Civil Aviation Management Expert/Project Coordinator

The Organizational Setting

Under the ICAO Capacity Development and Implementation Directorate (CDI), the Operations Section (FOS) is responsible for the strategic planning, development, execution, and evaluation of projects. FOS supports the identification of priority development needs in the civil aviation sector and offers technical cooperation to recipient States. FOS executes projects in accordance with ICAO/CDI policies and contractual modalities.

ICAO/CDI is supporting the Government of the Republic of Armenia in the institutional reform of the Civil Aviation Committee (CAC), as established in Project Document ARM24802. This project is implemented under the Management Service Agreement (MSA) signed between ICAO and the Government of Armenia on 8 March 2024.

Within this framework, the project provides structured technical assistance to transform the current CAC from a government department operating within civil service constraints into an autonomous, technically competent, and financially sustainable authority fully capable of fulfilling its safety oversight mandate in accordance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs).

In addition, this project aims to support the necessary institutional reforms to increase effectiveness, sustainability, and independence of the AASIID.

TECHNIAL CONTEXT

Armenia's civil aviation sector is currently regulated by the Civil Aviation Committee (CAC), a government body operating within the State civil service framework. The CAC faces structural challenges that constrain its effectiveness as a safety oversight body: it operates under civil service HR frameworks that limit its ability to attract and retain qualified technical specialists; it is dependent on the state budget with limited cost-recovery mechanisms; and its primary legislation and regulatory framework require updating to align with applicable ICAO SARPs.

ICAO's Universal Safety Oversight Audit Program (USOAP) findings have identified gaps in Armenia's safety oversight capabilities that can only be sustainably resolved through fundamental institutional reform. The Government of Armenia, in cooperation with ICAO, has committed to transforming the CAC into an autonomous CAC capable of fulfilling its safety oversight mandate on a sustainable basis and to increase effectiveness, sustainability, and independence of the AASIID.

Project ARM24802 supports this transformation through three integrated reform pillars: (i) Institutional and Legislative Reform — establishing the legal, regulatory, and governance framework for an autonomous CAC and independent AASIID; (ii) Organizational, Administrative and Functional Review — restructuring the institution's organization, processes, and manuals; and (iii) Sustainable Financing and Human Resources Framework — establishing cost-recovery mechanisms and a competitive HR framework to attract and retain qualified staff.

Major duties and Responsibilities

In general terms, the activities contemplated in Project ARM24802 in which all team members will contribute include the following:

• Diagnostic Phase: Assessment of the current CAC's and AASIID’s legal, institutional, organizational, financial, and HR frameworks; review of USOAP findings and national legislative context.

• Reform Design Phase: Development of reform recommendations, legislative drafts, organizational models, financial frameworks, and HR policies aligned with ICAO SARPs, related guidance and best practices. as applicable.

• Implementation Support Phase: Technical assistance to CAC and AASIID in implementing approved reforms, including staff capacity building and stakeholder engagement.

Function 1 (incl. Expected results)

• Lead and coordinate the work of the expert team, ensuring coherent and timely delivery across all three reform pillars and all project objectives.

• Oversee all project activities and deliverables in close coordination with the ICAO CDI and ICAO EUR/NAT Responsible Officers and the National Project Coordinator.

• Conduct a senior-level diagnostic assessment of the current CAC as an institution, covering governance, management, accountability, and operational performance.

• Develop the overall CAC reform design, including governance model, management structure, board or advisory committee arrangements, accountability mechanisms, and transition strategy.

• Advise on CAC operational management models: strategic planning, performance management, regulatory decision-making, and reporting frameworks.

• Lead high-level stakeholder engagement with the Ministry, current CAC and AASIID senior leadership, other Government entities, as applicable.

• Develop the CAC Transition Strategy and Implementation Roadmap, integrating legal, financial, organizational, and HR reform components.

• Ensure quality and coherence across all project deliverables, reviewing and integrating contributions from all five experts.

Function 2 (incl. Expected results)

• Coordinate the duties of all experts as a Project Coordinator to achieve the project objectives to the best of their ability.

• When necessary, contribute to the review and harmonization of sections developed by other members of the expert team.

• Compile the necessary documentation to carry out the work.

• Prepare meetings and field visits appropriately, including preparing lists of stakeholders to be consulted, questionnaires, and corresponding visit and meeting reports.

• Participate in coordination meetings organized by the ICAO CDI and EUR/NAT Responsible Officers and the National Project Coordinator.

• Ensure that ICAO's safety, security, and sustainability considerations applicable to the various work areas are incorporated into all deliverables.

• Prepare and coordinate with other experts the development of a detailed work plan with delivery dates and responsibilities for each team member.

• Prepare and coordinate with other experts monthly project monitoring reports submitted to the ICAO CDI and ICAO EUR/NAT Responsible Officers and the National Project Coordinator.

• Contribute to the review and integration of all reports and documents into final deliverables.

• Prepare presentations for project progress briefings to the Government of Armenia, ICAO, and other stakeholders.

Function 3 (incl. Expected results)

• Lead and coordinate the expert team; chair coordination meetings, manage deliverable timelines, and resolve interdependencies across reform workstreams.

• Conduct a senior diagnostic review of current CAC institutional governance, management capacity, and performance; produce a Diagnostic Assessment Report.

• Develop the overarching CAC Reform Blueprint, covering governance model, management structure, accountability framework, and institutional design.

• Advise on CAC operational management best practices: strategic planning, performance management, reporting, and regulatory decision-making processes.

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Lead high-level stakeholder engagement with government officials, current CAC leadership, Parliament, and international partners.

• Develop the CAC Transition Strategy and Implementation Roadmap, integrating outputs from all five experts into a coherent reform plan.

• Prepare and deliver senior briefings and presentations to the Government of Armenia, ICAO, and other stakeholders.

• Ensure quality review and integration of all project deliverables; prepare the Project Completion Report.

Function 4 (incl. Expected results)

Performs other related duties, as assigned.

Impact of The Outcome of the Position

The general objective of the work to be carried out by each Expert is to contribute, as part of the team and under the direction of the CAC Management Expert/Project Coordinator (Expert 4), to the institutional transformation of the current CAC into a structurally autonomous, technically capable, and financially sustainable authority and strengthening the effectiveness, sustainability, and independence of the AASIID, in accordance with the objectives of Project ARM24802.

COMPETENCIES

Professionalism: 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.

Judgement/Decision-making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines that the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.

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 the audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

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.

Qualifications and Experience

Education

• University degree in Aeronautical Engineering, Aviation Management, Law, Economics, or Business Administration. An advanced degree (Master's or PhD) in aviation, public administration, or management is highly desirable.

Professional experience

• Minimum 20 years of progressively responsible experience in civil aviation, including at least 10 years in senior leadership or management positions within a civil aviation authority or international aviation body.

• Demonstrated experience leading, managing, or directly advising on the creation, transformation, or institutional reform of a civil aviation authority.

• Extensive experience in aviation safety oversight governance, institutional management, and regulatory administration.

• Experience leading international expert teams in technical cooperation or institutional reform projects.

• Deep knowledge of ICAO SARPs, ICAO Doc 9734 (Safety Oversight Audit Manual), and CAC governance frameworks.

• Experience with USOAP audit processes, corrective action plan development, and safety oversight capacity building.

• Experience working in CIS/Eastern European or comparable aviation regulatory contexts is highly desirable.

Languages

Strong command of written and spoken English. Knowledge of Russian is highly desirable given the working context in Armenia.

Conditions of Employment

It should be noted that this is a position intended for experts interested in consultancy contracts. (short and long term)

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

ICAO CDI consultants are expected to conduct themselves in a manner befitting their status as international civil servants.

ICAO CDI offers an attractive benefit package to its consultants in accordance with the policies of the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC).

Remuneration

Special Service Agreement (SSA) Daily fee of 550 USD per day worked plus DSA and airfare when on mission.

No FeeTHE 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.