OFFICE(15)/18 
15-1073 
 
 
The recruitment policy of the WTO is to seek to attract and retain staff members 
offering the highest standards of competence, efficiency and integrity. 
As an Equal Opportunities Employer, the WTO gives full regard to merit and diversity. 
______________________________________________________________________ 
 
Vacancy Notice No.:  EXT/F/15-8 Issued on:  23 February 2015 
 
Title:  Director Application Deadline (CET):  23 March 2015 
 
Grade:  11 
 Division:  Administration and General Services 
(20) 
Contract Type:  Fixed-term 
 
Starting Salary:  CHF 188,793 net per annum  
(approximate)  Duration:  Two years with the possibility of 
extension 
 
Other Conditions: In accordance with WTO Staff Regulations and Staff Rules and WTO Pension Plan 
Regulations. The World Trade Organization offers an attractive compensation package 
including an annual net salary (subject to mandatory deductions for pension 
contributions and health insurance), dependency benefits, pension plan, health insurance scheme, separation grant, and 30 days annual leave. Benefits for 
internationally recruited staff may include travel and removal expenses on 
appointment and separation, installation grant, education grant, rental subsidy, and home leave. 
Additional information on the compen sation package is provided on the 
WTO website: http://www.wto.org/english/thewto _e/vacan_e/comp_p ackage_e.pdf.  
 
 
The Secretariat of the WTO is seeking to fill th e position of Director in the Administrative 
and General Services Division (AGSD).  
 
 General Functions  
 
The Administrative and General Services Division (AGSD) is composed of the financial management, procurement, security and safety, facilities management and conference and visitor services.  Reporting to a Deputy Director-General (DDG), the Director is responsible for devising 
the administrative and resource management po licies of the Organization, overseeing their 
implementation and advising senior management. The individual must be a strong leader, able to manage a diverse portfolio. 
 
An enthusiasm for challenges on resource management in the context of significant budgetary constraints will be essential.   
 
The Director will be expected to deliver on the following:   1. Manage the overall financial, procurement, security, facilities and conference services 
operations of the WTO, including services provided by external vendors. 
 2. Develop and implement the Division's strategy  and policies. Plan the use of divisional and 
organizational-wide resources and budgets to achieve the required service outputs. 
 3. Direct the work of the Division ensuring  integration and consistency among the various 
disciplines. 
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  4. Lead and motivate the Division, providing guidance to staff in carrying out their 
responsibilities. Set out the accountabilities and objectives for his/her direct reports, assess their 
performance and implement any changes required . Build the Divisional team, developing the 
potential of the team members, ensuring they are trained as required and providing leadership by 
setting standards and being a good example himself/herself. 
 
5.  Work to improve financial, procurement, security, facilities and conference services 
processes and policies. Contribute to long-term organizational planning, coordinating closely with 
the Director of Human Resources. Review operational policies to ensure that they reflect current 
good practice and support changing organizational and staff needs. Ensure continuous improvement in service provision so as to maxi mize efficiency and value for money. Identify 
opportunities to streamline services, including through the use of IT. 
 
6. Act as Secretary of the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration with responsibility for organizing meetings, preparing and presenti ng documentation and providing authoritative 
advice to senior management and to the Committee. 
 7. Monitor the adequacy of resources for (i) regular budget (assessed contributions from 
Members and Observers), and (ii) extra-budgetary fund activities (primarily voluntary 
contributions from donors) to ensure that implementation proceeds in a timely manner.  8. Ensure the Organization performs within bu dget and achieves year-on-year efficiency gains 
to bring administrative service costs in line with  benchmarks in other international organizations. 
 9. Provide information, support and advice to the Director-General, DDGs and Directors as 
required. 
 10. Promote/represent the WTO externally e.g. at international organizations' management 
networks, etc. 
  REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS 
 
Education:  
Advanced university degree with specializations in finance and accounting. 
 Knowledge and Skills: 
 
We are looking for a well-balanced, pleasant personality, mature, stable and with a good set of values; someone who earns respect through their competence.   
The AGSD Director must have the skills to guide, empower and motivate a team of about 70 staff 
members to excel in their jobs. He/she must have the ability to understand the needs of the Divisions and senior management, as we ll as the needs of the WTO Members. 
 
The successful candidate must be able to accept and manage conflict. He/she must be clear and confident in presenting comprehensive explanatio ns when making unpopular decisions. He/she 
must be able to accommodate opposing views and have the skill to win people over to new ideas 
and approaches. He/she must be a proactive communicator, a results-oriented and patient service provider, with strong commitment to discretion and integrity.  
The AGSD Director must have good analytical skills, able to develop a strategic vision for the 
financial management of the organization and for the services provided by the division, recognize 
competing interests, and be able to present sound solutions in a convincing manner. He/she must 
have good presentation skills for communication inside WTO and with WTO Members, other 
international organizations and various stakeholders.  
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Work Experience: 
 
At least fifteen years' of relevant professional experience, including several years of senior level 
experience in a comparable organization (international organization, public sector or non-profit 
organization, or equivalent). Proven experience in the financial management of an organization. 
 In-depth knowledge of several areas of financial management principles and practices, including 
strong knowledge of IPSAS (International Pub lic Sector Accounting Standards) standards, 
budgeting, accounting and financial risk management.  Languages: 
 
Proficiency in English; understanding and speaking in French. Knowledge of Spanish is an asset.  
Additional Information: 
 Only applications from nationals of WTO Members will be accepted. 
______________________________________________________________________ 
APPLICANTS MAY BE REQUIRED TO SIT A WRITTEN EXAMINATION 
______________________________________________________________________ 
APPLICANTS WILL BE CONTACTED DIRECTLY IF SELECTED FOR AN INTERVIEW 
______________________________________________________________________ 
Online applications are strongly encouraged to enable the WTO to store 
your profile in a permanent database. 
 
Please visit the WTO' s E-Recruitment website at: www.wto.org. 
The system provides instructions for online application procedures. 
 
All applicants are encouraged to apply online as soon as possible after the vacancy has 
been posted and well before the closing date – Central European Time (CET) –  
stated in the vacancy announcement. 
 
PLEASE NOTE THAT APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER THE 
CLOSING DATE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED 
 
The WTO is a non-smoking environment.