Regional Liaison and Sustainable Development Officer, Latin America and the Caribbean

Contract

This is a P-4 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 7 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 171,387 USD and 220,969 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 position is located in the Office of the Assistant Secretary-General for the United Nations Development Coordination Office in New York.

In its Resolution A/RES/72/279, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed the transformation of the Development Operations Coordination Office (DOCO) as a stand-alone coordination office within the United Nations Secretariat. The new Development Coordination Office (DCO) assumed managerial and oversight functions of the Resident Coordinator system under the collective ownership of the members of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG).

The incumbent reports to the DCO Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, with a secondary reporting line to the Chief of Staff.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the incumbent will be responsible for the following:

• Follows the deliberation in the UN intergovernmental bodies, including the General- Assembly and ECOSOC with focus on issues pertaining to Latin America and Caribbean countries, and delivers high quality analysis in a timely manner to DCO Senior Management. • Develops and maintains solid relationships with LAC Member States and anticipates trends in order to position DCO on the front foot in delivering against expectations and its mandate. • Advises DCO Senior Management and provide key strategic inputs on intergovernmental processes and facilitates the exchange of information. • Works closely with Intergovernmental Affairs team in DCO Front Office for the preparation and drafting of DCO's reports and presentations to the Deputy Secretary-General and UN bodies, including the General-Assembly (Plenary, Second and Fifth Committees), ECOSOC, ACABQ. • Undertakes liaison duties in Headquarters for the UNDCO Regional Team by supporting regional inter-agency coordination and networking, and by keeping UNDCO Regional Team abreast of political developments and issues in Headquarters. • Engages in in global policy discussions to ensure regional dimensions are duly considered. • Maintains strong working relationships with Permanent Missions in New York. Coordinates information management and knowledge sharing on Member State positions in different UN fora including ECOSOC, General Assembly, specialized meetings, etc. • Provides technical analysis and proposes recommendations and solutions to the Regional Director and DCO Senior Leadership on Member State positions on various issues in a timely manner. • Organizes and prepares written outputs on regional policy issues e.g. draft background papers, briefing noters, analysis, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, key messages etc. • Conducts research on specific regional matters; leads formulation of advocacy papers, regional statements, key messages, etc. • Provides strategic support to outreach activities and facilitates substantive contributions from a regional and global perspective to UNDCO management. • Supports UN system joint analysis, especially in complex countries. • Supports UNCT processes (retreats, strategic planning) and lead quality assurance efforts. • Participates in Regional Thematic working groups to ensure efficient support to RCs/UNCTs by Regional Office. • Keeps abreast of latest emerging trends and innovative approaches in United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks partnerships and programmes. • Monitors and analyzes funding mechanisms and their viability to support new emerging development opportunities; reviews relevant documents and reports; identifies problems and sustainable development issues to be addressed and initiates corrective actions; liaises with relevant parties; ensures follow-up actions. • Provides substantive backstopping to consultative and other meetings, conferences, etc., including proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations on sustainable development issues. • Initiates and coordinates outreach activities; conducts training workshops, seminars, etc.; makes presentations on assigned topics/activities. • 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. • Coordinates activities related to budget funding on strategic partnerships and programmes; • Performs other related duties, as required.

Competencies

•Professionalism: Ability to apply sustainable development theories, concepts and approaches. Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems. Ability to conduct data collection using various methods. Conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis, including familiarity with and experience in the use of various research sources, including electronic resources on the internet, intranet and other databases. 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.

•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.

•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.

•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.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in sustainable development, economics, public policy, public administration, finance, natural resources management, engineering, law, social sciences or related field. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job - Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in political affairs, partnerships, development coordination or policy-oriented work in a broad range of sustainable development issues is required.

Experience in development issues in Latin America and the Caribbean is required.

Experience with inter-agency and/or intergovernmental collaboration in the development sector is required.

Experience in the United Nations system or a comparable international organization is desirable.

Field experience in development cooperation is desirable.

Languages

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

NOTE: "Fluency equals a rating of "fluent" in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and "Knowledge of" equals a rating of "confident" in two of the four areas.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

This position is available for an initial six months. Extension of appointment is subject to the availability of funds. 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.

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

By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions.

Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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.