Special Notice- 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.
Org. Setting and ReportingThis position is located in the Social Development Division and reports to the Chief of the Social Development Division.
The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean is one of the five regional Commissions of the United Nations. It was founded in 1948 with the purpose of contributing to the region's economic and social development. Its mission includes the design, monitoring and evaluation of public policies and the provision of advisory services, expertise and training to Governments, as well as support for regional and international cooperation and coordination activities. Please visit our website at www.eclac.org for further information.
ResponsibilitiesUnder the general supervision of the Chief of the Social Development Division, the Social Affairs Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
Social Analysis
•Proposes, designs and carries out substantive research projects analyzing key trends and changes in socio-economic structures and related issues (e.g., poverty, income distribution and other dimensions of inequality, labour and employment, social protection, ageing, disability, family, youth, occupational, cultural, educational and demographic patterns, gender issues, etc.) at global, regional and national levels; assesses implications and develops proposals with respect to social development and social welfare policies and interventions.
•Develops new lines of theoretical analysis and research methodologies, both quantitative and qualitative, for the diagnosis of major transformations in socio-economic structures.
•Liaises and partners with other experts in the field (e.g. governments, research institutes, academia, other international organizations, etc.) to discuss issues related to social development, exchanges views on latest findings, policy guidelines, new models of development, etc.; helps ensure that lessons learned are disseminated and incorporated into development programmes and other initiatives, including gender-related activities.
•Plans, organizes and provides substantial servicing of ad hoc expert group meetings, conferences, seminars, workshops, etc. to include identification and selection of participants, development of background documentation, preparation of reports, documents, policy recommendations and analytical briefs based on the outcome of such meetings.
•Prepares a variety of studies, reports, background papers, parliamentary documentation, etc. on a wide range of social development and related issues.
Intergovernmental Support
•Provides substantive support on social issues to intergovernmental bodies (such as the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, the Commission for Social Development) at global and regional level, including the Regional Conference on Social Development in Latin America and the Caribbean.
•Represents organizational unit at international, regional and national meetings.
•Organizes panels, round tables, etc. on social development issues for intergovernmental processes.
Technical Cooperation
•Provides technical assistance to governments and other bodies in the formulation and implementation of policies and programs related to socio-economic development.
•Designs, monitors, backstops and assesses the implementation of technical cooperation programmes and projects.
•Undertakes missions to member states, either alone or as a participant in a diverse team, as part of the Organization’s technical cooperation activities and/or in support of the work programme.
•Prepares global, regional, national or sectoral analyses that provide a basis for advising national governments and non-governmental organizations on social development issues.
•Conducts training seminars and workshops for government officials and others.
•Formulates technical modalities for the evaluation of individual technical cooperation projects.
General
•May participate in planning and preparation of unit budget and work program and in the administration of the day-to-day operations of the unit, including personnel responsibilities of the unit.
•Provides leadership and work direction to assigned work team, and/or mentors and supervises the work of new/junior officers.
•Prepares statements on social and economic issues for the Secretary-General and Under Secretary-General, as required.
•Performs other duties as required.
Competencies•Professionalism: In-depth knowledge of social development and related fields. Ability to apply principles and concepts of socio-economic development in relation to government, the private sector, civil society and international organizations. Ability to apply modern techniques of analyzing social phenomena. Ability to conduct conceptual and strategic analyses. Ability to analyze and articulate the social dimension of complex issues. Proven ability to produce and supervising the preparation of policy and technical reports on social issues. Strong qualitative and quantitative skills, including processing large data sets from national household surveys, database management, data analysis with statistical packages. Problem-solving skills. Ability to use sound judgment in applying technical expertise to resolve a wide range of complex issues/problems. Good knowledge of Latin American countries , including the political, economic and social dimensions. Ability to relate socio-economic issues, trends and perspectives, including gender issues, to social development initiatives/programmes in affected country/region. Strong negotiating skills and ability to influence others to reach agreement. Ability to work under pressure. Very good knowledge of institutional mandates, policies and guidelines pertaining to social affairs. Sound knowledge of the institutions of the UN system. Excellent research skills and demonstrated ability to complete in-depth studies and to formulate conclusions/recommendations. 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. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
•Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
•Creativity: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.
EducationAdvanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in sociology, economics, other social science or related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with 2 years of additional qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Work Experience-A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in specific fields of socio economic development, policy analysis, sociological research or related area are required. Significant experience in research on social issues and in provision of advisory services to government and private sector/non-governmental organizations is required. Experience in research, technical cooperation and policy advisory in labour and employment issues, poverty and multiple dimensions of inequality, including its gender, racial and ethnical dimensions are desirable. Experience in developing innovative lines of theoretical analysis and research methodologies, both qualitative and quantitative is desirable.
LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, Fluency in oral and written Spanish is required. Knowledge of English is required. Knowledge of Portuguese is desirable.
Assessment-Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.
United Nations ConsiderationsCandidates will be required to meet the requirements of Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter as well as the requirements of the position. The United Nations is committed to the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity for all its human resources, including but not limited to respect for international human rights and humanitarian law. Candidates may be subject to screening against these standards, including but not limited to whether they have committed, or are alleged to have committed criminal offences and/or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
The United Nations shall place 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. (Charter of the United Nations - Chapter 3, article 8). The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.
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Applications are pre-screened by the system according to the published requirements of the job opening on the basis of the information provided in the application. In relation to the requirements of the job opening, applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their qualifications, including their education, work experience, and language skills. Each applicant must bear in mind that submission of incomplete or inaccurate applications may render that applicant ineligible for consideration for the job opening. Initial screening and evaluation of applications will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted. Applications cannot be amended following submission. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to a reference-checking process to verify the information provided in the application.
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