Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Management Support Section, Central Planning and Coordination Division (CPCD), Department for General Assembly and Conference Management (DGACM), New York. The incumbent has a dual reporting line to the Director of the Division as well as the Chief of Office of the Under-Secretary-General for General Assembly and Conference Management.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Chief of Section will be responsible for the following functions:

• Provide analytical and statistical support as well as policy advice to the senior management of the Department on the development and implementation of United Nations conference servicing policies, procedures and practices. Work in close coordination with the Meetings Management Section and the Documents Management Section of the Central Planning and Coordination Division (CPCD), as well as the other Divisions of the Department, and other Departments and Offices.
• Serve as the Secretary of the Committee on Conferences (CoC) by organizing its meetings, preparing its documents and assisting the Committee in its work on all matters related to conference servicing policies and procedures. Support the deliberation of the items on the Pattern of Conferences (PoC) in the meetings of the General Assembly, Committee for Programme and Coordination and Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), including by interacting and liaising with the Member States.
• Act as the focal point of the Department in the interaction with the Secretariats of the Fifth Committee and the ACABQ. Interact with other intergovernmental and expert bodies on conference management-related issues, including during Committee on Conferences sessions and Fifth Committee’s deliberations of the PoC item.
• Provide strategic advice on meetings and documentation operations to line managers, assist in the establishment of short-, medium- and long-term strategies for meetings and documents management.
• Coordinate with the other duty stations in pursuit of integrated global management, in particular by harmonizing business practices and policies, and updating DGACM policies, procedures and practices on the provision of conference services across duty stations in the form of a Compendium.
• Coordinate with the other duty stations as the working-level focal point in the preparation of the annual budget of the Department;
• Draft the annual conference management report, provide inputs for the PoC report and undertake performance management reporting.
• Plan and oversee the management of activities undertaken by the Section, including the Evaluation, Analysis and Monitoring Unit, in the management support area.
• Manage, supervise and carry out the work programme of the Section. Coordinate the activities undertaken by the Section, in particular the preparation of self-evaluation reports. Provide programmatic and substantive reviews of drafts prepared by CPCD.
• Coordinate and provide substantive input in the preparation of various papers and reports for presentation to intergovernmental bodies such as the Committee on Conferences, the Fifth Committee, ACABQ and other policy-making organs.
• Provide support to senior management by ensuring that real-time and accurate infographics reports on the key performance indicators are available in the gData Dashboard and other reporting tools, to enable senior management to monitor the performance of the Department as a whole and take informed decisions.
• Ensure that the outputs produced by the Section maintain high-quality standards and comply with the relevant mandates. Ensure that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data.
• Prepare inputs for the work programme of CPCD and ensure timely delivery of outputs.
• Carry out programmatic/administrative tasks for the functioning of the Section, including preparing, assigning and monitoring of performance parameters and critical indicators, reporting on programme performance, evaluation of staff performance, interviews of candidates for job openings and evaluation of candidates. Recruit staff for Section taking due account of geographical and gender balance and other institutional values.
• Manage, guide, and train staff of the Section.
• Foster teamwork and communication among staff in the Section and across organizational boundaries.
• Perform other duties as required.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Has knowledge of the substantive field of work in general and of specific areas being supervised. Has knowledge of and ability to provide expert advice in a broad range of conference servicing issues. Is able to produce reports and papers on technical issues and to review and edit the work of others. Has the ability to apply rules, regulations, policies and guidelines in work situations. 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.

• 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.

• Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

• 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

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in business or public administration, political affairs, law, social sciences or related area is required. 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 ten years of progressively responsible experience in programme management or related field is required.

At least three years of experience with the intergovernmental legislative machinery of international organizations is required.

Experience in conference management is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

• This position is temporarily available until 31 July 2024. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.

• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post.

• Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.

• This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.

• The United Nations is Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance 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 professional and higher temporary or fixed-term positions and their applications will not be considered.

• Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.

• Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as “retirement.” Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.

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.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

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.