Senior Editorial and Desktop Publishing Assistant

Contract

This is a G-7 contract. This kind of contract is known as General Service and related categories. It is normally only for nationals. It usually requires 7 years of experience, depending on education. More about G-7 contracts.

Org. Setting and Reporting This position is located in the Programme Management Unit (PMU) of the Economic Analysis and Policy Division (EAPD) of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). EAPD/DESA is mandated to provide research and policy analysis on global macroeconomic trends and long-term development issues to the General Assembly and Economic and Social Council, to support Member States in their efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Senior Editorial and Desktop Publishing Assistant will report to the Economic Affairs Officer, PMU, in the Office of the Director. For more information, see: www.un.org/development/desa/dpad/

Responsibilities 1. Editorial and Desktop Publishing activities: Act as focal point for the Economic Analysis and Policy Division in producing: the World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) and its mid-year update; the World Social Report (WSR- alternate years); the Report of the Committee for Development Policy, and other divisional outputs such as the Development Policy papers, Monthly Briefings; and for the Department, in producing the DESA Working Papers, UN-DESA Policy Brief Series, and papers and briefs prepared by the UN Economists Network (UNEN). - Develop templates (style sheet) for DESA for use in all DESA publications to maintain consistency, ensuring that publications and documents are consistent and uniform with the United Nations desktop publishing standards by using digital publishing technologies in the appropriate language for production. - Screens content for production in order to ensure compliance with submission standards and regulations. - Confers and collaborates with other units to maximize resources; this includes identifying statistical charts, diagrams, and organigrams for utilization by other units. - Creates and produces (attractive) materials by combining documents created from multiple applications into one as output to a postscript file for internal distribution or as high-resolution electronic files and preparing portable document files (PDF). - Incorporates changes as marked by authors, revisers and other clients, ensuring that the final version of the document conforms to, as the case may be, (a) the draft translation as to contents, and/or (b) the original language manuscript as to format and typography, in accordance with existing editorial guidelines. - Performs necessary formatting/layout corrections to formatted materials, alerting the responsible authority if obvious errors or discrepancies are found in the translated text. - Prepare press-ready document of the WESP and other publications for commercial printing/publishing in book format. - Prepare for printers (both UN and commercial printers) press-ready electronic files of publications, DESA Working Paper Series, Policy Briefs, Newsletters, Brochures, Conference/Seminar material, promotional material etc. by applying advance profesional industry-standard desktop publishing tools (QuarkSPress, InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat, etc.).

2. Guide and train Division and Department staff in: - Typesetting publications, brochures and flyers and other desktop publications. - Effective data visualization for reports and other written output - Creating and designing content for social media, including infographics, quote cards, gifs and animation. - Developing/designing DESA flagship report covers and branding for events and campaigns.

3. Act as alternate for website and LAN activities, when necessary. - Prepare publications, and other documents produced by the (Department) and the Division, for posting on the Department’s web page/Intranet by using Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) coding and in Portable Document format (PDF). - Prepare Social Media cards and other materials for outreach purposes. - Act as back-up and 2nd focal point for Information Technology (LAN) support.

Competencies Professionalism: Knowledge of all relevant aspects of desktop publishing and related skills. A combination of speed and accuracy, particularly attention to detail. Knowledge of typographical conventions. Ability to perform a broad range of IT functions, including web management. Good technical knowledge of hardware and software of web design, typesetting and information technology infrastructure. Ability to undertake system programming using widely used programming languages. Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work.

Technological Awareness: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitation of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology.

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.

Education High school diploma or equivalent is required.

Work Experience Ten years of practical experience in editorial and desktop publishing is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to eight years for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher.

Knowledge of design techniques, tools and principals involved in production is required.

Experience in information technology, including website management and experience across a broad range of relevant (hardware) and software platforms is desirable.

Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable.

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

Special Notice This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. Applicants for positions in the General Service and related categories must be authorized to work for the United Nations in the duty station where the position is located. Eligible applicants selected from outside the duty station are responsible for any expenses in connection with their relocation to the duty station. Staff members subject to local recruitment are not eligible for allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment.

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.