Development Coordination Officer, Head of RCO

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations Development System was reformed on January 1, 2019, to enhance its effectiveness in achieving the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UN Resident Coordinator Offices (UN RCO) play a crucial role in this reform, supporting countries in their development priorities and the attainment of the SDGs. The UN RCO in Accra, Ghana, operates under the leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator, who is the highest-ranking official of the UN Development System in the country. The office is responsible for managing resources to support sustainable development analysis, strategic planning, programming, financing, communications, advocacy, and partnerships. The UN RCO aims to provide effective and timely support to the UN Country Team (UNCT) and the Resident Coordinator in their efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda.

Job Overview:
The Development Coordination Officer, Head of RCO, is responsible for providing strategic guidance to the UN Resident Coordinator (RC) and the UN Country Team (UNCT) to ensure effective and timely UN support for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. This includes facilitating the establishment of external partnerships and coordinating resource mobilization efforts for the new generation UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF). The Head of RCO will manage knowledge management and capacity development activities, ensuring that the RCO provides efficient and effective substantive coordination support to the RC and UNCT. The role requires a deep understanding of sustainable development theories and practices, as well as the ability to navigate complex political environments and foster collaboration among diverse stakeholders.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Head of RCO will be responsible for a variety of functions, including:

• Providing strategic guidance to the RC and UNCT on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda through the Common Country Analysis (CCA) and UNSDCF;
• Facilitating the initiation and coordination of external partnerships and resource mobilization efforts;
• Supporting the roll-out of the Efficiency agenda, including the Business Operations Strategy;
• Managing knowledge management and capacity development activities;
• Overseeing the overall management of the RCO to ensure adherence to organizational policies and procedures;
• Leading the identification and prioritization of joint programmatic work of UN entities;
• Coordinating UNSDCF monitoring, evaluation, and reporting;
• Promoting engagement across humanitarian, development, and peace domains;
• Ensuring quality control over strategic communications and advocacy activities; 1
• Supervising RCO staff and managing performance; 1
• Creating an enabling environment for knowledge sharing and collaboration within the RCO and UNCT.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in strategic planning, sustainable development policy, project/programme management, or a related area. Experience in UN interagency coordination is essential, as is experience with multi-stakeholder coordination in the context of development cooperation. Candidates should also have experience in designing and implementing partnership and resource mobilization strategies, as well as team leadership and management experience. Knowledge management in the context of development cooperation is desirable.

Educational Background:
An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business or public administration, sustainable development, social sciences, education, or a related area is required. A first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.

Experience:
A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in strategic planning, sustainable development policy, project/programme management, or a related area is required. Candidates should have experience in UN interagency coordination and multi-stakeholder coordination in the context of development cooperation. Experience in designing and implementing partnership and resource mobilization strategies is desirable, as is experience in team leadership and management.

Languages:
Fluency in English is required for this position, as it is one of the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Knowledge of another UN official language, such as French, is considered an advantage. Fluency is defined as a rating of 'Fluent' in all four areas (reading, speaking, writing, and understanding), while 'Knowledge of' is rated as 'Confident' in two of the four areas.

Additional Notes:
The appointment against this post is open for an initial period of one year and may be subject to extension based on funding availability. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and may be assigned to various functions in accordance with established rules. The United Nations is committed to achieving gender balance and encourages female candidates to apply. Reasonable accommodations may be provided for applicants with disabilities to support their participation in the recruitment process. The UN does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.