Senior Programme Officer

Job Opening

Job Opening ID: 224590

Job Network : Management and Administration

Job Family : Administration

Category and Level : Professional and Higher Categories, P-5

Duty Station : BONN

Department/Office : Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance Office of Human Resources

Date Posted : Jan 5, 2024

Deadline : Feb 18, 2024

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Office of Human Resources (OHR) in the Department of Management Strategy, Policy, and Compliance (DMSPC) in Bonn. The Senior Programme Officer reports to the Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) who is the Chair of the Implementation Board (IB) of the UN System Workplace Mental Health and Well-being Strategy for 2024 and beyond, and also serves in the role as the Co-Chair of the Human Resources Network (HRN). While the Senior Programme Officer reports directly to ASG, the post is accountable to the Implementation Board on implementation of global actions.

As approved by the High-level Committee on Management (HLCM) in October 2023, the UN System Workplace Mental Health and Well-being Strategy for 2024 and beyond reflects the UN's ongoing high-level commitment to the mental health and well-being of UN personnel. The strategy builds on the foundations developed and moves towards a sustainable and integrated approach to mental health and well-being across the UN system. The strategy aims to promote a psychologically healthy and safe workplace that promotes a positive culture and staff well-being, prevents stigma and discrimination, and contributes to a productive and positive working environment. A variety of organization-specific and inter-agency efforts have been made to address psychosocial well-being and mental health in the United Nations workplace.

The Strategy is designed to assist the United Nations in creating a working environment that is conducive to good mental health and ensures that support is available when needed. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) recently released guidelines for workplace mental health that have informed the strategy. This common approach will allow UN organizations to share good practices and use economies of scale for products and services.

The Senior Programme Officer will contribute to the strategic definition and implementation of the next iteration of the UN System Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being Strategy. The post is funded by UN system organizations and will therefore support all organizations of the UN system.

Responsibilities

• Takes the lead in close collaboration with the Implementation Board (IB) to develop, implement and evaluate assigned products as outlined by the Strategy and with a view of their applicability across the UN System.

• Provides strategic leadership and advocacy for decision makers to implement the Strategy across the UN common system.

• Provides guidance to UN organizations on how to implement the Strategy.

• Directs research and programme evaluation and presents information gathered from diverse sources.

• Reviews the assessments of issues and trends as it relates to the Strategy, including preparation of evaluations or research activities,

• Undertakes survey initiatives; guides design of data collection instruments; reviews, analyzes and interprets responses, identifies problems/issues and prepares conclusions for consideration by the Implementation Board.

• Supervises preparation of various written outputs, e.g. background papers, analysis, substantial sections of reports and studies, etc.

• Directs substantive support to consultative and other meetings as it relates to the Strategy.

• Implements the necessary management structure to plan, coordinate, and project manage the implementation programme in collaboration with partners and stakeholders.

• Ensures integration of the Strategy with other system-wide strategies.

• Prepare monitoring reports to the Implementation Board, ensuring that Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are met, and reporting is delivered by partners and UN Common System organizations.

• Leads programmes of work as agreed with the Implementation Board.

• Oversees and ensures a streamlined monitoring, evaluation and reporting.

• Manages personnel employed or seconded to support Strategy implementation.

• Manages the recruitment of staff and consultants.

• Manages outreach activities; undertakes communication and change management activities, including campaigns, multimedia and digital products and events.

• Coordinates activities related to budget and funding of the Strategy (programme/project preparation and submissions, progress reports, financial statements, etc.) and ensures preparation of related documents/reports (pledging, work programme, programme budget, etc.).

• Serves as an effective spokesperson for the Strategy and establishes collaboration and partnerships with key officials at all levels across the UN System.

• Manages the Global Mental Health and Well-Being Team in Bonn, including performance management and capacity building.

• Ensures a conducive work environment in line with the goals of the Strategy.

• Coordinates the collection of the Strategy implementation scorecards and prepare the report for the Chair of the Implementation Board and the High-Level Committee on Management (HLCM).

• Maintains strategic partnerships within and outside of the UN Common System;

• Advocates for and engages the necessary leadership support, champions, and partners to sustain momentum for successful Strategy implementation, including the needed resources to alleviate constraints faced during the implementation of the programme.

• Mainstreams mental health and well-being as part of workforce planning across all UN mandates and operations.

• Advocates for System-wide efforts relating to mental health promotion, stigma reduction and prevention.

• Establishes a knowledge management system accessible to members of the Implementation Board.

• Coordinates the visibility of the Strategy and its activities across the UN System.

• Performs other duties as required.

Competencies

Professionalism: Knowledge of mental health related policies, strategies, practices and procedures, trends, and latest developments both within and outside of the UN. Understanding of how the UN common system functions. Ability to identify key issues, analyze and formulate opinions, make conclusions and recommendations on complex workplace mental health and wellbeing policies and development issues. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Capacity to network, engage with stakeholders and maintain collaborative relationships with them and amongst them. Establish contacts with potential donors, sponsors and academic institutions interested in supporting the mental health at work efforts in the UN. 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.

Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals. Solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others. Places team agenda before personal agenda. Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position. Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

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.

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 improvement; 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 that the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision. Makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in healthcare discipline relevant to Mental health services (medicine, nursing, psychology or allied health) therapies, public administration, public health/health care (preferably mental health), occupational health, human resources, business administration, management, or a related field is required. A first-level university degree (Bachelor's degree or equivalent) in the specified fields of studies with two additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job – Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in project or programme management at the governmental, administrative services or Inter-Governmental level is required.

Minimum 5 years demonstrated experience in project management and leadership of system change/improvement programs is required.

Experience working on workplace or population psychosocial and mental health issues is required.

At least five years of management and leadership responsibilities of comparable size and complexity is desirable.

Experience in the multilateral sector or humanitarian relief/development is desirable.

Experience in managing diverse teams of staff and consultants is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

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