Special Assistant to the Resident Coordinator

Result of Service The Consultant is expected to support the following roles: - Front Office Management - Provide substantive support to the Resident Coordinator (RC) on the planning, coordination and management. - Keep the RC informed on all matters requiring his/her personal attention, assist in formulating options as to how those matters might be handled, and ensure appropriate follow-up, as directed. - In close coordination with the Executive Assistant to the RC, assists in planning the RC’s schedule and mission, participates in relevant meetings, preparing notes for file. - Organize and manage the RC’s meetings and mission events, prepare written summaries and ensure follow-up activities, as appropriate. - Analytically review information received by the RC and the management and identify priority matters that need to be urgently addressed, advising options. - Draft and review substantive correspondence for the RC, as well as, draft and clear briefing notes and talking points, including communication to inform UN Country Team meetings. - Support RCs communication (both internal and external) efforts, in close collaboration with RCO Communications Analyst and UN Communications Group. - In close collaboration with the RC and Team Leader, facilitate communication and information flow between RC/RCO and UNCT; facilitate substantive preparation for UNCT meetings, draft minutes, follow up on decisions.

Policy Analysis:

• Conduct research, review and situation analysis of key documents, including on political, social and economic developments in countries under MCO coverage and the South Pacific.
• Prepare high quality documents summarizing the developments and trends in the UNPS areas of Cooperation.
• Support country programming processes and products, including the UNPDF, CCA and Joint Programming and Programmes, in close coordination with RCO Team Leader, RCO Economist and RCO Partnership Specialist.
• Maintain regular dialogue with key national partners, including key ministries (MoFA, Ministry of Economy, among others) and function as a liaison of the RC with Government entities and development partners.
• Assist in the preparation of reports on good practices or any other analysis or data related to UNPS implementation; as well as good practices in partnerships and collaborative relationships.

• UN Coordination and Knowledge Management

• In close coordination with RCO Team Leader, contribute to UNCT reporting requirements within the UN System, following United Nations Sustainable Development Group’s guidelines and annual requirements.

• Contribute to the annual reporting cycle for the UNPS in close cooperation with the UNPS coordination structure.
• Support the coordination of the RC and RCO Work Plan, based on assessments and other identified priorities and strategies, under the guidance of the RC.
• Facilitate knowledge building, knowledge exchange and knowledge management for the UNCT and RCO.
• Develop tools and systems to enhance knowledge networking, sharing of best practices and technical expertise within the UN System.

• Identify, analyze and monitor developments and emerging trends with respect to the implementation of the UNCT’s mandate in the region and the UN Pacific Strategy (UNPS).

  Work Location Suva

  Expected duration 16 July 2022 until 31 December 2022

  Duties and Responsibilities With the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at its core, and in response to the General Assembly resolution 71/243 on the quadrennial comprehensive policy review of operational activities for development of the United Nations system, the UN Secretary General’s report (December 2017) “Repositioning the United Nations development system to deliver on the 2030 Agenda: our promise for dignity, prosperity and peace on a healthy planet” puts forward a comprehensive proposal on further improvements to the resident coordinator system to ensure more coherent, accountable and effective support for the 2030 Agenda. This was further reinforced by General Assembly resolution 72/729 of 1 June 2018, which gave the Secretary-General the mandate to implement the repositioning.

A reinvigorated resident coordinator (RC) system is at the centre of a repositioned United Nations Development System. While the System has been instrumental in driving coherence on the ground over the past four decades, it is now insufficiently robust to respond to the needs of the 2030 Agenda. The report stresses that Resident Coordinator Offices will need to be adequately staffed to ensure sufficient substantive capacities to lead United Nations Country Teams. The core capacity will include expertise in coordination and strategic planning, economics, tailored policy support, results monitoring and evaluation, and strategic partnerships, plus a robust standing communications capacity within United Nations country teams.

This IPSA position is expected to support the Office of the Resident Coordinator in MCO Fiji, with the new skillset and competencies required to deliver on the 2030 Agenda. In particular, the candidate will bring substantive experience and knowledge on planning, coordination and management; particularly experience in organizing and managing meetings and preparing written summaries for further follow-up activities. The candidate should have the necessary skills to analytically review information and identify priority matters that need to be urgently addressed, including on advising options. Further key areas of technical knowledge and skills required from the candidate include experience in undertaking programmatic analysis, high-level advice, and management.

Qualifications/special skills Academic Qualifications: The consultant should have an advanced university degree in social sciences, international relations, development studies, business or related field Experience: A minimum of five years of relevant paid working experience at the national or international level including 3-5years of working experience in a developing country, preferably in the Pacific Region. Knowledge and experience in the UN and the UN Resident Coordinator System would be a distinct advantage. Understanding of the mandate and role of the UN will be considered an advantage. Language: English and French are the working languages of the UN Secretariat. For this position, fluency in English, French and/ or any other required language is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.

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.