Job: Social Affairs Officer

Location: Santiago, Chile
Deadline: Tuesday, 29 October 2013 

Description

Job Title: Social Affairs Officer, P4

Department/ Office: Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

Duty Station: SANTIAGO

Posting Period: 30 August 2013-29 October 2013

Job Opening number: 13-SOC-ECLAC-30613-R-SANTIAGO (X) United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity

Organizational Setting and Reporting

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. This position is located in the Social Development Division.

Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Chief of the 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 health indicators, malnutrition, food security and related issues (e.g., poverty, education, demographic patterns, gender issues, etc.) at global, regional and national levels; assesses implications and develops proposals with respect to social development and public health policies and interventions.
• Develops new lines of theoretical analysis, research and impact evaluation methodologies and instruments in the field of social development, public health and malnutrition.
• Liaises with national counterparts (national and sub-national authorities, programme managers, etc) to design, schedule and implement impact evaluation researches. Supervise the process and prepare management reports.
• 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 SocialDevelopment).Represents organizational unit at international, regional and national meetings.

Technical Cooperation

• Provides technical assistance to governments and other bodies in the formulation and implementation of policies and programs related to social development.
• Designs, monitors, backstops and assesses the implementation of technical cooperation programmes and projects on the field of social management, including information and communication technologies (ICT), and impact evaluation.
• 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.
• Formulate, coordinate and conduct training courses, workshops, seminars expert groups, etc on formulation, monitoring and evaluation of social policies for government officers and national professionals on the basis of ECLAC experience.
• 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:

• Knowledge of social development policies, programme/project management and impact evaluation on social issues and related fields is required.
• Knowledge of public health, malnutrition and food security policies and evaluation are highly desirable.
• Ability to apply principles and concepts of social development in relation to government, the private sector, civil society and international organizations is required.
• Ability to apply modern techniques of analyzing social phenomena, including statistics;
• ability to conduct conceptual and strategic analyses;
• ability to analyze and articulate the social dimension of complex issues is required.
• Problem-solving skills and ability to use sound judgment in applying technical expertise to resolve a wide range of complex issues/problems are required.
• Very good knowledge of region or country of assignment, including the political, economic and social dimensions is required.
• Ability to relate socio-economic issues, trends and perspectives, including gender issues, to social development initiatives/programmes in affected country/region is required. Strong negotiating skills and ability to influence others to reach agreement is required.
• Ability to work under pressure is required.
• Very good knowledge of institutional mandates, policies and guidelines pertaining to social affairs.
• Sound knowledge of the institutions of the UN system is required.
• Excellent research skills and demonstrated ability to complete in-depth studies and to formulate conclusions/recommendations are required.
• 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.

Planning and 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.

Client Orientation:

• Considers all those to whom services are provided to be 'clients' and seeks to see things from clients' point of view;
• establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect;
• identifies clients' needs and matches them to appropriate solutions;
• monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients' environment to keep informed and anticipate problems;
• keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects;
• meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Education

• Advanced 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 qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

• A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in social development, policy analysis, social and impact evaluation research, organizing and implementing networks at national and international level, designing training programs and research projects in monitoring and evaluation is required.
• Leadership experience in a multi-disciplinary team is required.
• Experience in public health, ICT applied to social policies and/or nutritional problems are highly desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, advanced knowledge of Spanish and of one of the working languages (English or French) is required, as verified through relevant exams if necessary. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.

Assessment Method

Suitable candidates will be invited for competency-based interviews and other assessment methods.

Special Notice

Extension of the appointment is subject to Extension of the mandate and/or the availability of the funds.

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.

United Nations Considerations

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.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS' BANK ACCOUNTS.

More Info and Application