Vacancy Announcement
Job Title: Program Coordinator, Trade and Development
Duty Station: Geneva, Switzerland
The South Centre is seeking to recruit a Program Coordinator for its Trade and Development Program. The Program Coordinator shall report to the Executive Director of the organization.
General Terms:
The Program Coordinator will be engaged on a full time basis by the South Centre on a short term staff contract for a period of up to one (1) year. The contract may be renewed subject to performance and the availability of funding but it does not carry an assurance of renewal.
The selected candidate will work under the direct supervision of the Executive Director.
This position is only open for the nationals of the Group of 77 and China.
Women applicants are encouraged to apply for the position.
Qualifications, Experience and Skills
Education:
Advanced University Degree (Master’s degree or equivalent; PhD an asset) in Economics, Political Science, Law including international public or trade law, or International Relations and related fields of study.
Experience:
A minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in trade and development fields, including at least 7 years in an international context, with experience in working in or for one or more developing countries preferred. Experience in working in international or regional organizations, interacting with developing country delegations and participating in trade-related negotiations would be useful.
Language and Other skills:
Fluency in or good command of oral and written English; working knowledge of French and/or Spanish is desirable. Knowledge of Arabic and/or Chinese is also desirable but not a requisite;
Experience in policy-oriented research to address issues relevant to trade policies and negotiations;
Working experience as a trade negotiator or in providing advice for trade negotiations is a definite advantage. Knowledge of relevant institutional mandates, policies and operations in international organizations and Southern organizations is a necessity. Experience in organizing intergovernmental meetings and other events at the regional and international levels, together with developing country participants, would be an asset;
Solution-oriented skills with an ability to manage change in complex situations with numerous external and internal stakeholders;
Ability to multitask and to engage in team work.
Job Description:
Under the supervision of the Executive Director, the Program Coordinator will be responsible for the following:
· Lead, supervise and coordinate the substantive and administrative activities of the team in the Trade and Development Program;
· Prepare, update and monitor implementation of the work plans for the team, including publications, meetings, workshops and other activities, including the timely preparation of activity reports;
· Represent the South Centre as may be requested by the Executive Director;
· Supervise and coordinate the work of program officers and interns;
· Lead in the preparation, development and implementation of the substantive program, in collaboration with other members of the team, including but not limited to the following substantive issues:
· Frequent interactions with developing country delegations, officials of NGOs and of other intergovernmental organizations; representatives of donor agencies, consultants, academic institutions, staff of the Centre, and perform outreach-related activities, as may be required;
· Domestic and foreign travel on official mission on behalf of the South Centre as may be required;
· Make presentations and speak on behalf of the Centre as may be required on issues covered by the program;
· Undertaking research and regularly publishing policy-oriented research papers and policy briefs authored or co-authored by the Program Coordinator; drafting position papers; identifying issues and problems to be addressed and proposing appropriate actions; preparing, developing and implementing program strategies; reviewing and commenting on relevant reports and documents; and developing and implementing specific work assignments, in relation to the issues covered by the program;
· Participate in and contribute to the work of other substantive programs, and of the South Centre as a whole, by providing relevant knowledge and experience;
· Promote the dissemination of the work of the substantive program, in particular by building and maintaining electronic data banks of relevant contact points and by ensuring speedy dissemination of program information to all interested parties;
· Administratively and substantively organizing and contributing to seminars, workshops, and other activities of the program and of the South Centre, including but not limited to handling logistical and administrative support arrangements (e.g. sending out and following up invitations, preparing meeting rooms, making copies of documents, arranging and preparing refreshments for participants) and contributing to substantive content and inputs from the South Centre that will be discussed in such seminars, workshops, and other activities;
· Lead in the preparation of reports on program activities, including project reports for donor agencies;
· Organize and maintain reference material and files on program activities;
· Lead in the development of funding proposals for the program and in undertaking other fund-raising activities for the program and for the South Centre; and
· Perform other related duties as required by the Executive Director.
Work implies frequent interaction with the following:
Officials at the United Nations and World Trade Organization Offices in Geneva; representatives of donor agencies; developing country delegations; consultants and staff of the South Centre.
Results expected:
Effective and coherent work program development and implementation in the area of Trade and Development; mobilization of financial resources to support the program; third party recognition of the Centre’s contribution to policy debates on issues covered by the program; development and implementation of assigned program activities; provision of well-researched and sound analysis of issues; preparation of draft and/or final research outputs and briefing notes and other program documents; effective and timely liaison and interaction with colleagues and concerned parties internally and externally; efficient use of resources; active participation in the Centre’s communications policy to enhance visibility of the Centre’s activities.
Competencies:
· Professionalism: Knowledge and understanding of theories and concepts relevant to the issues covered by the program; practical experience in program management; good research, analytical and problem-solving skills, including ability to identify and participate in resolution of issues/problems; familiarity with and experience in the use of various research methodologies and sources, including electronic sources on the Internet; ability to provide good judgement in the context of assignments given; ability to plan own work and to manage conflicting priorities;
· Vision: Ability to identify key strategic issues, opportunities and risks;
· Management skills and leadership: Strong supervisory skills as well as tact and negotiating skills including for assisting developing countries to articulate common negotiating positions and handling situations where divergent views may exist among such countries; good management judgment; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate, and monitor the work of others;
· Commitment to continuous learning: Willingness to stay abreast of new developments in the field;
· Communications: Good communication (spoken and written skills), including ability to draft/edit a variety of written reports, studies and other communications and to articulate ideas in a clear, concise style;
· Technological awareness: Fully proficient computer skills and use of relevant software and other applications, e.g. word processing, graphics software, spreadsheets and other statistical applications, and Internet;
· Teamwork: Good interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity, including gender balance;
· Gender Mainstreaming: Ability to identify and address relevant gender perspectives in substantive work and demonstrated gender sensitivity and commitment.
Remuneration:
UN Salary Grade of P4
About the South Centre
The South Centre is the inter-governmental policy research institution of developing countries established in 1995, with currently 54 developing country Member States from Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean. It has full intellectual independence in working towards the establishment of a fair, equitable, and rule-based global order. The South Centre promotes more effective South-South cooperation and coordination, supports developing countries in participating in and voicing their development interests and priorities more effectively in various multilateral and regional development policy-related issues and fora, and provides policy advice and technical assistance to governments on their national development-related policies.
The main activities of the Centre are policy research and analysis, convening of meetings and conferences for developing countries to share views and experiences, and technical assistance and capacity building activities. The issues taken up by the Centre include international and regional trade policy, global macroeconomic and finance issues, global public health, innovation and intellectual property policy, climate change, environment and sustainable development, international economic issues including tax policy, external debt and international investment policy; human rights policy; global governance for and North-South relations, South-South cooperation, and global governance for development. The South Centre has three major institutional pillars: The Council of Representatives in which the Member States are represented; the Board comprising a Chairperson and Members who act in their individual capacities and provide guidance to the Secretariat; and the Secretariat headed by the Executive Director which implements the activities of the South Centre. The Secretariat is accountable to and works under the guidance of the Board and the Council.
This vacancy is archived.