Economic Affairs Officer, P-3

Position description

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is in the Market Access Section (MAS) of the Economic Cooperation and Trade Division (ECTD) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), based in Geneva, Switzerland. The incumbent will work under the supervision of and in close cooperation with the P5, Chief of MAS.

Responsibilities

The incumbent supports the servicing of the Steering Committee on Trade Capacity and Standards, and where needed, its subsidiary bodies. Specifically, the incumbent contributes to:

• Planning for the meetings (annual meetings of the Committee, respective subsidiary bodies and respective bureaux); prepares agendas, documentation, reports; disseminates information through list servers and Internet;
• Advising on priorities and changes to the programme of work;
• Liaising with relevant other Working Parties and Teams of Specialists (ToS), particularly ToS Gender Responsive Standards (GRS) and networks, and sectoral committees in and beyond the Economic Cooperation and Trade Division (ECTD);
• Liaising with government, private sector, academic and non-governmental experts on issues related to trade and sustainable development in the UNECE region;
• Coordinating work with other relevant international organizations (UNCTAD, UNEP, UNIDO, WTO, FAO) and UN initiatives (e.g. issue-based-coalitions), international financial institutions, think tanks, and other trade-related inter-governmental and other organizations. Drafts research papers and analytical studies on trade-related issues, including studies on Regulatory and Procedural Barriers to Trade (RPBTs) and other issues at the intersection of trade and sustainable development: – Plans for drafting, discussion, and approval of studies and related recommendations;
• Documents requests by member States, raises and manages extra-budgetary funds, hires and manages consultants to deliver on research projects;
• Analyses trends in international trade and sustainable development, drafts texts and formulates policy recommendations;
• Finalizes publications, ensures consistency and correctness of texts. – Publishes documents on the UNECE webpage;
• Works with the Documents Management and Printing Services to ensure high quality of printed material. Contributes to capacity-building activities, and supports countries in the implementation of recommendations;
• Documents requests by member States, raises and manages extra-budgetary funds for capacity-building;
• Plans and organizes workshops and training courses;
• Develops and maintains networks of partners in the government and other relevant stakeholders. Contributes to the work of other teams and sections of the Division and to cross-sectoral activities;
• Represents UNECE’s trade-related work in relevant national, regional and international processes and liaises with respective partners;
• Carries out follow-up activities to the decisions of the UNECE Commission sessions;
• Supports networks and engages with stakeholders on issues related to trade and sustainable development;
• Responds to requests from the Chief of Section and Office of the Director, participates in the ongoing information sharing and coordination of the Division activities.

Competencies

• PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of current debates on the role of trade for achieving sustainable development, including as regards the specificities of UNECE member States and as regards frontier topics such as sustainable trade, digital trade, mainstreaming gender and the interaction between trade, innovation and investment/finance. Knowledge of regulatory challenges in today’s dynamic trade environment and its relevance for standardization and technical barriers to trade. Ability to conduct policy analysis and undertake research on trade, innovation and investment topics. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. 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 the audience. Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed;
• 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;
• CLIENT ORIENTATION: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view. Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect. Identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions. Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems. Keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects. Meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client. 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.

Education

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in economics, law, international relations, business administration, trade, or a related field. A first level university degree in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

• Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in sustainable economic development, including trade-related issues, is required. Experience in organizing and servicing international meetings is required. Experience in preparing reports and research or policy documents is required. Experience in drafting policy briefs that provide policy advice to support inter-governmental deliberations is desirable. Experience in mobilizing extra-budgetary resources and managing extra-budgetary projects on these issues is desirable. Experience in sustainable economic development with countries in Central Asia, Southern Caucasus, Western Balkan and Eastern Europe is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat and Russian is a working language of ECE. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Russian or French is desirable.

Application instructions

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