Senior Strategic Planning Officer

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Resident Coordinator’s Office in Dakar, Senegal. The Senior Strategic Planning Officer will provide strategic coordination support, planning expertise, and operational oversight to enable effective inter-agency collaboration, integrated analysis and programming. The position will help deliver on sustainable development results in countries in Central Sahel and advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the region. The incumbent will support the Resident Coordinator Offices and UN Country Teams in the target countries and will coordinate a team of strategic planners at country level. He or she will provide management support to RC/HCs on issues related to food systems/ agriculture, transforming education, energy transition, humanitarian and development collaboration, and stabilization in the context of sustainable development. The incumbent will foster enhanced collaboration, cooperation and coordination with humanitarian action and peacebuilding efforts, including through the provision of advice and recommendations for risk-informed and agile development support, as well as resource mobilization strategies. The Senior Strategic Planning Officer will work in close collaboration with Agencies, Funds and Programmes based in Dakar; the Office of the Special Coordinator for Development in the Sahel ;Government officials, technical advisors and experts; multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors; and civil society representatives.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Senior Strategic Planning Officer will be responsible for the following duties

Summary of Functions:

• Coordinate UN Agencies Funds and Programmes to design integrated programmes, ensuring synergies, programmatic and operational coherence, and sound resource mobilization strategies;
• Undertakes analysis and research of the impact of development emergencies on the design and implementation of programmes, including opportunities for inter-agency assistance and joint actions;

Description of Functions:

Coordinate UN Agencies Funds and Programmes to design integrated programmes, ensuring synergies and programmatic and operational coherence

• Steer the overall strategic planning process for integrated national, cross-border and cross -regional UN interventions, which are supported by sound resource mobilization strategies.
• Ensure coordination and information sharing among the RCOs and UNCTs • Support the RCs/HCs with strategic advice on sustainable development and development in emergencies.
• Provide expert advice and leadership on food systems/agriculture, transforming education, energy transitions, stabilization, humanitarian/development and peace collaboration, in support of joint UN programming.
• Support stakeholder engagement with UN, INGOs, development partners, Government, CSOs, communities and other stakeholders.

Undertakes analysis and research of the impact of development emergencies on the design and implementation of UN programmes, including opportunities for inter-agency assistance and joint actions;

• Ensure timely analysis and synthesis of developments to inform UN leadership and relevant fora focused in the country and region;
• Work closely with UNCTs, RCOs, relevant UN entities and other development partners, as well as counterparts in the Office of the Special Coordinator of the Sahel and UNOWAS, identify conflict sensitive development and peacebuilding interventions;
• Enable joined-up integrated analysis considering possible differences between humanitarian-development and peacebuilding approaches with suggestions as to how these could be bridged;
• Present recommendations on how the UN can pilot an integrated approach including how and where synergies can be strengthened as well as where joint ongoing planning/programming activities can be scaled up.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Proven knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches relevant to sustainable development and strategic planning. Ability to identify key strategic issues, opportunities, and risks. Ability to generate and communicate broad and compelling organizational direction. Ability to communicate clearly links between the organization’s strategy and the work unit’s goals. Demonstrated ability to provide innovative technical leadership by performing and/or overseeing the planning, development, and management of operations. Demonstrated ability to negotiate and apply good judgment. Proven ability to analyze complex data and produce reports leading to sound policy recommendations for achieving sustainable development; Solid understanding of the political environment and the programmes and activities of the UN system in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals; Ability to think strategically, to identify key emerging sustainable development issues and related policy implications. The ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and proficiency in 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.
• Planning & 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. • Leadership: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow: empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.
• Judgment/Decision-making: Identifies key issues in complex situations, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in business or public administration, sustainable development, social sciences, economics, law, or related area.
• 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 ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in strategic planning, sustainable development policy and programme development and management in the context of development cooperation, crisis management or related area is required.
• Experience with multi-stakeholder coordination in the context of development cooperation in crisis settings is required.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary teams in the context of sustainable development is required.
• Experience providing surge/emergency support in a development cooperation context is required.
• Previous experience working with or advising senior UN officials is desirable.
• Experience in peacebuilding programming and financing is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the two working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in English and French is required. Knowledge of an additional UN official language is ad advantage.

Note: « Fluency » equals a rating of « fluent » in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and « knowledge of » equals a rating of « Confident » in two of the four areas.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

This position is temporarily open for 9 months with possibility of extension subject to the availability of funds. 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. Staff members of the United Nations Secretariat must fulfil the lateral move requirements to be eligible to apply for this vacancy. Staff members are requested to indicate all qualifying lateral moves in their Personal History Profile (PHP) and cover letter. • This position is temporarily available until [specific date]. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.

• 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. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee