Job Description

The Director is under the overall guidance of the Under-Secretary-General (USG) for Economic and Social Affairs, and the oversight of the Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development and the Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Co-ordination and Inter-Agency Affairs.

Responsibilities

The post is located in the Division for Public Institutions and Digital Government (DPIDG), United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The work of the Division focuses on analyzing and supporting efforts to make institutions inclusive, effective, accountable and well-equipped to achieve the SDGs, as reflected in SDG 16. Furthermore, the Division assists United Nations intergovernmental bodies in reflecting on the role of institutions as an integral part of their examination of the SDGs and supports the Committee of Experts on Public Administration in providing expertise and ideas. Its analysis and pilot capacity development activities help governments reflect on how to organize, mobilize and equip all parts of national and local government, public servants, parliaments, the private sector and civil society, placing a special focus on policy integration, coherence and innovation.

The Director is responsible for the work programme of the Division, with particular attention to issues of public institutions, public administration and governance in advancing sustainable development. Responsibilities include the following:

• Formulating, planning, managing the implementation, and reporting on the performance of the work programme of the Division for Public Institutions and Digital Government, including the provision of direction to the preparation of the strategic framework and programme budgets, ensuring ongoing monitoring of programme performance and self-evaluation of programmatic impact and reporting as they relate to the sub-programme on public administration and finance;
• Ensuring a smooth and effective functioning of the Division, including appraising the performance of the staff members of the Division;
• Planning and directing the substantive support to and servicing of the Committee of Experts on Public Administration (CEPA), and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the General Assembly as they relate to issues of public institutions, public administration, governance and e-government in support of sustainable development;
• Overseeing the preparation of studies and reports on public administration and sustainable development, for consideration by the General Assembly and the ECOSOC, as well as the preparation of the World Public Sector Report (WPSR) and the E-government Survey;
• Overseeing and providing guidance to the implementation of technical cooperation activities of the Division which are aimed at strengthening national capacities for governance, development and public administration, and planning and managing national development strategies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and knowledge management, especially e-government;
• Planning and overseeing communication and information activities of the Division, notably through the United Nations Public Administration Network (UNPAN) with the view of ensuring better understanding and awareness by governments, civil society and the private sector of the current and emerging issues in the field of public administration and sustainable development; Organizing activities related to the UN Public Service Awards;
• Establishing partnerships and developing working relationships with UN entities, funds and programmes as well as other key stakeholders to ensure coordinated approaches and to place issues of public administration and governance prominently on the international sustainable development agenda;
• Representing the Division and the Department at conferences, seminars and meetings, as requested and appropriate.

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Qualification Requirements:

Work Experience

• Over 15 years of experience in sustainable development oriented work, with emphasis on issues of governance, public administration and e-government is required.
• At least five years of senior managerial experience is required.

Languages

• For this post, fluency in English is required.

Education

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

About the Organization

Based at UN Headquarters in New York, UN DESA holds up the development pillar of the UN Secretariat. Its Divisions and Offices work together towards a common goal to promote the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. UN DESA collaborates closely with its partners at regional and country levels in helping countries to formulate and implement national sustainable development strategies.

UN DESA’s work promotes and supports international cooperation for sustainable development. It addresses a range of cross-cutting issues that affect peoples’ lives and livelihoods, especially the most vulnerable. We are fundamentally concerned, not only with global prosperity today, but also tomorrow, having as a foundation the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) supported by the Addis Ababa Action Agenda.

In providing a broad range of top quality analytical products, policy advice and technical assistance, UN DESA effectively translates global commitments in the economic, social and environmental spheres into national policies and actions and plays a key role in monitoring progress towards the SDGs.

UN DESA’s mission, to promote development for all, underscores the need for all stakeholders – governments, UN and other international organizations, civil society and the private sector – to do their part to improve economic and social well-being and leave no one behind.