Chief of Section, Programme Management

This position is in the Enterprise Programme Management Section (EPMS) of the Office of Information and Communications Technology (OICT). The Chief of Section reports to the Chief Information Technology Officer (CITO). The Office of Information and Communications Technology (OICT) is leading the digital transformation of the Organization to enable a better, safer, more sustainable future through secure, reliable, and innovative technology solutions. OICT is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff, and female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. OICT supports the principles of work-life balance and flexible work arrangements.

Within delegated authority, the Chief of Section will be responsible for the following. • Provides policy guidance to the CITO and senior management of OICT on the implementation of the administrative and financial framework of the Office • Plans and oversees the management of activities undertaken by the Section; ensures that substantive work programmes and programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion, coordinating diverse projects in the Section. • Manages, supervises and carries out the human resources, budgetary and financial activities of the Office. Co-ordinates the work carried out by the Section; provides programmatic and substantive quality assurance reviews of drafts prepared by others. • Provides substantive support and advice on issues related to intergovernmental and expert bodies. • Provides substantive input in the preparation of budget/programme performance reports for presentation to intergovernmental bodies such as the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budget Questions, Committee for Programme Coordination, the General Assembly and other policy-making organs, as appropriate. • Oversees the reporting to intergovernmental bodies on budget/programme performance or on programmatic/ substantive issues, as appropriate, particularly those presented in biannual and/or annual reports. • 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 Unit/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 Branch/Service/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 Unit/Section, including preparation of budgets and cost plans, assigning and monitoring of performance parameters and critical indicators, reporting on budget performance, preparation of inputs for results-based budgeting, evaluation of staff performance (PAS), interviews of candidates for job openings and evaluation of candidates. • Recruits staff for Section taking due account geographical and gender balance and other institutional values. • Manages, guides, develops and trains staff under his/her supervision. • Manages allotments from assessed and extra-budgetary resources, including redeployment of funds when necessary, monitors expenditures to ensure they remain within authorized levels. • Manages and coordinates cost recovery related processes, ensuring timely recovery from client entities and contributing to the long‑term financial sustainability of the Office. • Manages the annual review and update of rate cards, advising service providers on pricing options and compliance requirements, and liaises with the Office of the Controller to secure approval and implementation of updated rates in Umoja, to ensure timely and effective cost recovery for ICT services. Manages, guides, develops and trains staff under his/her supervision on budgetary and financial policies and procedures, including results-based budgeting, extra-budgetary and cost recovery resources. • Fosters teamwork and communication among staff in the Section and across organizational boundaries.

Professionalism: Knowledge of the substantive field of work in general and of specific areas being supervised. 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. 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. Judgement/Decision-making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, 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 the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.

An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business administration, finance, or related area is required. A first-level university degree in combination with 2 years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree in the specified fields.

Not available.

Experience or demonstrated understanding of ICT products and services, and their use in supporting business processes, service delivery, or organizational operations, is required. At least five (5) years of experience in managing financial resources, developing or applying budgetary policies and practices, financial regulations, rules and administrative procedures including extra-budgetary and cost recovery resources with the United Nations common system or similar international organization is required. Experience in preparing and reviewing intergovernmental documentation covering the programme plan, administrative, financial and budgetary issues or related areas is required. Experience with an ERP system (SAP or similar) is required. Experience in advising and providing recommendations to senior officials on complex financial and administrative matters is required. Experience in preparing and defending budget proposals to intergovernmental bodies is required. At least five (5) years of experience in setting up financial management systems or processes and procedures is desirable. Experience in implementing change management or improvement initiatives and taking the lead in supporting and propagating the change or initiatives in an administrative setting is desirable. A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in administration, budget, finance or related field is required.

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

This position is temporarily available for 364 days. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment. 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. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. Staff members of the United Nations Secretariat must meet the applicable geographical or lateral move requirements to be eligible to apply for this vacancy, taking into account that selection to the post may itself constitute a qualifying move, in accordance with the relevant administrative issuances. Staff members are encouraged to ensure that all qualifying geographical or lateral moves are accurately reflected in their applicant profile. Please refer to ST/AI/2025/2 on the Staff selection system for more details. 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. 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.

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.