Director, Corporate Management Division, D1

Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities. UN-Habitat is the focal point for all urbanization and human settlement matters within the UN system. UN-Habitat works with partners to build inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities and communities. UN-Habitat promotes urbanization as a positive transformative force for people and communities, reducing inequality, discrimination and poverty. The Corporate Management Division (CMD) provides strategic guidance and coordinates the administrative, operational, and programme support services required for the successful delivery of UN-Habitat’s mandate. These services are provided either directly by the Division or through the effective management of external service providers. The Division is the custodian of UN-Habitat’s corporate management functions and a key driver of institutional effectiveness, business transformation, and organizational performance. It promotes organizational effectiveness through the design and simplification of business processes and systems, the management of corporate policies and procedures, and the oversight of knowledge and information management. The Division also develops performance and accountability frameworks and reviews organizational structures and staffing arrangements at Headquarters and in field offices to enhance organizational efficiency and effectiveness. In addition, CMD fosters greater organizational integration by ensuring that corporate policies, systems, resource management, and oversight mechanisms support a cohesive “One UN-Habitat” approach across Headquarters, Regional, and Country Offices. CMD consists of Units responsible for Budget and Financial Resources Management and Operational Support, Human Resources Management, Monitoring and Evaluation, support services under Information and Communication Technology, Strategic Planning, Risk Management and Oversight and procurement coordination. The position of Chief of Service, Management and Programme Analysis, is located in Nairobi duty Station. Under the direct supervision of the Executive Director and within delegated authority, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:

Responsibilities

Overall management, work programme and strategic planning: • Formulates, leads, supervises the implementation of the substantive work programme of the Division. Co-ordinates the work carried out by all the work sections and units under the Division and provides substantive reviews of the drafts prepared by the Division's sections and units. • Oversees the management of activities undertaken by the Division; ensures that programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion and co-ordinates work in the different areas both within the Division, within UN-Habitat in Nairobi and at offices away from Nairobi, with the United Nations Office Nairobi (UNON) as well as with third-party services providers. • Contributes to the formulation of the Division's overall strategies and policies by participating in various committees, preparing documents on policy issues, and acting, as required, in an advisory capacity to the Executive Director; contributes to the overall management of the Division's activities and operations. • Engages in the ongoing management of teams, task forces and committees and contribute as needed to the organization's internal management and governance. • Ensures that the outputs produced by the Division maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data; ensures that all outputs produced by the sections and units under his/her supervision meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates. • Responsible for both the substantive and financial components of the work programme of the organization in liaison with the Senior Managers. Ensure that the work programme is fully aligned with the strategic plan and make recommendations to enhance organizational efficiency. • Advises and implements recommendations of the oversight bodies and external evaluations in what concerns the division's attributions. Human Resources Management: • Oversees all aspects of planning and strategic management of human resources of UN-Habitat taking due account of geographical and gender balance and other institutional values; supports the efforts of the Executive Director to promote women in leadership positions. • Manages, guides, develops and trains staff under his/her supervision; fostering teamwork and communication among staff in the Division and across organizational boundaries with a specific focus on relations with UNON and third-party service providers. • Provides guidance and oversight for evaluation of staff performance (PAS) and professional development of staff. Finance and Budget Management: • Takes full responsibility for the management of the Division's budget, ensuring efficient financial planning, allocation, and monitoring of funds in alignment with the Division's objectives. • Acts as the Secretary of the Budget Committee and reports regularly to the Executive Director and senior management team. • Implements and advises on recommendations from oversight bodies and external evaluations related to the Division. • Advises on effective implementation modalities for UN-Habitat's programmes and projects. • Represents the Division at international, regional or national meetings. • Oversees Programme Management Officers and ensure the regional architecture of UN Habitat is fully and successfully implemented in liaison with Regional Programme Division (RPD), regional and country offices. • Oversees budget and progress of flagship projects such as the World Urban Forum (WUF) and others as per leadership request. • Coordinates preparations for the Fifth Committee and participates as required. • Reports to the Executive Board of UN-Habitat on effective budget management and performance, with a particular focus on the key findings outlined in the annual reports. • Reviews previously approved project budgets and actively provide inputs to Programme Review Committee (PRCs) exercising oversight and direct participation in the review of high-level and strategic projects to ensure alignment with organizational priorities and objectives. Operational support to Divisions and Outposted offices: • Provides timely support to other divisions, the regional offices and country programmes to facilitate and enhance their efforts, streamline and expedite processes and build the operational capacity. • Leads and supervises the organization of meetings, seminars, etc., on programme support related issues; manages the substantive preparation and organization of such meetings or seminars. • Liaises with and negotiates agreements for the provision of administrative support services to UN-Habitat by third-party providers such as the United Nations Office Nairobi and others. • Oversee UN-Habitat procurement planning and monitoring within the context of implementation of the 2026-2029 strategic plan. Leadership and engagement within UN system on UN reforms, including participation in committees and reporting to regulatory bodies: • Coordinates and oversees the preparation of reports for presentation to intergovernmental bodies such as the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), Committee for Programme Coordination (CPC), Economic and Social Council, the General Assembly, UN-Habitat Assembly, the Executive Board and other policy-making organs, as appropriate. • Chairs meetings, seminars, etc., on substantive-related issues; represents the Organization at international, regional, interagency meetings, seminars and conferences; provides programmatic/substantive expertise on issues or holds programmatic/substantive and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions. • Coordinates work in the different areas both within UN-Habitat, and with other organizations of the United Nations System, donors and agencies as appropriate. • Represents the Executive Director on the High-Level Committee on Management (HLCM) and other committees as required. • Participates in international, regional or national meetings and provides substantive expertise on issues or holds substantive and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions. • Participates actively in internal management governance mechanisms, such as leadership meetings and dedicated task forces. • Leads team members’ efforts to collect and analyze data and provides insight to identify trends or patterns for data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. Ensures that everyone can discover, access, integrate and share the data they need. • Manage the corporate risk register and assessment of internal controls. • Perform other functions as required.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of administrative support work in the UN system in general and of specific experience in either financial or human resources management. Ability to produce reports and papers on technical issues and to review and edit the work of others. Ability to apply UN rules, regulations, policies and guidelines in work situations. The ability to perform analysis, modeling and interpretation of data in support of decision-making. 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. 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. VISION: Identifies strategic issues, opportunities and risks. Clearly communicates links between the Organization's strategy and the work unit's goals. Generates and communicates broad and compelling organizational direction, inspiring others to pursue that same direction. Conveys enthusiasm about future possibilities.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in business administration, finance, economics, accounting, or related area is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two (2) additional years of 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 desirable.

Job - Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of fifteen (15) years of progressively responsible experience in human resources management, administration, financial management, or related field is required. A minimum of seven (7) years of experience providing leadership and managing substantive work units of diverse teams is required. A minimum of five (5) years of experience in risk management and internal control is required. A minimum of five (5) years of experience in Human Resources Management and the application of Human Resources policies and procedures, in the context of a large-scale, international organization is required. Experience in coordinating and overseeing the preparation of budgetary and financial reports including presenting and defending budgets to intergovernmental bodies, executive boards or equivalent stakeholders is required. Experience in overseeing services provided to country and regional offices of the United Nations or a comparable international organization is desirable. Experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).

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