Org. Setting and Reporting

The post is located in the Regional Office for West and Central Africa (ROSEN), Division for Operations (DO), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Dakar, Senegal. The Programme Coordinator (Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants) will report to the UNODC Regional Representative for West and Central Africa. For more information on UNODC, please visit the website www.unodc.org.

Responsibilities

The primary focus of this position is to lead and coordinate UNODC’s work on trafficking in persons (TIP) and smuggling of migrants (SoM) across West and Central Africa. This includes the oversight of key regional initiatives such as project XAWX22 – Strengthening Capacities to Counter TIP and SOM in West and Central Africa, and project XAWW36 – Human Rights-Based Response to SOM (PROMIS Project), a joint UNODC-OHCHR project aimed at supporting West African states in developing a human rights-based response to migrant smuggling and addressing related human rights violations. In addition, the role involves strategic guidance and support to other UNODC projects in the region that focus on combating TIP and SOM, ensuring coherence, impact, and alignment with the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and international human rights standards. Within delegated authority, the incumbent will be responsible for the following specific duties: • Provide strategic leadership and overall coordination for the TIP/SOM portfolio in West and Central Africa, ensuring a results-based management approach in line with UNODC’s Strategic Vision for Africa 2030. • Guide, supervise and coordinate the TIP/SOM Unit in ROSEN, composed of international and national experts, consultants and administrative staff in the Regional Office and country offices. • Coordinate the development, implementation and monitoring of annual and multi-year workplans, results frameworks and resources to demonstrate efficiency, effectiveness and impact in line with UN rules and regulations. • Coordinate implementation of regional projects including the PROMIS Project and ZAW22, as well as other TIP/SOM initiatives in West and Central Africa. • Prepare UNODC’s intergovernmental engagement under the Niamey Declaration, facilitating regional cooperation mechanisms, monitoring implementation of commitments and supporting Member States to translate them into concrete policy and operation results. The incumbent will also work to expand the Niamey Declaration to additional Member States, strengthening its reach and impact across West and Central Africa. • Promote UNODC’s work within the framework of the UNTOC and its Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, and the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, positioning UNODC as the lead technical agency supporting Member States in the region. • Plan UNODC’s resource mobilization efforts to expand and sustain TiP/SoM initiatives; engage donors, prepare funding proposals, and identify cost-sharing and local financing opportunities, ensuring high-quality delivery and innovative approaches that strengthen donor confidence and long-term partnerships. • Promote evidence-based programming through coordination of research, data collection and analysis with the Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section (HTMSS) and the Research and Trend Analysis Branch (RAB); • Prepare, lead and participate in complex needs assessment and technical assistance missions, including coordination of staff and consultants during multi-country research missions; organize and participate in awareness-raising events on TiP/SoM. • Liaise with national, regional and international counterparts at strategic level to facilitate delivery of UNODC technical assistance, avoid duplication, and ensure coordination; maintain regular contact with implementing partners and donors to support smooth project implementation. • Convey UNODC’s position and mandates in technical and inter-agency meetings, conferences and fora, including the UN Regional Network on Migration and coordinate joint programming on TiP/SoM within the UN Country Teams (UNCTs). • Develop and promote innovative partnerships with the private sector and academic institutions to advance crime prevention, foster research and innovation, and support evidence-based policymaking. • Participate in the recruitment of personnel for ROSEN and its Programme Offices, ensuring appropriate staffing to support programme implementation. • Collect and analyze data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. • Perform other work-related duties as required.

Competencies

Professionalism: Has knowledge of policies and best practices related to trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants at national, regional and international level. Has good knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches relevant to strategy development, project and staff management, inter-agency cooperation and fundraising. Has solid knowledge and understanding of the mandates of UNODC and UN mandates with a focus on transnational organised crime, human trafficking and migrant smuggling. Has good analytical and problem-solving skills, including ability to identify and contribute to the solution of problems/issues; has sound judgment skills. Is 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. Has knowledge of theories, concepts and approaches relevant to drug control, crime prevention and human development issues, particularly in the West and Central Africa context. Planning and 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. Managing Performance: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; ensures 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 tasks 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. Judgement/Decision-making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on UNODC; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education

An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in international relations, political and social sciences law, economics or related field is required. A first-level university degree in similar fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job - Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible professional work experience in programme management related to trafficking in persons/smuggling of migrants or related field is required. Work experience in programme design, development and management of technical assistance programmes is required. International experience in multi-country or regional contexts is desirable. Work experience with the United Nations or similar international organization is desirable. Work experience in a United Nations field office is desirable. Work experience with developing and negotiating complex programmatic areas with national counterparts, including government, civil society and private sector is desirable. Experience in data analytics or related areas is desirable.

Languages

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise and a competency-based interview.

Special Notice

This temporary position is currently available for a period of 364 days. Actual filling of this position and actual duration of the assignment is subject to availability of funding. If the selected candidate is an internal staff member of the United Nations Secretariat, the selection may be administered as a temporary assignment. While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post. Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation. Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as "retirement." Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of 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 backgrounds 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. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. Dakar is classified in the A category (family duty station).

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. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section ‎2.2 (a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2. (c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. 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.