Director of Economic Development and Globalization Division

United Nations
Beirut - Lebanon
S: Competitive

Org. Setting and Reporting

This post is located within the Economic Development and Globalization Division (EDGD) of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA). The Director of EDGD reports to the Executive Secretary.

Responsibilities

The Director of Economic Development and Globalization Division will be responsible for carrying out the following:
1. Formulates and implements the substantive work programme of the Economic Development and Globalization Division (EDGD) with special emphasis on macro and microeconomic sectoral policies, integrated socio-economic development, economic projections and forecasting, and regional integration and globalization; 2. Oversees the management of activities undertaken by the Chiefs of Sections, ensures that programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion and co-ordinates work in the different areas both within the Division and ESCWA, and with other organizations of the United Nations System, as appropriate; 3. Leads, supervises and carries out the work programme of the Economic Development and Globalization Division under his/her responsibility. Co-ordinates the work carried out by different work units under the Division and by other agencies and bodies of the United Nations system, League of Arab States (LAS) and other regional organizations; provides programmatic/substantive reviews of the drafts prepared by others; 4. Assists the Executive Secretary in preparing position papers and statements and contributes to the preparation of ESCWA relevant inputs to the Secretary-General Reports. Co-ordinates and oversees the preparation of reports for presentation to the Secretary-General, as well as to intergovernmental bodies such as the Committees on Trade Liberalization and Transport and the relevant LAS Ministerial Councils, ESCWA Commission, Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budget Questions, Committee for Programme Coordination, Economic and Social Council, the General Assembly and other policy-making organs, as appropriate; 5. Reports to intergovernmental bodies on issues related to economic development and globalization and on budget/programme performance or on programmatic/ substantive issues, as appropriate, particularly those presented in biannual and/or annual reports;
6. Ensures that the outputs produced by the Division 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; 7. Undertakes the preparation of the work programme of the Division, determining priorities, and allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery; 8. Provides in-depth analysis of, and follow-up on, regional integration agreements, multilateral trading system, Greater Arab Free-Trade Area (GAFTA) and other bilateral agreements, follow-up on the progress made towards the Global development agenda (MDG/SDG and post 2015); 9. Leads, supervises and carries out activities and studies related to socio-economic developments in the region, trends in the world trade environment, globally and in the region, in the context of economic globalization, trade liberalization, regional integration and facilitation of transboundary flows and assesses their implications for the ESCWA region, indicating the policy, actions and adaptations needed to achieve them; 10. Conducts and provides substantive guidance to research on major economic issues facing the ESCWA/Arab States region, including economic reform, economic governance, equity and income distribution, knowledge economics and sources of growth. Leads/coordinates the preparation of ESCWA flagships and recurrent publications, namely the Survey of Economic and Social Developments in the ESCWA Region and other publications; 11. Undertakes or oversees the programmatic/administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the Division, including ensuring that programmed activities/outputs are carried out in a timely fashion, preparation of budgets, reporting on budget/programme performance, evaluation of staff performance (PAS), interviews of candidates for job openings, evaluation of candidates and preparation of inputs for results-based budgeting; 12. Recruits staff, taking due account of geographical and gender balance; 13. Manages, guides, develops and trains staff under his/her supervision;
14. Fosters teamwork and communication among staff in the Division and across organizational boundaries; 15. Leads and supervises the organization of meetings, seminars, etc. on substantive issues. Manages the substantive preparation and organization of such meetings or seminars; 16. 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; 17. Represents the Division at international, regional or national meetings.

Competencies

Professionalism: Expert knowledge in socio-economic development, globalization and regional integration issues in general, and in Arab States/ESCWA countries in particular, and a publication record on the Arab Region in referred economic journals. 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; takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. 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. Planning& 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. 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. Vision: Identifies strategic issues, opportunities and risks; clearly communicates links between the Organization's strategy and the work unit's goals; generates and communicates broad and compelling organizational direction, inspiring others to pursue that same direction; conveys enthusiasm about future possibilities.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in business or public administration, economics, economic development, economic integration or other 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. PhD is desirable.

Work Experience

A minimum of fifteen years of progressively responsible experience in economic development, international trade or related area. Experience in the application of modern tools of Economic Analysis including Statistical Analysis and Economic Projection. Relevant experience at the international and regional level is required. Managerial experience is required as well as proven ability to manage programmes of a similar size.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Arabic is also a working language of ESCWA. For this post, fluency in written and oral English and Arabic is required.

Job summary