or related area is required.

Experience in leading and managing a sizable work unit with at least five international staff is required.

Five (5) years of experience in an international setting is desirable.

Experience in managing a sizeable multi-cultural team at country, regional or global level is desirable.

Field experience in development cooperation context is desirable.

Languages For the position advertised, fluency in English language is required. Knowledge of another UN language is an advantage.

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

Special Notice This position is available for an initial period of one year. Extension of appointment is subject to the availability of funds.

Individual contractors and consultants who have worked within the UNCCD in the last six months, irrespective of the administering entity, are ineligible to apply for professional and higher temporary or fixed-term positions and their applications will not be considered.

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.

Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

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.