Background
Countries around the world are facing increasingly complex and multifaceted development challenges, ranging from climate change and circular economy transitions to the coronavirus pandemic and the future of work. To help UNDP evolve and improve the relevance of its offers and support to governments and communities, UNDP’s Innovation Facility (IF) is investing in efforts that seek to enable the organization to support partners in their “great transformations”.
The IF is envisioned as a vehicle providing catalytic funding that helps the UNDP and its partners better understand the dynamics of transformational, systemic change. This will entail not only a shift in the type of policy problems that the Facility addresses, but also how to think about understanding and engaging with these problems. This requires a shift from single point solutions that provide incremental improvement within an existing paradigm, towards an approach seeking to plant the seeds for an entirely new paradigm. The IF’s approach is based on the premise that if UNDP will be able to work simultaneously on developing a new supply (offers to governments based on a system transformation logic) and a new demand (interest from governments and donors to go beyond single point solutions), then it will be able to increase its development effects and leverage the Facility’s investments to attract new funding for joint efforts and R&D by development partners.
To deliver on this mission, the IF is supporting Country Offices with catalytic funding to implement so-called Deep Demonstrations. These seek to build new capabilities for system transformation that provide a different logic to addressing complex development issues. So far the IF has supported two cohorts of Deep Demonstrations, with the second cohort still ongoing. In these Demonstrations, COs have deepened their understanding of complex policy issues, designed portfolios to engage with these, and in this process developed new systems capabilities.
The Strategic Innovation Unit is looking for an Operations Specialist to support the implementation and closure of Innovation Facility 2.0.
Duties and Responsibilities
a. Ensure effective project budget management
Resource management through planning, guiding, controlling of resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations; applies UNDP project results-based management concept, contribution to implementation of the effective internal controls; Proper planning and expenditure control of financial resources; Elaboration of cost saving and reduction strategies; Monitors application of income – liaising with the BPPS operations and UNDP Treasury; Ensures programming of funds into the budget; Ensures correct GMS setup and proper GMS collection in compliance with the UNDP cost-recovery mechanisms; Continuous review and analysis of budget implementation and budget management in Quantum; Preparation of periodic project delivery reports (monthly, quarterly, annual, on demand); Sets up and maintains document control procedures and a document filing system, including for supporting documentation for financial reviews, continuously integrating relevant new information/data;b. Management of project financial resources
Full compliance with UNDP policies in cash management policies and procedures; Timely review of cash position to ensure sufficient funds for disbursements; Review and monitoring of project opening closing balances, income and expenditure levels; Elaboration of internal expenditure monitoring system; Review and analysis of the project accounts (vouchers, GL JEs, payroll transactions, etc.); Maintains the internal expenditures control system which ensures that vouchers processed are matched and completed; transactions are correctly recorded and posted in Quantum; Takes timely corrective actions on unposted vouchers, including the vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved vouchers; Creates payment and coordinate with Operations Specialist for approval in Quantum. Quality control and monitoring of financial reports to be submitted to donors, ensure compliance with corporate standards and correctness of financial information presented. Maintenance of a system for tracking and reporting on mobilized resources. Monitoring of bilateral agreements and delegation of authorities provided to different UNDP offices, and maintenance of a system for tracking and reporting on resources allocated to Country Offices.c. Ensure Donor funds and reporting
Full compliance with UNDP rules, regulations, policies and strategies in the area of donor funds management, knowledge of UNDP partnership instruments enabling to provide advisory support to the project staff on donor reporting policies; Preparation/review of funding agreements in line with the UNDP policies and procedures Contributes to establishment of effective monitoring mechanism to ensure timely reporting to donors; collaborates with project specialists on requirements and deadlines; Leads preparation of financial reports to donors in line with UNDP rules/regulations, as well as analytical management summaries and various on-demand reports on utilization of programme resources; coordinates with donors on reporting; Prepare corporate, donor and government reports in line with the reporting schedule and UNDP and donor requirements. Maintains accurate information in Quantum for all work plan milestones; Ensure proper operational and financial closure of the project. Supports the Head of Project Management Support Unit in monitoring and facilitating compliance with management and administrative requirements from donors, including reviewing financial reports generated in Quantum, budget compliance and audit reports. Provides financial support to resource mobilization, maintaining information/databases on potential and actual donors, providing administrative information and editing support towards funding proposals.d. Facilitate efficient recruitment and procurement processes
Facilitates recruitment processes in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations, collaborates with the Bureau of Management Services and the Office of Human Resources on staff position management processes; Coordinates procurement processes and ensures compliance with corporate rules and regulations, including sourcing strategy, supplier selection and evaluation, quality management, customer relationship management, e-procurement promotion and introduction, performance measurement;e. Ensures elaboration and implementation of operational (procurement) strategies focusing on achievement of the following results
Maintains and updates as requested legal procurement documents and tools Full compliance of procurement activities with UNDP rules, regulations, policies and strategies; implementation of effective internal control, proper design and functioning of a client/oriented procurement management system. Actively involved in business process mapping and elaboration/establishment of internal Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in Procurement, control of the workflows within GPN and with external stakeholders. Implementation of strategic procurement in the unit including sourcing strategy, supplier selection and evaluation, quality management, customer and supplier relationship management, e-procurement introduction and promotion, performance measurement Implementation of the LTA 601139, Strategic Innovation Advisory Services, Management utilization, approvals and processes of amendments/extensions as well as vendor relationshipsf. Overall support to the management, implementation and audit preparations for the Innovation Facility 2.0
Build flexibility into plans to adapt to evolving needs and challenges for continuous Strategic Planning Resource mobilization with external and internal stakeholders and coordination Documentation and proactive audit preparation, resolution of past, current and existing operational challenges and documentation of those for archiveCompetencies Core
Achieving 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 and 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 inclusivityCross-Functional & Technical competencies Thematic Area Name Definition Business Direction and 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.
Procurement Procurement ManagementThe ability to acquire goods, services or works from an outside external source.
Administration & OperationsTravel policy
and procedures
Knowledgeof travel policyand procedures; ability to
interpret travel policy, the Staff Rules,administrative circulars and financial regulations and rules on travel related matters
Business Management Operations ManagementAbility to effectively plan, organise and oversee different parts of corporate operations, simultaneously and in an integrated way, in order to convert the organisation’s assets into the best results in the most efficient way. Knowledge of relevant concepts and mechanisms.
Finance Audit risk managementAbility to address audit issues raisedin the courseof
an audit andpropose solutions in order to ensure a true and fair audit opinion is achieved.
Administration & Operations Budget management Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets Finance Financial reporting and analysisUnderstands changes in regulatory, legal and ethical frameworks and standards for financial reporting in the public sector. Ability to extract, evaluate financial data, derive relevant findings and present them in a meaningful and coherent manner to facilitate effective decision making and performance monitoring. Understands the benefits of integrated reporting, including non-financial resources such as human, social and intellectual capital, and environmental and governance performance
Required Skills and Experience
Min. Education requirements
Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance, Social Sciences, Economics or related field is required. OR A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.Min. years of relevant work experience
Minimum of 5 years’ (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in operations management is required.Required skills
Professional experience in operations within the UN system Demonstrated experience in financial reporting, budgetary management, and procurement for development programmes. Progressively responsible administrative experience Experience and knowledge of UN business protocolsDesired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section
Working knowledge of Quantum ERP system is an asset. Professional experience in UNDP is an asset. Experience in formulating Long Terms Agreements for Innovation Services is an advantage. Experience in managing donor funds and reporting is an asset.Required Language(s)
Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of another UN language is desired.Professional Certificates
Certification programme such as Procurement, HR, Accounting and Finance is desired.Equal opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.
UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.
Right to select multiple candidates
UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
Scam alert
UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.