Org. Setting and Reporting

The Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA unescwa.org) forms part of the United Nations Secretariat and, like the other regional commissions, operates under the supervision of the United Nations Economic and Social Council. ESCWA comprises 20 Arab countries in Western Asia and North Africa. ESCWA provides a framework for the formulation and harmonization of sectoral policies for member countries, a platform for congress and coordination, a home for expertise and knowledge, and an information observatory. ESCWA activities are coordinated with the divisions and main offices of the Headquarters of the United Nations, specialized agencies, and international and regional organizations, including the League of Arab States and its subsidiary bodies, and the Gulf Cooperation Council.

This position is located in Cluster 1 ‘Climate Change and Natural Resources Sustainability’ of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA – unescwa.org). The focus of the job is the implementation and monitoring of activities related to climate change resilience through regional cooperation for inclusive sustainable development in the Arab region.

The Sustainable Development Officer reports to the head of the Climate Change and Natural Resources Sustainability Cluster.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Sustainable Development Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

• Monitors and analyzes project development and implementation; reviews relevant documents and reports; identifies climate change and sustainable development issues as related to natural resource sustainability to be addressed and initiates corrective actions; liaises with relevant parties; ensures follow-up actions.
• Performs consulting assignments, in collaboration with clients, (e.g. Member States), by planning and facilitating workshops and events on climate change and sustainable natural resources management, through other interactive sessions and assisting in developing climate-informed assessments, analysis and action plans that clients will use to manage change.
• Researches, analyzes sustainable development indicators, regional climate change projections, geospatial indicators, and geostatistical datasets and presents information gathered from diverse sources in formats useful for various clients.
• Develops draft policy recommendations and assessments on climate change and sustainable development issues, including the review and analysis of issues and trends, and the preparation of research activities and studies that strengthen the science-policy interface.
• Designs data collection tools; designs, populates and contributes to the maintenance of online geospatial platforms related to climate change and natural resources (e.g., regional climate projections, sand and dust storms, water resources, biodiversity, renewable energy, etc..).
• Organizes and prepares written outputs on regional climate projections and sustainable development issues, e.g. draft background papers, analysis, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, etc.
• Provides substantive backstopping to consultative and other meetings, conferences, etc., including proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations on climate change and sustainable development issues.
• Participates in or takes the lead in specific inter-agency or expert task forces or working groups either internally or with outside parties.
• Initiates and coordinates outreach activities; conducts training workshops, seminars, etc.; makes presentations on assigned topics/activities.
• Leads and/or participates in large, complex field missions, including provision of guidance to external consultants, government officials and other parties and drafting mission summaries, etc.
• Coordinates activities related to budget funding for project specific activities.
• Prepares speeches and other inputs for presentations by senior staff on climate change and sustainable development issues.
• Designs, manages and monitors the implementation of capacity building projects on climate change and sustainable development as related to natural resource sustainability.
• Performs other duties as required.

Competencies

• PROFESSIONALISM: Ability to apply sustainable development theories, concepts and approaches as they relate to climate change and natural resources (e.g., water, land, biodiversity and energy). Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems, including through engagement with regional and national counterparts. Ability to conduct data collection, processing and analysis using various methods, including geospatial analysis related to climate change and sustainable development. 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, as well as the development and population of online data and information platforms focused on climate change, water and land resources. 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.

• 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.

• 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.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in sustainable development, economics, public policy, natural resources management, engineering, social sciences or related field, is required.

A first-level university degree in combination with two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job – Specific Qualification

A Ph.D. is desirable.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in climate change or natural resource sustainability issues is required.

A minimum of five years of experience working in the Arab region on climate change and/or natural resource sustainability is required.

A minimum of one year of experience developing and maintaining online knowledge platforms related to climate change or natural resources is desirable.

Advanced proficiency in the use of geospatial tools (ArcMap or QGIS) is desirable

Demonstrated experience using Climate Data Operators (CDO) and netCDF is desirable.

Experience supporting Arab intergovernmental processes is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. In addition, Arabic is a working language at ESCWA.

For this position, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Arabic is desirable.

Note: “Fluency” equals a rating of ‘fluent’ in all four areas (speak, read, write, and understand) and “Knowledge of” equals a rating of ‘confident’ in two of the four areas.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified applicants may include one or more assessments which may be followed by a competency-based interview.

Special Notice

• This position is temporarily available for a maximum period of 364 days. Extension of the appointment is subject to availability of funds, extension of the mandate, continued need for services, and satisfactory performance.

• A current staff member who holds a fixed-term, permanent or continuing appointment may apply for temporary positions no more than one level above his or her current grade.

• 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. An external candidate selected for this position is bound by the prevailing condition of the staff selection system under ST/AI/2010/3, as amended, and ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1. A staff member holding a temporary appointment who is recruited in the Professional and above categories on a temporary appointment, and placed on a position authorized for one year or longer may not apply for or be reappointed to his/her current position within six months of the end of his/her current service.

• 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.

• Upon separation from service, including, but not limited to, expiration or termination of, or resignation from, a fixed-term, continuing or permanent appointment, a former staff member will be ineligible for re-employment on the basis of a temporary appointment for a period of 31 days following the separation. In the case of separation from service on retirement, a former staff member will be ineligible for re-employment for a period of three months following the separation. This equally applies, mutatis mutandis, with respect to a former or current staff member who has held or holds an appointment in another entity applying the United Nations Staff Regulations and Rules and who applies for a temporary position with the Secretariat.

• 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.

• 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.

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.