Senior Development Coordination Officer, Head of Resident Coordinator Office

Org. Setting and ReportingThe UN Secretary-General launched on 1 January 2019 a bold and new global reform which repositioned the UN Development System to deliver more effectively and efficiently with the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As part of this reform, UN Resident Coordinator Offices (UN RCO), under the leadership of an empowered and independent UN Resident Coordinator - the highest-ranking official of the UN Development System and Representative of the UN Secretary-General at country level - support countries in the achievement of their development priorities and the attainment of the SDGs. This position is in the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office (RCO) in Apia, Samoa, which serves the Samoa Multi-Country Office (MCO) covering Samoa, Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau. The incumbent reports directly to the UN Resident Coordinator (RC) and receives policy and technical guidance from the Development Coordination Office (DCO), in line with General Assembly resolution 72/279 on the repositioning of the UN development system. ResponsibilitiesWithin delegated authority, the Senior Development Coordination Officer, Head of RCO and Strategic Planner, will be responsible for the following duties: 1. Provides strategic guidance to the RC and UN Country Team (UNCT) on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF): • Leads and coordinates strategic support to the RC/UNCT in the development and implementation of the Common Country Analysis (CCA) and UNSDCF, ensuring alignment with national priorities and the 2030 Agenda. • Guides joint programming design and UN system-wide policy coherence in line with SDG priorities and national development frameworks. • Oversees UNSDCF coordination, monitoring, and reporting through UNINFO; leads the preparation of the annual UN Country Results Report. • Supports coherence across humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding efforts, as appropriate to the country context. • Facilitates linkages between RC system coordination mechanisms, including the Security Management Team (SMT) for operational compliance. • Ensure that the RCO schedules and monitors compliance to hold the Occupational Safety and Health Committee, and Business Continuity Plan exercises. • Create and manage share points for the Crisis Management Team working arrangements and the Humanitarian Country Team that can be agreed upon by the UNCT and utilized when required. 2. Leads external partnerships and joint resource mobilization for the UNSDCF: • Develops and implements the UN Partnership and Resource Mobilization Strategy. • Advises the RC on partnerships with national institutions, development partners, international financial institutions, regional organizations, the private sector, and civil society. • Coordinates joint programming processes and pooled funding mechanisms, including the SDG Fund, in support of the UNSDCF. • Provides oversight on communications and messaging related to UN cooperation priorities. 3. Oversees the Business Operations Strategy and promotes innovation in UN operations: • Leads collaboration with the Operations Management Team (OMT) to implement the UN Country Business Operations Strategy. • Promotes common services, back-office arrangements, and operational efficiencies among UNCT entities. • Encourages innovation and a client-focused culture in service delivery across the UNCT. 4. Promotes knowledge management and capacity development across and beyond the UN system: • Facilitates system-wide knowledge sharing and lessons learned across UN agencies and with external stakeholders. • Leads thematic learning activities and peer exchange related to strategic planning, results-based management, and SDG implementation. • Fosters collaboration with regional and global knowledge networks to improve coordination and impact. 5. Manages the overall functioning of the Resident Coordinator Office (RCO): • Oversees implementation of the RCO’s work plan and alignment with Pacific regional entities and multilateral coordination efforts. • Supervises RCO staff and promotes high performance, accountability, innovation, and teamwork. • Ensures compliance with UN policies and administrative procedures in coordination with UNDP, UNON and ESCAP. • Establishes and maintains a work environment that is inclusive, values diversity, and upholds the principles of the 2030 Agenda. CompetenciesPROFESSIONALISM: Proven ability to provide strategic guidance and leadership in complex development coordination settings. In-depth knowledge of sustainable development, the 2030 Agenda, and UN reform. Strong skills in data interpretation, results-based management, and strategic planning. A minimum of two years of experience in data analytics is required. Knowledge of and prior work experience with regional entities such as the Council of Regional Organisations of the Pacific (CROP) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) is required. Demonstrates professional competence, results orientation, and understanding of the UN’s normative and operational work. 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. ACCOUNTABILITY: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost, and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight, and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable. 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. EducationAdvanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in sustainable development, public or business administration, social sciences, international relations, or a related field is required. A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Job - Specific QualificationNot available. Work ExperienceA minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in strategic planning, sustainable development, programme management, resource mobilization, or development cooperation, preferably within the United Nations system or a comparable international organization, is required. Experience drafting and managing multimillion dollar transformational accelerator / pathfinder programmes is required. A minimum of two years of experience in data analytics is required. Experience working with regional entities such as CROP and SPREP is required. Experience working in multi-agency or multi-stakeholder coordination environments is desirable. Experience in a Small Island Developing State (SIDS) or multi-country context is desirable. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage. \"Fluency equals a rating of \"Fluent\" in all four areas (read, speak, write and understand) and \"Knowledge of\" equals a rating of \"Confident\" in two of the four areas. AssessmentEvaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise, which may be followed by competency-based interview. Special NoticeAppointment against this post is open for an initial period of one year and may be subject to extension subject to legislative body funding availability. 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 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. 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 such cases, 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 31 May 2025, are strongly encouraged to apply: Brunei Darussalam, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, 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, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Libya, Malta, Monaco, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Turkmenistan, United States of America. 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.