Senior Environmental Affairs Officer

Responsibilities

Under the supervision of Chief of Division, Environment Division, within delegated authority, the duties of the Senior Environmental Affairs Officer (Chief of Transboundary Cooperation Section) fall mainly into the following functional areas:

Provides policy advice to the Chief of Division, on addressing existing and emerging environmental challenges and management of the implementation of overall strategies and intra and inter-divisional/departmental policies and procedures.
Plans and oversees the management of activities undertaken by the Section, in particular in the area of water, water and health, air pollution and industrial safety; ensures that substantive work programmes and programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion, coordinating diverse projects in the Section, and, in liaison with other organizations of the United Nations System, donors and agencies as appropriate.
Provides substantive input in the preparation of position papers and reports for presentation to governing bodies of Multilateral Environmental Agreements and the Committee on Environmental Policy, as appropriate.
Contributes to the reporting to governing bodies on budget/programme performance or on programmatic/substantive issues, as appropriate, particularly those presented in biannual and/or annual reports.
Manages, supervises and carries out the work programme of the Section under his/her responsibility. Co-ordinates the work carried out by three units in the Section; provides programmatic and substantive reviews of drafts prepared by others.
Ensures that the outputs produced by the Section maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data. Ensures that all outputs produced by the Section under his/her supervision meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates.
Prepares inputs for the work programme of the Section and the Division, determining priorities, and allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery.
Carries out programmatic/administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the Section, including preparation of budgets, assigning and monitoring of performance parameters and critical indicators, reporting on budget/programme performance, preparation of inputs for results-based budgeting, evaluation of staff performance (e-Performance), interviews of candidates for job openings and evaluation of candidates.
Recruits staff for Section taking into account due account geographical and gender balance and other institutional values.
Manages, guides, develops and trains staff under his/her supervision.
Fosters teamwork and communication among staff in the Unit/Section and across organizational boundaries.
Represents the Organization at intergovernmental and inter-agency meetings, seminars, etc. on substantive-related issues.
Participates in international, regional or national meetings and provides programmatic/substantive expertise on an issue, or hold programmatic/substantive and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Excellent knowledge of relevant institutional mandates, policies and guidelines, environmental management, in particular in the areas of water, water and health, air pollution and industrial safety in the UNECE region, including in countries in transition to a market economy. Broad knowledge of and experience with the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, and multilateral environmental agreements. Knowledge of the UN rules and regulations. Strong negotiating skills and ability to influence others to reach agreement on difficult issues. Ability to work under extreme pressure. Ability to deliver results under scarce resources. Ability to manage, guide, develop and train staff. 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.

TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals. Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others. Places team agenda before personal agenda. Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position. Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

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.

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 improvement; 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.

MANAGING PERFORMANCE: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority. Makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member. Accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills. Monitors progress against milestones and deadlines. Regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff. Encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative. Actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff. Appraises performance fairly.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in environmental management, economics or closely 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. A PhD in the field of environmental management/governance is desirable.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in environmental management or closely related field is required.
Experience with international organizations, or development agencies is required.
Proven experience in all aspects of project and programme management, and resource mobilization is required.

Languages

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French, is desirable; knowledge of Russian is also desirable.

Closing Date for Applications: 1st October, 2020

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Candidates have to confirm having received the recruitment information through the recruiting channel NGO Recruitment in the application letter for this position