Director, Regional and Technical Cooperation Division, D2

Org .Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, is the agency for human settlements. It is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all. This post is located in the Regional and Technical Cooperation Division (RTCD).

Responsibilities

Under the direction of the Executive Director of UN-Habitat, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:

1. POLICY MAKING
• Contributing to the formulation of UN-Habitat overall strategies and policies by participating in various committees, preparing documents on policy issues.
• Providing leadership to the development of innovative country and regional programmes in line with the Focus Areas of the Medium Term Strategic and Institutional Plan (MTSIP).
• Co-ordinating and overseeing preparation of reports for presentation to inter-governmental bodies and other policy- making organs.
• Reporting to inter-governmental bodies on budget/programme performance and on programmatic/substantive issues, particularly those presented in biennial and annual reports.

2. MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS
• Directing and managing the regional and technical cooperation activities of UN-Habitat.
• Formulating and coordinating the substantive work-programme of the Division.
• Undertaking and overseeing 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.
• Overseeing the recruitment of staff of the Division.

3. COORDINATION FUNCTIONS
• Overseeing the management of activities undertaken by the Division; coordinating work in the different areas both within the Division and with other organizations of the United Nations System, and external support agencies.
• Managing, guiding, developing and training staff under his/her supervision; fostering teamwork and communication among staff in the Division and across organizational boundaries.
• Directing and supervising the work of all regional and sub-regional offices of UN-Habitat.
• Chairing meetings and seminars on housing and urban issues; representing the Organization at international, regional, inter-agency meetings, seminars and conferences; providing programmatic/substantive expertise on complex issues, holding programmatic/substantive and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions.

4. Performing other related duties as may be required.

Competencies

Professionalism: Demonstrated ability to analyze, interpret, formulate and communicate complex policy and strategic issues on a broad range of development areas. Proven ability to produce reports and papers on technical issues. Demonstrated professional competence in the management of human and budgetary resources. Ability to apply UN rules, regulations and procedures in work situations.

Communication: Ability to defend and explain difficult issues with respect to key decisions and positions to staff, senior officials and members of inter-governmental bodies; proven ability to communicate complex concepts orally; ability to prepare written reports that are clear, concise and meaningful.

Leadership: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow; empowers others to translate vision into results; drives for change and improvement; 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; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them.

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.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in public policy, economics, urban planning and management, social sciences or other related areas. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

A minimum of fifteen years of progressively responsible experience in housing and urban development, including human and financial resources management and policy development. Senior managerial experience in an international organization, with extensive field operations, is required.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English and French required. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.

United Nations Considerations

The United Nations shall place no restriction on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. (Charter of the United Nations – Chapter 3, article 8). The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

Assessment Method

Evaluation of qualified candidates for this position may include a substantive assessment which may be followed by a competency-based interview.

Special Notice

Staff members are subjected to the authority of 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.

All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. Online applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided.

If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In such cases, please resubmit the application, if necessary. If the problem persists, please send an email to recruitment@unon.org, quoting the job opening number in the subject header of your email.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, TRAINING OR ANY OTHER FEES). THE UNTIED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON BANK ACCOUNTS.

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