Org. Setting and Reporting
This position is located within the Latin America and the Caribbean Institute for Economic and Social Planning (ILPES) of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). The Economic Affairs Officer reports to the Director of ILPES. The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean is one of the five regional Commissions of the United Nations. It was founded in 1948 with the purpose of contributing to the region's economic and social development. Its mission includes the design, monitoring and evaluation of public policies and the provision of advisory services, expertise and training to Governments, as well as support for regional and international cooperation and coordination activities. Please visit our website at www.eclac.org for further information.
Responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Director of ILPES, the Economic Affairs Officer will be responsible for the following key functions: Economic or sector analysis
Monitors economic developments in a defined area and identifies recurrent and emerging issues of concern to the United Nations.
Designs and conducts studies of selected issues in economic development and draft resulting reports.
Develops draft policy recommendations pertaining to the area of work
Formulates proposals for development strategies, policies and measures for presentation to intergovernmental bodies and others.
Attends international, regional, and national meetings to hold discussions with representatives of other institutions.
Organizes expert group meetings, seminars, etc. on development issues Technical cooperation
Designs and monitors technical cooperation projects.
Designs and undertakes in depth cooperation activities with member states.
Undertakes missions to member states, either alone or as a participant in a diverse team, as part of the Organization's technical cooperation activities.
Prepares regional, national or sectoral analyses that provide a basis for advising national and subnational Governments on development planning, public management, governance, and institutional capacity-building. Intergovernmental support
Provides substantive support on development planning, public management, governance and institutional capacity-building to intergovernmental bodies, subsidiary organs and expert bodies.
Represents the organizational unit at international, regional and national meetings, as required. General
Provides substantive support to the Director of ILPES and to the Executive Secretary of ECLAC in the preparation of institutional publications, analytical inputs, briefing notes, policy recommendations and strategic advice on governance, public management, development planning and institutional capacities for the design and implementation of public policies.
Supports junior staff and consultants, reviewing their work and providing feedback.
Participates in intra- and inter-divisional undertakings of broader concern to represent the views or interests of the organizational unit.
Undertakes on-the-job and other training activities, both internally and externally
Performs other related duties as required, including a variety of administrative tasks necessary for the final delivery of the work unit’s services.
Collects and analyses data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
Competencies
PROFESSIONALISM: Ability to apply economic theories and concepts in different sectors of economic and sustainable development. Ability to conduct independent research on economic topics, determine suitability, validity and accuracy of data provided by different sources. Ability to identify and develop sources for data collection. Ability 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.
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.
CREATIVITY: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks "outside the box"; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.
Education
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in economics or related field. A first-level university degree in combination with two years qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Job - Specific Qualification
Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable.
Work Experience
A minimum of seven
(7) years of progressively responsible professional experience in Latin America and the Caribbean in policy analysis, public management, governance, or related areas is required. Experience leading the analysis, design and implementation of public policies and development strategies in Latin America and the Caribbean is required. Experience in preparing institutional documents for international organizations and intergovernmental bodies on governance, institutional capacities and policy implementation in Latin America and the Caribbean is required.
Experience supporting the design, implementation and delivery of technical assistance for national or subnational governments in Latin America and the Caribbean on governance, institutional capacity-building or policy implementation is required. Experience in national or subnational government in Latin America and the Caribbean, in public policy formulation, inter-institutional coordination, development planning, territorial development and policy implementation, is desirable.
Experience supporting the formulation of partnerships, project proposals or resource mobilization initiatives for technical cooperation or international cooperation activities in Latin America and the Caribbean is desirable. Two
(2) 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 and Spanish are required. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).
Required Languages
Language | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking
English | UN Level III | UN Level III | UN Level III | UN Level III
Spanish | UN Level III | UN Level III | UN Level III | UN Level III
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview.
Special Notice
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 staff with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.
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.
Staff members of the United Nations Secretariat must fulfil the lateral move requirements to be eligible to apply for this vacancy. Staff members are requested to indicate all qualifying lateral moves in their Applicant Profile (AP) and cover letter.
Staff members appointed to the current position are required to submit a financial disclosure statement upon assignment or appointment and annually thereafter.
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.
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.
A staff member holding a temporary appointment who is recruited in the Professional and above categories, on a temporary appointment, and placed on a position authorized for one year or longer may not apply for or be reappointed to his/her current position within six months of the end of his/her current service.
Although there is no right or entitlement to Flexible Working Arrangements, many of our staff work flexibly in many different ways. The following types of flexibility are usually possible: staggered working hours, compressed work week, scheduled breaks for learning activities and telecommuting (maximum 80.5 Km from the duty station). Please wait until the final stage of the offer to ask more about flexibility since the agreement is voluntary between the staff members and their supervisor and will depend on the organisational needs.
For this position, applicants from the following Member States are strongly encouraged to apply: Un and Under-represented Member States as of 30 April 2026: Un-represented: Andorra, Brunei Darussalam, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Grenada, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu.
Under-represented: Afghanistan, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, China, Cuba, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Libya, Liberia, Luxembourg, Monaco, Oman, Paraguay, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Turkmenistan, United States of America.
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.