Job Title: Head of Advisory Unit Reference: 002353 Grade: A5 Please apply before midnight, Paris time, on: 10/09/2007
We are an equal opportunity employer and we encourage all qualified candidates to apply.
The OECD is a unique forum where the governments of 30 market democracies work together to address the economic, social and governance challenges of the globalising world economy, as well as to exploit its opportunities.
POSSIBLE VACANCY PROJECT POST – FIXED TERM APPOINTMENT OF TWO YEARS (WITH POSSIBLE EXTENSION)
The Partnership for Democratic Governance (PDG) is currently being established and will comprise a multilateral group of like-minded countries whose goal is to assist fragile states, post-conflict nations and emerging democracies in building their governance capacity and in improving service delivery to their citizens. It aims at assisting governments in countries, where there is an absence of national capacity and as an interim measure, to be more responsive to their citizens through contracting out the effective delivery of public services and core state functions to external actors for a specific period of time. The Partnership will help countries to develop their capacity to ensure delivery of effective and accountable services and policy functions. An Advisory Unit hosted by the OECD is being established to assist the Partnership with these functions.
The OECD, on behalf of the Partnership for Democratic Governance, is offering an exciting opportunity to set up the Advisory Unit and oversee a high profile team with an international remit of political significance to the international community.
We are looking for a Senior Development Policy and/or Public Administration Professional to fill the post of Head of the PDG Advisory Unit. The selected candidate will be responsible for setting up and managing the Advisory Unit and providing strategic oversight and direction to a team of 4 technical advisors and 3 administrative staff. S/he will report to the OECD Secretary-General via the Deputy Secretary-General responsible for the Development Cluster. Working closely with the PDG Steering Group, OECD and UNDP, the Unit will serve as a repository for information and a platform for improving and sharing knowledge on what works and does not work in contracting out effective delivery of public services and core state functions. It will promote the development and sharing of best practice. In response to countries’ requests, the Advisory Unit will assess whether an interim direct provision of expertise could deliver results and help build capacity in the longer term. It will also facilitate contacts with other international partners who can help with service delivery capacity development.
The role requires a dynamic, visionary leader, capable of engaging at high political level on complex policy matters across a range of service delivery, capacity development and other development issues. S/he will establish productive working relationships with relevant contacts in a wide range of national governments, international bodies, civil society and the private sector. We are looking for an effective team player with excellent organisational, analytical and communication skills.
The post will involve extensive travel.
N.B. Candidates should be nationals from OECD member countries, from countries in the Partnership for Democratic Governance* or from countries on the DAC list of ODA Recipients ().
*Please note that the list of countries participating in the PDG is tentative. Consequently, nationalities other than OECD member countries and countries on the DAC list of ODA recipients may also apply. However, only nationals of countries that are officially participants in the PDG at the closing date of the application will be considered for the positions concerned.
Job Duties:
1. Leadership • Provide strategic direction to the Advisory Unit in order to achieve the objectives of the Partnership for Democratic Governance and to deliver an annual report monitoring performance of the Unit against the objectives. • Exercise overall leadership in the planning, orientation, management, reporting and control of the Advisory Unit’s work and ensure results are achieved. • Exercise critical oversight and judgement of analytical and policy content of reports and discussion documents designed for high-level officials in national governments and international bodies.
2. Representation and liaison • Lead discussions with potential co-operation countries to assess and clarify their needs to improve service delivery and core policy functions. • Ensure close and effective collaboration with the PDG Steering Group, the UNDP, OECD Development Assistance Committee and its subsidiary bodies, and other relevant OECD bodies. • Ensure that the work of the Advisory Unit is consistent with the views of the Steering Group Co-Chairs and those of the broader Partnership. • Ensure that the Advisory Unit’s activities reflect and complement work ongoing in other fora, and establish effective communication and liaison with other entities working on capacity development and service delivery, including with the civil society and the private sector. • Foster collaboration between the Advisory Unit and the OECD including its Development Cluster and the OECD intra-Secretariat Contact Group. • Participate in meetings and events to represent the Advisory Unit internationally as agreed with Steering Group Co-chairs.
3. Management • Manage the Advisory Unit, including i) Programme of Work and Budget preparation and execution and ii) staff management, including the recruitment, supervision, motivation and performance management to ensure the delivery of high-quality products, effective working methods, and a good working atmosphere within the Unit. • Manage the Advisory Unit’s budget, in close co-ordination with OECD financial and administrative staff to ensure control and accountability, and with Steering Group Co-Chairs to ensure timely financial support and adequate reporting/information flow. • Develop strong collaboration with OECD to ensure the benefits of co-location are optimised.
Qualifications: education, experience, communication and languages
1. Education and experience • An advanced university degree in economics, public administration, development studies, law, political science or other relevant discipline. • Broad and extensive experience of working at a senior level in public administration and/or international development and capacity building, including practitioner and developing country experience. Well-established contacts with key actors and stakeholders in developing countries and among the development partners. • Excellent understanding of the range of policy issues that impact on development, capacity building and service delivery. • Previous field-level and policy experience in developing countries underpinning a keen understanding of the political processes that shape development. Good knowledge of international and regional processes and initiatives, including their dynamics, interactions, priorities and activities. • Demonstrated experience of working in partnership with developing countries, bilateral and multilateral stakeholders, civil society, and the private sector. Willingness to invest time in building robust networks and in establishing productive relationships with local and international actors from the policy to field levels, and to develop innovative approaches to identifying and disseminating best practice. • Experience in managing budgets and multiple administrative processes, ensuring compliance with institutional rules and regulations and financial accountability.
2. Key competencies • Strategic vision, creative and analytical thinking as well as openness to exploring innovative approaches. • Demonstrated strong leadership and negotiation skills and ability to manage effectively in a multicultural environment and to establish effective and harmonious working relations with international organisations and senior government officials as well as the academic community, think tanks, professional networks and relevant civil society stakeholders. • Proven capacity to produce high-quality analytical work and to establish plans and priorities for delivering a work programme according to strict budgetary limits and tight deadlines. • Demonstrated capacity to draft high quality policy documents. • Ability to interact effectively at high political level, among peers, media and civil society. • Proven capacity to present work with skill and judgement to stakeholders, to speak and write clearly and persuasively, to commend attention, and to establish credibility. • Strong organisational and managerial skills, experience in building multi-cultural teams and motivating staff to yield high performance. • A dynamic personality providing strategic purpose, direction and vision, and able to mobilise and channel diverse talents, ideas and opportunities to achieve goals. • Availability for extensive travel
3. Communication and OECD official languages • Excellent oral and written communication skills in one of the two official languages of the OECD (English or French) and a very good working knowledge of the other language. • Knowledge of Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic or other languages would be an asset.
NB. The appointment may initially be made at the level immediately below if the qualifications and professional experience of the selected applicant correspond to that level; in this case, the duties and responsibilities assigned to the post will be adjusted accordingly.
