Org. Setting and ReportingThis 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. ResponsibilitiesThe 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. CompetenciesPROFESSIONALISM: 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. EducationAdvanced 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. Job - Specific QualificationNot available. Work ExperienceMinimum 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. LanguagesEnglish 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. AssessmentEvaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which will be followed by competency-based interview. Special NoticeAt 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 environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or under-represented in the UN Secretariat as of 30th November 2024, are strongly encouraged to apply: Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, China, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Germany, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Nauru, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position. United Nations ConsiderationsAccording 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. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date. No FeeTHE 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.