Job Vacancy For Development Coordination Officer/Economist



Duties and Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Development Coordination Officer /Economist will be responsible of the following duties: (These duties are generic and may not be carried out by all Development Coordination Officers/Economist.)

Summary of Functions:

• Plans and facilitates evidence-based Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) analysis in support of a shared understanding by the UN Country Team (UNCT) of sustainable development trends, challenges and opportunities in programme countries
• Provides substantive advice on innovative economic and SDG policies to Resident Coordinators (RC) and UNCTs, as well as to national counterparts in government and other relevant partners
• Assists the UNCT in the development of a new generation of SDG programmes with a strong investment orientation and focus on acceleration towards achieving the SDGs
• Plans and directs SDG knowledge generation and management

Description of Functions:

1) Plans and facilitates evidence-based SDG analysis in support of a shared understanding by the UNCT of sustainable development trends, challenges and opportunities in programme countries

• Researches, analyzes and presents SDG-related data, as well as information on emerging best practices in sustainable development, paying special attention to gender and capacity development, and proposes policy options to RCs/UNCTs;
• Identifies and analyzes issues that impact multiple SDGs and their targets and proposes ‘accelerator interventions' that can help unlock and accelerate progress towards sustainable development across multiple areas;
• Assesses sustainable development trade-offs and risk factors, as well as early-warning indicators that may undermine the achievement of SDG targets and impact the UN’s role and programme in the country;
• Collects and analyzes data on UN country level operations in support of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda;
• Researches, develops and presents policy papers, guidance notes and other knowledge based-tools for discussion in country-level forums to help influence and advance policy dialogue on achieving the SDGs.;
• Contributes to the preparation of UN flagship reports, including the analysis of data and the provision of evidence to build the case for policies and interventions on SDGs;
• Monitors regional and global economic trends and issues and analyses their implications for the realization of the SDGs at the country level;

2) Provides substantive advice on innovative economic and SDG policies to RCs and UNCTs, as well as to national counterparts in government and other relevant partners

• Provides substantive support to the RC/UNCT on SDG-related issues, particularly on policies to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs, including through Mainstreaming, Acceleration and Policy Support (MAPS) and similar processes, and provides advice on potential trade-offs between SDGs;
• Prepares inputs for the UNCT on how UN country-level operations can be optimized and better respond to sustainable development needs and emerging trends in country;
• Together with UNCT members, plans and facilitates an integrated approach to the UN’s policy advice to national counterparts in government and other external partners;
• Plans and directs the work of the in-country UN Joint Policy Team (or equivalent) and drives cross-pillar nexus approaches in country to policy, analysis and assessment.

3) Assists the UNCT in the development of new generation of SDG programmes with a strong investment orientation and focus on acceleration towards achieving the SDGs

• Assists in the development and implementation of the UN Development Framework (UNDAF) to ensure that the UN’s country-level operational activities effectively support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in country;
• Provides substantive support to programme formulation and revision throughout the UNDAF cycle, based on sound SDG analysis;
• Contributes to the UN joint programming process to identify and support the formulation of a new generation of UN joint programmes that are aligned with the SDGs, oriented towards investment, and have impact at the national level;
• Assists UNDAF result groups in the implementation of joint workplans to promote SDG-relevant and SDG-responsive UN operational activities for development;
• Plans and facilitates UN support to governmental and multi-stakeholder processes on SDG policy development and capacity development.

4) Plans and directs SDG knowledge generation and management

• Plans, facilitates and contributes to communities of practice and knowledge networks that promote collaboration, peer support, innovation good practices, lessons learned, needs and opportunities in the area of sustainable development;
• Researches, analyzes and presents best practices and lessons learned from implementation of UNCT projects and programmes, with a view to advising the RC and UNCT on actions to strengthen the policy orientation of the UN;
• Monitors and analyzes best practices and successful models implemented by the UN in country and suggests options for developing these into bankable national SDG investment policies and programmes;
Contributes to global/corporate guidelines, tools and other materials related to sustainable development policy.

Qualification Required & Experience

Education: Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in economics, sustainable development, public policy, business or public administration, social sciences, education or related area. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience: A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in sustainable development policy, economic analysis or project/programme management in the context of development cooperation or related area is required.
Language: Fluency in one of the working languages of the UN Secretariat, English or French, is required; knowledge of the other is desirable. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.

Additional requirements: National Professional Officers are nationals of the country in which they are serving, and their functions must have a national context, i.e. functions that require national experience or knowledge of the national language, culture, institutions, and systems.

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

To submit your application, click on the link below and complete all relevant fields on the online application form.

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Closing Date: 04 April, 2019