Deputy Director, Directorate for Education and Skills

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organisation comprised of 38 member countries that works to build better policies for better lives. Our mission is to promote policies that will improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world. Together with governments, policy makers and citizens, we work on establishing evidence-based international standards, and finding solutions to a range of social, economic and environmental challenges. From improving economic performance and creating jobs to fostering strong education and fighting international tax evasion, we provide a unique forum and knowledge hub for data and analysis, exchange of experiences, best-practice sharing, and advice on public policies and international standard-setting.

The OECD has earned a leading role on education issues in particular in international and domestic standards and policies. The Directorate for Education and Skills (EDU) leads the Organisation's work to help member and non-member countries achieve high-quality learning for all, design better skills policies, and turn them into jobs and growth. The Directorate carries this out by providing statistics, analysis and policy advice to countries on a wide range of educational topics.

We are looking for a dynamic and highly competent Deputy Director to support the Director in providing intellectual leadership and strategic direction, leveraging the comparative advantage of the Directorate for Education and Skills both within the OECD and globally. As a key member of the senior management team of the Directorate and the Organisation, the Deputy Director will be required to contribute to advancing the strategic orientations of the Secretary-General in the field of education and skills. This role ensures that they fully reflect the multidimensional nature of the OECD, delivering analysis and policy advice that promote economic growth and social progress.

The Deputy Director will work closely with the Director and other senior management team members in EDU, providing guidance and support to in coordinating and managing the Programme of Work, as well as to its Committees, Working Parties and Expert Groups. Additionally, the Deputy Director will initiate and promote horizontal work, contribute to corporate initiatives, and foster co‑ordination and joint activities with other areas of the Organisation.

The ideal candidate will have excellent and proven public policy skills. They will thrive in a multidisciplinary and multicultural work environment, demonstrate innovative strategic thinking, and possess strong analytical skills. The candidate should have a track record of managing a complex programme of work and budget, and of motivating and leading a highly-qualified international team within a rapidly evolving policy environment.

Main Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Support the advancement of the strategic orientations of the Secretary-General, in particular as they relate to education and skills. Identify new strategic priorities, develop high-impact policy advice, and assist the Director in providing leadership to the Directorate’s work.
• Identify emerging opportunities and challenges, and support the Directorate and its staff to initiate, incubate and develop high-impact work, building ownership among the OECD membership. Actively develop and execute a funding strategy to support project teams in mobilising the required financial resources.
• Lead activities and advance collaboration within EDU, with other parts of the Organisation and with other Organisations in order to enhance the OECD’s position as a leading player in comparative educational and skills policy analysis.
• Contribute to the development of medium and long-term strategies in education and skills, and develop ways in which the Directorate can assist member countries and non-member economies to respond to such challenges.
• Work with the Director on the planning, orientation, oversight and control of the Directorate’s activities, advising on issues of substance and management.
• Ensure the global impact of the OECD’s education and skills work, including through increased engagement with key partners, in line with the global relations strategy of the OECD.
• Contribute to flagship corporate initiatives and horizontal projects of the Organisation.
• Contribute to the work of the Committees overseeing OECD’s work in education (including the Education Policy Committee, the CERI, PIAAC, PISA and TALIS Governing Boards) and promote dialogue, synergies, consensus-building, and productive exchanges between the Committees, policy-makers, the private sector, civil society organisations, and youth representatives.

Representation and Liaison

• Promote co-ordination and collaboration with the Secretary-General’s Office and other Directorates, ensuring effective relations with the Council’s Standing Committees, working parties, expert groups, and permanent delegations.
• Represent the OECD at high-level meetings and conferences involving senior policy makers and representatives of business, labour, academia, NGOs, and the media. Lead high-level missions to OECD and non-OECD economies.
• Establish and maintain high-level close contacts with national authorities, the private sector, academia, research institutes, and the media.
• Act on behalf of the Director in his absence.

Management and Co-ordination

• Contribute actively as a member of the senior management team of the Directorate and the OECD. Maintain high standards of human resources and financial management, ensuring the delivery of relevant, rigorous and timely information, analysis and advice.
• Adhere to and promote the highest professional standards and the ethical principles of the OECD's Code of Conduct in all internal and external matters. Ensure a caring environment where managers promote, respect and support staff in developing their full potential.
• Lead the development of talent in EDU as well as the effective use and allocation of talent across projects and divisions. Motivate and recruit professional staff to ensure the delivery and communication of high-quality products within set deadlines. Promote effective working methods, a positive working atmosphere, and good communication.
• Mobilise and secure voluntary funding from a variety of sources to support all the main policy areas of the Directorate’s work.
• Co-ordinate inter-directorate projects and foster collaboration and joint work with other parts of the OECD in which the Directorate is involved, particularly in horizontal projects of strategic priority.
• Contribute to corporate management reforms and initiatives.

Ideal Candidate Profile

Academic Background:

• An advanced university degree in education, economics, statistics or another relevant discipline.

Professional Background:

• Extensive senior-level management experience, gained in a national administration, research institute, or international organisation or the private sector. Proven leadership on education and skills policy issues and ability to deliver policy advice to senior policy-makers.
• Very good knowledge of current national and international policy challenges in OECD countries is required. Knowledge and experience of policy issues in emerging economies will be an asset.
• A proven record of conducting relations at senior level and within a political decision-making environment.

Languages:

• Excellent communication and presentation skills and the ability to interact confidently with various audiences, including the media.
• Excellent written and oral command of, and ability to draft policy, analytical and technical papers in at least one of the OECD's two official languages (English and French), and working knowledge of, or willingness to learn, the other. Other languages are an asset to engage with the global reach of the Directorate.

Core Competencies

• Staff in Executive Leadership are expected to demonstrate behaviours aligned to six core competencies which will be assessed as part of this hiring processes at level 3: Vision and Strategy; Enable People; Ethics and Integrity; Collaboration and Horizontality; Achieve Results; Innovate and Embrace Change.
• To learn more about the definitions for each competency for levels 1-3, please refer to OECD Core Competencies.

Contract Duration

• 3-year fixed term appointment, with the possibility of renewal.

What the OECD offers

Monthly base salary starting from 13,645.46 EUR, plus allowances based on eligibility, exempt of French income tax. Click here to learn more about what we offer and why the OECD is a great place to work. Click here to browse our People Management Guidebook and learn more about all aspects relating to people at the OECD, our workplace environment and many other policies supporting staff in their daily life.

Selection Process

Please note that this position will be closed on 19 August 2024 at 23h59 (CEST).

All applications are screened based on the criteria for the position. For candidates who are screened-in, written tests and/or video-recorded interviews are foreseen between September and October 2024, and panel interviews are tentatively planned for end October 2024. A leadership assessment will also be requested for candidates in the final selection stage.

The OECD is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes the applications of all qualified candidates [who are nationals of OECD member countries], irrespective of their racial or ethnic origin, opinions or beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, health or disabilities.

The OECD promotes an optimal use of resources in order to improve its efficiency and effectiveness. Staff members are encouraged to actively contribute to this goal.