SENIOR ECONOMIC AFFAIRS OFFICER AND DEPUTY HEAD

Overview

Lead economic analysis and support sustainable development efforts.

You have:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in economics, environmental studies, sustainable development, public policy or related field is required.
• A minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in economic or sustainable development research and analysis, policy formulation, at least five years at the multilateral or international level is required.
• Experience in managing a diverse team on sustainable development related programmes is required.
• Fluency in English is required; knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.
• Experience in developing policies on sustainable development issues in East and North-East Asia is desirable.

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 110,869 USD and 138,944 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 mandate of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is to promote sustainable and inclusive development and regional connectivity in the Asian and Pacific region. ESCAP’s role as a regional development arm of the United Nations Secretariat is to support its membership with policy oriented research and analysis, normative support and technical assistance and capacity building, to respond to the development priorities and changing needs of the Asian and Pacific region.

The ESCAP Subregional Office for East and North-East Asia (SOENEA) works with China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Japan, Mongolia and the Republic of Korea, as well as with Hong Kong, China, and Macao China. In addition, it works with the Russian Federation on matters of technical cooperation. SOENEA also serves as the Secretariat of the North-East Asian Subregional Programme for Environmental Cooperation (NEASPEC).

This position is located in the ESCAP Subregional Office for East and North-East Asia. The incumbent reports to the Head of Office, ESCAP Subregional Office for East and North-East Asia.

Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Office, ESCAP Subregional Office for East and North-East Asia, the incumbent is required to perform the following functions:

Economic or sector analysis • Leads or participates in the formulation, organization and management of mandated programmes of economic, environmental and social analysis and the formulation of possible economic and sustainable development strategies, policies and actions for adoption by the membership of ESCAP; Through subregional platforms such as NEASPEC and North-East Asia Regional Power Interconnection and Cooperation Forum (NEARPIC), leads the development, implementation and evaluation of programmes/projects on sustainable development issues, such as on environment, energy, trade, transport and social issues; Coordinates the operation of NEASPEC Secretariat and projects. • Leads or participates in the identification of new or emerging development issues of potential concern to the ESCAP membership or the subregion and designs and develops innovative programmes and products to address them. • Supervises a work unit on various topics of economic or developmental issues in programme / project development, implementation, monitoring and assessment and ensures gender mainstreaming, including in legislation, policies or programmes • Commissions studies and analyses that cannot be undertaken internally. • Conceives, plans and manages expert group meetings, seminars and similar consultations that contribute to the finalization of the work unit’s outputs. • Finalizes reports on development for issuance by the United Nations Supervises and provides analytical inputs in the preparation and finalization of various written outputs, including background papers, analysis, substantial sections of reports and studies, and inputs to publications on sustainable development issues, in addition to subregional analysis inputs to ESCAP flagship publications, surveys and reports. Coordinates and supports ESCAP Headquarters in advocacy and capacity-building events, including the launching of ESCAP publications and dissemination of analytical studies and reports in the subregion. Prepares speeches for senior staff and makes presentations on economic and/or sustainable development issues for specialist or non-specialist audiences.

Intergovernmental support • Provides direct substantive support on development issues to intergovernmental bodies (such as the ESCAP commission and the Asia Pacific Forum for Sustainable Development) and other subregional activities by offering strategic advice, giving technical guidance and assisting in developing a consensus. • Manages the work unit’s contribution to the preparation and management of meetings of intergovernmental bodies. • Represents the organizational unit at international, regional and national meetings on development issues.

Technical cooperation • Develops and maintains relations with senior officials of member governments and ensures a response to requests for advice and/or assistance on economic and sustainable development issues and policies. • Negotiates with donor and recipient governments and subregional organizations on technical assistance programmes and projects. Manages outreach and technical activities, including networks and communities of practice for knowledge sharing; designs and conducts training workshops, seminars, etc., give lectures or presentations on assigned topics/activities on sustainable development issues. Coordinates closely with Member States, the United Nations Country Teams (UNCTs) regional and subregional intergovernmental organizations, as well as with civil society organizations and other development partners in the region.

Programme support • Functions as the deputy head of an organizational unit. • Contributes to the formulation of the medium-term plan, the programme of work and the budget of the unit and participate in the formulation of the organization's overall programme of work and other similar endeavours. • Attends to various administrative matters concerning the larger organizational unit (Section or Division). • Performs other related duties as required.

Competencies

Core Competencies • Professionalism: Ability to apply economic theories and concepts in different sectors of economic and sustainable development. Ability to conduct independent research on economic topics, determine suitability, validity and accuracy of data provided by different sources. Ability to develop economic policies and make recommendations on their implementation. 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.

• 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.

• 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.

Managerial Competencies: • 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.

• 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.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in economics, environmental studies, sustainable development, public policy or related field is required.

A relevant first-level university degree in the above fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job - Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in economic or sustainable development research and analysis, policy formulation, application of economic or sustainable development principles in development programmes or related area with at least five years at the multilateral or international level is required.

Experience in managing a diverse team on sustainable development related programmes is required.

Experience in the United Nations Common System, international organizations or multilateral cooperation programmes is desirable.

Demonstrated experience in analytical and policy analysis in economic or sustainable development is desirable.

Experience in developing policies on sustainable development issues in East and North-East Asia is desirable.

Experience in developing knowledge products on sustainable development issues is desirable.

Languages

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

Assessment

Qualified applicants may be evaluated through a competency-based interview and/or other assessment methods.

Special Notice

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

For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat as of 31 Oct 2023, are strongly encouraged to apply: Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Djibouti, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu.

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.

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.

Pursuant to section 6.9 of ST/AI/2010/3/Rev. 1, interns, consultants, individual contractors and gratis personnel may not apply for or be appointed to any vacancy in the Professional or higher categories within six months of the end of their current or most recent service.

Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position.

Applicants, who successfully go through a competitive recruitment process and are recommended for selection and/or inclusion in the roster of pre-approved candidates for subsequent job openings at the same level and with similar functions, may have their application information and roster status shared with other UN Organizations. Such applicants may be contacted by other UN Organizations for similar job openings, subject to the confirmation of their interest. Placement on the roster is no guarantee of a future selection.

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.

Potential interview questions