Regional Director, Africa
Organizational Context
The United Nations Development Coordination Office (UNDCO) in Addis Ababa, part of the UN Secretariat, oversees the Resident Coordinator (RC) system. This role, reporting to the ASG/Director of UNDCO, leads DCO's regional interface, fostering collaboration across the UN Development System and supporting RCs. The position is crucial for advancing regional integration mechanisms and providing field support.
Job Purpose
The Regional Director serves as a strategic leader, convenor, and partnership broker focused on sustainable development and SDG acceleration. This outward-facing role provides strategic support to Resident Coordinators (RCs) and UN Country Teams (UNCTs) at regional, sub-regional, and country levels. Key functions include leading regional thought leadership, fostering collaboration with diverse stakeholders, developing strategic partnerships, integrating complex development approaches, and leveraging UN 2.0 capabilities like foresight and data analytics. The role also involves managing the Regional Office, overseeing its strategy, budget, and operations, and ensuring efficient delivery of support to RCs and UNCTs to advance the 2030 Agenda.
Responsibilities
The Regional Director leads the UNDCO Regional Office, focusing on regional sustainable development thought leadership, partnerships, and SDG acceleration. This includes convening stakeholders, providing strategic direction, strengthening collaborations with regional bodies, and developing multi-country partnerships. The role involves integrating complex development approaches, applying foresight and risk analytics, and influencing stakeholders using UN 2.0 skills. Responsibilities extend to coordinating regional communications, supporting resource mobilization, and ensuring quality assurance for UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (UNSDCFs). Additionally, the Director manages the Regional Office's strategy, budget, and operations, oversees day-to-day RC system support, promotes UN 2.0 competencies, and contributes to UNDCO's policy formulation and senior leadership talent management.
Work Experience
A minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible experience in development cooperation coordination, with at least 10 years in senior leadership roles involving interagency/inter-organizational collaboration, is required. Experience in leading organizational reform, managing programmatic and administrative functions, and overseeing budgets is essential. Desirable experience includes substantive international development, SDG financing, innovation, regional coordination, UN Resident Coordinator system knowledge, and applying digital/data/foresight tools.
Skills
Professionalism, Accountability, Client Orientation, Leadership, Judgment/Decision-Making, Strategic Analysis, Partnership Brokering, Management, Communication, Foresight, Data Analysis, Digital Transformation, Risk Management, Gender Equality, Youth Inclusion.