ITC Junior Professional Officer (JPO) Chiffre Nr. 2026-2-39 - Junior Professional Officer

JOB DESCRIPTION
Junior Professional Officer (JPO) Chiffre Nr. 2026-2-39
Job Title: Junior Professional Officer
Division / Section: Office of the Executive Director (OED), Strategic Planning, Performance and Governance (SPPG)
Duty station: Geneva, Switzerland
Duration: 2 years with possibility of extension for another year. The extension of
appointment is subject to yearly review concerning priorities, availability of funds, and satisfactory performance.
Please note that for participants of the JPO-Programme two years work experience are mandatory! Relevant work experience can be counted. In order to assess the eligibility of the candidates, we review the relevant experience acquired after obtaining the first university degree (usually bachelor’s degree).
ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT AND ORGANISATIONAL SETTING
The International Trade Centre (ITC) assists developing and transition economy countries to take advantage of expanding trade opportunities in an increasingly complex global environment. ITC supports Trade Impact for Good, promoting sustainable and inclusive development goals through trade.
The Office of the Executive Director (OED) spearheads the development of ITC, including key management functions such as planning and performance management, external relations, evaluation and communication.
Within OED, the Strategic Planning, Performance and Governance Section (SPPG) supports ITC’s Senior Management and staff in results-based management: It is responsible for corporate planning, reporting and risk management; for coordinating a corporate approach to fundraising and partnerships and for providing secretariat functions to ITC’s governing
bodies. The section also houses ITC’s Independent Evaluation Unit that contributes to results-based management through independent evaluations of policies, projects, programmes and processes, ITC's representation office at the UN in New York that contributes to ITC's positioning and outreach, ITC’s Project Development Taskforce, the External Relations Unit and the ITC Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Unit.
The goal of this JPO job function is to contribute to the work of the Planning and Performance team (PPT). PPT is tasked with the development and operationalization of ITC’s Strategic plans, corporate monitoring, planning, risk management and reporting. It supports Senior Management with regular and ad hoc plans, reports, analyses and briefings;
supports project developers and managers across ITC on matters related to results-based management and risk management, and produces plans and reports for external stakeholders such as the UN and WTO inter-governmental bodies, ITC’s Joint Advisory group and the Consultative Committee of the ITC Trust Fund. All these tasks require close collaboration with Senior Management and all other sections of ITC.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Under the overall guidance of the Chief, Strategic Planning, Performance and Governance
Section, and direct supervision of the Senior Officer, Planning and Performance, the Junior
Professional Officer will:
• Support operationalization of ITC’s Strategic plan 2026-30, including development of annual Programme Plans for the UN and WTO, including through elaboration of elements, such as key performance indicators, milestones and targets, of annual Operational plans, in interaction with Senior Management and all Divisions.
• Participate in enterprise risk management, including by assisting in regular risk-assessment sessions with Senior management; performing in-depth analyses for selected risks, as well as providing risk management advisory services for ITC projects, and participating in events of Risk working groups that advance the maturity of ITC’s risk management framework.
• Assist in developing and enhancing corporate monitoring and learning systems, procedures and tools related to ITC’s result-based management.
• Prepare performance reports to internal and external stakeholders; and support the dissemination of information through meetings, reports, and other communication channels.
• Participate in compliance reviews and reports, in relation to corporate or UN system-wide requirements, audit recommendations, UN INFO country monitoring, or mandated frameworks such as UN 2.0, UN SWAP 3.0, UN Youth 2030, or UN DIS Strategy.
REQUIRED COMPETENCIES AND KNOWLEDGE
ITC’S VALUES are: Inclusion, Integrity, Humanity and Humility.
ITC’S CORE COMPETENCIES are: Communication, Teamwork, Planning & Organizing, Accountability, Creativity, Client Orientation, Commitment to continuous learning,
Technological awareness.
CRITICAL JOB-SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES
Professionalism: Knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches relevant to corporate strategy and results-based management. Ability to identify and analyse issues, and to participate in their resolution. Skills to conduct independent research, using diverse research methods, AI and other tools. Ability to provide pertinent analyses and to visualize results. Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, plan own work and manage conflicting priorities. 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.
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.
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.
Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.
Mandatory knowledge and skills
• Demonstrated, advanced quantitative and qualitative research and analysis skills, with advanced computer literacy.
Desirable knowledge and skills
• Understanding of the international development cooperation system.
• Understanding of trade-related development issues.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education
Master’s degree in public or business administration, finance/accounting, data science, risk management, evaluation, economics, social sciences or a related field.
Experience
A minimum of two years of relevant work experience. Work experience at the international level and/or with a role in results-based management, risk management, management advisory services or data analysis is an asset.
Languages
Advanced knowledge of English required.
Working knowledge of French or Spanish is desirable.
Knowledge of other UN languages would be an asset.
LEARNING ELEMENT
The JPO will be exposed to the structures and systems of the UN, the management challenges in an international organization and directly involved in the full range of activities related to corporate strategic planning, monitoring, reporting and risk management.
Through the assignment, the Junior Professional Officer will:
• Gain hands-on experience in corporate management processes such as results-based management, programming, strategic planning, implementation and performance measurement.
• Obtain a solid understanding of inter-governmental processes, related to UN and WTO programme planning, budget preparations and reporting, participating in related meetings and workshops, with exposure to UN partners and member states.
• Improve their business analysis, programme analysis and risk management skills.
• Increase their experience in communicating and presenting findings and advocating for changes.
• Be exposed to ITC’s programmatic work, through continuous interaction with ITC’s project and country teams on RBM related matters, through contributions to management briefings and through meetings with external stakeholders including ITC funders. Learn about corporate compliance and business processes, by collaborating with enabling sections of ITC, within the Division of Programme support (e.g., the Information Technology Section and its Data Management Unit), and the Office of the Executive Director (e.g., the Communications and Events Section and its Publications Team, or the Executive Office / Cabinet), as well as by gaining insight about ITC’s relations with JIU, OIOS and the UN Board of Auditors.
On completion of the assignment, the Junior Professional Officer is expected to:
• Have mastered the results-based management and risk management principles in an international organization, including strategy planning and operationalization.
• Have become proficient in providing relevant management recommendations, through producing different types of analytical products and communicating the results through different channels.
• Have knowledge about ITC’s, the UN’s and WTO’s inter-governmental processes, along with the timelines, requirements and outcomes of such processes.
• Have learned about the project management and corporate planning and reporting requirements of programmes in international trade and development space.
• Have awareness of the elements of corporate compliance requirements in the UN Development System.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The JPO will report directly to the Senior Officer in the Planning and Performance team, which is part of the Strategic Planning, Performance and Governance Section (SPPG) within the Office of the Executive Director (OED).
Interaction with other sections/clients: The position will imply interaction with all Sections in ITC, as well as external parties. Within SPPG, there will be close teamwork with the External Relations team, the Independent Evaluation Unit, Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Unit, the Project Development Taskforce, and ITC’s NY Office and ITC office in Nairobi, Kenya.
Projects/Countries /Events: The position implies work on all types of ITC activities and
projects.
CONTRIBUTION TO GLOBAL GOALS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (SDGs)
This JPO post contributes to all SDGs.
The main focus of this JPO post is Goal 17: partnerships for the goals.
ITC contributes to inclusive and sustainable development through increasing the international competitiveness of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and developing trade. The 2030 Agenda explicitly identifies international trade as ‘an engine for inclusive economic growth, job creation and poverty reduction’, and as ‘contributing to the promotion of sustainable development.’ ITC’s planning and performance functions are core corporate functions that holistically support ITC’s SDG agenda, organizational mandate, goals and key
deliverables through the full integration of the SDGs in ITC’s planning and reporting.
Since trade and business development are not stand-alone SDGs, parties external to the field of international trade and SME competitiveness are often not aware of trade and SME competitiveness’ important contribution to the achievement of the SDGs. Results based management and performance reporting make a vital contribution to raising awareness in this regard.
For more information: http://www.intracen.org/itc/goals/Global-Goals-for-Sustainable-Development/
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