Social Affairs Officer, P3
Social Affairs Officer, P3
UN ESCAP - United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
New Delhi, India
Org. Setting and Reporting
This position is located in the South and South-West Asia, New Delhi, India. The incumbent reports to the Head of Subregional Office for South and South-West Asia.
Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Head of Subregional Office for South and South-West Asia, the incumbent is required to perform the following functions:
- Prepares analytical reports on fostering the social development agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially in the subregional context, including reduction of poverty and inequality, enhancing the scope and coverage of social protection, promoting gender equality and women’s economic empowerment, inclusive policies and programmes at the subregional level; recommends proposals for inclusion in position papers and reports to be presented to the sessions of the Commission, APFSD, various Committees of ESCAP and other relevant intergovernmental bodies;
- Liaises with officials of governments, representatives of international organizations, entities of the UN system, civil society organizations and subregional and national think-tanks etc. on issues related to poverty reduction, accelerating achievement of Sustainable Development Goals, and other socio-economic development ; coordinates closely with related Divisions at the ESCAP Headquarters on activities that concerns the subregion;
- Participates in identifying training and other capacity building needs among government officials in the South and South-West Asian subregion, especially on accelerating SDGs achievement and other internationally agreed development goals;
- Assists in the planning, organizing and servicing of technical cooperation, capacity building and intergovernmental meetings and other activities;
- Participates in the development, implementation and management of the Web pages of the SRO-SSWA, the South Asia Network of SDGs, quarterly newsletters, and social media posts, towards knowledge sharing in regard to economic and social development policy and good practices in the subregion;
- Contributes to the preparation of technical documents, inputs, briefs, talking points etc. for international, intergovernmental and expert group meetings, organised by ESCAP. Provides technical support to the organization of such meetings, and prepares related reports;
- Participates in preparing proposals for getting technical cooperation, capacity-building projects including for external fund-raising. Coordinates preparation of annual work programmes and budget etc. and assists in monitoring and evaluation of projects;
- Undertakes missions to member States, either alone or as a participant in a diverse team, as part of the ESCAP’s technical cooperation activities and/or in support of the work programme;
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Competencies
- Professionalism: Knowledge and practical application of theories and concepts related to social development and social policy, including ability to use approaches and techniques to address difficult problems. Strong analytical capacity and the ability to identify, analyze and articulate difficult issues/problems. Ability to use sound judgement. Strong research skills, including ability to evaluate and integrate information from a variety of sources using standard methodologies and statistical techniques, draw conclusions and assess impact on the social development and policy issues. Ability to provide guidance to new/junior staff. 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;
- Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed;
- 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.
Education
- Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in sociology, economics, development studies, other social science or related field;
- 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.
Work Experience
- A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in socio economic development, policy analysis, sociological research or related area is required;
- Experience with MS Office suite, statistical techniques, web-based applications is required;
- Experience in handling of social media, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. is required;
- Experience at the regional and/or international level in developmental policy analysis or formulation is desirable;
- Experience in developing countries, preferably in the Asia and the Pacific region, as demonstrated by living or working in the region outside the home country, is desirable;
- Experience in the United Nations Common System or international organizations is desirable.
Languages
- English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.
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