Resident Coordinator (Sao Tome and Principe)

The Resident Coordinator is the highest-ranking representative of the United Nations development system at the country level, responsible for leading United Nations country teams and ensuring system-wide accountability for the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework and coordinating UN support to countries in implementing the 2030 Agenda. The role involves representing the UN at the highest levels, coordinating UN system-wide support, fostering partnerships, and managing security and strategic communication efforts.

Responsibilities

• Represents the United Nations at the highest-levels of state and fosters engagement with Government, civil society, bilateral and multilateral partners, academia and private sector to address national needs and advance the 2030 Agenda and SDGs.
• Leads the UN country team in the development, monitoring and reporting on the UN Cooperation Framework and enables its implementation in consultation with Government and partners.
• Coordinates UN system-wide support to Government, taking a preventive approach and identifying and mitigating risks to the achievement of the SDGs.
• Supports and advocates for the work of UNCT member agencies and supports Country Representatives in reaching their agency-specific goals.
• Coordinates UN entities’ contributions to context and trend analysis, including a high-quality Common Country Analysis, sharing findings with Government and Secretary-General.
• Promotes and advocates for the fundamental values, standards and principles of the UN Charter, including human rights and gender equality, and the SDG commitment to leave no one behind.
• Engages and forges strategic partnerships at national and sub-national levels with diverse entities including civil society, trade unions, private sector, parliamentarians, academia, media and the development community.
• Advances regional knowledge-sharing, south-south and triangular exchanges, multi-country and transboundary initiatives for greater system-wide results.
• Identifies and leverages expertise and assets from across the UN development system to improve shared results and ensure alignment with national development needs.
• Provides governance and oversight of system-wide country financing instruments and pursues funding for joint UN efforts and initiatives.
• Leads engagement on the UN’s normative agenda in support of national capacity development in normative and operational areas.
• Fosters an enabling environment for collaboration, knowledge and data sharing to underpin UN contributions to sustainable development solutions.
• Facilitates access to national, regional and global resources to advance innovation around financing and new technologies for sustainable development.
• Leads and enhances strategic communication to promote the 2030 Agenda and national sustainable development goals.
• When appointed as Designated Official, ensures effective coordination of country-level security and leads the inter-agency Security Management Team.
• Promotes staff learning and implementation of staff rules and policies including prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment, and gender parity.
• Leads on developing collective protection from sexual exploitation and abuse strategies and ensures implementation of action plans.
• Manages a matrixed dual reporting system with UN country team heads regarding contributions to the UN Cooperation Framework and 2030 Agenda.
• Advances country-specific measures to promote UN common business operations for greater efficiencies and coherence.
• Leads and coordinates humanitarian response efforts when no separate Humanitarian Coordinator or lead agency is designated, facilitating linkages between humanitarian and development programming.
• Facilitates integration of UN Country Team’s work with UN peacekeeping or political missions in conflict and post-conflict settings.
• Manages and provides strategic guidance and oversight to the Resident Coordinators Office.

Requirements

• Master's degree – or equivalent post graduate qualification – in development studies, international relations, political science, economics, social sciences, human rights, law or closely related fields (for otherwise suitably qualified candidates, a first level university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications and experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced post graduate university degree).
• Minimum 15 years of substantive experience and results in leadership roles at the international level is required (including five years of cumulative experience in development, human rights, rule of law peace-building or humanitarian work at country level outside of one's own country).
• Previous RC experience is desirable.
• Previous experience as a senior official with accountability for security (for example UN Designated Official (DO) for Security or equivalent) or previous experience in security decision-making in a complex environment is desirable.
• Experience in the management and/or coordination of humanitarian programmes, disaster, and emergency response, preferably at the country level is desirable.
• Excellent judgement and strong diplomatic skills are desirable.
• Demonstrated ability to engage with all relevant stakeholders, including with government representatives, donors and civil society, is desirable.
• Experience engaging with or facilitating participation of women’s groups is desirable.
• Proven ability to analyse structural dynamics with a view to facilitating preventive action or identifying entry points for UN engagement is desirable.
• English is required at UN Level III for reading, writing, listening and speaking.
• French and Portuguese are desirable at UN Level III for reading, writing, listening and speaking.

Skills

• Leadership in Development
• Development Programme Management
• Human Rights Expertise
• Rule of Law Knowledge
• Peace-building experience
• Humanitarian Coordination
• Disaster Response
• Emergency Response Coordination
• Security Decision-Making
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Diplomacy Skills
• UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework
• Strategic Communications
• Government Relations
• Donor Coordination
• Civil Society Engagement
• Women’s group facilitation
• Structural Dynamics Analysis
• Preventive action planning
• Multilingual Proficiency English

Languages

English, French, Portuguese