The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) is hiring a Special Assistant to the Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs at the P-5 level in New York. It is a temporary opportunity supporting the head of DESA on policy, strategy and intergovernmental coordination, and the application deadline is 1 September 2026.
Where This Role Sits
The position is located in the Office of the Under-Secretary-General (OUSG), Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). The incumbent reports, through the Chief of Office, to the Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs.
🏛️ The Office of the Under-Secretary-General provides support and advice to the Under-Secretary-General and, as appropriate, to the Assistant Secretaries-General on the planning, coordination, management and assessment of the programme of work of DESA.
What You Would Do
🧭 Prepare policy notes and strategic proposals aimed at devising departmental positions on major development issues, across social, economic and sustainable development, with particular emphasis on international cooperation.
📌 Advise the Under-Secretary-General on programme and policy issues under the Department's purview, and monitor new or emerging development issues of concern to the UN intergovernmental processes in social, economic and sustainable development.
✉️ Oversee the flow of correspondence addressed to and originating from the Under-Secretary-General.
🤝 Ensure effective preparation, support and follow-up for the Under-Secretary-General's meetings with senior representatives of Member States, senior UN system officials and civil society, coordinating with Directors and senior staff across DESA divisions and other offices of the UN Secretariat.
🗣️ Assist the Under-Secretary-General in coordinating substantive preparations for the relevant discussions of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council, and for the support of ECOSOC functional commissions, committees and expert bodies and other major activities requiring the Head of Department's leadership.
🔗 Serve as DESA's key liaison with officials at all levels inside and outside the Organization, liaise on behalf of the Under-Secretary-General with delegations to intergovernmental bodies, and build collaborative partnerships, while being an active member of the OUSG team.
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Who Can Apply
🎓 An advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in social development, economics, political science, public administration, communications, international relations or a related field is required. A first-level university degree with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu.
📅 A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in international relations, socioeconomic research and analysis, policy formulation, application of socioeconomic principles in development programmes or related areas is required.
🌍 Experience in economic, social and sustainable development at the international and national level is required, as is experience supporting senior officials in an intergovernmental or diplomatic setting.
Language
🗣️ For this job opening, English is required (UN Level III across all skills).
How Candidates Are Assessed
🧪 Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise, which may be followed by a competency-based interview.
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Good to Know Before You Apply
⌛ This position is temporarily available from 9 October 2026 until 31 August 2027, with the possibility of extension. If the selected candidate is a UN Secretariat staff member, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment, and it has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post.
🎯 Subject to the funding source, eligibility may be limited to candidates based at the duty station, and the opening may be limited to internal candidates recruited through a competitive examination or staff selection process.
⚖️ The UN Secretariat is committed to 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity, and female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
🚫 The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.
Deadline
⏳ 01 September 2026
Link
🔗 https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/283071?language=en
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