UNDP Jobs - 82355- Roster for Operations Manager P3 or P4 positions

Roster for Operations Manager P3 or P4 positions

Location :

Various Country Offices in the Asia-Pacific Region

Type of Contract :

FTA International

Starting Date :

01-Feb-2019

Application Deadline :

16-Dec-18 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

P-4

Duration of Initial Contract :

One year with the possibility of extension

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

The UNDP Regional Bureau for Asia Pacific (RBAP) intends to create a roster of Operations Managers who can be deployed to any of the 24 country offices in the region at P-3 or P-4 level, depending on the complexity of the office situation and organizational requirements. By placing international Operations Managers in selected offices, RBAP seeks to strengthen their capacity to boost programme delivery and enhance operations effectiveness and efficiency at a time when UNDP globally takes on a stronger role in supporting country-level Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) integration and serving as operational backbone of an empowered UN Resident Coordinator System.

Operations Managers coordinate comprehensive operations and implementation support workstreams, with emphasis on accelerating the speed and improving the quality of client-oriented services, by analyzing gaps and bottlenecks and devising new and better ways of working. They leverage UNDP’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, performance tracking tools, global service centers for financial and other operational support services, and links to the UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub and other HQ units to ensure optimal positioning of the operational capacities of their country office.

Operations Managers support senior managers in providing overall direction to their country office. They help drive the integration of UNDP’s work at all levels through the operational lens, from strategic direction setting to ideas generation, programme/project design, quality assurance, implementation and oversight – and further to reporting, partnerships and communication.

Incumbents are expected to have a broad operational knowledge base, results-based management aptitude and strong programme support credentials, including advanced project and risk management as well as analytical skills. They should have strong teambuilding, inter-personal and communication skills, be client-oriented, and have the ability to look at issues from different angles and find creative solutions. They should consistently approach work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Support to programme and project implementation for optimization of delivery

Ensures that the Operations Team acts as an efficient and client-oriented “go-to” resource for programme and project implementation activities;
Coordinates the provision of authoritative advisory services on procurement, human resources, programme finance and enterprise risk management, in consultation with relevant RBAP and Bureau of Management Services (BMS) staff, based in the Bangkok Regional Hub;
Oversees resource management support that includes programme delivery management, resource allocation, and consolidated pipeline management in collaboration with country office senior management and programme teams;
Ensures provision of high-quality advice on office financial sustainability and programme resource management, including direct project costing and revenue management;
Oversees regular monitoring of project and programme management actions to ensure that they are performed consistently and in accordance to corporate standards;
Puts in place and oversees processes to identify, develop solutions and act upon project-level operational and financial bottlenecks;
Responsible for office business processes mapping and development of key SOPs; identifies opportunities for converting business processes into web-based systems to enhance efficiency and accountability;
Responsible for Direct Project Costing implementation in the country office;
Performs data analysis of programme/project implementation to support country office/programme positioning in collaboration with other relevant team leaders;
Develops, implements and oversees processes to monitor management of partner agreements in close cooperation with relevant colleagues and to elaborate partnership frameworks and conditions of contributions within the country office’s resources mobilization efforts;
Develops, implements and oversees processes to monitor and analyze cost-sharing contributions;
Performs the function of HACT focal point for the country office; and puts in place and oversees processes to manage project level cash advances to IP/RPs, as well as provision of grants to CSOs/NGOs;
Performs the function of Audit focal point and coordinates action across various audit-mandated and compliance tasks;
Performs delegated tasks and back stopping support as and when requested by office senior management.

2. Oversees effective and accurate financial resource management, efficient procurement management and strategic human resources management

Performs the function of Senior Manager in Atlas and works closely with the Global Shared Services Centre (GSSC) in Kuala Lumpur;
Responsible for the country office integrated work planning and budgeting process as it relates to financial and human resources functions, including monitoring and reporting in partnership with other relevant teams in the country office;
Responsible for the Direct Project Costing and cost-recovery systems for the services provided to projects and other UN Agencies, including accurate forecasting, planning and reporting of extra-budgetary income;
Oversees proper management of the contributions management business process and accounting for contributions, to ensure that the money due to UNDP is properly identified, consistently and uniformly classified, recorded on a timely basis and received with sufficient supporting documentation;
Oversees country office cash management processes; timely accounting and reconciliation of all transactions, security for cash assets on site, in coordination with the GSSC;
Oversees country office compliance with corporate rules and regulations in the field and establishment and management of the CO procurement and contract management strategies;
Oversees management of UNDP assets, facilities and logistical services;
Oversees country office compliance with corporate human resources policies and strategies; supports senior management in ensuring optimal staffing of the office and projects;
Oversees support to recruitment processes and performance management systems, ensuring link of job design with recruitment, performance management and career development;
Facilitates knowledge building and management, documentation of lessons learned and good practices, and innovation and knowledge transfer in the country office, region and globally;
Leads processes to facilitate and promote staff learning and engagement;
Responsible for business continuity actions, including adequately planning for disasters and recovery.

3. Efficient provision of UN common services, back-office support, security and transactional services to clients

Plays a leadership role in the UN inter-agency Operations Management Team (OMT);
Oversees efficient provision of client-oriented transactional services in human resources, procurement, finance and administration to UN agencies and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office;
Elaborates strategic approaches to implementation of common services in line with the UN Development System reform, the latest developments in common services and relevant best practices;
Acts as UNDP lead on common services, and is responsible for coordinated action to ensure integrated activities on common services and implementation of the UN reform;
Leads and supports inter-agency efforts towards or management of common premises, as relevant;
Ensures the implementation of appropriate cost recovery measures for the provision of common services and other support to UN entities, as relevant; oversees common services budget and monitors Agencies’ contributions to the common services account, as relevant;
Serves as Country Security Focal Point for UNDP and supports office management in ensuring the safety and security of the staff and premises in coordination with UNDSS and UN partners;
Responsible for efficient implementation of security measures mandated in the overall Security Plan and/or agreed in the Security Management Team.

4. Team Building and Management

Facilitates day-to-day functioning of the country office’s Operations Team, and any other teams reporting to him/her as relevant. Manages human and financial resources for achieving results;
Guides and ensures effective recruitment, performance management and staff learning to motivate and promote organizational excellence in his/her teams.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

Innovation - Ability to make new and useful ideas work
Level 5: Creates new and relevant ideas and leads others to implement them

Leadership - Ability to persuade others to follow
Level 5: Plans and acts transparently, actively works to remove barriers

People Management - Ability to improve performance and satisfaction
Level 5: Models high professional standards and motivates excellence in others

Communication - Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform
Level 5: Gains trust of peers, partners, clients by presenting complex concepts in practical terms to others

Delivery - Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement
Level 5: Critically assesses value and relevance of existing policy / practice and contributes to enhanced delivery of products, services, and innovative solutions

Technical/Functional Competencies:

Priority Setting - Ability to scan and synthesize diverse sets of information to arrive at strategic priorities and positioning recommendations
Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Financial Planning and Budgeting - Ability to create and manage processes to achieve UNDP's long and short-term financial goals
Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Risk Management - Ability to identify and prioritize risks, and organize action around mitigating them
Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Service Delivery Coordination - Ability to coordinate and deliver services in line with service level agreements and standards of excellence in UNDP
Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Internal Reporting and Accountability - Ability to create internal reporting and accountability processes and standards
Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Resource Allocation - Ability to distribute resources in a strategic or tactical way
Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Human Resource Management - Knowledge of HR management issues and principles and the ability to apply them to strategic and/or practical situations
Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Completion of Master's degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field is required;
Professional Certifications in Finance, Procurement and Human Resources are added advantages.

Experience:

For P-4 positions, a minimum of 7 years of relevant experience in operations functions, preferably in a UNDP country office or regional or HQ location;
For P-3 positions, a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in operations functions, preferably in a UNDP country office or regional or HQ location;
Demonstrated ability in people management and working with diverse teams in developing countries;
Managerial experience in programme finance; human resources; procurement and operations;
Proven ability to deliver under pressure and in short timeframes;
Excellent knowledge of ERP platforms (such as PeopleSoft) is desirable;
Demonstrated knowledge of UNDP programme and project management policies and procedures is desirable;
Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

Language:

Excellent command of written and spoken English.