UNESCO: Director, Division for Research, Ethics and Inclusion (Social and Human Sciences)

DIRECTOR, DIVISION FOR
RESEARCH, ETHICS AND INCLUSION (SOCIAL AND HUMAN SCIENCES)

Post Number: SHS 143

Grade: D-1

Duty Station: Paris,
France

Type of contract: Fixed
Term

Duration of contract: 2
years, renewable

Application Deadline
(Midnight Paris Time): 15-MAY-2024. 

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS
OF THE POST 

Under the direct supervision of
the Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences (ADG/SHS), the
incumbent will be responsible for the following: 

• Provides strategic direction and
  intellectual leadership to the work of UNESCO’s to leverage the social and
  human sciences to build inclusive societies, through the deployment of ethical
  standards on science and emerging technologies, including artificial
  intelligence and neuro-technologies; the fight against racism and
  discrimination, and the promotion and protection of human rights; empowerment
  of youth and women, and intercultural dialogue, as well as other designated SHS
  thematic programme activities.
• Manages the Division and ensures
  effective planning and follow up of this agenda, including through programs in
  the Field Offices. 
• Ensures resource mobilization to deliver on the Division’s
  mandate.
• Oversees the work to implement
  the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and ensures that
  the analytical work carried out by the ethics committees of UNESCO deliver
  change. 
• Advances the development of the Recommendation on the Ethics of
  Neurotechnology, and the work on the ethics of climate engineering, internet of
  things, and upcoming emerging issues.
• She/he is in charge of the annual
  Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and the Global Forum
  against Racism and Discrimination, as well as the Network of policy officials
  in charge of this agenda. She/he is also in charge of the biannual Youth
  Forum.
• She/he ensures the intra-/inter
  sectoral cooperation and synergies working closely with BSP, PAX, IOS and
  ADM/BFM as well as collaboration with Field Offices to ensure efficient and
  effective implementation of Major Programme III.
• As required, she/he represents
  SHS in various working groups and taskforces, preparing documents on policy
  issues, reports and analytical reviews. The Director oversees and contributes
  to the delivery of the Sections under the Division’s direct responsibility,
  including the Bioethics section, the Inclusion and Rights, and the Youth
  Section.

The incumbent works within the
framework of UNESCO’s Medium-Term Strategy (C/4), approved Programme and Budget
(C/5), Global Priority Africa and Global Priority Gender, as well as UN
development initiatives such as Agenda 2030.

In particular, she/he
will: 

Align SHS programmes to
support UNESCO’s global priorities: 

• Guide, steer and oversee SHS
  programmes to promote and scale up research and inclusion, including but not
  limited to SHS flagship programmes on anti-racism and the fight against
  discriminations, UNESCO’s programme on the protection of science and
  scientists, UNESCO’s Global Youth Grant Scheme, Transfoming MENtalities, as
  well as the Sector’s mandate on UNESCO’s global priorities and priority groups
  (i.e. Africa, gender equality, youth, and SIDS).
• Provide leadership to drive the
  outreach of SHS Programmes through establishing and fostering key partnerships
  and joint projects with Member States’ representatives, UNESCO’s
  intergovernmental bodies, civil society, and the private sector.
• Reinforce the Sector’s capacity
  for research on issues under her/his mandate, including the Sector’s
  contributions to global priorities and responding to the needs of priority
  groups.

Leadership and Programme
management: 

• Provide overall operational
  direction and guidance to the Sector and take timely decisions to meet
  objectives, deliver impact, and create opportunities for desired change for
  research and inclusion.
• Direct the design,
  implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of programmes (including regular
  and extra-budgetary initiatives and activities), ensuring the continuous
  optimization of resources, particularly with regard to value-adding activities
  for research and inclusion.
• Manage the establishment of
  biannual workplans and set outcomes, outputs, expected results, and performance
  indicators in collaboration with all programme sections, the Executive Office,
  and SHS programme specialists in UNESCO Field Offices.

Management of the
designated sections: 

• Provide intellectual, strategic
  and operational leadership and guidance.
• Promote teamwork to ensure
  coordination, collaboration, and synergies with and through senior managers;
  provide information, guidance and support to staff members to ensure SHS
  sections deliver timely and high-quality results.
• Ensure that staff members meet
  appropriate organizational, efficiency, accountability and integrity standards
  while delivering high-quality, impactful outcomes.
• Ensure quality, impact and
  visibility for SHS flagships under this Division.
• Support ADG/SHS on all matters,
  as required.

Establish mechanisms and
frameworks to foster teamwork in coordination with the SHS Executive Office: 

• Promote and ensure effective
  communication between SHS sections/units at HQ and in Field Offices. Particularly in relation to research and inclusion, as well as global
  priorities and priority groups.
• Advise and inform ADG/SHS on
  programme and staff matters.
• Ensure appropriate communication
  on activities with all stakeholders.

Assume other duties as
requested, such as: 

• Represent UNESCO in high-level
  internal and external meetings and conferences.
• Replace ADG/SHS whenever
  necessary.
• Participate in senior management
  mechanisms within the SHS Sector, UNESCO, and the UN system where
  relevant.
• Additional activities that may be
  required to ensure the success of the Sector.

REQUIRED
QUALIFICATIONS 

Education:

• Advanced university degree
  (Master’s or equivalent) in the field of social and human sciences, public
  policies, economics, technology, or other related fields.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of 15 years of
  progressive relevant professional experience, with a focus on policy
  development, including at least five years at the international
  level.
• Strong experience in conducting,
  overseeing and publishing innovative research in leading journals on social and
  human issues to promote inclusive societies, including through quantitative
  methods, data analysis and state of the art analytical frameworks.
• A proven track record of
  successfully establishing and maintaining partnerships at a global, local and
  community level.
• A proven capacity to connect with
  leading institutions on social and human agendas and a strong knowledge of
  state-of-the-art research in the field of countering inequalities
• Demonstrated experience in
  advocacy and resource mobilization.
• A strong and proven record of
  innovative applied research.

Skills and
competencies: 

• Commitment to the Organization’s
  mandate, vision, strategic direction, and priorities.
• Capacity for institutional
  leadership, a high sense of objectivity and professional integrity, diplomacy,
  tact and political astuteness.
• Capacity to provide intellectual
  leadership to guide staff, and an ability to build trust, manage, lead and
  motivate a large and diverse body of staff in a multicultural environment with
  sensitivity and respect for diversity, and to oversee ongoing training and
  staff development.
• Ability to identify key strategic
  issues and opportunities, and associated risks.
• Demonstrated strategic planning
  and excellent management abilities, including a capacity to administer multiple
  programmes and projects, financial and human resources, while exercising
  appropriate supervision and controls.
• Excellent organizational skills,
  including the capacity to establish plans and priorities and to implement them
  effectively.
• Excellent interpersonal skills,
  including the ability to manage relationships at all levels.
• Excellent communication skills,
  both orally and in writing; and demonstrated ability to interact with a wide
  range of high-level partners.

Languages: 

• Excellent knowledge of English or
  French and working knowledge of the other language. 

DESIRABLE
QUALIFICATIONS 

Education: 

• PhD in social and human sciences,
  economics, public policies, or related fields.

Work Experience: 

• Professional experience in a
  multilateral setting, with good knowledge of international cooperation and
  promotion of development agendas.

Languages:

• Knowledge of another official
  language of UNESCO (Arabic, Chinese, Russian and/or Spanish).

For more information on
how to apply, please click the Apply button.