Organization: UNHABITAT – United Nations Human Settlements Programme
Location: Nairobi
Grade: Senior Executive level – D-1, Director – Internationally recruited position
Occupational Groups:
Administrative support
Closing Date: 2024-10-08
Org. Setting and Reporting
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities. UN-Habitat is the focal point for all urbanization and human settlement matters within the UN system. UN-Habitat works with partners to build inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities and communities. UN-Habitat promotes urbanization as a positive transformative force for people and communities, reducing inequality, discrimination and poverty. This position is located in Office of the Executive Director, Nairobi duty station. Under the direct supervision of the Deputy Executive Director, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:
Responsibilities
Provision of overall leadership to the Secretariat of the Governing Bodies. Specifically: 1. Serve as Secretary of the Governing Bodies of UN-Habitat including the Executive Board, the Committee of Permanent Representatives and the UN-Habitat’s Assembly: (a) Prepare provisional agenda for the sessions; prepare Convocation letters, Notifications, Annotations to the Agenda, rules of procedure, timetable, and documentation. (b) Prepare/review all draft pre-session documents before approval of Executive Director. (c) Organize work of the session and coordinate work of the conference servicing, including liaising with the Conference Service Departments of UNON and New York. (d) Prepare notes for the President of the UN-Habitat’s Assembly, the Chair of the Executive Board and Chair of the Committee of Permanent Representatives on each agenda item for the respective sessions. (e) Handle legal and procedural issues arising during the sessions. (f) Negotiate with governments wishing to host sessions. (g) Follow up on the implementation of decisions of the Governing Bodies and resolutions of the General Assembly and ECOSOC. (h) Enhance UN-Habitat’s good relationship with governments and their Permanent Missions to UN-Habitat. (i) Organize informal briefing meetings between the ED and Permanent Representatives on specific activities of UN-Habitat. (j) Prepare briefs for the Executive Director’s official visits and maintain an up-to-date mailing list of Governments and undertake special assignments of political nature. 2. Serve as the Chief of Inter-Agency Affairs: (a) Develop UN-Habitat’s long-term program of cooperation with other UN organizations/agencies and advise the Executive Director on policy guidance. (b) Coordinate the preparation of follow-up actions on decisions taken by inter-agency and inter-governmental bodies in areas relevant to UN-Habitat work. (c) Support UN-Habitat Task managers System in fulfilment of key objectives to improve coordinated implementation of its Agenda within the UN system and streamline reporting to ECOSOC and the GA through the UN-Habitat Assembly. (d) Monitor governing bodies of the UN agencies and their consideration for human settlement matters and bringing relevant decisions to the attention of the Executive Director. (e) Prepare report to the Executive Director on inter-agency/inter-governmental cooperation for submission to Governing Bodies. 3. Serve as Chief of Protocol for UN-Habitat: (a) Responsible for all protocol matters during official functions. (b) Ensure all official letters to government observe proper diplomatic language and format. 4. Lead team members efforts to collect and analyze data and provides insight to identify trends or patterns for data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. Ensures that everyone can discover, access, integrate and share the data they need.
Competencies
PROFESSIONALISM: Ability to ensure the optimum preparations for efficient servicing of high-level meetings including sessions documents and reports. Ability to ensure follow-up and implementation of the relevant resolutions of the Governing Bodies , ECOSOC, and the General Assembly. Ability to cultivate and ensure a positive image among governments and enhance relations with UN sister agencies and the host government. Ability to apply knowledge of various United Nations administrative, financial and human resources rules and regulations in work situations. The ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. 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. 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. 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. VISION: Identifies strategic issues, opportunities and risks; clearly communicates links between the Organization’s strategy and the work unit’s goals; generates and communicates broad and compelling organizational direction, inspiring others to pursue that same direction; conveys enthusiasm about future possibilities.
Education
Advanced University degree (Mater’s degree or equivalent) preferably in international relations, political science or related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two (2) years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable
Job – Specific Qualification
Not available.
Work Experience
A minimum of fifteen (15) years of progressively responsible experience in managing intergovernmental affairs in an international organization, including planning and organizing meetings and dealing with high-ranking/senior officials is required. Experience in political analysis and diplomacy, or related field, at the international level is required Experience in follow-up and implementation of resolutions from high level governing bodies is desirable. Experience in managing complex crisis, involving a wide array of national and international stakeholders is desirable. Experience devising political strategies for senior-level officials is desirable. Experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN language is desirable. NOTE: “Fluency equals a rating of “fluent” in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and “Knowledge of” equals a rating of “confident” in two of the four areas.
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.
Special Notice
• This position is temporarily available for 364 days. 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. • 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 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. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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.