SOCIAL AFFAIRS OFFICER

Org. Setting and ReportingThis position is located in the Subregional Office of ECLAC Mexico. The Social Affairs Officer acts as Chief of the Social Development Unit and reports to the Director of ECLAC Mexico. The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean is one of the five regional Commissions of the United Nations. It was founded in 1948 with the purpose of contributing to the region's economic and social development. Its mission includes the design, monitoring and evaluation of public policies and the provision of advisory services, expertise and training to Governments, as well as support for regional and international cooperation and coordination activities. Please visit our website at www.eclac.org for further information. ResponsibilitiesUnder the overall supervision of Director of ECLAC Mexico the Social Affairs Officer – Chief of the Social Development Unit will be responsible for the following duties: Social Analysis - Proposes, designs and carries out substantive research projects analyzing key trends and changes in socio-economic structures and related issues (e.g., poverty, employment, ageing, disability, family, youth, occupational, cultural, educational demographic patterns, gender issues, etc.) at global, regional and national levels; assesses implications and develops proposals with respect to social development and social welfare policies and interventions. - Develops new lines of theoretical analysis and research methodologies for the diagnosis of major transformations in socio-economic structures. - Liaises and partners with other experts in the field (e.g. governments, research institutes, academia, other international organizations, etc.) to discuss issues related to social development, exchanges views on latest findings, policy guidelines, new models of development, etc.; helps ensure that lessons learned are disseminated and incorporated into development programmes and other initiatives, including gender-related activities. - Plans, organizes and provides substantial servicing of ad hoc expert group meetings, conferences, seminars, workshops, etc. to include identification and selection of participants, development of background documentation, preparation of reports, documents, policy recommendations and analytical briefs based on the outcome of such meetings. - Prepares a variety of studies, reports, background papers, parliamentary documentation, etc.on a wide range of social development and related issues. Intergovernmental Support - Provides substantive support on social issues to intergovernmental bodies (such as the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, the Commission for Social Development). - Represents organizational unit at international, regional and national meetings. - Organizes panels, round tables, etc. on social development issues for intergovernmental processes. Technical Cooperation - Provides technical assistance to governments and other bodies in the formulation and implementation of policies and programs related to socio-economic development. - Designs, monitors, backstops and assesses the implementation of technical cooperation programmes and projects. - Undertakes missions to member states, either alone or as a participant in a diverse team, as part of the Organization’s technical cooperation activities and/or in support of the work programme. - Prepares global, regional, national or sectoral analyses that provide a basis for advising national governments on social development issues. - Conducts training seminars and workshops for government officials and others. - Formulates technical modalities for the evaluation of individual technical cooperation projects. General - May participate in planning and preparation of unit budget and work program and in theadministration of the day-to-day operations of the unit, including personnel responsibilities of the unit. - Provides leadership and work direction to assigned work team, and/or mentors and supervises the work of new/junior officers. - Prepares statements on social and economic issues for the Secretary-General and Under Secretary-General, as required. - Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. - Performs other duties as required. Competencies- Professionalism: Knowledge of social development and related fields. Ability to apply principles and concepts of socio-economic development in relation to government, the private sector, civil society and international organizations. Ability to apply modern techniques of analyzing social phenomena. Ability to conduct conceptual and strategic analyses. Ability to analyze and articulate the social dimension of complex issues. Problem-solving skills. Ability to use sound judgment in applying technical expertise to resolve a wide range of complex issues/problems. Very good knowledge of region or country of assignment, including the political, economic and social dimensions. Ability to relate socio-economic issues, trends and perspectives, including gender issues, to social development initiatives/programmes in affected country/region. Strong negotiating skills and ability to influence others to reach agreement. Ability to work under pressure. Very good knowledge of institutional mandates, policies and guidelines pertaining to social affairs. Sound knowledge of the institutions of the UN system. Excellent research skills and demonstrated ability to complete in-depth studies and to formulate conclusions/recommendations. 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. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. Able to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. - Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. - 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 improvements; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands. - Managing Performance: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decisionmaking authority; makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills; monitors progress against milestones and deadlines; regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff; encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative; actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff; appraises performance fairly. EducationAdvanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in economics, statistics or mathematics is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree in the specified fields of studies. Job - Specific QualificationDoctorate degree in economics, statistics or mathematics is desirable. Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable. Work ExperienceA minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in research of socioeconomic development issues and policy analysis is required. Working experience in countries served by ECLAC Subregional Headquarters in Mexico is required. Experience in the implementation of technical cooperation projects is desirable. Experience working in international organizations such as the United Nations or others is desirable. 2 years or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable. Experience in producing and publishing research papers and analytical reports is required. Submit a list of at least 5 relevant publications. Publications can be referenced journals articles, books, working papers or institutional reports. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat; and Spanish is a working language of ECLAC. For the position advertised, fluency in English and fluency in Spanish is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable. Knowledge of the second language (English/Spanish) will be tested, unless it can be supported by a certificate from a recognized institution. AssessmentEvaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview. Special Notice- Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures. - Appointment or assignment against this position is for an initial period of one year. - At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. - The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. - Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position. - Although there is no right or entitlement to Flexible Working Arrangements, many of our staff work flexibly in many different ways. The following types of flexibility are usually possible: staggered working hours, compressed work week, scheduled breaks for learning activities and telecommuting (maximum 80.5 Km from the duty station). Please wait until the final stage of the offer to ask more about flexibility since the agreement is voluntary between the staff members and their supervisor and will depend on the organisational needs. - A staff member holding a temporary appointment who is recruited in the Professional and above categories, on a temporary appointment, and placed on a position authorized for one year or longer may not apply for or be reappointed to his/her current position within six months of the end of his/her current service. For full information on eligibility requirements, please refer to section 5 of ST/AI/2010/4Rev.1 on Temporary Appointments. - For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or under-represented in the UN Secretariat as of 30 June 2025, are strongly encouraged to apply: Andorra, Angola, Saudi Arabia, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, China, Cuba, Dominica, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Grenada, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malta, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Nauru, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Singapore, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Vanuatu. United Nations ConsiderationsAccording to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date. No FeeTHE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.