Senior Programme Officer, Human Settlements

Org. Setting and Reporting

UN-Habitat, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, is the coordinating agency within the United Nations System for human settlement activities and in collaboration with governments is responsible for promoting and consolidating collaboration with all partners, including local authorities, private and non-governmental organizations in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular, Goal 11 of “Making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”. It is a focal point for the monitoring, evaluation and implementation of the New Urban Agenda adopted during the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III), in Ecuador, Quito, 2016. With its Headquarter in Nairobi, Kenya, UN-Habitat’s Regional Programme Division has its Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) in Fukuoka, Japan, and under it, a Bangkok Programme Office in Thailand. The Bangkok Programme Office focuses on the collaboration with the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in Bangkok and also supports the coordination with Bangkok-based UN regional entities under the regional UN’s Development Coordinator Office (DCO). The office participates in the Regional Collaborative Platform (RCP) which supports a key regional function of reviewing the Common Country Analyses (CCA) and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (UNSDCF). Furthermore, it liaises with Member States’ Permanent Representatives in Bangkok, with ASEAN under the UN-ASEAN collaboration framework, and other stakeholders. The office also serves as a Multi-Country Office supporting projects in a number countries under purview of Regional Office of Asia and the Pacific. This position is located in the Bangkok Programme Office. Under the direct supervision of the Chief, Bangkok Programme office, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:

Responsibilities

• Provides policy guidance to the Chief Bangkok Programme Office on conceptual strategy development and management of the Bangkok Programme Office, in relation to its functions with the Regional Coordination Platform and region UN-wide system. • Plans and oversees the management of activities undertaken by the Bangkok Programme Office under her/his responsibility; ensures that substantive work programs and programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion, coordinating inter-governmental, inter-agency, and partner engagement activities, in liaison with Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), UN’s Development Coordinator Office (DCO)-AP, Regional Collaborative Platform (RCP), PRG and with other organizations of the United Nations System, donors and agencies as appropriate. • Provides substantive input in the preparation of position papers and reports for presentation to regional intergovernmental bodies, the RCP and other policy-making organs, as appropriate. • Collaborates with missions, multilateral organisations and programs and initiatives, including the Belt and Road International Cooperation, an initiative of China, seeking inputs, initiating and supporting the mobilization of regional and sub-regional programming resources, and liaising for monitoring, reporting and evaluation of programs and projects. • Manages, supervises, and carries out the work programme of the Bangkok Programme Office under his/her responsibility. Co-ordinates the work carried out by the Bangkok Programme Office; provides programmatic and substantive reviews of drafts prepared by others. • Takes the lead, for UN-Habitat, in the review of the urban dimensions of Common Country Analyses (CCAs) and UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (UNSDCF) submitted to the PRG and maintain data and evidence resources in support thereof. • Contributes to the reporting to ROAP 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 Bangkok Programme Office maintain high-quality standards and that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data. Ensures that all outputs produced by the Bangkok Programme Office meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates. • Prepares inputs for the work programme of ROAP, determining priorities, and allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery. • Develops and implements regional substantive knowledge sharing initiatives on sustainable urbanization, including in relation to the Shanghai Manual, the Shanghai Adapted Index, regional World Habitat Day / World Cities Day celebrations, regional/global substantive UN-Habitat reports or joint reports with ESCAP and UN-Habitat’s formal reporting on the delivery to the SDGs and NUA, as appropriate • Recruits staff for Bangkok Programme Office 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 Bangkok Programme Office and across organizational boundaries. • Represents the Organization when delegated 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. • Leads team members efforts to collect and analyze data and provides insight to identify trends or patterns for data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. Ensures that everyone can discover, access, integrate and share the data they need.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of the substantive field of work in general and of specific areas being supervised. 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. The 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. TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings. PLANNING & 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 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. VISION: Identifies strategic issues, opportunities and risks; clearly communicates links between the Organization’s strategy and the work unit’s goals; generates and communicates broad and compelling organizational direction, inspiring others to pursue that same direction; conveys enthusiasm about future possibilities.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in public administration, international relations and development, political and social sciences, urban sciences, or related area. A first-level university degree in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable.

Job – Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in project/programme management in the context of urban development cooperation or related area is required. Experience in strategic planning is required. Experience in sustainable urban development policy is required. Experience in resource mobilization is required. A minimum of five (5) years of responsible experience working for an international organization or Government, as a senior advisor or senior team leader is required. Experience in supporting development and providing technical advice or research activities in China and with its institutions is desirable. Experience in leading an organization of high-level events involving business and government and inter governmental work with multilateral entities 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 and knowledge of Chinese is desirable. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable. NOTE: “fluency equals a rating of “fluent” in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand), and ” Knowledge of” equals a rating of ” confident” in two of the four areas.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

This is a project post. Appointment against this position is for an initial period of one year and may be subject to extension. 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 members of the United Nations Secretariat must fulfill the lateral or geographical move requirements to be eligible to apply for this vacancy. Staff members are requested to indicate all qualifying lateral or geographical moves in their Personal History Profile (PHP) and cover note. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. Individual Contractors and Consultants who have worked within the UN Secretariat in the last six months, irrespective of the administering entity, are ineligible to apply for or be appointed to any professional and higher temporary or fixed-term positions, within six months of the end of their current or most recent service. For such positions, at least six months need to have elapsed between the end of a consultancy or individual contract and the time of application and consideration for an appointment as a staff member under the Staff Rules and Regulations of the United Nations. When completing the PHP, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience and contact information are completed and up to date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. Online applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In such cases, please resubmit the application, if necessary. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira “Need Help?” link.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places 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. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

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.