Org. Setting and Reporting

In its Resolution A/RES/72/279, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed the transformation of the Development Operations Coordination Office (DCO) as a stand-alone coordination office within the United Nations Secretariat. DCO exercises managerial and oversight functions of the resident coordinator system under the oversight of the Chair of United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG). In 2026, DCO undertook a recalibration to ensure the RC system remains optimally configured to support the acceleration of the 2030 Agenda and embodies the UN 2.0 shift- anchored in data, digital, innovation, behavioral science, strategic foresight, and a mission driven organizational culture. The position is located in the United Nations Development Coordination Office (UNDCO) Regional Office and reports to the Regional Team Leader/Senior Programme Management Officer as First Reporting Officer, with the Regional Director as Second Reporting Officer. The Chief of Policy and SDG Financing serves as an additional reporting officer to enable matrixed collaboration.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Sustainable Development Officer (Regional Policy Specialist) will be responsible for the following duties: Programme development, implementation and policy coordination:

Develops, implements, monitors and evaluates assigned regional policy, sustainable development and SDG financing programmes and activities; analyzes regional and sub-regional SDG acceleration bottlenecks, financing and implementation risks; reviews relevant documents and reports; identifies problems and issues to be addressed; initiates or supports corrective actions; liaises with relevant parties and ensures follow-up actions.
Coordinates policy development, including the review and analysis of regional and sub-regional trends, institutional frameworks, financing dynamics and policy developments affecting SDG implementation and economic transformation; develops and supports policy recommendations and analytical products, including work related to Integrated National Financing Frameworks, SDG financing strategies, fiscal space analysis and financing prioritization aligned with Cooperation Frameworks and SDG acceleration pathways.
Coordinates activities related to programme and resource planning, including programme/project preparation and submissions, workplans, progress reporting and related documentation, and contributes to policy and financing initiatives that support SDG acceleration and implementation. 2. Policy advisory, research and analytical support:
Performs policy advisory and consulting assignments, in collaboration with Regional Offices, Resident Coordinators, UN Country Teams, Member States and other partners, by facilitating strategic policy dialogue, workshops and other interactive sessions and assisting in developing integrated and actionable responses to sustainable development and SDG-related challenges.
Researches, analyzes and presents information gathered from diverse sources on sustainable development issues, including integrated policy, cross-border and political economy dimensions, and prepares strategic assessments informed by regional and country-level realities.
Generates survey and analytical initiatives; designs data collection tools; reviews, analyzes and interprets findings; identifies problems and issues and prepares evidence-based conclusions and recommendations to support data-driven planning and decision-making.
Collects and analyzes data to identify regional and sub-regional trends or patterns and provides insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization and analytical methods to enable evidence-based planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting; contributes analytical inputs to Cooperation Frameworks, regional horizon scans, strategic foresight and anticipatory analysis in line with the UN 2.0 agenda. 3. Regional coordination, partnerships and stakeholder engagement:
Provides substantive backstopping to regional consultative processes, inter-agency coordination mechanisms, the Regional Platform for Integration and other policy and financing-related meetings and fora, including proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparing analytical materials, documents and presentations, and supporting stakeholder engagement.
Initiates and coordinates outreach and partnership activities with regional organizations, development partners, International Financial Institutions, Multilateral Development Banks, academia, think tanks, private sector actors and financing coalitions; conducts workshops and seminars and makes presentations on assigned policy, sustainable development and SDG financing topics. 4. Knowledge products, reporting and substantive communications:
Organizes and prepares high-quality written outputs on sustainable development and SDG financing issues, including policy briefs, thematic analyses, reports, speeches, presentations, background papers and inputs to regional and corporate analytical products.
Synthesizes programme, policy and analytical findings into substantive inputs and knowledge products to support regional and country-level planning, decision-making and reporting. 5. Field missions and other substantive assignments:
Leads and/or participates in large, complex field missions, including the provision of guidance to consultants, government counterparts, Resident Coordinator Offices and UN Country Teams, and prepares mission summaries, reports and recommendations.
Performs other duties as required.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Ability to apply sustainable development theories, concepts and approaches. Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems. Ability to conduct data collection using various methods. Conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis, including familiarity with and experience in the use of various research sources, including electronic resources on the internet, intranet and other databases. 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. Able to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. 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. 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 audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in sustainable development, political science, economics, public policy, public administration, finance, social sciences, or a related field. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics, or data science programs is an advantage.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in programme or project management, sustainable development, public policy, economic analysis, development cooperation or a related area is required. Two years or more experience in data analytics or related area is desirable. Experience in the United Nations system or a comparable international organization is desirable. Experience with sustainable development policy in the Arab States region is desirable. Experience in the private sector and its engagement for SDG financing and acceleration is desirable. Experience of partnerships involving civil society actors is desirable. Experience with assessment and reporting in a development context is desirable.

Languages

Language	Reading	Writing	Listening	Speaking
English	UN Level II	UN Level II	UN Level II	UN Level II

Assessment

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

Special Notice

Appointment 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. 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. Please note that pursuant to the Staff selection system policy (ST/AI/2025/2): (1) Applicants for positions in the Field Service category cannot be of the nationality of the country where the position is located, and (2) Applicants for positions in the Professional and higher categories in a mission, field operation, or resident coordinator’s office cannot be of the nationality of the country where the position is located. For currently serving staff of a United Nations Common System organization, only the UN-recognized nationality will be considered for the purposes of these restrictions.

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. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section ‎2.2 (a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2. (c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE 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.

Programme Management Officer (Regional Policy Specialist)