Librarian (Scholarly Communications), P3 (Temporary Job Opening)

Posting: 18 July 2022 - 25 July 2022

For more information and to apply:  https://careers.un.org/lbw/jobdetail.aspx?id=186499&Lang=en-US 

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Dag Hammarskjöld Library, Outreach Division, Department of Global Communications (DGC). The United Nations Dag Hammarskjöld Library connects Member State delegations, UN staff, researchers and world citizens with trusted information/data, facts and human knowledge about and for the UN. It provides a foundation for facilitation, dissemination, use, access to, engagement with, and preservation of information and knowledge in support for the work, principles and mission of the United Nations. The incumbent reports to the Unit Coordinator for Outreach and Community Engagement and to the Chief Librarian.

The position is available immediately through 31 December 2022 with the possibility of extension.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Librarian (Scholarly Communications) will be responsible for the following duties:

• Selects material for the development of collections; coordinates selections and departmental requests for materials, ensures their accordance with collection development policies.
• Evaluates publications, complex scientific and technical information that require in-depth treatment of subject matter or documents of a politically sensitive nature, including UN gray literature content, for potential inclusion into the UN Digital Library.
• Integrates and balances user and institutional needs, applying extensive experience with the management of scholarly communications, outreach and library liaison services. Maintains communication with networks in the relevant fields and with associations of library and information specialists.
• Substantially contributes to the management of the Organization’s Depository Library programme and its distributed scholarly network comprised of more than 350 entities from 135 countries, and manages and develops capacity building and diverse, specialized virtual education programmes.
• Evaluates adequacy of existing reference tools. Implements new technologies in information management to ensure that new tools developed for efficient access to information and liaison services are accessible to staff throughout the Organization.
• Advises other units and departments seeking expertise in scholarly communications management, publishing, content organization, and data, including the design and maintenance of Internet/Intranet sites.
• Conducts or substantially contributes to programs of community engagement and user education, including the maintenance of the Library’s web and social media presence, with the aim to improve client use of information resources and raise awareness of Library products and services; uses judgment of relevant institutional needs to develop presentations and data visualizations appropriate to client audience; develops diverse marketing and publicity materials to facilitate outreach. Plans and organises training for Delegates, Permanent Mission staff and headquarters staff with respect to scholarly communications practices and use of library services.
• Guides, trains and supervises general service and professional staff in the function.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Competencies

• PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of library operations and electronic data management. Ability to apply conceptual, analytical, and evaluative skills and identify issues, formulate opinions and make conclusions and recommendations. Ability to develop sources for data collection. 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.

• TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

• COMMITMENT TO CONTINUOUS LEARNING: Keeps abreast of new developments in own occupation/profession; actively seeks to develop oneself professionally and personally; contributes to the learning of colleagues and subordinates; shows willingness to learn from others; seeks feedback to learn and improve.

Education

An advanced university degree (Master’s or Doctorate degree, or equivalent) in library science, information science, or related fields is required. A first-level degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in the specified fields of studies with two additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in library work, information network administration or related area is required.

Experience in the design and implementation of knowledge networks is desirable.

Experience in scholarly publishing services is desirable.

Experience in library web presence and social media and data management or visualization project is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the positions advertised, fluency in English is required; knowledge of French is an advantage. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

• The position is available immediately through 31 December 2022 with the possibility of extension. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will 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.

• Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.

• This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.

• 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.

• Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position.

• For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat as of 31 March 2022, are strongly encouraged to apply: Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, Cabo Verde, China, Comoros, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Djibouti, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Norway, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu.

• 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.

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.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side 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.

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.

Apply online here