Operations Manager Vacancy-Job Ref: JKNEUNDP/0403/202463

Operations Manager Vacancy-Job Ref: JKNEUNDP/0403/202463
Niamey (Niger)
JOB DESCRIPTION
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.

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.

UNDP is committed to recruiting staff who are diverse in terms of gender, nationality and culture. We also encourage applications from people from ethnic minorities, indigenous communities and people with disabilities. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Reporting to the Deputy Resident Representative, the Operations Manager advises UNDP Niger management on all aspects of the Office’s management and operations, including strategic management of human and financial resources, the efficiency of logistics and supply services, IT and common services, in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations.

His/her main role is to ensure the leadership of Operations, the smooth running of operations activities for projects/programmes and for the Office, the coherence of service delivery and to constantly evaluate and readjust operations relative to changes in the environment, when necessary.

The Operations Manager leads and mentors the Office Operations team and fosters good collaboration within the team, with programme staff, other UN agencies and other partners including service providers through a client-focused approach. The Operations Manager also works closely with programme and project teams within the Office, Operations staff in other UN agencies, UNDP headquarters staff and government officials to deliver optimal services.

The Operations Manager is responsible for the supervision of UNDP Niger operations staff, promotes a working environment in the UNDP country office that is conducive to innovation and engagement with a diverse set of stakeholders and ensures inter-unit cooperation, coordination, teamwork, inclusion and empowerment of staff and counterparts. The Operations Manager ensures a client-focused approach and consistency with UNDP rules and regulations and good management practices. All management and leadership functions are carried out in accordance with UN and UNDP management standards, rules and regulations, as well as UNDP’s internal accountability framework for senior managers, which emphasizes, among other things, the highest standards of personal and professional ethics, integrity and accountability.

Position Purpose UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Under the overall guidance of the Resident Representative (RR) and direct supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative (DRR), the Operations Manager acts as an advisor to Senior Management on all aspects of Country Office (CO) management and operations. This includes strategic management of financial and human resources, efficient procurement and logistical services, ICT, and common services consistent with UNDP rules and regulations. The Operation Manager’s main role is to lead, constantly evaluate, and adjust the operations of the Country Office to ensure consistent services delivery and smooth functioning of the CO programmes and projects.

Duties and Responsibilities

As a member of the CO management team, ensures the strategic direction of Country Office operations.

Ensure full compliance of operations with UN/UNDP rules, regulations, policies, and Internal Control Framework (ICF).
Implement corporate operational strategies, and provide advice on strategies, policies and plans affecting CO operations. Establish management targets (BSC); and regularly monitor office performance indicators for achievement of results. Take timely corrective actions when required.
Establish collaborative arrangements with potential partners and a client management system for appropriate management of partnerships and resource mobilization purposes.
Ensure mapping of CO business processes, and establishment of internal Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Finance, Human Resources Management, Procurement, ICT, Logistic, Protocol, Travel and Transportation Management Services.

Support senior management in identifying and overseeing risks to ensure dynamic and effective risk management in the CO and to make more risk-informed and timely decisions. Monitor and analyze the operating environment; undertake risk analysis related to operations for discussion with the DRR and RR, as appropriate; and make timely readjustment of operations services, taking into account advice on legal considerations.
Ensure systematic adherence to UNDP policies, procedures, and corporate guidance on enterprise risk management in the CO and at the project level. Participate in the appraisal of projects to provide operational input that includes formulating risk management plans and anticipating cost of risks during the project design phase.

Ensure relevant colleagues and stakeholders from both programme and operations are consulted in the identification, costing, and management of risks for the programme, all projects and portfolios in the office/unit when applicable.
Ensure knowledge building and sharing about management and operations in the CO, coordination of staff learning needs, and consolidation of lessons learned and best practices.
Provide sound contributions to UNDP knowledge networks and communities of practice.
Ensure effective, risk-informed and accurate financial resources management and supervision of the Finance team.

Ensure proper planning of CO financial resources, tracking and recording of expenditures in compliance with IPSAS, and audit of financial resources, including extra-budgetary income in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations.
Oversee CO audits (management and NIM) and ensure implementation of audit recommendations.
Ensure timely completion of corporate exercises such as Annual Representation, Business Continuity Plan, and preparation of IWP of the Institutional Budget component (IB).
Ensure CO HACT compliance in close collaboration with programme and operations teams.
Oversee 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.
Organize cost-recovery mechanisms for CO services provided to projects and UN Agencies that includes ensuring timely preparation of proforma invoices for UN agencies.
Perform appropriate delegations in ERP for voucher and Treasury transactions approvals and bank reconciliation. Approve bank reconciliations and pending disbursements as the “third authority” (cheques, bank transfers, EFT).
Organize and provide oversight of CO cash management processes, including liquidity management, recommendation of imprest level, risk assessment, bank relationship management, timely accounting and reconciliation of all transactions, and security for cash assets on site.
Monitor financial exception reports for unusual activities and/or transactions; and investigate anomalies or unusual transactions. Ensure appropriate CO and UNDP HQ staff are informed of the results of the investigation when satisfactory answers are not obtained.
Serve as member of bank signatory panel.
Ensure transaction and stop payment approval on internet banking system.
Ensure all financial transactions are identified, recorded, and verified in compliance with IPSAS as outlined in the corporate policies and procedures.
Ensure strategic human resources management and supervision of the HR team.

Ensure CO compliance with corporate human resources policies and strategies.
Advise on optimal staffing of the office and projects. eFf4WHq u7Jj1
Provide oversight for recruitment processes in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations and appropriate use of different contractual modalities.
Establish and maintain proper performance management and staff development systems, ensuring staff access to role appropriate learning activities.
Ensure provision of efficient procurement, logistical and administrative services and supervision of the Procurement team Ensure CO compliance with corporate rules and regulations related to procurement and logistics.

Develop CO procurement strategies including sourcing, supplier selection and evaluation, quality control, customer relationship management, and supplier performance evaluation system.
Develop CO procurement plan and ensure proper contract management, anticipating potential litigations.
Oversee procurement processes and logistical services in compliance with procurement principles and guidelines.
Ensure proper management of UNDP assets, facilities, logistical services, and administrative services, including full compliance with IPSAS during purchasing, utilization, and disposal of the CO’s assets.
Ensure forward-looking information and communication management and supervision of ICT team.

Ensure ERP functionality is used for improved business results and improved client services.
Identify opportunities and ways of converting business processes into web-based systems to address the issues of efficiency and full accountability.
Maintain a secure, reliable infrastructure environment for ICT and adequate planning for disasters and recoveries. Update the ICT Disaster Recovery Plan on a regular basis.
Identify and promote different systems and applications for optimal content management, knowledge sharing, information provision and learning including e-registry and web-based office management system, etc.
Ensures proper common services and establishment of strong collaboration with other UN Agencies.

Establish common services and maintain coordinating machinery to ensure integrated activities on common services and implementation of the UN reform.
Elaborate strategic approach for implementation of common services in line with the latest developments in common services and best practices.
Ensure proper planning and tracking of common services budget and of Agencies’ contributions to the common services account.
Contribute to Operations Management Team (OMT) activities including the area of risk management.
Competencies

Core Competencies

Achieve Results-LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact

Think Innovatively-LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems

Learn Continuously-LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences

Adapt with Agility-LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands

Act with Determination-LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results

Engage and Partner-LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration

Enable Diversity and Inclusion-LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

People Management UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies

Business Direction & Strategy-System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system Business Direction & Strategy-Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities, linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions.

Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP Business Management-Resource Management: Ability to allocate and use resources in a strategic or tactical way in line with principles of accountability and integrity Business Management-Customer Satisfaction/Client Management: Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers’ needs.

Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients’ immediate requests. Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns. Business Management-Communication: Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels Business Managemen-Portfolio Management: Ability to select, prioritise and control the organization’s programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimising return on investment 2030 Agenda Engagement & Effectiveness-Effectiveness: System-wide approaches to strategic planning and results

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance, Economics, or related field is required, or
A first-level university degree level (bachelor’s degree) in the above-mentioned fields, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree
Experience:

Minimum of 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience at the national or international level in providing management advisory services and/or managing operational systems and establishing relationships with international organizations and national governments is required.
Demonstrate varied and proven experience in Managing (Procurement, General Services, Logistics, Travel, Administration and Finance) at national and international level is required.
Having at least 3 years of experience in finance and budget management is an asset.
Previous experience of working with other UNDP/UN Agencies country offices in operations’ management is desired.
Previous experience of working in a FAST TRACK operations procedure is desired.
Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.), and web-based management systems such as ERP is required.
Experience in and good knowledge of accrual accounting, IPSAS or IFRS, is highly desirable.
Language:

Fluency in oral & written French is required.

Knowledge of English is desirable.

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