SENIOR SOCIAL AFFAIRS OFFICER

Organizational Context

The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), a regional commission of the United Nations, contributes to the economic and social development of the region. Established in 1948, its mission includes policy design, monitoring, evaluation, and providing advisory services and training to governments. This Senior Social Affairs Officer position is within the Social Development Division in Santiago, reporting to the Director.

Job Purpose

The Senior Social Affairs Officer serves as a focal point for collaboration and provides expert technical and policy advice on socio-economic development strategies. The role involves monitoring institutional mandates, influencing UN approaches to social development, and contributing to policy and program changes addressing global, regional, and national concerns, including gender considerations. This includes leading research agendas, managing major projects, analyzing socio-economic trends, and developing proposals for social sector development. The position also entails building partnerships with diverse stakeholders, directing knowledge-sharing campaigns, and representing the organization at various forums, ensuring the integration of current thinking into development initiatives.

Responsibilities

The Senior Social Affairs Officer provides authoritative technical and policy advice on socio-economic development strategies to intergovernmental bodies, governments, and other organizations. Responsibilities include monitoring institutional mandates, influencing UN social development approaches, and contributing to policy and program changes for country, regional, and global concerns, with a focus on gender. The role involves leading research agendas, conceptualizing and managing major projects, analyzing socio-economic trends, and developing proposals for social sector development. Establishing partnerships with experts and stakeholders, directing knowledge-sharing campaigns, and representing the organization at national and international forums are key duties. The role also includes coordinating substantive services for intergovernmental bodies, managing technical cooperation programs, and contributing to the personnel and financial management of the work unit, including leading and mentoring staff.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in socio-economic development, policy analysis, or sociological research is required. Experience with regional technical cooperation projects is also mandatory. Desirable experience includes research and policy advisory in social protection, labor inclusion, poverty, and inequality, as well as data analytics and publications on social development issues.

Skills

Professionalism, teamwork, planning and organizing, leadership, empowering others, strong negotiating skills, ability to influence, original and creative thinking, independent judgment, ability to work under pressure, knowledge of UN system mandates and policies, data analysis and interpretation, gender mainstreaming.

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