Chief of Branch, Population Policies and Development Branch, D-1

Chief of Branch, Population Policies and Development Branch, D-1

UN DESA - United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs

New York, United Arab Emirates

Responsibilities

• Formulates and implements the substantive work programme of the Population Policies and Development Branch, including the Fertility and Population Ageing Section and the Migration and Urbanization Section. Oversees the management of activities undertaken by the Branch, including work on population policies and capacity development, ensures that programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion and co-ordinates work in the different areas both within the Division and Department, and with other organizations of the United Nations System, as appropriate. Provides technical oversight of the Branch, ensuring that demographic estimates and projections are accurate and informative, and that methods of analysis are innovative where appropriate and, in all cases, consistent with best practices in the fields of demography and statistics.
• Leads, supervises and carries out the work programme of the Branch. Co-ordinates the work carried out by different work units under the Branch and by other agencies and bodies of the United Nations system; provides programmatic/substantive reviews of the drafts prepared by others.
• Co-ordinates and oversees the preparation of reports for presentation to intergovernmental bodies such as the Commission on Population and Development, Economic and Social Council, 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; that methods and analysis are sound and reflect the latest thinking and developments in the field. Ensures that all outputs produced by the Sections and staff members 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 Division, 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 (PAS), interviews of candidates for job openings, evaluation of candidates and preparation of inputs forresults-based budgeting.
• Recruits staff, taking due account of gender and 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: Knowledge of demography and statistics in general and of the specific areas being supervised: description and analysis of demographic trends; production of global population estimates and projections; management of demographic data systems. 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.
• Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
• 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.
• 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.
• Building Trust: Provides an environment in which others can talk and act without fear of repercussion; manages in a deliberate and predictable way; operates with transparency; has no hidden agenda; places confidence in colleagues, staff members and clients; gives proper credit to others; follows through on agreed upon actions; treats sensitive or confidential information appropriately.

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in demography, economics, sociology, statistics, or other appropriate field of study is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

• A minimum of fifteen years of progressively responsible experience in the analysis of demographic data and the interpretation of population trends is required.
• Experience with the substantive support of intergovernmental processes/meetings is desirable.
• Experience with the development and implementation of capacity building projects in developing countries is desirable.
• Experience with the production of demographic estimates, monitoring and analysis of population policies, or communicating information about the linkages between population trends and sustainable development to Government officials and policymakers is desirable.
• Experience in managing large and diverse teams is required.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the UN Secretariat. For this post, fluency in English (both oral and written) is required; knowledge of French or other UN official language is desirable.

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