Sustainable Development Officer, Regional Liaison, Europe and Central Asia

Sustainable Development Officer, Regional Liaison, Europe and Central AsiaUN RCO - United Nations Resident Coordinator's Office New York City International P-3, International Professional - Internationally recruited position level Speaks English, FrenchApplication deadline: November 22, 2026 (about 1 month)The Sustainable Development Officer will serve as a liaison for the Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, based in New York. This role involves providing substantive analysis and support to senior leadership, facilitating coordination between Headquarters and the Regional Office, and engaging in intergovernmental processes. The officer will prepare briefing materials, monitor regional developments, and support the implementation of work plans. The position requires a strong background in sustainable development and collaboration within international frameworks.Candidate Requirements:Advanced university degree in relevant fieldMinimum five years of experience in sustainable development or related areaExperience with inter-agency collaborationKnowledge of sustainable development issues in Europe and Central AsiaExperience in data analytics is desirableFluency in English; French is desirableThe Development Operations Coordination Office (DCO) is a stand-alone coordination office within the United Nations Secretariat. DCO exercises managerial and oversight functions of the resident coordinator system under the oversight of the Chair of United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG). In 2026, DCO undertook a recalibration to ensure the RC system remains optimally configured to support the acceleration of the 2030 Agenda and embodies the UN 2.0 shift anchored in data, digital, innovation, behavioral science, strategic foresight, and a mission driven organizational culture. The position is part of the Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia and performs liaison functions based in New York, hosted in the Strategic Partnerships and Engagement Division. The position reports to both the respective Senior Programme Management Officer in the Regional Office and the Chief of the Inter-governmental Section in the Strategic Partnerships and Engagement Division. The Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia is the second reporting officer.Responsibilities:Summary of Functions:Substantive analysis, briefings and support to senior leadership:Prepares drafts of briefing notes, key messages, mission packs, and meeting readouts for senior leadership, including for complex development, crisis and transition settings.Collects, maintains, and analyzes quantitative and qualitative information on regional and country-level sustainable development trends, cross-border dynamics and emerging risks, required for recurrent and ad/hoc assignments.Identifies regional trends or patterns and provides insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization and other UN 2.0 approaches to support anticipatory evidence-informed planning, decision-making, and reporting.Prepares inputs for reports to High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development and other intergovernmental bodies, inter-agency or expert groups on issues relating to sustainable development fora.Substantive support to intergovernmental processes and senior-management engagement:Conducts horizon scanning to identify emerging risks, opportunities and cross-border implications for the Europe and Central Asia Region, and maintains situational awareness of relevant regional and global developments.Monitors intergovernmental and inter-agency processes, Member States and supports the work of the intergovernmental team.Participates in meetings and provides substantive and technical support for the preparation of senior leadership visits and engagements related to the region.Coordination and liaison support between Headquarters and the Regional Office:Under the guidance of the supervisor and in close collaboration with the Regional Office and the Chief of the Inter-governmental Section, facilitates timely two-way information flow between Headquarters and the Europe and Central Asia Region, including the communication of country demand, regional perspectives, corporate guidance, and agreed follow-up.Supports the implementation and monitoring of the work plan of the Regional Office, as needed.Supports selected Resident Coordinators Office and UN country team processes, including retreats and strategic planning exercises, as defined by the Regional Office.Contributes to efforts to systematize and share knowledge, lessons learned and good practices among Regional Offices and Resident Coordinators.Coordinates with offices on sustainable development and integrated policy support.Undertakes on-the-job and other training activities both internally and externally.Performs other duties as required.Competencies:PROFESSIONALISM: Ability to apply sustainable development theories, concepts and approaches. Ability to conduct independent research and analysis on sustainable development topics, determine suitability, validity and accuracy of data provided by different sources. Shows skill in developing sources for data collection. Able to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. 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.TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.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.Education:Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in sustainable development, economics, public policy, public administration, finance, natural resources management, engineering, law, social sciences, or a 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.Job - Specific Qualification:Not available.Work Experience:A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in sustainable development, public policy, development cooperation, policy analysis of related area is required. Experience with inter-agency and/or intergovernmental collaboration in the development sector is required. Experience of initiating and developing partnerships is desirable. Experience in sustainable development issues of the Europe and Central Asia region is desirable. Experience of integrating gender equality and other inclusion dimensions (youth, disability) is desirable. Experience in the United Nations system or a comparable international organization is desirable. Field experience in development cooperation is desirable. Two years or more of 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, English is required. French is desirable. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult for details).Required Languages:Language Reading Writing Listening SpeakingEnglish UN Level III UN Level III UN Level III UN Level IIIDesirable Languages:Language Reading Writing Listening SpeakingFrench UN Level II UN Level II UN Level II UN Level IIAssessment:Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise, which may be followed by competency-based interview.Special Notice:Appointment against this post is open for an initial period of one year and may be subject to extension subject to legislative body funding availability. 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. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance 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. Applicants who have reached the mandatory age of separation are not eligible to apply for job openings to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. Individual contractors and consultants (Non-Staff Personnel) who have worked within the UN Secretariat in the last six months, irrespective of the administering entity, are ineligible to apply for professional and