Org. Setting and Reporting
Under the overall management of the ASG for Development Coordination through the DCO Surge Manager, and under the guidance of the Regional Director and Director of PPB, the Development Coordination Officer will provide Resident Coordination Offices (RCO) management expertise, strategic and operational guidance and support to enable effective inter-agency collaboration, programming and coordination to deliver on development results in crisis contexts, in support of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF). The Development Coordination Officer will be a global Resident Coordinator System (RCS) roving capacity pre-positioned at the regional level for rapid deployment to RCOs and UN Country Teams in the event of a significant development. The incumbent will support RCOs in the operationalization of the UNSDCF and other RCS corporate priorities, including through enhanced collaboration, cooperation and coordination with humanitarian action and peacebuilding efforts as well as through the provision of advice and recommendations for risk-informed and agile development support to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in crisis contexts. The Development Coordination Officer works in close collaboration with the Regional Director, Resident Coordinator and UNCT members, programme and operations teams of the agencies, UNDCO staff and government officials, technical advisors and experts, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and civil society. The Development Coordination Officer may be requested to perform the function of Head of RCO a.i. as needed. The Development Coordination Officer is expected to undertake frequent deployments to RCOs (up to three months each time) and travel within short notice (up to 5 days) to provide surge capacity support to priority crisis-affected RCOs in a specific region or globally, as required.
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Development Coordination Officer will be responsible of the following duties: Summary of Functions: 1.Provides strategic guidance to the RC and UN Country Team (UNCT) on effective, quality and timely UN support for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda through the Common Country Analysis (CCA) and the United Nations UNSDCF 2.Initiates and coordinates external partnerships and joint resource mobilization efforts for the new generation UNSDCF 3.Coordinates the Business Operations Strategy and contributes to business innovations 4.Manages knowledge management and capacity development activities in and outside the UN System 5.Leads overall management of the RCO to ensure efficient and effective substantive coordination support to the RC/UNCT and adherence to organizational policies and procedures Description of Functions: 1. Provides strategic guidance to the RC and UN Country Team (UNCT) on effective, quality, and timely UN support for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda through the Common Country Analysis (CCA) and UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF). 2. Facilitates the initiation, establishment and coordination of external partnerships and joint resource mobilization efforts for the new generation UNSDCF. 3. Coordinates and supports roll-out and implementation of the efficiency agenda (Business Operations Strategy, Common Premises and Local Shared Service Centers/Common Back-Office). 4. Manages and directs knowledge management and capacity development activities in and outside the UN System. 5. Leads overall management of the RCO to ensure efficient and effective substantive coordination support to the RC/UNCT and adherence to organizational policies and procedures. 1.Provides strategic guidance to the RC and UNCT of effective, quality, and timely UN support for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda through a new generation CCA/UNSDCF: • Leads and coordinates substantive support to the RC/UNCT in articulating and actively communicating a credible and convincing strategic vision for the UN, articulated through the UNSDCF, which is consistent with national development goals and priorities, UN values, aligned with the 2030 Agenda and committed to the principles of universality, equality and leaving no one behind; • In line with CCA/UNSDCF, provides strategic direction and develops recommendations to facilitate decision-making by the RC/UNCT to reposition the UN in country to advance the objectives of UN development system reform; • Develops policy recommendations to the RC/UNCT on the development, implementation, monitoring, reporting and evaluation of the new generation CCA/UNSDCF as the primary instrument for the planning and implementation of UN development activities in country; •Ensures effective support to the RC/UNCT in asserting vision and accountability for the UN to operate as a nimble, innovative, and enterprising development partner, demonstrating characteristics of a knowledge-based organization and thought leader; • Designs strategic UN’s policy and programmatic services, operational capabilities, and partnership mechanisms; • Establishes and promotes close engagement across the humanitarian, development, and peace domains, as required by the country context; • Leads the identification, analysis, and prioritization of joint programmatic work of UN entities in response to national priorities and in line with the UNSDCF and the 2030 Agenda; • Coordinates the UNSDCF through the Joint Workplan and results groups; directs UNSDCF monitoring, evaluation, learning (MEL) and reporting through the UNINFO platform; and guides preparation and provision of the annual UN Country Results Report to the Government and other stakeholders; • Promotes the engagement of all relevant agencies – with and without physical presence in country – from across the UN system, including at Headquarters and at the (sub-)regional level in inter-agency fora and in discussions with external partners; • Ensures quality control and oversight over strategic communications and advocacy activities related the implementation of the UNSCDF; • Ensures coherence across the different intra-agency coordination bodies, including with Humanitarian Country Teams and the Security Management Team. • Leads and coordinates the design of UNCT configuration exercises, including capacity assessments of UNCTs at key moments of UN transitions/reconfigurations. 2.Facilitates the initiation, establishment and coordination of external partnerships and joint resource mobilization efforts for the new generation UNSDCF: • Facilitates the initiation, establishment, and coordination of effective working relationships with national and international public and private partners to ensure knowledge sharing throughout the UNSDCF cycle; • Provides substantive support for positioning the UN as a key provider of integrated services and as a platform in support of the SDGs, in consultation with a broad range of stakeholders; • Based on the UNSDCF, and in close collaboration with the Development Partnerships Officer, oversees the formulation and implementation of the partnership approach as well as the resource mobilization strategy, and other initiatives in support of SDG achievement through the UNSDCF; • Oversees the implementation of the SDG Country Fund/country-level pooled fund (where relevant) in support of the UNSDCF and SDG acceleration; • Provides support to strategic messaging and communication initiatives by RC/UNCT. 3.Coordinates and supports roll-out and implementation of the Efficiency agenda (Business Operations Strategy, Common Premises and Local Shared Service Centers/Common Back Office): • In collaboration with the Operations Management Team (OMT), provides substantive support to the RC/UNCT on business innovations for the UN in country; • Provides substantive support to the Resident Coordinator and UNCT in formulating, implementing, and monitoring the UN Country-Level Business Operations Strategy; • Supports the RC and the UNCT in their leading role in implementing common premises and in establishing a common back office for location-dependent services; • Promotes a culture of continuous improvement and client-orientation in operational service delivery, including the implementation of high-impact standardized common services, fostering the SDG impact through common operations; • Coordinates effective participation of entities at the country level in operations management team and represents the RC in the OMT. Coordinates the support to the RC and UNCT on operational planning in contexts of UN reconfigurations or transitions (mission drawdown, start-up or rapid changes in the composition of UNCTs, with impact on operational support arrangements). 4.Manages knowledge management and capacity development activities in- and outside the UN System: • Creates an enabling environment for the knowledge generation, sharing, collaboration, as well as usage of existing good practices and lessons learnt within the RCO and in the UN Country Team. Leads by example; • Coordinates the effective communications within the RCO, in UN Country Team and among other stakeholders; • Coordinates the sharing of good practices and lessons learned on issues related to UN strategic planning frameworks, methodologies, and tools, among others, within the DCO (at regional and global levels), across the UN system and with external partners; • Facilitates the analysis of UN experiences, lessons learned and knowledge networking to contribute to strategic planning processes; • Keeps abreast of emerging innovative approaches and encourages the RCO and UNCT to apply new ways of working, where relevant. • Support RCs and UNCTs on crisis communications protocols, in close coordination with DCO HQ and Regional Office. 5.Supports the Head of RCO or perform OIC functions to lead overall management of the RCO to ensure efficient and effective substantive coordination support to the RC/UNCT and adherence to organizational policies and procedures: • Coordinates the formulation and implementation of the substantive work programme of the UNCT; allocates and monitors RCO resources for delivery of outputs and reporting on results; • Supervises the activities undertaken by the RCO and manage performance of RCO staff, ensuring that programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion; • In close collaboration with Service Providers, performs the role of certifying officer in the UNDP IRIS platform and performs the UMOJA approver role over processes related to human and financial resource management, procurement, general administration, security, time management, and information technology for the RCO; • Manages, guides and trains staff under his/her supervision; promotes teamwork and communications among staff in the RCO and across organizational boundaries; ensures staff complete mandatory trainings and UMOJA certifications; • Establishes and maintains a work environment in the RC Office and across UN entities that is conducive to innovation and engagement with a diverse set of stakeholders and delivers results in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Competencies
Education
Masters or equivalent university degree in Development Studies, International Relations, Economics or Political Science. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Job - Specific Qualification
Not available.
Work Experience
A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in strategic planning, sustainable development policy, project/programme management or resource mobilization in the context of development cooperation or related area is required. Field experience in development cooperation or mission settings is required. Experience in a development context, within the UN common system is required. At least three years of experience in inter-agency coordination in sustainable development is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English and Spanish are required. 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).
LanguageReadingWritingListeningSpeaking
English
UN Level II
UN Level II
UN Level II
UN Level II
Spanish
UN Level II
UN Level II
UN Level II
UN Level II
LanguageReadingWritingListeningSpeaking
French
UN Level II
UN Level II
UN Level II
UN Level II
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise, which may be followed by competency-based interview.
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. This position is temporarily available for 364 days. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment. 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. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. Internal Applicants: When completing the form, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience and contact information are completed and up-to-date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you.Individual contractors and consultants (Non-Staff Personnel) who have worked within the UN Secretariat in the last six months, irrespective of the administering entity, are ineligible to apply for professional and higher temporary or fixed-term positions and their applications will not be considered. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environmentof mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. Online applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an email acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In suchcases, please resubmit the application, if necessary. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira "Need Help?" link. For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or under represented in the UN Secretariat as of As of 30 September 2025, are strongly encouraged to apply: Brunei Darussalam, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Grenada, Kiribati, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Sao Tome and Principe, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu. Andorra, Angola, Belize, China, Cuba, Germany, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Libya, Malta, Monaco, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Turkmenistan, United States of America. NOTE: While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post. Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station. This temporary job opening may be limited to "internal candidates," who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15. Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation. Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as "retirement." Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.
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. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2 (a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2. (c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.
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