Intergovernmental Engagement Specialist

The Intergovernmental Engagement Specialist supports UNDP’s engagement with Member States and other actors, including UN Secretariat and other UN entities. The role involves facilitating preparations for Executive Board sessions, developing political analyses, and advising on strategic positioning and engagement in intergovernmental and interagency fora.

Responsibilities

• Support BERA’s leadership role on UNDP internal preparation for the Executive Board’s (EB) sessions, bureaux coordination, and targeted engagements with Member States (MS) and UN entities.
• Facilitates the preparations of EB inter-bureaux planning meetings.
• Develops and ensures timely finalization of EB-related documentation, including key messages, main positions of MS groups, Intelligence Note, and others as necessary.
• Develops and maintains close working relationships with key MS, in coordination with relevant BERA teams and Regional Bureaux. Engages with UN entities on key related matters.
• Advises on and facilitates targeted engagements with MS at the senior/technical levels and by all relevant UNDP bureaux, in collaboration with relevant UNDP Bureaux.
• Leads on timely intelligence gathering, flags/shares with relevant UNDP bureaux/offices, ensures intelligence exchange with relevant BERA teams, and advises on potential course of action.
• Keeps UNDP/BERA senior management abreast of the preparations for and the evolvement of EB sessions and decision negotiations, including through relevant highlights for UNDP senior leadership and preparations for respective EG discussions.
• Advises on and supports UNDP country-level management awareness of and engagement in EB sessions, as necessary.
• Supports the provision of thematic/topic-specific briefings to MS, as requested.
• Ensures close coordination with the Executive Office, the EB Secretariat, and other UNDP bureaux/offices.
• When requested, coordinates UNDP’s engagement and participation in the Joint Meetings of the Executive Boards.
• Develop political analyses of intergovernmental and interagency developments, dynamics, and resolutions/ decisions, flagging implications for UNDP’s strategic positioning and engagement, both substantive/policy-oriented and operational/management-focused.
• Advances the establishment of a sound, well-maintained tracking system on MS’s positions.
• Gathers and evaluates intelligence from key MS groups and follows up on relevant mandates and legislation from intergovernmental bodies.
• Flags opportunities for strategic positioning in the intergovernmental fora and interagency space.
• Ensures the integration/ reflection of political analyses in respective position papers, advisory notes, engagement strategies, and briefs for senior management.
• Facilitates sharing of political analyses with the management at the HQ and country levels, as appropriate and as agreed by BERA management.
• Advise on, proactively identify opportunities for, and support UNDP leadership engagements with key Member States’ (MS) groups, including AOSIS, MICs, LDCs, regional groups and with a special focus on the Group of 77 and China.
• Develops and implements audience-centric strategies to interface with and manage ongoing relationships with Permanent Missions, key political constituencies, and other intergovernmental stakeholders.
• Identifies and analyses engagement opportunities and risks; contributes to policy proposals and position papers for UNDP engagements in relevant intergovernmental and interagency fora and with key MS groups, and with key UN entities as required.
• Advises on and supports targeted engagements through intergovernmental and interagency spaces, including by proposing innovative approaches.
• Develops and maintains close working relationships with key MS, in coordination with relevant BERA teams, and advances technical-level relationships with key actors in UN Secretariat and UN entities.
• Prepares, coordinates and reviews reports, speeches, briefing notes and talking points for senior management on a periodic basis and upon request.
• Engage in preparations of and advise on UNDP’s engagements in and positioning within the key intergovernmental fora, including High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), 2nd Committee, 5th Committee, and with the substantive focus on ECOSOC and the UN General Assembly.
• Leads on UNSAG engagements in preparations of UNDP’s participation in the UN GA meetings; ensures required follow-up; monitors and advises on key GA resolutions.
• Closely monitors relevant segments (including Operational Activities Segment) and negotiation processes within ECOSOC, engaging with both MS and relevant counterparts in UN Secretariat and other UN entities. Advises on potential implications and respective engagement strategies.
• Provides political mapping of MS positions ahead of the key intergovernmental events/ initiatives/ meetings/ sessions, recommending most effective engagement approaches and niches for UNDP positioning, as well as flagging key risks and implications.
• Monitors, analyses and evaluates intergovernmental discussions in relevant intergovernmental fora. Identifies interconnections with interagency discussions and initiatives. Contributes to and/or develops political analyses ahead and after the key intergovernmental events/ initiatives/ meetings/ sessions.
• Monitors key developments within the GA and flags major opportunities for UNDP engagement, with the necessary follow-up. Keeps close contact with the Office of the President of the UN GA

Requirements

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in International Relations, Public Administration or other Social Sciences related field is required.
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the above-mentioned fields of study, with additional 2 years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of an advanced degree.
• A minimum of 7 years (with Bachelor’s) or 9 years (with Master’s) experience in UNDP and/or within the UN System, or any government, inter-governmental and other related experience outside of the UN system with strong knowledge of the UN system or any government, inter-governmental experience.
• Strong knowledge of the UN system (including UNDS) is required.
• Proven record of inter-agency and/or intergovernmental engagement and/or experience in diplomatic relations, political analysis and advocacy are required.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with Permanent missions, government representatives and diplomatic stakeholders.
• Intergovernmental affairs expertise such as in executive board sessions, committee meetings or intergovernmental negotiations.
• Exceptional drafting skills with demonstrated experience in preparing briefing notes, talking points, position papers.
• Ability to communicate complex political issues clearly and concisely.
• Strong relationship management and networking skills.
• Proficiency in oral and written English language.
• Working knowledge of another UN language is a strong asset.

Skills

• Intergovernmental Engagement
• Diplomatic Relations
• Political Analysis
• Advocacy
• UN System Knowledge
• Inter-agency Coordination
• Relationship Management
• Networking
• Briefing Note Preparation
• Position Paper Writing
• Executive Board Sessions
• Committee Meeting Facilitation
• Intergovernmental Negotiations
• Strategic Positioning
• Oral Communication
• Written Communication
• English Language Proficiency

Languages

English