Org. Setting and Reporting
The mandate of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is to promote sustainable and inclusive development and regional connectivity in the Asian and Pacific region. ESCAP’s role as a regional development arm of the United Nations Secretariat is to support its membership with policy oriented research and analysis, normative support and technical assistance and capacity building, to respond to the development priorities and changing needs of the Asian and Pacific region.
This position is located in the Office of the Director, Statistics Division. The incumbent reports to the Director of the Statistics Division.
Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Director of the Statistics Division, and in close collaboration with the Economic and Environment Statistics Section, the incumbent is required to perform the following functions:
• In response to requests from Member States, and in consultation and coordination with relevant ESCAP subprograms, United Nations Country Teams (UNCTs) and other statistics development partners, including UNSD, UNEP and FAO, provide technical advisory services to Members States in the following areas:
– Monitoring of progress towards the achievement of internationally agreed sustainable development goals as they pertain to the environment, including access to and efficient use of natural resources and economic opportunities presented by green economic development;
– Strategic and institutional development of the national statistical system;
– Implementation of internationally recognized statistical concepts, classifications and frameworks in the collection, compilation and dissemination of official environment and integrated statistics, including improved use of big data and other non-traditional sources of data;
– Adoption of international good practices in the development and use of official environment and integrated statistics;
– Improvement of basic environment statistics in countries with special needs;
– Development of new statistical measurement and data for assessing emerging development issues in the field of environment and integrated statistics.
• In support of the strategic goals and priorities of the ESCAP Committee on Statistics, contribute to the development and implementation of regional statistics development programmes, with special regards to the design, implementation and evaluation of relevant statistical advisory services and other technical assistance activities such as participatory global assessments or peer reviews of national statistical systems.
• Ensure synergies with the Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific (SIAP), as well as other relevant national, subregional, regional and international institutions and organizations, in providing statistical training and other relevant technical assistance to Member States.
• Identify country needs and support the establishment and maintenance of regional expert networks on environment and integrated statistics to facilitate South-South cooperation and knowledge-sharing among Member States.
• Prepare documentation for and contribute expertise to regional consultations with countries and international meetings and conferences involving environment and integrated statistics issues.
• Support the overall efforts of ESCAP in strengthening the capacity of Member States for designing and implementing policies, strategies and programmes to achieve inclusive and sustainable development.
• Perform other functions as and if required.
Competencies
Professionalism: Ability to provide technical advice in the development and implementation of methodologies, programmes and policies with a view to improving international statistical standards and national statistical capabilities pertaining to environment and statistics that integrates economic, social and environmental dimensions; sound knowledge of practices for the collection, processing and dissemination of data for statistical purposes at national level; sound knowledge of international manuals and handbooks including the Framework for Development of Environment Statistics (FDES) and the System of Environment-Economic Accounting (SEEA) as well as of good practices adopted at international level in the collection, dissemination, use and interpretation of official statistics. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrated 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.
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.
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.
Education
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in statistics, environmental or related sciences with emphasis on applied quantitative skills.
Ph.D degree in any of the above fields is desirable.
A relevant first-level university degree in the above fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Work Experience
A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in a national statistical office or in other parts of a national statistical system collecting, disseminating and/or analyzing official, preferably official environment statistics, is required.
Experience in the compilation of data according to the Framework for Development of Environment Statistics (FDES) or System of Environmental-Economic Accounts (SEEA) is required.
Experience with technical cooperation for statistical capacity development among national statistical systems is required.
Experience working in the Asia-Pacific region is highly desirable.
Demonstrated experience in establishing and maintaining professional networks is desirable.
Experience working in the UN Development System at the national level is an advantage.
Work experience in the statistics office of an international organization is an advantage.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.
Assessment
Qualified applicants may be evaluated through a competency-based interview and/or other assessment methods.
Special Notice
Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures. Staff of the United Nations Secretariat must fulfill the lateral move requirements to be eligible to apply for this vacancy and are requested to indicate all qualifying lateral moves in their Personal History Profile (PHP) and cover note.
ESCAP is committed to promoting diversity and gender equality within the Secretariat. Women candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
This post is funded under the resources of the Regular Programme of Technical Cooperation. The initial appointment is for a period of one year. Extension of appointment is subject to availability of the funds and to a maximum of five years.
This post will be available on 1 July 2020.
United Nations Considerations
According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.
Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.
Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.
The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.
Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.
