Chief, Research Innovation and Partnership Section, P-5

Chief, Research Innovation and Partnership Section, P-5

UNODC – United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Vienna, Austria

Org. Setting and Reporting

The position is located in the Research Innovation and Partnership Section (IPS), Research and Trend Analysis Branch (RAB), Division for Policy Analysis and Public Affairs (DPA) of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna, Austria. The Chief of IPS reports to the Chief of RAB. Research Innovation and Partnership Section (IPS) is responsible for research and trend analysis development as well as partnerships and engagement for impact, connecting with a diverse range of research partners to ensure that UNODC can produce, support and tap into leading, innovative and high-quality research around the world, joining the global conversation on challenges and responses in the areas of its mandate. The Section produces the Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, which has been published biennially since 2012 in line with General Assembly resolution 64/293 (United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons). It also has the responsibility for developing research and for the coordination, production, and quality assurance of research outputs on selected drugs and crime topics.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Chief of the Research Innovation and Partnership Section (IPS) will be responsible for the following specific duties:

• Provide guidance to the Chief of Branch on trends and developments, including in the policy analysis sphere, related to drugs, crime and other UNODC relevant research areas; plan and contribute to strategic research coordination and coherence, including through the elaboration of strategy documents and analysis.
• Plan and oversee the management of activities undertaken by the Section; ensure that substantive work programmes and programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion, coordinating diverse projects in the Section.
• Take the lead in conceptualizing new research and trend analysis initiatives, scanning, identifying and analysing changes, events, and policy trends at global, regional and national levels, with a view to continuously growing and developing impactful and policy-relevant research outputs in the areas of drugs and crime.
• Plan, lead and enhance engagement with internal as well as external research stakeholders to develop partnerships and networks, focusing in particular on new and emerging areas of research interest and regions with low data coverage, and contribute to data and research insights in support of UNODC and UN system-wide strategic priorities.
• Plan, carry out and oversee the management of research and analysis programmes, projects and activities undertaken by the Section; supervise the coordination, preparation, production, and quality assurance of research outputs on drug and crime topics; and provide programmatic and substantive reviews of drafts prepared by others.
• Ensure that the outputs produced by the Section maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data.
• Contribute to effective coordination with the other Branch sections on data, programme development and management and research products to promote coherence, also contributing to RAB staff understanding of UNODC and UN system priorities as well as relevant political and policy developments that can inform research activities.
• Provide specialized expertise and advice to further develop the positioning, usability and impact of UNODC flagship reports and research products, including by promoting and ensuring a clear, consistent editorial voice and aligning research with strategic priorities.
• Lead the strategic communications of research findings, contributing to forward-planning processes of research products, and developing messages that are clear, relevant, accurate and appealing to a wide audience; oversee the planning and conceptualization of events and other outreach initiatives to promote UNODC research and participate in wider conversations on relevant issues.
• Oversee coordination activities in the Branch to mobilize resources for research in accordance with UN practices, principles, and guidelines.
• Represent the Organization at international and regional meetings and inter-agency activities.
• Manage agile, time-limited teams to produce specific and defined research products, coordinating closely with the team members and sharing responsibility with section supervisors to ensure timely output delivery, with the overall aim of fostering a supportive working environment for high-performing team dynamics, communication and coordination, across the Branch and organization boundaries.
• Recruit staff for the Section taking due account geographical and gender balance and other institutional values.
• Manage, guide, develop and train staff under his/her supervision.
• Foster teamwork and communication among staff in the Section and across organizational boundaries.
• Supervise preparation of and draft various written outputs, e.g., background papers, analysis, and strategy documents, in support of identified strategic priorities of the UNODC Executive Director and with a particular focus on liaising with other UN entities and contributing to UN system-wide initiatives in UNODC mandate areas.
• Draft selected speeches, forewords, and communications for the ED on research and related areas.
• Provide technical and policy advice on highly complex public information and communications issues, coordinating with relevant colleagues to develop messaging, support the strategic communication of UNODC research and analysis and promote UNODC mandates.
• Lead team members efforts to collect and analyze data and provide insight to identify trends or patterns for data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation, and reporting. Ensure that everyone can discover, access, integrate and share the data they need.
• Perform other work-related duties as may be required.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Has ability to identify key strategic issues, opportunities and risks; has knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches relevant to UNODC mandates; has ability to advise on high profile and sensitive communication related to research findings and outputs; has ability to develop communication strategies and to produce a variety of written communications products in a clear and concise style; has demonstrated ability to provide innovative technical leadership by performing and/or overseeing the planning, development, and management of research programmes; has demonstrated ability to negotiate and apply good judgment; has ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management; 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.
• Creativity: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.
• 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.
• 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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in sociology, criminology, economics, international relations, law, other social science or related field is required. A first-level university degree in similar fields 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 professional experience at the international level in coordination, policy analysis, external outreach, international relations or related fields is required.
• Work experience with drafting analytical and strategy documents in line with organizational priorities and with drafting related messaging and talking points for senior management is required.
• Work experience in programme/project management is required.
• Work experience in management, coordination and supervision of staff and work teams is required.
• Work experience in areas related to research on drugs and crime is desirable.
• Work experience with providing technical and policy advice on complex public information and communications issues is desirable.
• Work experience with communicating research findings to a broad audience is desirable.
• Experience in data analytics or related area 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 United Nations official language is an advantage.

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