Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

Reporting to the Country Representative, the Operations Manager in Zimbabwe Country Office serves as a member of the senior management team, with oversight responsibilities for all aspects of the CO. This includes strategic financial and human resources management, efficient procurement and logistical services, security management, ICT and common services consistent with UN Women rules and regulations. The Operations Manager additionally serves as a key advisor to the Country Representative on matters of organizational integrity with the aim of ensuring: (i) compliance with UN Women policies and regulations; (ii) effective systems to support programme delivery and growth; (iii) accountability to organizational values and principles; and (iv) an enabling workplace environment in which staff potential is maximized.

The Operations Manager leads and guides the Zimbabwe CO Operations Team and fosters collaboration within the team, with programme staff and with other UN Agencies in a client-oriented approach. The Operations Manager works in close collaboration with programme teams in the office, providing close guidance to programme staff who perform adjunct operations functions, ensuring that such staff are knowledgeable of rules and procedures governing programme finances, donor reporting, and personnel. She/he also works in collaboration with operations staff in other UN Agencies and UN Women Regional Office and HQ staff to successfully deliver operations services.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Manage the operations in the Zimbabwe Country

• Serve as a member of the Senior Management team and provide advice and support to the Country Representative/Deputy Country Representative on operational issues;
• Develop the annual work plan for the Operations Team and oversee its implementation and monitoring;
• Participate in review meetings and assess the managerial and operational capacities of implementing partners in collaboration with the programme and technical team;
• Manage business process mapping and establish internal standard operating procedures in all areas of the Operations Team’s functions;
• Manage the implementation of corporate, budget, financial, procurement, and HR policies and systems and ensure adequate training of staff and project personnel on these issues;
• Ensure a continuous and up-to-date flow of information between the Zimbabwe CO, RO and HQ;
• Oversee all operations activities, including finance, human resources, procurement, transport, IT, security, administration and ensure they follow UN Women rules, regulations, policies and procedures;
• Manage staff in Operations Team: Finalize performance plans and evaluation standards; conduct performance assessments, provide feedback and coaching.

2. Oversee planning, expenditure tracking and auditing of financial resources

• Ensure strategic and efficient management of office and programme financial resources;
• Exercise proper financial controls;
• Report locally and to HQ on established structures; seek advice from RO when deviations may be necessary;
• Review and take corrective action as appropriate on audit findings;
• Perform Manager Level 2 role in ERP for voucher and Purchase Order (PO) approvals;
• Ensure the Zimbabwe CO ‘s compliance with Internal Control Framework, Delegation of Authority and segregation of duties and responsibilities.

3. Oversee/Provide Human Resources services to the Zimbabwe Country Office

• Oversee recruitment processes; liaise with the RO/HQ and service providers as necessary;
• Oversee contracts; advise on appropriate contract modalities.

4. Oversee procurement processes

• Manage the provision of goods and services for the Zimbabwe CO and projects following established corporate procedures regarding sub-contract review and awarding of contracts, evaluate for cost effectiveness and manage the negotiations in connection with eventual agreements;
• Manage the preparation of procurement plans in the Zimbabwe CO;
• Manage Zimbabwe CO’s assets and liabilities and ensure proper inventory control.

5. Oversee information and communications technology (ICT) management

• Oversee the implementation of ICT systems;
• Ensure staff have access to ERP functionality for improved business results and improved client services;
• Manage maintenance of a secure, reliable infrastructure environment for ICT.

6. Serve as the focal point for security issues and ensure safety and security of staff

• Brief supervisor and staff on security matters and disseminate relevant information as advised by UNDSS, brief UN Women visitors on security;
• Ensure full compliance with SRM procedures on security of staff and office premises;
• Ensure that personnel request appropriate security clearance for travel;
• Liaise with the Regional Security Specialist or their designated staff member on all security matters;
• Develop and maintain the office Business Continuity Plan.

7. Participate in inter-agency activities

• Represent UN Women in inter-agency meetings and working groups on operations issues to ensure UN Women’s interests are reflected in common system activities related to common services and premises, cost recovery and cost sharing arrangements, privileges and immunities, entitlements and salary surveys, security etc.;
• Liaise with UNDP and other UN agencies on operational issues, activities, and collaboration.

8. Contribute to knowledge sharing between the Zimbabwe Country Office

• Ensure knowledge is shared and adequately applied between the Zimbabwe CO and RO in the region.

9. The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organisation.

Competencies

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
• Accountability
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Leading by Example

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf

Functional Competencies

• Strong knowledge of operation, finance, procurement, human resources, ICT, and security systems and processes, particularly in the UN system is an asset
• Ability to provide advice and support
• Ability to lead formulation and monitoring of management projects
• Ability to handle confidential information
• Good negotiating skills
• Strong IT skills

Required Skills and Experience

Education and certification:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance, HR, or related field is required;
• A Bachelor  degree in combination with  5 additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the Master’s  degree.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience at the national or international level in office management, operations or finance;
• Experience in leading a team, particularly in complex humanitarian settings is required;
• Experience in working in a computer environment using multiple office software packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems and ERP systems, preferably Oracle Cloud, is required;
• Experience of accrual accounting, IPSAS or IFRS is highly desirable;
• Professional background in programming/ projects management is desirable.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required;
• Knowledge of other UN official working languages is desirable (French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish). .

Application:

• All applications must include (as an attachment) a completed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/employment.
• Kindly note that the system will only allow one attachment and candidates are required to include in the P-11 form links for their previously published reports and articles completed within the last two years. Applications without the completed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment.