EXECUTIVE OFFICER

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 204,886 USD and 256,769 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 The P5 Executive Officer is the head of the Executive Office under the Programme Management and Support Services Division (PMSSD) of the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) based in Geneva, Switzerland. The Executive Office is comprised of the Budget & Finance Unit, the Human Resources Unit, and the Information Services Unit. The P5 Executive Officer reports directly to the Director of the Division, and is under the general supervision of the Executive Secretary of the Commission. The Executive Officer reports to the Director of PMSSD.

Responsibilities Under the direct supervision of the Director, PMSSD, and within the framework of the rules and regulations of the United Nations, the Executive Officer provides authoritative technical advice, guidance and direction to all ECE programme support functions. The incumbent will be responsible for strengthening and coordinating the Human Resources, Budget and Finance, Information Technology and General Administration services for activities funded by the regular budget and extra-budgetary resources. Within delegated authority, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:

- Budget and Finance - Exercises overall financial control for all accounts administered by ECE, including regular budget funds, UN Development Account funds, extrabudgetary trust funds and programme support accounts. Serves as principal Certifying Officer for all ECE accounts. - Reviews and signs contribution agreements, Host Country Agreements, in-kind contribution agreements, non-reimbursable loan agreements, implementing partner agreements within delegated authority. - Plans, organizes, and coordinates the preparation and submission of the annual proposed programme budget and financial performance reports. Represents ECE in budgetary meetings, including meetings with the Office of Programme Planning, Finance, and Budget (OPPFB), the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), and the Fifth Committee. - Monitors expenditures to ensure that they remain within authorised levels. Exercises control over budgetary expenditures from these resources and advises senior staff regarding the allocation/availability of budget resources. - Develops, establishes, and maintains a set of sound policies, procedures, standards and tools that are consistent with UN policies and practices in order to ensure proper accounting, financial management, and internal control. - Serves as lead financial officer to ECE, providing guidance and direction on business and resource planning. Formulates strategic direction and evaluates strategic options, particularly in terms of resource implications. Assumes the lead role in monitoring and supporting the execution of these strategies to achieve maximum impact. - Prepares internal financial reports and responses to Internal and External Audit observations in compliance with the Financial Rules and Regulations.

- Human Resource Management (HRM) - Oversees the development and implementation of the ECE human resources action plan. - Takes the lead in coordinating the full range of staff and human resources administration related issues, ensuring ECE requirements are met. This involves overseeing the development and maintenance of staffing table records; interpretation and application of staff rules relating to human resources issues; preparation of staffing tables for projects and other ad hoc status reports. - Identifies potential management reviews of high sensitivity and complexity. Defines problems to be addressed in management reviews; directs the work of the review teams through all stages. - Ensures that all HRM actions are in compliance with Inspira and Umoja operational procedures for recruitment, promotions, transfer, placement and separation of staff, as well as mobility and career development; gender equality, geographical representation and staff-management relations. - Provides expert advice with respect to conditions of service, duties and responsibilities, and privileges and entitlements under the Staff Rules and Regulations. Represents ECE at meetings with UNOG HRMS and OHR. - Coordinates human resources legal advice to the Head of Entity to manage organizational liabilities.

-Policy and Planning - Assists the Under-Secretary-General and senior management in the development and implementation of the administrative and financial framework. - Advises the Under Secretary-General on the implementation of the new Delegation of Authority Framework, the related accountability indicators, and the Statement of Internal Control. Monitors and reports on exceptions granted under this authority. - Advises senior management on budgeting, financial, human resources, general administration, and management information issues and practices. - Produces major/complex reports for management. - Provides advice and support to senior management in areas such as technical cooperation activities, special reviews of operational objectives and related administrative policies/procedures, etc. - Participates, on behalf of ECE, in task forces of the Secretariat on human resources, financial and administrative matters. - Participates in ECE senior management meetings to provide advice on administrative, financial, and human resources matters, as required.

- Information Technology (IT) - Leads and oversees the deployment of all IT initiatives, including the implementation of new Umoja/ERP modules or full systems, including Inspira upgrades and others. - Oversees the information technology requirements, priorities, IT strategic framework and vision to serve ECE’s business strategy. - Oversees the development and maintenance of ECE wide IT systems and services. - Oversees the global ICT strategy for ECE and the related local IT data governance and management strategy. - Oversees the management of all ECE assets and equipment including the approval of any necessary write-offs. - Oversees the management of IT staff and prepares performance reports and work plans with the staff.

General Administration - Plans, organises, and implements general administrative services, including the Grants Committee, all procurement related actions, business continuity, office space, records management and the official recording of gifts. - Manages the Service Level Agreement with the designated service provider. - Ensures compliance with UN travel policies and provides authoritative guidance to all staff. - Prepares draft administrative policy documents for issuance by the Head of Entity. - Manages staff of the EO and prepares performance reports and medium-term plans for this staff.

Competencies Professionalism: 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.

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.

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.

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 that the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision. Makes tough decisions when necessary.

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. 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.

Education An advanced university degree (Master’s or Doctorate degree, or equivalent) in business or public administration, finance, accounting, law, or related fields is required. A first-level degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in the specified fields of studies in combination with two additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in administration, budget, finance, human resources management, or a related field is required.

Prior experience leading a team is required.

Demonstrated experience with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system deployments is required.

Demonstrated experience with issuing International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) or International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) compliant financial statements, advising on organizational internal control systems, and experience in the preparation and monitoring of results-based budgets is desirable.

Out of the 10 years' required experience, a minimum of five years' experience at the international level is desirable.

Experience in human resources management related dispute resolution mechanisms is desirable.

Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat; Russian is a working language of ECE. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required; knowledge of Russian or French is desirable.

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

Special Notice At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity 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 30 April 2021, are strongly encouraged to apply: Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, China, Comoros, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Djibouti, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Mozambique, Namibia, 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, Somalia, South Sudan, Suriname, Timor-Leste, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

Staff members of the United Nations Secretariat must fulfil the lateral move requirements to be eligible to apply for this vacancy. Staff members are requested to indicate all qualifying lateral moves in their Personal History Profile (PHP) and cover letter.

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.

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.