United Nation Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
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Job Description
Org. Setting and Reporting
The Economic Commission for Africa’s (ECA) mission is to deliver ideas and actions for an empowered and transformed Africa; informed by the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063. This mission is guided by ECA’s five strategic directions which are: advancing ECA’s position as a premier knowledge institution that builds on its unique position and privilege to bring global solutions to the continent’s problems; developing macroeconomic and structural policy options to accelerate economic diversification and job creation; designing and implementing innovative financing models for infrastructure development, and for human, physical and social assets for a transforming Africa; contributing solutions to regional and transboundary challenges, with a focus on peace security and social inclusion as an important development nexus; advocating Africa’s position at the global level and developing regional responses as a contribution to global governance issues.
The position is in the Emerging and Frontier Technologies, Innovation and Digital Transformation Section of the Technology, Innovation, Connectivity and Infrastructure Development Division (TICID), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The position is focused on ensuring the planning and delivery of ECA’s activities to promote the use of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) and Science Technologies & Innovation (STI) for development. It is also focused on coordinating TICID’s activities to promote digital transformation, assist African countries in implementing the Global Digital Compact, promoting partnership in the utilization of ICT in Africa, and implementing the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa.
Responsibilities
Under the Direct Supervision of the Director of the Technology, Innovation, Connectivity and Infrastructure Division, the Chief of Section is responsible for the following: Economic or sectoral analysis
- • Leads or participates in the formulation, organization and management of mandated programmes related to technology, innovation and digital transformation.
- • Leads economic or related analysis and the formulation of possible Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Science, Technology and Innovation (ICT) or economic strategies, policies and actions for adoption by African countries and the international community.
- • Leads or participates in the identification of new or emerging development in ICT and STI issues of potential concern to the international community, particularly those of a regional or global nature, and designs and develops programmes to address them.
- • Supervises a team of staff economists and other staff with expertise in ICT and STI undertaking this work.
- • Commissions economic or related studies and analyses on technology, innovation and digital transformation that cannot be undertaken internally.
- • Conceives, plans and manages expert group meetings, seminars and similar consultations that contribute to the finalization of the work unit’s outputs.
- • Finalizes reports on development, focusing on digital transformation and STI, for issuance by the ECA.
- • Prepares speeches for senior staff and makes presentations on ICT and STI, or economic issues for specialist or non-specialist audiences. Intergovernmental support
- • Provides direct substantive support to consultative and other meetings, conferences, etc., including proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations related to ICT and STI, assists member states in the implementation of global and regional strategies such as the Global Digital Compact, the African Union Strategy on Artificial Intelligence, and the Digital Strategy for Africa (2020-2030) and in the implementation of the Science Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa.
- • Manages the work unit’s contribution to the preparation and management of meetings of intergovernmental bodies.
- • Represents the organizational unit at international, regional and national meetings on development issues, focusing on ICT and STI. Technical cooperation
- • Develops and maintains relations with senior officials of member governments and ensures a response to requests for advice and/or assistance on economic issues and policies.
- • Negotiates with donor and recipient governments on technical assistance programmes and projects.
- • Organizes and coordinates cooperation among Member States on ICT and STI or economic programmes or issues.
- • Leads or participates in technical cooperation missions. Programme support
- • Functions as the head of the Section. .
- • Contributes to the formulation of the medium-term plan, the programme of work and the budget of the unit and participate in the formulation of the organization’s overall programme of work and other similar endeavours.
- • Attends to various administrative matters concerning the Section.
- • Performs other related duties as required.
Other
• Leads team members efforts to collect and analyze data and provides insight to identify trends or patterns for data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. Ensures that everyone can discover, access, integrate and share the data they need.
Competencies
Professionalism: Ability to apply economic theories and concepts in different sectors of economic and sustainable development. Ability to conduct independent research on economic topics, determine suitability, validity and accuracy of data provided by different sources. Ability to develop economic policies and make recommendations on their implementation. 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. Able to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management.
Planning& 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. Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.
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. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.
Managing Performance: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making 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.
Education
- Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in engineering, sciences, computer science, economics or related field.
- A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
- Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is an advantage.
Work Experience
- A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in research and analysis in economics or a related field, policy formulation, application of economic principles in development in connection with Information Communication Technology (ICT); or Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) or related area is required.
- Experience or knowledge in the application of emerging and frontier technologies and digital transformation in Africa, through policy development, advisory services or research is required.
- Experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, either English or French is required. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).
Required Languages
| Language | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | UN Level II | UN Level II | UN Level II | UN Level II |
| French | UN Level II | UN Level II | UN Level II | UN Level II |
Assessment
- Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.
Special Notice
The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving a 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. 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. Staff members of the United Nations Secretariat must fulfill the lateral move requirements to be eligible to apply for this vacancy. Staff members are requested to indicate all qualifying lateral moves in their Administrative Profile (AP) and cover letter. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of the 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 background, 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.
Applicants, who successfully go through a competitive recruitment process and are recommended for selection and/or inclusion in the roster of pre-approved candidates for subsequent job openings at the same level and with similar functions, may have their application information and roster status shared with other UN Organizations. Such applicants may be contacted by other UN Organizations for similar job openings, subject to the confirmation of their interest. Placement on the roster is no guarantee of a future selection. Pursuant to section 6.9 of ST/AI/2010/3/Rev. 1, interns, consultants, individual contractors, and gratis personnel may not apply for or be appointed to any vacancy in the Professional or higher categories within six months of the end of their current or most recent service. 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.
For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or under-represented in the UN Secretariat as of 31 October 2025, are strongly encouraged to apply: Brunei Darussalam, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Grenada, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Sao Tome and Principe, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu (un-represented); Andorra, Angola, Belize, China, Cuba, Germany, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Libya, Malta, Monaco, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Russian Federation, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Turkmenistan, United States of America (under-represented).
Online applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgment within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira “Contact Us” link.
United Nations Considerations
According 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 Fee
THE 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.