Closing date: Tuesday, 10 March 2015

Posting Title: Sustainable Development Officer, P4

Job Code Title: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

Department/ Office

Department of Economic and Social Affairs

Duty Station

NEW YORK

Posting Period

9 January 2015-10 March 2015

Job Opening number

15-ECO-DESA-39525-R-NEW YORK (R)

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

Special Notice

Staff Members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by the Secretary-General. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.

Organizational Setting and Reporting

The position is located in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), Division for Sustainable Development (DSD), in the Outreach and Communications Branch. The Division for Sustainable Development, under the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, provides leadership in promoting and coordinating implementation of the sustainable development agenda of the United Nations and serves as secretariat to the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development which was established following the Rio+20 Conference and GA resolutions 66/288 and 67/290. For more information, please visit our website at sustainabledevelopment.un.org/about.html. The Sustainable Development Officer reports to the Chief of Branch.

Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Chief of the Outreach and Communications Branch and within delegated authority, the Sustainable Development Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

1. Monitors and analyzes partnerships development and implementation; reviews relevant documents and reports; identifies problems and sustainable development issues to be addressed and initiates corrective actions; liaises with relevant parties; ensures follow-up actions; coordinates the Division's partnerships and knowledge management programmes.
2. Performs consulting assignments, in collaboration with clients, (e.g. Member States and other stakeholders), by planning and facilitating workshops on sustainable development issues, through interactive sessions and assisting in developing action plans clients will use to manage change.
3. Researches, analyzes sustainable development issues and presents information and knowledge gathered from diverse sources, using multi-stakeholder knowledge platforms, to the Division's diverse constituencies, including virtual and non-virtual communities of knowledge related to sustainable development, also supports in these areas, the work of the Division's offices away from Headquarters.
4. Develops draft policy recommendations on sustainable development issues, especially partnerships and voluntary commitments, including the review and analysis of issues and trends, preparation of evaluations or other research activities and studies.
5. Formulates survey initiatives; designs data collection tools, particularly on line; reviews, analyzes and interprets responses, identifies problems/issues and prepares conclusions; Organizes and prepares and distributes written outputs on sustainable development issues, e.g. draft background papers, analysis, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, including, on-line publications, brochures, information kits and the like; prepares speeches and other inputs for presentations by senior staff on sustainable development issues.
6. Provides substantive support on sustainable development issues to intergovernmental bodies such as the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, the Economic and Social Council, and the General Assembly; provides substantive backstopping to consultative and other meetings, conferences, including proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations on sustainable development issues.
7. Participates in or takes the lead in specific inter-agency or expert task forces or working groups either internally or with outside parties, particularly communities of practice on sustainable development partnerships and on sustainable development knowledge sharing.
8. Initiates and coordinates outreach activities; conducts training workshops, seminars; makes presentations on assigned topics/activities.
9. Designs, manages and monitors the implementation of capacity building intiatives on sustainable development.
10. Performs other duties as required.

Competencies

Professionalism: Ability to apply sustainable development theories, concepts and approaches. Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems. Ability to conduct data collection using various methods. Conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis, including familiarity with and experience in the use of various research sources, including electronic resources on the internet, intranet and other databases. 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.

Technological Awareness: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitation of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in sustainable development, economics, engineering, law, social sciences, public policy 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 seven years of progressively responsible experience in a broad range of sustainable development or economic and social development issues is required. Experience in supporting, monitoring and reporting on partnerships and voluntary commitments for sustainable development, as well as in networking and creating communities of practice in sustainable development areas with multiple constituencies, in the context of public international organizations and their governing bodies is desirable.

Languages

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

Assessment Method

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

United Nations Considerations

Job openings posted on the Careers Portal are taken off at midnight (New York time) on the deadline date.

Applications are automatically pre-screened according to the published evaluation criteria of the job opening on the basis of the information provided by applicants. Applications cannot be amended following submission and incomplete applications shall not be considered. The selected candidate will be subject to a reference checking process to verify the information provided in the application.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the At-a-Glance on 'The Application Process' and the Instructional Manual for the Applicants, which can be accessed by clicking on 'Manuals' on the upper right side of the browser on Inspira.

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.

Candidates will be required to meet the requirements of Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter as well as the requirements of the position. The United Nations is committed to the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity for all its human resources, including but not limited to respect for international human rights and humanitarian law. Candidates may be subject to screening against these standards, including but not limited to whether they have committed, or are alleged to have committed criminal offences and/or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.