Background
General Assembly Resolution 2186 (XXI) decided to โbring into operations the United Nations Capital Development Fund as an organ of the General Assembly which shall function as an autonomous organization of the United Nations. The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) assists developing countries, especially least developing countries, in the development of their economies by supplementing existing sources of capital assistance by means of grants, loans, and guarantees. UNCDFs vision is to help mobilize and catalyze an increase of capital flows for SDG impactful investments to Member States to address the most pressing development challenges facing vulnerable communities in these countries and thereby contribute to sustainable economic growth and equitable prosperity.ย
UNCDF utilizes its unique capability in the UN system to deploy grants, loans and guarantees to crowd-in finance for the scaling of development impact. UNCDF focuses on where the needs are greatest, a deliberate focus and capability rooted in UNCDFโs unique investment mandate to support the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the realization of the Doha Programme of Action for the least developed countries, 2022โ2031.
As per its Strategic Framework, UNCDF works to deploy its functions as a hybrid development organization and development finance institution. UNCDF responds to Member States requests for assistance by providing targeted technical and financial advisory services on investments for development outcomes, designing bespoke financial structuring solutions, undertaking financial derisking of investments, and enhancing investment readiness of SDG aligned projects in partnership with private sector, UNOs, International and Local Finance Institutions, Development Finance Institutions as well as Foundations and Philanthropy, among others. UNCDF works to develop local financial systems, new markets and mobilize and crowd in capital from public and private sources. UNCDF is driven by a partnership mindset which enables it to deploy its different capital capabilities in highly tailored and responsive ways in order to mobilize investments flows from other sources, in particular from the private sector. ย By structuring transactions which are highly impactful, but also recognize the need for multiplying the impact of its own capital, UNCDF seeks to position itself as a preferred partner for different stakeholders. ย UNCDFโs work is focused on six priority areas, including:
โข ย ย ย ย Sub-national and local infrastructure financing
โข ย ย ย ย Women owned enterprise financing
โข ย ย ย ย Nature and climate financingย
โข ย ย ย ย Energy and decarbonization finance
โข ย ย ย ย Sustainable food systems financing
โข ย ย ย ย Inclusive digital finance
Following a recent restructuring, UNCDFโs organizational set up includes an Investment and Implementation Division (IID), Investment and Finance Oversight Division (IFOD), Operations and Oversight Division (OOD) and a Directorate of the Executive Office. UNCDF staff and personnel are located in regional hubs based in Dakar (Senegal), Nairobi (Kenya) and Bangkok (Thailand) with sub-regional presence in a number of locations in the Caribbean and Pacific Regions. UNCDF is led by an Executive Secretary based out of New York. Pursuant to General Assembly resolution 2321(XXII, para 1.a), the Administrator of the UNDP performs the function of the Managing Director of UNCDF. UNCDF is overseen by the Executive Board of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and performs the function of the Executive Board of UNCDF.
Position Purpose
The Regional Operational Effectiveness and Assurance Specialist is part of a UNCDF team that covers global operations, reporting to the Operational Effectiveness and Assurance Advisor on all aspects of UNCDF management and operations. This includes strategic management of financial resources, efficient procurement and logistical services, ICT, and administrative services consistent with UNDP/UNCDF rules and regulations. The Regional Management and Oversight Specialist โs main role is to lead, constantly evaluate, and adjust the operations of UNCDF in the assigned region to ensure consistent services delivery and smooth functioning of the programmes and projects in the regional portfolio.ย
The incumbent leads and guides the regional Operational Effectiveness and Assurance Team and fosters collaboration within the team, and works in close collaboration with programme and project teams in the region, other UNCDF divisions, Operations staff in other UN Agencies, UNCDF HQ staff, and region-based projects/programmes to ensure successful delivery. The position requires travel within and outside the region as advised by the supervisor.
UNCDF staff may be periodically redeployed to different regional hubs or headquarters as needed, subject to capability, consent, and due process. ย
UNCDF adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNCDF personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multi-disciplinary teams to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.
Duties and Responsibilities
1. As a member of the Operational Effectiveness and Assurance team, ensures the strategic direction of operations in the assigned region:
Ensure full compliance of operations with UN/UNDP/UNCDF rules, regulations, policies, and Internal Control Framework (ICF).ย Implement corporate operational strategies and regularly monitor performance indicators for achievement of result and takes timely corrective actions when required.ย Ensure mapping of business processes, and contribute to the organization wide implementation of internal Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).ย Support Senior Management in identifying and overseeing risks to ensure dynamic and effective risk management in the region and to make more risk-informed and timely decisions.ย Monitor and analyze the operating environment; undertake risk analysis related to operations for discussion with the Operational Effectiveness and Assurance Advisor and Chief Operations Officer, as appropriate, and make timely readjustment of operations services.ย 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. Guides and oversees corporate requirements, e.g., quarterly/annual certifications, annual representation exercise verifications, and sample testing, are met by the organization.ย Contributes to, and supports, corporate and regional action plan implementation with specific analysis and assigned actions, root cause action analysis, and improvement plans. ย Ensure knowledge building and sharing about management and operations in the region, coordination of staff learning needs as it relates to operations and assurance, and consolidation of lessons learnt/best practices.2. In collaboration with the Corporate Finance Services Unit, ensure effective, risk-informed, and accurate financial resources management and supervision of the Finance team:
Ensure proper planning of financial resources, tracking and recording of expenditures in compliance with IPSAS, and in accordance with UNDP/UNCDF rules and regulations. Tracking cost recovery from correct application of DES policy and monitor progress to attainment of corporate targets. Oversee the contributions management business process and accounting for contributions to ensure that the money due to UNCDF is properly identified, consistently and uniformly classified, recorded on a timely basis, and received with sufficient supporting documentation.ย Perform appropriate actions in corporate ERP (Quantum) for transaction approvals, as ย delegated by the Executive Secretary.ย Support the organization of cost-recovery mechanisms for services provided to projects/programmes.ย Organize and provide oversight of timely accounting and reconciliation of all transactions, and cash on site. In collaboration with the Corporate Finance Services team, monitor financial exception reports for unusual activities and/or transactions, and investigate anomalies or unusual transactions. Ensure appropriate project/programme and UNCDF HQ staff are informed of the results of the investigation when satisfactory answers are not obtained. Advises teams on implementing anti-fraud mechanisms, anti-money laundering, and countering finance terrorism (AML/CFT) policies and procedures and provides hands-on support in addressing gaps.3. Ensure provision of efficient procurement, logistical, and administrative services, and supervision of the Procurement team:
Ensure compliance with corporate rules and regulations related to travel and logistics. Coordinate regional procurement strategies including sourcing, supplier selection and evaluation, quality control, customer relationship management, and supplier performance evaluation system, in consultation with the Procurement Specialist. Oversee development of project procurement plan and advise on proper contract management. Oversee procurement processes and logistical services in compliance with procurement principles and guidelines.ย Ensure proper management of UNCDF assets, facilities and logistical services, and administrative services, including full compliance with IPSAS during purchasing, utilization and disposal of UNCDF assets.4. Ensure forward-looking information and communication management:
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. In collaboration with the Digital Agility and Innovation Specialist, maintain a secure, reliable infrastructure environment for ICT in the region and adequate planning for disasters and recoveries.ย Develop Business Continuity Plans to ensure risk-free operations of UNCDFโs regional or country level projects. 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.5. Ensure capacity development and knowledge facilitation:
Provide sound contributions to UNDP/UNCDF knowledge networks and communities of practice. In close collaboration with relevant teams within the division, IID, and IFOD, contribute to developing and delivering modular training packages to strengthen project/programme capacities in the operational oversight and implementation of the regional portfolio. Analyzes data and case evidence to distill relevant lessons on policy implementation to promote advocacy for further policy changes as needed in consultation with the Operational Effectiveness and Assurance Advisor. Provides surge capacity to programme/project operational and assurance management at the regional level when needed or as the Supervisor advises. Contributes to implementing corporate and regional initiatives as and when required.The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: ย Supervision, development, and performance management of the team will be required.
Competencies
Competencies Core Competencies:ย ย ย
Achieve Results: LEVEL 3
Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3
Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problemsLearn Continuously: LEVEL 3
Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiencesAdapt with Agility: LEVEL 3
Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demandsAct with Determination: LEVEL 3
Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater resultsEngage and Partner: LEVEL 3
Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3:
Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivityPeople Managementย
UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicatedย site.
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies
Business Direction & Strategy: Strategic Thinkingย ย ย ย
Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNCDFโs 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 UNCDFBusiness Direction & Strategy: System Thinkingย ย ย ย
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 systemBusiness Direction & Strategy: Business Acumenย ย ย ย
Ability to understand and deal with a business situation in a manner that is likely to lead to a good outcome Knowledge and understanding of the operational frameworks in the organization and ability to make good judgments and quick decisions within such frameworksBusiness Management: Resource Managementย ย ย ย
Ability to allocate and use resources in a strategic or tactical way in line with principles of accountability and integrityBusiness Management: Risk Managementย ย ย ย
Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risksAdministration & Operations: Assets Managementย ย ย ย
Knowledge of policy & procedures on PP&E; ability to prepare financial statements on PP&E; maintain Asset Management Module in Quantum, Asset Dashboard; develop supporting tools for assets certification and further enhancements for AM module; design and run training programs, etc. on assets management and assets recording; run AP- AM interface; perform AP-AM-GL reconciliation; perform analytical review of AM reports and asset information to ensure completeness and accuracy of asset informationFinance: Finance Business Partneringย ย ย ย
Able to support business units and add value by innovating and providing solutions to financial issues/queries, including through FAQs, financial tools, advisory, etc. Influences and appropriately challenges non-finance colleagues for whom the service is being provided. Understands the operations, opportunities and challenges of the organization. Holds a commercial outlook, demonstrating accountability towards organizational goals.Required Skills and Experience
Education:
Advanced university degree (masterโs degree or equivalent) in Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance, Economics, or related field is required, or A first-level university degree (bachelorโs degree) in the areas stated above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.ย Professional Certifications in Project management, Procurement, and/or Finance/Accounting are advantageous.Experience, Knowledge, and Skills:
Minimum of 5 years (with masterโs degree) or 7 years (with bachelorโs degree) of relevant experience at the national or international level in providing management advisory services and/or managing operational systems is required.ย Extensive experience in managing operations in UN/UNDP/UNCDF is desired. Experience and understanding of UN/UNDP/UNCDF policies, procedures, and requirements in line with the policies related to business operations is desired. Demonstrated experience in managing staff and personnel and working with diverse teams is required.ย Experience and knowledge of Oracle Cloud applications is required.ย Experience and good knowledge of accrual accounting, IPSAS, or IFRS is desirable. Demonstrated experience in data management and use of data visualization software / applications including MS Office are a distinct advantage.Language Requirements:
Fluency in English and French is required. ย Knowledge of another UN language is desirable.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.ย
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.ย
Right to select multiple candidates
UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.ย 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.
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