Senior Professionals (SPs) General Information and requirements for all SP positions

Date of issue: 18 February 2026

Deadline for nominations: 31 May 2026

Recruitment information: Appointments are subject to funding by the Member State for a period of one year with the possibility of a yearly extension up to a total of three years, subject to requirements and satisfactory performance. All SPO positions are subject and limited to funding by the nominating Member State. IMO does not guarantee employment beyond the SPO appointment period.

Required competencies: The successful candidate will have:

Knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches in the required field of expertise.
Conceptual analytical and evaluative skills and proven ability to conduct research and analysis.
Demonstrated professional competence and mastery in the relevant specialized field.
Ability to develop clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; foresee risks and allow for contingencies when planning.
Organizational and time management skills and a high degree of initiative together with the ability to work under pressure and manage conflicting priorities and high volumes of work.
Integrity, discretion, accuracy and meticulous attention to detail.
Proven ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with internal and external stakeholders, at all levels including in an international, cross-cultural context.

Professional experience: Minimum seven years high-level expertise required in a relevant discipline, as described on the requirements for this role.

Academic qualifications: Advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) required in a relevant discipline, based on the requirements for this role.

Language skills: Proficiency in (English written and oral) is required; knowledge of other official languages of the Organization will be an advantage.

Other skills: Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications in particular Word, Excel and PowerPoint is required. Ability to summarize relevant issues, draft concise briefs and analyse data is essential.

How to apply: Since this is a position financed by a nominating Member State, only nominations submitted directly by the sponsoring Member State will be accepted. Nominations must include (1) an official communication from the sponsoring Member State, (2) a cover letter from the candidate stating the reasons for applying and relevant experience, and (3) an up to date Personal History Form (available under 'Careers at IMO' on our website www.imo.org). Nominations from Member States must be submitted to the following email address: rsd@imo.org.

Please quote the relevant SPO position number in the subject line.

Kindly do not send nominations via multiple routes.

* * *IMO encourages the nominations of qualified women from Member States. IMO will make every effort to facilitate the employment of persons with disabilities

Office of the Secretary-General

Senior Professional Officer

Position number: SPO 26-01

Admin number: ADMIN/26/10

Specific professional experience

Minimum of seven years of professional experience working in the UN system, on global governance, multilateral diplomacy, or maritime policy and regulation.

Academic subjects

Advanced university degree (minimum masters) in political science, international relations or law, public administration, or a related field.

Main duties and responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Executive Officer, the Senior Professional Officer (SPO) will contribute to the successful implementation of activities led by the Executive Office of the Secretary General. The incumbent will provide strategic coordination, analytical support, project oversight, and quality assurance functions to strengthen governance implementation, organizational performance, and institutional coherence.

1. Governance, Intergovernmental Support, and Strategy

Assist EOSG in advancing IMO’s strategic engagement with Member States and governing bodies (coordination, documentation preparation, speechwriting).
Support the preparation and coordination of IMO governing body sessions (Council, Assembly, and Committees), as needed.
Maintain implementation-tracking and accountability mechanisms to support senior leadership oversight of governing body decision implementation.
Coordinate internal review processes for IMO governing body related documentation to ensure consistency, quality, and timely submission.
Prepare briefs and background documents on emerging issues affecting organizational effectiveness and delivery of the Strategic Plan.
Support development of performance dashboards as well as follow-up summaries and tracking on action items across the Secretariat arising from SMC, Assembly, Council, Working Groups, HLCP follow‑up, and cross‑divisional groups for senior leadership.
Support preparation of strategic planning inputs and performance reporting to IMO’s governing bodies
Provide analytical support.

2. Strategic Partnerships and External Engagement

Support the planning and delivery of high-level engagements, including briefings, retreats, and bilateral or multilateral dialogues.
Prepare analytical materials for senior management participation in UN system meetings, identifying opportunities for organizational positioning.
Support internal consultations to prepare strategic messages, ensuring consistency with organizational priorities and cross-divisional inputs.
Monitor follow-up actions arising from strategic engagements and maintain tracking tools.

3. Regulatory effectiveness in International Shipping

Support activities related to the theme of the International Maritime Day.
Coordinate cross-divisional contributions to thematic initiatives and SG-led messages.
Conduct targeted reviews to identify how strategic regulatory themes link with the Strategic Plan and organizational priorities.
Assist in synthesizing technical inputs into strategic-level documentation.

4. Organizational Performance, Strategic Projects, and Reform Coordination

Support the coordination of strategic EOSG-led strategic projects, or other cross-divisional initiatives, ensuring structured project management, KPIs, milestones, and risk analysis.
Develop structured monitoring tools, timelines, and reporting mechanisms for projects under EOSG oversight.
Analyze Secretariat performance across Strategic Plan related activities (performance indicators, outputs, business plan, risk management) producing insights and options for senior leadership.
Drive internal process improvement and digitalization initiatives within EOSG, aligned with organizational and UN reform priorities.
Support development and implementation of internal standards, templates, and quality-assurance practices for EOSG-led documentation.

5. Gender equality, diversity and institutional culture

Support the EOSG in promoting/facilitating gender equality in the IMO secretariat.
Support the coordination of gender equality initiatives, ensuring alignment with UN system expectations and internal commitments.
Support the coordination of relevant cross-divisional working groups (gender, diversity, inclusion, internal communication) and produce action plans and monitoring reports.
Draft analytical inputs on gender and diversity for leadership briefings, strategic planning processes, and organization-wide and UN system reporting.
Support alignment of EOSG initiatives with UN system gender equality frameworks and standards.

Informasjon til søkere

Norec vil informere om at utlysningsteksten her på Jobbnorge.no er endret per 13.03.26 kl. 16.30 for at ordlyden skal stemme fullstendig overens med den annonsen som IMO har lyst ut på sine hjemmesider. Teksten slik den lå publisert inntil dette tidspunktet vil ikke være førende for rekrutteringsprosessen, da det er annonsen som IMO har lyst ut som vil rekrutteres etter for denne stillingen. Da stillingsannonsen er endret, er fristen utvidet fra 16. mars til 23. mars for at alle potensielle kandidater skal få tid til å søke på stillingen slik denne er utformet hos IMO.

Vi oppmerksom på at norske kandidater skal søke via knappen Søk stillingen i denne annonsen, da det er Norec som vil fremme norske kandidater til IMO. Vi vil be kandidater som er aktuelle for videre prosess om å fylle inn Personal History form. Da annonseteksten nå er identisk med IMOs utlysning er framgangsmåten for søkere også kopiert inn, og vi velger derfor å presisere at søknader skal sendes inn via denne annonsen.

Behandling av personopplysninger ved søknader til International Maritime Organization

Når du søker på stillingen i IMO gjennom Norec, må vi sende videre informasjon om deg til HR-avdelingen i IMO. Ved å søke på stillingene samtykker du dermed til at vi kan levere dine personopplysninger, inkludert CV og vitnemål til IMO. Informasjonen blir kryptert med passord før disse blir sendt fra Norec for å ivareta sikkerheten for personopplysningene dine.

Har du spørsmål til hvordan dine personopplysninger blir ivaretatt kan du kontakte oss på fn_stillinger@norec.no

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