Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the E-Commerce and Digital Economy Branch of the Division on Technology and Logistics. The Chief of Branch will be leading the Branch and will report to the Director of the Division.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, and under the guidance of the Director, DTL, the Chief formulates and implements the substantive work programme of the E-Commerce and Digital Economy Branch under his/her supervision. • Oversees the management of activities undertaken by the Branch, ensures that programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion and co-ordinates work in the different areas both within the Division and UNCTAD, and with other organizations of the United Nations System, as appropriate. • Leads, supervises and carries out the work programme of the Branch under his/her responsibility. Co-ordinates the work carried out by different work units under the Branch; provides programmatic/substantive reviews of the drafts prepared by others. • Co-ordinates and oversees the preparation of reports for presentation to intergovernmental bodies such Intergovernmental Group of Experts on E-Commerce and Digital Economy, the Working Group on Measuring E-Commerce and the Digital Economy, other UNCTAD intergovernmental bodies and UN bodies, the General Assembly and other policy-making organs, as appropriate. • Reports to intergovernmental bodies on budget/programme performance or on programmatic/ substantive issues, as appropriate, particularly those presented in biannual and/or annual reports. • Ensures that the outputs produced by the Branch maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data. Ensures that all outputs produced by the Sections under his/her supervision meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates. • Assists the Director in preparing the work programme of the Branch, determining priorities, and allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery. • Undertakes or oversees the programmatic/administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the Branch including preparation of budgets, reporting on budget/programme performance, evaluation of staff performance (ePerformance), interviews of candidates for job openings, evaluation of candidates and preparation of inputs for results-based budgeting. • Recruits staff, taking due account of geographical balance. • Manages, guides, develops and trains staff under his/her supervision. • Fosters teamwork and communication among staff in the Branch and across organizational boundaries. • Leads and supervises the organization of meetings, seminars, etc. on substantive issues. Manages the substantive preparation and organization of such meetings or seminars. • Participates in international, regional or national meetings and provides programmatic/substantive expertise on an issue, or holds programmatic/substantive and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions. • Represents the Division at international, regional or national meetings.

Competencies

Professionalism: Expert knowledge in the areas of ICT, e-commerce and digital economy and their implications for development. Ability to effectively manage a technical cooperation programme. Ability to manage and build effective professional relationships with stakeholders including donors. Strong analytical capabilities in these areas. Good understanding of Internet issues. Ability to produce reports and papers on technical issues and to review and edit the work of others. Ability to apply UN rules, regulations, policies and guidelines in work situations. 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. 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. Creativity: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches. 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 improvements; 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

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in economics, law, business administration, or related area is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job - Specific Qualification
Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of fifteen years of progressively responsible experience in economics, law, business administration or related field is
required. Seven years of experience in digital economy is desirable. Experience leading programmes and technical cooperation projects in the area of eTrade is desirable. Experience with fund-raising and reporting on programmatic activities is desirable. Experience in managing multiple teams is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. Either Spanish or Russian or Chinese (Mandarin) or Arabic or French is desirable. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).