Org. Setting and Reporting

The mandate of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is to promote sustainable and inclusive development and regional connectivity in the Asian and Pacific region. ESCAPs role as a regional development arm of the United Nations Secretariat is to support its membership with policy-oriented research and analysis, normative support and technical assistance, and capacity building to respond to the development priorities and changing needs of the Asian and Pacific region. This position is located in the Capacity Development and Partnerships Section, in the Strategy and Programme Management Division (SPMD). The incumbent reports to the Chief of the Capacity Development and Partnerships Section.

Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Chief of Capacity Development and Partnerships Section and the overall guidance of the Director, SPMD, the Programme Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

• Participates in the development, implementation and evaluation of assigned programmes/projects; monitors and analyzes programme/project development and implementation, including budget delivery and ensuring financial prudence; reviews relevant documents and reports; identifies problems and issues to be addressed and proposes corrective actions; liaises with relevant parties; identifies and tracks follow-up actions.
• Researches, analyzes and presents information gathered from diverse sources.
• Contributes to programme and project development and monitoring, including the review and update of processes and guidelines, and continuous improvement of project document, budget and reporting templates and guidelines.
• Undertakes survey initiatives; designs and improves data collection and monitoring tools such as request tracker and contributions dashboard; reviews, analyzes and interprets responses, identifies problems/issues and prepares solutions, including AI use, to support the management team.
• Prepares various written and communication outputs, e.g., draft background papers, analysis, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications such as the Technical Cooperation Highlights.
• Provides substantive support to consultative and other meetings, such as semi-annual consultations with divisions and offices, proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations, etc.
• Reviews, processes and finalizes ESCAP’s programme and project documents and performance reports for submission to donors, UN Headquarters and ESCAP’s intergovernmental bodies.
• Contributes to training workshops, briefing sessions and seminars, in areas such as results-based management and ERP.; makes presentations on assigned topics/activities.
• Participates in or lead field missions, including provision of guidance to external consultants, government officials and other parties and drafting mission summaries, etc.
• Coordinates activities related to budget and funding (programme/project preparation and submissions, progress reports, financial statements, etc.) and prepares related documents/reports (pledging, work programme, programme budget, etc.).
• Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
• Performs other related duties as required. Competencies
• Professionalism: Knowledge and understanding of results-based management, project design and implementation theories and practices, including budget. Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems. Ability to conduct data collection using various methods. Conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis, including familiarity with and experience in the use of various research sources, including electronic sources on the internet, intranet and other databases. Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, plan own work and manage conflicting priorities. 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. Able to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management.
• 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.
• 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.
• Technological Awareness: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitation of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology. Education Advanced university degree (Masters degree or equivalent) in business administration, management, economics, information technology or a related field is required. A relevant first-level university degree in the above fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable. Job – Specific Qualification Not available. Work Experience A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in project or programme management, administration, including programme/project budgeting, technical cooperation or related area is required. Proven practical experience working on issues relating to technical cooperation planning and implementation, including logical framework approach is required. Experience in using Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems such as Umoja/SAP, ERP and applications used for programme support such as Integrated Planning, Management and Reporting (IPMR) is required. Work experience within the UN system or other international organizations in project management is desirable. Two years or more of experience in data science, data analytics, information management is desirable. Creating IT solutions for programme management is desirable. Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. French is desirable. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details). Required Languages Language Reading Writing Listening Speaking English UN Level II UN Level II UN Level II UN Level II Desirable Languages Language Reading Writing Listening Speaking French UN Level I UN Level I UN Level I UN Level I Assessment Qualified applicants may be evaluated through a competency-based interview and/or other assessment methods. Special Notice This is a temporary position and will initially be available for a 364 days. If selected, an internal candidate will be on temporary assignment to the post…