Senior Economic Affairs Officer (Business Facilitation Coordinator)

The post is located in the Business Facilitation Section, Division on Investment and Enterprise, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Geneva. The Business Facilitation Coordinator reports to the Director of the Division on Investment and Enterprise.

Under the overall supervision of the Director, the incumbent will undertake the following duties:

Economic or sectoral analysis:

• Leads or participates in the formulation, organization and management of mandated programmes of economic analysis on business facilitation and e-governance solutions and the formulation of possible economic strategies, policies and actions for their adoption by the international community.
• Leads or participates in the identification of new or emerging development issues of potential concern to the international community, particularly those of a regional or global nature, and designs and develops programmes to address them.
• Supervises a team of staff economists undertaking this work.
• Commissions economic studies and analyses on business facilitation and the development of e-governance solutions that cannot be undertaken internally.
• Prepares speeches for senior staff and makes presentations on economic issues for specialist or non-specialist audiences.

Intergovernmental support:

• Provides direct substantive support on development issues to intergovernmental bodies, by offering strategic advice, giving technical guidance and assisting in developing a consensus in the area of business facilitation.
• Manages the work unit’s contribution to the preparation and management of meetings of intergovernmental bodies.
• Represents the organizational unit at international, regional and national meetings on business facilitation .


Technical cooperation:

• Develops and maintains relations with senior officials of member governments and ensures a response to requests for advice and/or assistance on issues and policies related to business facilitation and the development of e-governance solutions.
• Negotiates with donor and recipient governments on technical assistance programmes and business facilitation projects.
• Leads or participates in technical cooperation missions.

Programme support:

• Coordinates the Business Facilitation programme.
• Contributes to the formulation of the medium-term plan, the programme of work and the budget of the programme and participate in the formulation of the organization's overall programme of work and other similar endeavours.
• Performs other related duties as required.

• PROFESSIONALISM: Ability to apply economic theories and concepts in business facilitation and the development of e-governance tools. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence; 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.

• COMMUNUCATION: 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.

• 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.

• 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.

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in economics or related field. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in economic research and analysis, policy formulation, application of economic principles in development programmes or related area is required, among which, at least seven (7) years minimum of ten years of experience in business facilitation and the development of e-governance tools is desirable. At least three years’ experience in the United Nations common system or an international organization is desirable. Record of publications on business facilitation and administrative efficiency is desirable.

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

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

This post is financed by project funds. Extension of the appointment is subject to the extension of the mandate, job performance, and/or the availability of the funds.

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.

Staff members of the United Nations Secretariat must fulfill the lateral move requirements to be eligible to apply for this vacancy. Staff members are requested to indicate all qualifying lateral moves in their Personal History Profile (PHP) and cover note.

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.

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.

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.