Country: United States of America
Closing date: 19 Dec 2019
Org. Setting and Reporting: This position is located in the Office of the Assistant Secretary-General, Office of Information and Communications Technology. The incumbent will report directly to the Assistant-Secretary-General.
Responsibilities: Within delegated authority, the Special Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:
• Provides policy guidance to the Assistant Secretary-General, on conceptual ICT strategy development and management of the implementation of overall strategies and intra and inter-divisional/departmental policies and procedures.
• Plans and oversees the management of activities undertaken by the Office; ensures that substantive work programmes and programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion, coordinating diverse projects in the Office, and, in liaison with other organizations of the United Nations System, donors and agencies as appropriate.
• Manages, supervises and carries out the work programme of the Office under his/her responsibility. Co-ordinates the work carried out by the Office; provides programmatic and substantive reviews of drafts prepared by others.
• Provides substantive input in the preparation of position papers and reports for presentation to intergovernmental bodies such as the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budget Questions, Committee for Programme Coordination, Economic and Social Council, the General Assembly and other policy-making organs, as appropriate.
• Contributes to the reporting to intergovernmental bodies on budget/programme performance or on programmatic/substantive issues, as appropriate, particularly those presented in biannual and/or annual reports.
• Ensures that the outputs produced by the Office maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data.
• Ensures that all outputs produced by the Office under his/her supervision meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates.
• Prepares inputs for the work programme of the Office, determining priorities, and allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery.
• Assists in the recruitment of staff for the Office taking due account of geographical and gender balance and other institutional values.
• Manages, guides, develops and trains staff under his/her supervision.
• Fosters teamwork and communication among staff in the Office and across organizational boundaries.
• Represents the Organization at inter-agency meetings, seminars, etc. on substantive-related issues.
• Participates in international, regional or national meetings and provides programmatic/substantive expertise on an issue, or hold programmatic/substantive and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions.
Competencies: • Professionalism: Knowledge and understanding of information communications technology (ICT). Excellent written and verbal communication skills. 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 the audience. Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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: An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in business or public administration, finance, information technology, law or related fields. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Work Experience: A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in project management, administrative services, information technology, communications or related area is required. Experience in a multicultural, international setting is desirable. Project Management experience is desirable. Experience in writing and preparing substantive inputs for position papers and reports is desirable. Two years of experience working in the field of information communications technology (ICT) is desirable. Experience providing policy and programme management support to a senior manager is desirable. Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.
Assessment: Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview.
How to apply:
To apply, visit: https://careers.un.org/lbw/jobdetail.aspx?id=125482&Lang=en-US