Senior Programme Management Officer at United Nations Economic Commission For Africa

Senior Programme Management Officer

Employer: United Nations Economic Commission For Africa

Employment: Full-Time | Contract

Place of Work: Addis Ababa - Ethiopia

Posted date: 1 week ago

Deadline: May, 22/2025 (34 days left)

Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the DES-PS, within the delegated authority, the SPMO is responsible for the following duties:

Pillar Programme of Work Coordination and Monitoring

1. Closely supports the Deputy Executive Secretary in promoting and coordinating the programme of work of the Programme Support pillar by collaborating with:
• Internal and external key stakeholders
• Relevant divisions and sections
2. Develops and operationalizes the strategy, implementation plan, coordination, and reporting mechanisms for:
• Effective interdivisional and inter-office collaboration
• Delivery of the programme of work of the Programme Support pillar
• Change management initiatives
3. Takes the lead to analyze, review, and strengthen linkages and system-wide coherence between different workstreams.
4. Fosters integrated resources planning and utilization, developing supporting standard operating procedures.
5. Reviews and/or directs the review of relevant documents and reports, identifying:
• Priorities
• Problems and issues to be addressed
• Corrective actions
6. Ensures coordination and coherence of the collective work of:
• The Commission’s sub-regional offices
• African Institute for Economic Development and Planning

Independently Advances Priority Initiatives

1. Directs research and programme evaluation, presenting information from diverse sources.
2. Coordinates policy development and reviews assessments of:
• Issues and trends
• Evaluations or research activities
• Studies
3. Undertakes survey initiatives, guiding the design of:
• Data collection instruments
• Response analysis
• Conclusion preparation
4. Supervises preparation of various written outputs, including:
• Background papers
• Analysis
• Sections of reports
• Inputs to publications
5. Directs substantive support to meetings and conferences, including:
• Proposing agenda topics
• Identifying participants
• Preparing documents and presentations
6. Manages outreach activities, designing and conducting:
• Training workshops
• Seminars
• Presentations on assigned topics
7. Leads field missions, providing guidance to:
• External consultants
• Government officials
• Other parties
8. Serves as an effective spokesperson, establishing collaboration and partnerships with:
• Key officials at all levels
• Inside and outside the organization

Operations of the Office of Deputy Executive Secretary for Programme Support

1. Ensures implementation of gender mainstreaming guidelines by assessing implications for:
• Men
• Women
2. Coordinates activities and operations in the Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary (Programme Support).
3. Oversees monitoring of implementation efforts to ensure the Pillar meets:
• Strategic corporate indicators
• Targets related to priority initiatives
4. Coordinates activities related to budget and funding, ensuring preparation of:

Competencies

Professionalism: Ability to identify key strategic issues, opportunities, and risks, and manage relevant change management processes. Ability to generate and communicate broad and compelling organizational direction. Ability to communicate clearly links between the Organization’s strategy and the work unit’s goals. Demonstrated ability to provide innovative technical leadership by performing and/or overseeing the planning, development, and management of operation. Demonstrated ability to negotiate and apply good judgment. 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. 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. Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments. Delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards. Operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules. Supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments. Takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable. Leadership: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow. Empowers others to translate vision into results. Is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives. Establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support. Anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions. Drives for change and improvement; does not accept the status quo. Shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing. Judgement/decision making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly. Gathers relevant information before making a decision. Considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them. Takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization. Proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information. Checks assumptions against facts. Determines that the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision. Makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or Doctorate degree, or equivalent) in business administration, management, economics or a related field is required. A first-level degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in the specified fields of studies with two additional years of relevant work 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 an advantage.

Work Experience

• A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in project or programme management or project or programme administration or related area is required. Experience in developing, implementing, and coordinating change management strategies in a sensitive and highly demanding environment is desirable. Experience in strategic planning and management at the regional or sub-regional level in an international development context is desirable. Experience promoting policy coherence and integrated delivery among large, geographically dispersed teams is desirable. Prior experience working in the United Nations Common System or a similar, large multilateral institution or international NGO is desirable. Experience supervising staff or managing teams is desirable. Exposure to UN reforms or large-scale reforms in a similar international organization is desirable. Experience in data analytics or a related area is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in either language is required; and knowledge of the other is desirable. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.