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IGNITE – Foundations of Leadership and Management (Edition 2-afternoon)
Ignite (Track I) is the first foundational track of the Roots to Results: The UN Leadership and Management Pathway, a system-wide initiative led by the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) in close collaboration with the UN Secretariat and other UN entities. Developed to meet the evolving leadership challenges across the UN System, the Pathway offers a structured, modular journey through three tracks: Ignite, Elevate, and Inspire, each aligned with different stages of leadership responsibility. Rooted in the principles of UN 2.0 and aligned with the UN Values and Behaviours Framework, the Pathway supports a more empowered, inclusive, and agile UN.
Track I: Ignite is designed for participants who are individual contributors within their area of expertise. They may take on leadership or managerial roles occasionally or as part of a broader function but often work within teams.
Track I: Ignite lays the groundwork for developing key leadership competencies within the UN context, focusing on developing the self, strengthening collaboration skills and behaviours as part of teams; influencing others and contributing to the broader mission.
As the UN celebrates its 80th anniversary, it stands at a transformative juncture. The UN@80 reform agenda aims to modernise operations, enhance efficiency, and ensure financial sustainability - through initiatives such as mandate consolidation, service relocation, and more agile workforce models. Parallel to this, the UN 2.0 vision reimagines how the UN works, placing innovation, data, digital capacity, strategic foresight, and behavioural science at the centre of a renewed, results-driven culture. These reforms demand not just operational shifts - but a fundamental rethinking of leadership.
In this context, today’s UN leaders (irrespective of their level) must go beyond managing change - they must shape it. They are called on to bridge strategy and implementation, create inclusive and high-performing teams, and lead decisively in the face of volatility, ambiguity, and disruption.
Track I: Equips emerging leaders with the foundations of self-leadership - including emotional intelligence, communication, ethical awareness, and the ability to influence without formal authority. Participants build confidence, collaborate effectively, and step into leadership roles with purpose and presence.
It is particularly suited for staff who are:
- Emerging leaders stepping into team or project coordination roles
- Supporting change initiatives, working groups, or cross-functional activities
- Seeking to lead with self-awareness, initiative, and purpose
- Preparing for more formal leadership or management responsibilities
Overall Learning Objective
- By the end of the programme, participants will have enhanced their core leadership skills and competencies, equipping them to lead with greater effectiveness and confidence within the UN.
Modular Learning Objectives
- Upon successful completion of this Programme, participants should be able to:
- Demonstrate foundational leadership capabilities by applying UN values and ethical principles in everyday workplace behaviours and decision-making
- Utilise UN critical leadership skills in the workplace such as communication, giving and receiving feedback, emotional intelligence (EQ), and agility
- Influence team and work dynamics through communication and teamwork
- Apply strategic change leadership principles to effectively navigate transitions, fostering resilience, engagement, and innovation
- Act with enhanced self-awareness and pursue growth opportunities
Online (can be blended upon demand)
- Five micro-learning learning engagements to build foundational insight
- Five Interactive Online Workshops (1.5 hours each) to bridge theory and practice, enabling immediate relevance in dynamic work environments
- Two facilitated Peer-coaching Sessions (1.5 hours each) to provide a supportive environment to practice structured reflection and feedback
- Two Behaviour Buddy System Sessions (1.5 hours each) to reinforce leadership behaviours through reflection, support, and consistent check-ins
- Access to a network/community of like-minded peer leaders and alumni
- Access to the dedicated UNSSC Learning Platform with curated resources, online modules, interactive online workshops, job aids, integrated spaces for discussion, peer exchange, and collaborative reflection
- A Reflection and Action Workbook to anchor insights, track progress, and sustain behavioural change beyond the programme
Together, the programme components:
- Enable meaningful reflection without overburdening time-constrained professionals
- Support practical application, systems thinking, and values-based leadership
- Foster a culture of accountability, inclusion, collaboration, and continuous learning
- Reflect the real pressures, dilemmas, and opportunities of leadership in today’s UN.
- 5 x micro-learning engagements (Module 1: Leading with Purpose, Module 2: Leading Without Authority, Module 3: Leading with Heart and Strength, Module 4: Leading through Transition: Change Agents, Module 5: Building a Leadership Legacy)
- 5 x 120-minute Interactive Online Workshops
- 2 x 90-minute facilitated Peer-coaching Sessions
- 2 x 90-minute Behaviour Buddy System Sessions
- Access to a network/community of like-minded peer leaders and alumni
- Access to the dedicated UNSSC Learning Platform with curated resources, including:
- Recordings of all Interactive Online Workshops
- Curated activities (case/scenario-based activities), readings, tools, videos related to the content of the programme
- Leadership challenge
- Behaviour buddy System
- Step-by-Step guide for contextualisation and leadership acceleration
- UNSSC Certification
Designed for early-career and mid-career UN personnel (National Programme Officers, YPP, UNV, JPO, and other UN staff at G6+, P1, P2, P3 levels or equivalent, both at headquarters and in the field) who are taking on increased responsibility and are ready to strengthen their personal leadership capacity.
The tuition for the programme is $ 1,500 covering a five-week curated learning journey, including access to all programme sessions, materials, and access to the programme learning platform for one year.
