Job Vacancies Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), April 2011

Job Vacancies Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA)
Position Chief, Capacity Development Section, P5
Department/ Office DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS
Duty Station NEW YORK
Closing Date: Friday, 03 June 2011
Job Opening number 11-STT-DEPT OF ECON & SOCIAL AFFAIRS-16725-R-NEW YORK
United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity

Org. Setting and Reporting
The position is located in the Office of the Director (OD), the Statistics Division (SD), Department and Economy and Social Affairs (DESA). The Chief, Capacity Development Section, reports directly to the Director of the Statistics Division.

Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Director of the Statistics Division and, within delegated authority, the Chief, Capacity Development Section, will be responsible for the following duties:
Provides policy guidance to the Director of the Statistics Division, on conceptual strategy development of the division’s Statistical Capacity Building and Technical Cooperation programme and on management of its implementation of overall strategies and intra and inter-divisional/departmental policies and procedures.
Manages, supervises and carries out Technical Cooperation and Capacity Development activities undertaken by the Section; ensures that programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion, and, in liaison with other organizations of the United Nations System, donors and agencies as appropriate.
Contributes to the reporting to intergovernmental and to intra-secretariat bodies on budget/programme performance or on programmatic/ substantive issues related to Statistical Capacity Building and Technical Cooperation, as appropriate, particularly those presented in biannual and/or annual reports. Provides substantive input in the preparation of papers and reports for presentation to parliamentary or interagency bodies such as the Statistical Commission and the Committee for the Coordination of Statistical Activities (CCSA) as required.
Ensures that the outputs produced by the Section maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data. Ensures that all outputs produced by the Section under his/her supervision meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates.
Carries out administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the Section, including preparation of budgets, assigning and monitoring of performance parameters and critical indicators, reporting on budget/ programme performance, preparation of inputs for results-based budgeting, evaluation of staff performance (PAS), interviews of candidates for job openings and evaluation of candidates.
Represents the Organization at inter-agency meetings, seminars, etc. on issues related to Statistical Capacity Building and hold programmatic and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions.
Recruits staff for Section taking due account 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 Section and across organizational boundaries.
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.
Perform other duties as and when required.

Competencies
Professionalism:
Knowledge of Official Statistics and of Statistical Capacity Building and Technical Cooperation. 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. Familiarity with standard office computer applications, such as MS Office, is required; knowledge of web applications is desirable. 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. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

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.

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.

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.

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 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 statistics, mathematics, economics, sociology or related field. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience
A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in the collection, compilation, analysis and dissemination of statistical data or related area at the national or international level is required. In which, at least five years of experience in statistical capacity building and technical cooperation programme is required. Familiarity with project cycle and experience in project management in a relevant field is desirable.

Languages
English and French are the official languages of the Secretariat. For this post, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.

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.

Assessment Method
Competencies-based Interview

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.

No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, TRAINING OR ANY OTHER FEES). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON BANK ACCOUNTS.




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