Deputy Executive Director - D2

As part of the UN80 Initiative and pursuant to General Assembly resolution A/RES/80/306, the merger of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) has been approved to form a single, unified entity dedicated to learning, capability development, and institutional transformation across the United Nations system and Member States. 

Effective 1 January 2027, the merged successor entity, to be known as the United Nations Institute for Capability and Learning Innovation (UNICLI), will strengthen the operational effectiveness of the United Nations and its Member States through integrated learning solutions, executive leadership development, knowledge transfer, and capability building. 

This position is initially recruited under UNITAR in 2026 and will formally transition to UNICLI upon its official establishment on 1 January 2027.

Located within the Executive Office in Geneva, the Deputy Executive Director reports directly to the Executive Director and Assistant Secretary-General. 

The Executive Office establishes a clear operational division of executive responsibilities: while the Executive Director focuses primarily on outward-facing strategic stewardship, political alignment, high-level diplomatic positioning, and global resource mobilization, the Deputy Executive Director serves as the primary internal executive anchor and operational enabler across the Institute. 

In this capacity, the Deputy Executive Director exercises direct executive management and strategic oversight over UNICLI’s entire administrative, management, and corporate operations portfolio - comprising Finance and Budget, Human Resources Management, Governance, Legal and Risk, Information Technology, and General Administration—while directly leading enterprise-wide organizational transformation, risk management and performance management.

Under the supervision of the Executive Director, the Deputy Executive Director will be responsible for the following key functions:

1. Organisational leadership, stewardship, and culture

As a member of the organisation’s senior leadership team, the Deputy Executive Director exercises institutional stewardship and leadership, prioritizing collective organizational outcomes and entity-wide transformation, alongside functional leadership responsibilities. The role collaborates closely in the senior leadership team to encourage inter-departmental synergies and to drive decision-making in support of UNICLI’s mandate implementation and institutional effectiveness. 

As a member of the senior leadership team, the role safeguards UNICLI’s governance, resources, and operational integrity and actively shapes, embeds, and models an inclusive, collaborative, and high-performing workplace culture. The incumbent embodies UN system core values of Inclusion, Integrity, Humility, and Humanity and role-models leadership behaviours that empower staff, drive cross-boundary cooperation, and nurture organizational trust across the entity. 

2. Executive deputization and operational continuity

• Acts formally on behalf of the Executive Director during absences or as delegated, exercising full executive authority to ensure uninterrupted operational decision-making and organizational continuity. 
• Serves as Officer-in-Charge of the Institute, representing the entity in inter-agency bodies, legislative organs, and strategic multilateral engagements as designated. 
• Drives internal alignment and operational cohesion across all departments, establishing mechanisms to convert high-level strategic objectives into synchronized implementation plans. 

3. Strategic governance and risk management 

• Leads Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) frameworks, corporate compliance, and institutional integrity, safeguarding entity resources and reputation. 
• Oversees enterprise risk management, institutional risk assessments, fraud prevention, safeguarding practices, and internal control frameworks, embedding risk-informed decision-making into executive policy formulation. 
• Serves as the principal executive focal point for internal and external oversight bodies, including the Board of Auditors, the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), and the Joint Inspection Unit (JIU). 

4. Organisation transformation and performance

• Serves as the internal executive lead and operational driver for overall organisational transformation, business process optimization, and post-merger integration, leading the day-to-day operational harmonization between legacy entities (UNITAR and UNSSC) and UNICLI’s target operating model as delegated by the Executive Director. 
• Fosters inter-departmental collaboration between corporate operations and core capability-building functions to guarantee seamless service delivery across all of UNICLI’s locations and in support of UN system entities.
• Exercises high-level institutional oversight and accountability for UNICLI’s Turin Campus, providing strategic direction and guidance to the Campus Director, and ensuring the Campus serves as a flagship platform for learning, leadership development, dialogue, innovation and collaboration. Maintains high-level governance oversight across UNICLI’s global footprint - including offices in Bonn, Hiroshima, Madrid, and New York - to ensure institutional alignment, compliance, and coherent operational support. 

5. Strategic leadership of operations and management

Provides direct executive leadership, strategic direction, and performance oversight to the Chiefs of Section and functional leads across the core administrative pillars: 

• Finance and Budget: Directs long-term financial strategy, regular and extra-budgetary resource allocation, treasury, donor financial reporting, and strict compliance with UN Financial Regulations and Rules. 
• Human Resources Management: Directs strategic workforce planning, executive talent acquisition, staff development, performance management, employee relations, and initiatives on diversity, equity, inclusion, and well-being. 
• Governance, Legal, and Risk: Directs institutional legal services, host country agreements, regulatory frameworks, and risk mitigation strategies. 
• Information Technology and Digital Infrastructure: Directs corporate ICT architecture, software applications, cybersecurity, and digital workflow modernization. 
• Administration, Procurement, and Facilities: Directs strategic procurement, vendor management, physical infrastructure, safety and security, and global operational support services. 
• Oversees the performance of third-party service providers, outsourced arrangements, and UN system shared service centres, enforcing SLAs and cost efficiencies, optimizing service delivery models and administrative support functions.  
• Oversees resource planning, performance, quality assurance, and resource allocation, ensuring the effective and efficient use and compliance with applicable United Nations and UNICLI regulations, policy frameworks, ethical standards, and reinforcing a culture of transparency, accountability, and excellence in project design and delivery.

Core values

Inclusion Treat all people with respect and dignity. Value diversity and encourage contributions from all backgrounds.

Integrity Act in accordance with the values of the United Nations. Resist undue pressure and maintain high ethical standards.

Humility Demonstrate self-awareness, learn from others, and place the institutional mandate above individual credit.

Humanity Display empathy, compassion, and a genuine commitment to serving humanity and supporting colleagues.

Core behaviours

Connect and collaborate

• Build institutional partnerships and strategic networks across and beyond the UN system.
• Model and foster cross-boundary collaboration, breaking down silos and driving joint initiatives.
• Promote transparency, open dialogue, and shared knowledge across organizational boundaries.
• Leverage diverse perspectives and seek common ground to advance shared goals.

Analyse and plan

• Set clear vision and strategic direction aligned with the mandate and long-term organizational goals.
• Anticipate systemic changes, trends, and risks, translating strategic insights into operational plans.
• Prioritize and allocate resources effectively, balancing short-term demands with long-term strategic priorities.
• Establish robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to measure performance and risk mitigation.

Deliver results with positive impact

• Hold self and others accountable for high performance and delivery of strategic objectives.
• Ensure optimal use of financial, human, and material resources to maximize institutional impact.
• Drive operational excellence, consistency, and alignment with organizational mandates and standards.
• Make timely, evidence-based decisions, even in complex or high-risk situations.

Learn and develop

• Foster an organizational culture of continuous learning, professional growth, and psychological safety.
• Invest in capability development, succession planning, and talent management across teams.
• Encourage constructive feedback, self-reflection, and continuous improvement at all levels.
• Empower staff, delegate authority appropriately, and recognize individual and team contributions.

Adapt and innovate

• Communicate the need for change in compelling ways.
• Disrupt habitual approaches by encouraging critical thinking, creativity, responsiveness, innovation, flexibility, and agility.
• Provide direction and support, and foster resilience and calm in contexts of stress, uncertainty, and ambiguity.
• Encourage adaptation, experimentation, and innovation.

Education: An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in public administration, business administration, international relations, law, finance, management, or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. 

Work Experience:

• A minimum of fifteen (15) years of progressively responsible executive experience in organizational management, corporate administration, strategic planning, financial stewardship, or governance in an international organization, public sector institution, or large non-governmental entity is required. 
• A minimum of seven (7) years of senior managerial experience directly overseeing multi-disciplinary operational portfolios (including finance, human resources, legal affairs, information technology, and general administration) is required. 
• Proven track record of leading large-scale organizational change, administrative integration, or business process modernization within the UN common system or international public sector is required. 
• Demonstrated experience of executive management, strategic planning, financial administration, human resources, digital transformation, and corporate governance within the United Nations system or comparable international intergovernmental organizations is required.
• Proven ability to lead complex organizational transformations, manage multi-disciplinary operational portfolios, and make sound, risk-informed decisions under pressure is required.
• Direct experience in high level management coordination, legislative reporting, and inter-agency operational coordination is highly desirable. 

Languages: Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of another official United Nations language is highly desirable.

UNITAR is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Qualified women, individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups, and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.

English and French are the two working languages of UNITAR. Priority will be given to the applicants from the under-represented regions at UNITAR. There will be a probation period of 12 months.

UNITAR staff members are subject to the authority of the UNITAR Executive Director and their appointments are limited to service with the Institute.

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 or sexual abuse, or crimes other than minor traffic offences, 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.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. UNITAR is a non-smoking environment.

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 Staff Regulations and Rules and UNITAR administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications 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.

UNITAR DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). UNITAR DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.