Head, ESCAP Subregional Office for North and Central Asia,

Job Title:Head, ESCAP Subregional Office for North and Central Asia, D1

Department/ Office:Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

Duty Station:ALMATY (ALMA ATA)

Posting Period:13 May 2013-12 July 2013


Job Opening number

13-ECO-ESCAP-28128-R-ALMATY (ALMA ATA)(G)

United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity

Organizational Setting and Reporting

The mandate of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is to promote regional cooperation for inclusive economic and social development in the Asian and Pacific region. ESCAP's role as a regional development arm of the United Nations Secretariat is to support its membership, through its analytical, normative and technical cooperation, to respond to the development priorities and changing needs of the Asian and Pacific region.

The programme on subregional activities, specifically those of ESCAP Subregional Office for North and Central Asia (SONCA), are to provide a more focused and in-depth technical assistance to countries of the specific subregion in order to address key development challenges. These challenges include capacity-building activities, through the provision, on request, of advisory services, the organization of training workshops and the implementation of field projects. The subregional work also serves as catalyst to operationalize the analytical and normative work of ESCAP at the subregional and national levels. The countries served by SONCA office include Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

The incumbent of this post will report directly to the Executive Secretary of ESCAP or her designate.

Responsibilities

Under the general supervision of the ESCAP Executive Secretary or her designate, and within delegated authority, the Head of Office will be responsible for the following:

Acts as the representative of ESCAP in the North and Central Asian subregion, including promoting the active participation of member governments in the subregion in the work of ESCAP.

Leads, supervises and carries out the work programme of the Subregional Office; provides programmatic/substantive reviews of the drafts prepared by others. Ensures that the outputs produced by the Subregional 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.

Formulates and implements, in consultation with the concerned entities at ESCAP Headquarters, the programme of work of the Subregional Office by determining subregional priorities and utilizing resources effectively for the timely delivery of mandated outputs.

Advises the Executive Secretary on emerging issues and concerns in the subregion, including those gathered from consultations/discussions with government officials and representatives of other key intergovernmental organizations, institutions and stakeholders, and provides advice toward developing ESCAP policies, programmes and courses of action, taking into consideration the socio-economic and political context of the subregion.

Provides inputs to the ESCAP Headquarters entities, including the concerned substantive Divisions on the development, formulation and implementation of the ESCAP work programme related to the countries of the subregion through:

a) Coordinating with concerned government officials, UN entities, UN Country Teams, sub-regional organizations and other stakeholders, to identify needs and priorities for technical assistance and cooperation and to facilitate the implementation of those programmes;

b) Providing support for missions, intergovernmental meetings, workshops, ESCAP flagship publications, training and other relevant activities held in the subregion;

c) Acting as knowledge sharing center in the subregion for ESCAP matters and activities.

Participates in international, regional or national meetings and provides policy advice and technical assistance in economic and social development policies and programmes to governments in the subregion in coordination with other existing entities, including those within the UN system.

Promotes partnership and knowledge sharing among member countries, private sector, civil society and other relevant development partners, including other ESCAP Subregional Offices and Regional Institutes, in addressing key priority areas of the subregion.

Undertakes or oversees the programmatic, administrative, and managerial tasks necessary for the functioning of the Subregional Office, including preparation of budgets and inputs for results-based budgeting, reporting on budget/programme performance, recruitment/selection of candidates (taking due account of geographical balance), evaluation of staff performance, and development/guidance of staff under his/her supervision.

Performs other duties as necessary.

Competencies

Professionalism: Demonstrated in-depth understanding of political, social and economic sustainable development issues in Asia and the Pacific. Strong analytical skills combined with good judgment. Ability to produce reports and papers on technical issues and to review and edit the work of others. Ability to apply UN rules, regulations, policies and guidelines in work situations. 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.

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.

Managing Performance: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills; monitors progress against milestones and deadlines; regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff; encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative; actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff; appraises performance fairly.

Education
Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in economics, social sciences, or related field. 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 15 years of progressively responsible experience, including several years of experience at the international level, in economic and social analysis, poverty reduction, policy formulation and implementation, and programme management. Working experience in the Asia-Pacific region, preferably in the subregion, essential. Working experience in the United Nations System and knowledge of United Nations programmes, policies, rules and regulations is highly desirable. Experience in advocacy work and establishing partnerships with key stakeholders, including civil society and the private sector, desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Working knowledge of Russian is an asset. Knowledge of an additional United Nations official language is an advantage.

Assessment Method

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

Special Notice

This post is located in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
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.

United Nations Considerations

The United Nations shall place 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. (Charter of the United Nations - Chapter 3, article 8). The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

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.
http://unjobs.org/vacancies/1368488772645
Closing Date: Friday, 12 July 2013