Overview
Leads the United Nations development system at the country level, ensuring coordination of UN entities and accountability for the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework and the 2030 Agenda.
Key Responsibilities
- Represents the UN at the highest levels of state and fosters engagement with diverse partners to address national needs and advance the 2030 Agenda.
- Leads the UN country team in the development, monitoring, and implementation of the UN Cooperation Framework.
- Coordinates UN system-wide support to Government, identifying and mitigating risks to SDG achievement.
- Supports and advocates for the work of UNCT member agencies and Country Representatives.
- Coordinates UN entities’ contributions to context and trend analysis, including a Common Country Analysis.
- Promotes and advocates for UN Charter values, human rights, gender equality, and the SDG commitment to leave no one behind.
- Engages, convenes, and forges strategic partnerships with diverse entities at national and sub-national levels.
- Advances regional knowledge-sharing and collaboration, south-south and triangular exchanges, and multi-country initiatives.
- Identifies and leverages expertise and assets from across the UN development system to improve shared results and address SDG coverage gaps.
- Provides governance and oversight of system-wide country financing instruments and pursues funding for joint UN efforts.
- Leads engagement on and pursuance of the UN’s normative agenda to support national capacity development.
- Fosters an enabling environment for collaboration, knowledge, and data gathering, analysis, and sharing.
- Facilitates access to national, regional, and global resources for innovation in sustainable development financing and technologies.
- Leads and enhances strategic communication to promote UN system efforts and collective results for the 2030 Agenda.
- Ensures effective coordination of country-level security when appointed as Designated Official.
- Promotes and nurtures staff learning and the implementation of staff rules and policies.
- Develops and implements collective protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) strategies.
- Manages a matrixed dual reporting system with UN country team heads.
- Advances country-specific measures to promote UN common business operations.
- Leads and coordinates humanitarian response efforts when required and a Humanitarian Coordinator is not designated.
- Facilitates the integration of the UN Country Team’s work with UN peacekeeping or political missions in conflict and post-conflict settings.
- Manages and provides strategic guidance and oversight to the Resident Coordinators Office.
Required Experience
- Over 15 years of substantive experience and results in leadership roles at the international level is required.
- Includes five years of cumulative experience in development, human rights, rule of law peace-building or humanitarian work at country level outside of one's own country.
- Previous RC experience is required.
- High-level coordination experience at the country or regional level may be considered in lieu of RC experience.
- Experience in the management and/or coordination of humanitarian programmes, preferably at the country level, is desirable.
- Strong political acumen and experience working with senior government officials and diplomats is desirable.
- Demonstrated ability to provide insightful political analysis to senior officials and identify situations that could warrant preventive action is desirable.
- Previous experience as a senior official with accountability for security (for example UN Designated Official (DO) for Security or equivalent) or previous experience in security decision-making in a complex environment is desirable.
Qualifications
Master's degree – or equivalent post graduate qualification – in development studies, international relations, political science, economics, social sciences, human rights, law or closely related fields (for otherwise suitably qualified candidates, a first level university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications and experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced post graduate university degree).
