Senior Programme Management Officer

UN Secretariat; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The United Nations Secretariat in New York seeks a Senior Programme Management Officer to lead strategic coordination within the Strategic Management Unit, shaping programme planning, monitoring, and analytics. You will direct teams, oversee data governance, and advise senior management on policy and strategic initiatives related to Africa's development and Agenda 2063.

An advanced degree is required with ten years of progressive experience.

Qualifications

• Advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in a relevant field.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in project/programme management in an international context.
• Experience advising senior management on strategy and policy.
• Experience with data analysis and data governance.

Responsibilities

• Lead development, implementation, and evaluation of programmes and projects within the Strategic Management Unit.
• Supervise staff and coordinate cross-cutting policy and planning activities.
• Direct data-based research and programme evaluations to measure impact.
• Oversee communications, stakeholder engagement, budgeting, and reporting.

Skills

Strategic planning

Data analysis

Project management

Leadership

Policy development

Stakeholder engagement

Budget management

Team supervision

Judgment/Decision-Making

Gender mainstreaming

Research

Communication

Performance management

Negotiation

Education

Master's degree or equivalent in business administration, management, economics, data science or related field

Tools

Excel

Power BI

AI tools

Job description

Organizational context: The Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA) provides advisory, advocacy, coordination, and monitoring services to support Africa's development. This Senior Programme Management Officer role is within the Strategic Management Unit, reporting to the Under-Secretary-General. The position is crucial for leading the strategic coordination and management of the Unit's core functions, ensuring alignment with the Office's objectives and Programme 9's support for Africa's development.

Job purpose: The Senior Programme Management Officer is responsible for leading the strategic coordination and management of the Strategic Management Unit's functions: programme planning, monitoring and evaluation; data and analytics; and strategic communications. This role ensures the timely and quality delivery of institutional outputs, aligning them with the Office's knowledge production, advocacy, and policy influencing goals, particularly in support of Africa's development and Programme 9 (UN system support for Agenda 2063). The incumbent acts as a key liaison, facilitating communication and coherence on cross-cutting organizational priorities between the Unit, the Under-Secretary-General's Front Office, and the Division for Policy, Monitoring and Advocacy.

Responsibilities: Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of programmes and projects, focusing on the Strategic Management Unit's integrated workplan across planning, monitoring, evaluation, data, analytics, and communications. Direct subordinates in programme development and execution, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and the value chain of knowledge production and advocacy. Oversee data-based research and programme evaluations to assess impact. Coordinate policy development for programme planning, data management, and strategic communications, providing senior advisory support on policy and institutional matters. Supervise the preparation and publication of diverse written and digital outputs, ensuring effective data visualization. Manage outreach activities, stakeholder engagement, and partnerships. Coordinate budget and funding activities, including reporting and submissions. Serve as a spokesperson and build collaborations. Ensure effective staff utilization, supervision, and development, guiding team efforts in data analysis for planning and decision-making. Oversee data governance and analytical infrastructure.

Education: An advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in business administration, management, computational social science, economics, policy analysis, data management, or a related field is required. A first-level degree with additional qualifying experience may be accepted. Completion of programs in data analytics, business analytics, or data science is desirable.

Work experience: A minimum of ten years of progressive experience in project/programme management or administration is required. Essential experience includes advising senior management on strategy/policy, managing teams in strategic planning or organizational change within an international organization, and working on Africa's development or Agenda 2063. Experience in data analysis and quality assurance using tools like Excel or Power BI is also required. Experience with AI tools for policy work is desirable.

Skills: Professionalism, Accountability, Technological Awareness, Performance Management, Judgment/Decision-Making, Strategic Planning, Data Analysis, Programme Management, Communication, Leadership, Negotiation, Gender Mainstreaming, Policy Development, Research, Evaluation, Stakeholder Engagement, Budget Management, Team Supervision.

Required languages: English

Desired languages: French