Director, Rabat, Morocco 182 views0 applications

Posting Title: Director, D1

Job Code Title: PRINCIPAL ECONOMIC AFFAIRS OFFICER

Department/Office: Economic Commission for Africa

Duty Station: RABAT

Posting Period: 06 August 2020 – 19 September 2020

Job Opening Number: 20-Economic Affairs-ECA-137742-R-Rabat (G)

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

Organisational Setting and Reporting

ECA’s mission, objective and strategic directions: ECA’s mission is to deliver ideas and actions for an empowered and transformed Africa; informed by the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063.

The mission will be guided by ECA’s five new strategic directions which are advancing ECA’s position as a premier knowledge institution that builds on its unique position and privilege to bring global solutions to the continent’s problems and take local solution to the continent; developing macroeconomic and structural policy options to accelerate economic diversification and job creation; designing and implementing innovative financing models for infrastructure, and for human, physical and social assets for a transforming Africa; contributing solutions to regional and transboundary challenges, with a focus on peace security and social inclusion as an important development nexus; advocating Africa’s position at the global level and developing regional responses as a contribution to global governance issues.

The Sub-Regional Office for North Africa (SRO-NA) is located in Rabat (Morocco). It is headed by a Director who reports to the Deputy Executive Secretary (Programme). Its main objective is to contribute to achieving structural transformation and balanced development through implementation of an environment conducive to employment creation and skills for sustainable development.

The mandate of the Sub-Regional Office (SRO) is to strengthen the capacity of member States in the subregion to design and implement national policies and strategies for sustainable employment creation; contribute to the implementation of sub-regional development priorities in line with the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063 with due consideration for youth and gender perspectives; improve macroeconomic policies and fiscal policies, and to ensure sustainable growth; provide relevant technical assistance to member States, regional economic communities and intergovernmental organizations in building their capacities to sustain economic, social and political transformation, with a particular focus on employment, skills and balanced development.

The Sub-Regional Office for North Africa serves the following countries: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Sudan and Tunisia.

Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the Deputy Executive Secretary (Programme) and within delegated authority, the Director of the Sub-Regional Office will perform the following functions:

• Formulates and leads the implementation of the work programme of the SRO under his/her responsibility and coordinates the work carried out by different work units under the SRO.
• Plans and oversees the management of activities undertaken by the SRO; ensures that substantive work programmes and programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion, and, in liaison with other divisions/SROs of ECA, United Nations System, relevant regional bodies, including the Regional Economic Commissions (RECs), donors and agencies as appropriate.
• Manages, supervises and provides programmatic and substantive leadership in preparing policy papers and reviews drafts prepared by others.
• Develop programmes and provides substantive technical support and advisory services to member-states on relevant issues and that respond to employment, skills and economic development in North Africa.
• Provides substantive input in the preparation of position papers and reports for presentation to Intergovernmental Committee of Senior Officials and Experts and the annual Conference of Ministers and others, as appropriate.
• Contributes to the reporting to intergovernmental bodies 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 SRO maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data. Ensures that all outputs produced by the SRO under his/her supervision meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates.
• Prepares inputs for the work programme of the office, determining priorities, and allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery.
• Carries out programmatic/administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the office, including preparation of budgets in line with ECA’s results-based budgeting, assigning and monitoring of performance parameters and indicators, reporting on budget and programme performance, evaluation of staff performance (PAS), interviews of candidates for job openings and evaluation of candidates.
• Recruits staff for the 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 office and across organizational boundaries.
• Represents the organization at inter-agency meetings, seminars, etc. on substantive issues.
• Participates in international, regional or national meetings and provides programmatic/substantive expertise, and or hold programmatic/substantive and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Competencies

Professionalism: Knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches relevant to particular sector, functional area or other specialized field. 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 sources on the internet, intranet and other databases. Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, plan own work and manage conflicting priorities. 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.

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.

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

An advanced university degree (Master’s or Doctorate) in economics, business or public administration or related social science fields is required. Doctorate in the specified fields is highly desirable. A first-level degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in the specified fields with two additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

A minimum of fifteen years of progressively responsible experience in academia or economic/public policy related to jobs, economic research and analysis, policy formulation, application of economic principles in development programmes or related area is required.

Experience in social and economic structural transformation in the context of Africa is desirable

Knowledge of employment and skills development in emerging countries is desirable

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the UN Secretariat. Fluency in one of the working languages of the UN Secretariat, English or French, (both oral and written) is required; knowledge of the other is desirable. Knowledge of Arabic is an advantage.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include assessment exercises which may be followed by competency-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.

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential.

For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat as of 31 March 2020, are strongly encouraged to apply: Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, China, Comoros, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Mozambique, Nauru, Norway, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Suriname, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

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.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on ‘Manuals’ hyper-link on the upper right side 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.