Org. Setting and Reporting

The position is located in the Division for Inclusive Social Development (DISD), in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).

Under the overall guidance of the Under-Secretary-General (USG) for Economic and Social Affairs and in cooperation with the Assistant Secretaries-General (ASG), and within delegated authorities, the Director of DISD is responsible for planning and implementation of the work programme of the Division that seeks to strengthen international cooperation for social development. The Division’s programme of work prioritizes the areas of poverty eradication, employment generation and decent work and the social inclusion of older persons, youth, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples and persons marginalized from society and development, as well as sports for development and peace, family and cooperatives in the context of social development. More information on DISD is available at https://www.un.org/development/desa/dspd/.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Director will be responsible for the following:

– Directs and manages the work of the Division for Inclusive Social Development in the context of the comprehensive and detailed framework of commitments and policies for action by Governments, intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations provided by the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and Programme of Action of the 1995 World Summit for Social Development and its follow-up, the World Programme of Action on Youth, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous people, the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, the United Nations Action Plan on Sports for Development and Peace, the social dimensions of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and other related intergovernmental mandates.
– Plans and directs the substantive support and servicing of the Commission for Social Development, the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, and relevant meetings of the Economic and Social Council and the Second and Third Committees of the General Assembly.
– Plans and organizes outreach activities of the Division to ensure better understanding and awareness by Governments, civil society and private sector with regard to existing and emerging social issues, including through improved and timely access by Governments, NGOs, academia and individual to the UN research and analysis on social development.
– Establishes and develops working relationships and partnerships with other UN programmes and entities with a view of placing social issues on international agendas and ensuring coordinated approaches to the implementation of activities related to the follow-up to the Copenhagen Declaration and various internationally-agreed programmes of action and initiatives on social development.
– Contributes to the formulation of the Department’s overall strategies and policies by participating in various committees, preparing documents on policy issues, and acting, as required, in an advisory capacity to the USG/ASG; contribute to the overall management of the Department’s activities and operations.
– Provides leadership to the development of innovative and/or change management programmes.
– Formulates and implement the substantive work programme of the Division under his/her supervision, determining priorities, and allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery.
– Oversees the management of the normative, analytical and capacity development activities undertaken by the Division, ensuring that programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion and co-ordinates work in the different areas both within the Division and Department, and with other organizations of the United Nations System, donors and agencies as appropriate.
– Co-ordinates and oversees the preparation of analytical studies, flagship publications and parliamentary reports for presentation to intergovernmental bodies such as the Economic and Social Council, the General Assembly and other policy-making organs, as appropriate.
– Supports the Under-Secretary-General in implementing mandates and initiative that enhance internal coordination and the effective, efficient and accountable delivery of the Department’s work; Reports 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 Division maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive and relevant data. Ensures that all outputs produced by the Division meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates.
– Undertakes or oversees the programmatic/administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the Division, including preparation of budgets, assigning and monitoring of performance parameters and critical indicators, reporting on budget/programme performance, preparation of inputs for results-based budgeting, evaluation of staff performance, interviews of candidates for job openings and evaluation of candidates.
– Oversees the recruitment of staff for the Division taking due account of geographical and gender balance and other institutional values.
– Manages, guides, develops and trains staff under his/her supervision; fosters teamwork and communications among staff in the Division and across organizational boundaries.
– Chairs meetings, seminars, etc., on substantive-related issues; represent the Organization at international, regional, inter-agency meetings, seminars and conferences; provides programmatic/substantive expertise on an issue or holds programmatic/substantive and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions.
– Perform other related duties as requested by the senior management of the Organization.

Competencies

Professionalism:
Knowledge of the substantive field of work in general and of specific areas being supervised. Shows ability to produce reports and papers on technical issues and to review and edit the work of others. Shows ability to apply UN 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.

Communications:
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.

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.

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

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in development studies, international relations, social sciences, economics, business or public administration, or related area is required. A first-level university degree in combination with additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

Over fifteen years of progressively responsible experience in sustainable or inclusive social development, in which at least five years are at the senior leadership level in international organizations and/or government is required.

Experience in research and analysis, policy formulation and application of sustainable or inclusive social development principles in development programmes or related fields is required.

Experience in managing complex programmes of work and large diverse teams is required.

Experience leading or coordinating analytical publications in the area of social development is desirable.

Experience in providing substantive support to intergovernmental processes and meetings in social development is desirable.

Experience in leading or coordinating technical assistance projects in inclusive social development is desirable.

Experience in building networks and engaging public and private stakeholders on inclusive social development 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 official United Nations language is an advantage.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

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.

For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat as of 31 December 2022, are strongly encouraged to apply: Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, China, Comoros, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malta, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Norway, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu.

Staff members appointed to the current position are required to submit a financial disclosure statement upon assignment or appointment and annually thereafter.

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.

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.