If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you.
For 60 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.
Duties
As the head of operations of a large-sized office or area office, you will be accountable for management of cost effective, efficient and secure operations, in support of management, administration and implementation of the country programmes, consistent with operations of all other country offices in the Region in accordance with strategy, plans and decisions made by Regional Management Team and Country Programme Management Teams.
You will coordinate collaboration with all other UN agencies to accelerate implementation of the Harmonized Business practices initiatives in line within UN reform/coherence
You will provide leadership and guidance in operations to a gender-balanced, multidisciplinary team of professionals to identify and correct gender balances.
The post incumbent provides management guidance and coordination to operations Sections, and coordination between operations and programmes providing the required interaction for effective operations support. The incumbent is also responsible for planning, provision of leadership, coordination, technical and professional input and advice on the overall implementation and monitoring of operations functions. Together with the Representative (D1) and the Deputy Representative (P5), the post incumbent represents the senior management team of the office. The post incumbent is directly responsible for support to programme implementation in terms of enhancing accountability and productivity.
The post also requires significant interaction with other UN system partners on issues related to staff security and common services and implementation of the Operation Management Team (OMT) work plan for the Delivering as One UN initiative. S/he has specific responsibilities for monitoring the audit response and review process, coordination and supervision of different Operations Section Heads – Supply & Logistics Manager (L4), ICT Specialist (P4), Finance & Accounts Specialist (NO3), HR Specialist (NO3), and Administrative Specialist (L3). S/he is responsible for ensuring a rapid security and emergency response from the operations team and implementation of the Business Continuity Plan.
The post incumbent provides back-up support to the Representative in the absence of the Deputy Representative. Post incumbent reports to the Representative (D1).
Effective operations of financial, human resource and administrative management
- Manages and ensures the effective, equitable and efficient operations of the office's finance, human resource and administrative systems to support and facilitate the attainment of programmatic goals and objectives by meeting changing operational requirements
- Ensures effective operations that promote gender sensitivity and gender parity
- Advises management and assists in establishing new offices
Policy interpretation and application
- As technical professional and senior manager, provides accurate and social policy interpretation and organizational policies and procedures in the management of finance and administrative functions through the provision of technical leadership and operational guidance to the country office
- Contributes to global and regional strategic planning and policy changes/formulation on operational matters as necessary
- Provides technical input to contribute to the establishment of operational guidelines in close coordination with the head of office, the Regional Operations Officer and DFAM
- Implements the effective communication, training, roll-out, monitoring and evaluation of new operational initiatives, guidelines and procedures. (Include aspects required to achieve UNICEF’s objective for gender parity.)
Fiduciary integrity/responsibility for funds and assets
- Safeguards the financial resources entrusted to the office by advising on and/or managing financial assets, financial planning and cash management activities and by recommending improvements to the financial and administrative management systems and procedures
- Accountable for fiduciary integrity/responsibility for funds and assets taking decision on all operational and financial transactions, disbursement of funds, and administrative arrangements
- Ensure efficient, cost-effective and transparent utilization of resources through knowledge and technology transfer between offices and consistency of approaches
- Negotiate cost effective contractual arrangements with service providers as well as with implementing partners as required
Leadership in strategic planning and policy formulation in the areas of operations
- Plays a leadership role in strategic planning and decision-making within the UNICEF Operations
- Take initiative in development of improved management systems
- Provides sound professional input and oversight to the development, reform and change of financial, human resource and administrative policies, systems and procedures that secure the highest standard of efficiency and competence in staff
- Participates in global and regional strategic planning and policy changes, including formulation on operational matters
- Provides authoritative advice from technical, operational and administrative perspectives to contribute to the improvement and establishment of operational guidelines, including those that strengthen gender policy in programming and staff gender parity
- Negotiate cost effective contractual arrangements with service providers as well as with implementing partners
- Working closely with Head of Sections explore possibility to enter agreement- in line with UNICEF policies - with private sectors/corporate entities in order to access innovative technology, to benefit the country programme against reasonable costs or under special arrangements in the framework of Social corporate responsibility(CSR)
- Participates in effective management process by providing technical advice and support to corporate committees (including PBR, RMTs, CMT, JCC, CRC, PSB, etc.)
Office Services
- Ensures the provision of basic offices services including space management, equipment, communications and security to enhance staff safety and productivity
- Under the auspices of the Inter-Agency Operations Management Team, supports approaches for enhancing UN common services to attain efficiencies and effectiveness
- Play and role in the UN Operation management group, coordinating with peers of other UN agencies, base on the agenda agreed with the UNCT , to plan and implement the Harmonized Business practices initiatives in line within Reform/coherence, including in the areas of Harmonized Cash transfer ( HACT), common services, common premises
CPMP
- Development of the finance, budget and administrative components of the CPMP is timely completed
- Participates in the review of office structures and operations, and compilation of required job descriptions, prior to budget preparation, in line with the country programme commitment
- Contributes to the preparation of budget and the accompanying justification and documentation
- Participates in the country programme strategy, development, planning and preview/reviews meetings to identify staffing and administrative operational requirements
- Within the framework of the CPMP, coordinates and contributes towards human resources planning
Compliance and Internal Control
- Monitors and manages budget process
- Ensures all other operational reporting requirements are fully met for the office
- Monitors compliance with all operational systems and procedures and ensures integrity in all financial and other administrative operations of the office
- Serves as the focal person for office management indicators; ensures all other operational reporting requirements are fully met for the office
- In collaboration with the Deputy Representative, ensures the implementation of agreed audit recommendations; advises on corrective measures to be taken and establishes relevant internal controls
- Develops training activities to ensure effective operational performance and efficiency. Identify potential learning organisation which can be resourceful for capacity building of UNICEF staff and partners in good business practices and establish collaborative partnership with these institution as appropriate
Staff Learning and Development
- Develops training activities to ensure effective operational performance and efficiency
- Develops and implements effective staff learning and development programme activities for both programme and operations staff on operational matters for capacity building
- Plans and conducts operations workshops/learning programmes for organizational competency building, staff development, learning and career development
- Provides coaching and counseling to the staff on performance enhancement/ development
- Liaise with knowledge institutions to explore and conclude when requires partnership with this institution for capacity development of staff
- Shares best practices in promoting gender awareness and equity in operation
Partnership, Coordination and Collaboration
- Maintains government counterpart relations
- Resolves issues pertaining to conditions of service, operational facilities and privileges within the context of the Basic Cooperation Agreement
- Ensures adherence to financial regulations and rules pertaining to Cash Assistance to Government (CAG)
- Coordinate with Head of sections to identify needs for orientation and training of Government counterparts and implementing partners in UNICEF operations policies and procedures and coordinate contribute to the planning and implementation of capacity building of these partners accordingly
- Advises Head of Office on finance, human resource and administrative matters providing guidance on all operational submissions for the approval of the Regional Director
- Briefs office staff on financial, human resource and administrative policies and procedures providing authoritative advice
- Provides technical guidance and oversight to junior Operations staff in country offices and swiftly resolves operational issues
- Coordinates/liaises with the HQ Divisions to support policy formulation in the area of operations
- Advises on the applicability of new policy directives to regional operations
- Makes substantive recommendations on the improvement of systems and internal controls, planning and restructuring and resolution of sensitive issues and problems, taking into account the prevailing conditions in the locality
- Establishes and maintains all consultative and management committees (e.g. APC, JCP, JCC, CRC, PSB, TRT, PBR and Training); Organizes and trains committees in compliance with the guidelines
- Collaborates with senior Programme Officers and country office staff providing creative problem solving in support of programming activities while maintaining sound internal operational controls
- Represents the office in meetings with local banks and administrative suppliers; negotiates locally issued contracts as well as in meetings with other UN Agencies to coordinate operational matters and activities, including harmonization of the UN common system
- Coordinates field emergency services
- Provides leadership for operations commitments implantation in emergency, in line with the CCCs working closely with the Head of sections and clusters coordinators ( Health , Nutrition , Wash and protection as well as in line with the Interagency standing Committee (IASC) principles and the needs as identified by the Humanitarian Country team (HCT)
- Represents UNICEF in the local salary survey committee and fully participates in all processes of the salary survey review and administration to ensure the methodology is applied correctly throughout
- Establish good working relationship with companies/organizations which provide for good comparators in order gain easy access to their information for the salary survey exercises
- Coordinates promptly with the Regional Office, the Head of Office, Programme Officers and other staff in the country office for security-related issues and emergency operations
- Provides operational support to emergency preparedness and emergencies
- Informs and updates all staff members in the country office on security related issues and emergency operations
- Pays particular attention to gender issues that may be expected to intensify during emergencies
Requisites
- Advanced university degree in accounting, business administration, economics, or financial management
- Ten years of relevant professional work experience
- Both national and International work experience in office management, finance, accounting, ICT, human resources, administration supply and procurement related fields.
- Work experience in emergency duty station
- Fluency in English and another UN Language
- Knowledge of Portuguese is an asset
- Has highest-level communication skills, including engaging and informative formal public speaking
- Consistently achieves high-level results, managing and delivering projects on-time and on-budget
- Creates and encourages a climate of team-working and collaboration in a multi-cultural environment
- Analyzes and integrates potentially conflicting numerical, verbal and other data from a number of sources
- Identifies urgent and potentially difficult decisions and acts on them promptly; initiates and generates team- and department-wide activities
- Creates organization-wide processes to help ensure that all adhere to procedures and policies
- Translates strategic direction into plans and objectives
- Has high-level leadership and supervisory skills
- Provides others with a clear direction
- Motivates and empowers others
- Recruits staff of a high caliber
- Provides staff with development opportunities and coaching
- Quickly builds rapport with individuals and groups
- Actively nurtures good relationships with people across all organizational levels and boundaries, and with government leaders and stakeholders
Notes
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation.