Duty Station : ADDIS ABABA, BANGKOK, NEW YORK
Department/Office : Resident Coordinator System
Deadline : Nov 24, 2023
Job Description
Org. Setting and Reporting
These three (3) positions are located in the Development Coordination Office (DCO), the Country Business Strategies Section (CBSS), at Headquarters in New York, United States, and the regional DCO offices in Bangkok, Thailand and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Business Operations Specialist report to the Chief, CBSS with administrative reporting to DCO regional director for positions based in Addis Ababa and Bangkok.
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Business Operations Specialist provide substantive support to UN Country Teams (UNCTs) and Operations Management Team (OMT) in an effort to scale the implementation of the Business Operations Strategy (BOS), but also to support the design and implementation of Common Back Office and Common Premises initiatives and scaling of the Global Shared Services (GSS), when applicable. More specifically, the Business Operations Specialist will be responsible for the following duties:
• Provide substantive support to the Business Operations Strategies as well as the establishment of Common Premises and Common Back Offices and scaling the global shared services when applicable.
• Provide Quality Assurance of the BOS frameworks in a given scope of countries, in close collaboration with UNDCO HQ and the UNSDG BOS Task Team.
• Support monitoring of the BOS implementation in countries, identifying bottlenecks and facilitating solutions, and contribute to scaling up of innovations at country and regional levels.
• Coordinate the annual UN premises data review exercise and provide substantive support on the same exercise to countries in assigned regions.
• Maintain an active network of business operations experts.
• Liaise with UNDCO HQ on issues that need resolution and recommends solutions from reports on best practices.
• Facilitate the provision of policy guidance and assist in policy development, including the review and analysis of issues and trends, preparation of evaluations or other research activities and studies, enabling improvements in operational support and capacity to deliver the SDGs.
• Research, analyze and present information gathered from diverse sources; perform regional analysis and modeling; promote common data sets at country and regional levels.
• Undertake survey initiatives; design data collection tools; review, analyze and interpret responses, identify problems/issues and prepare conclusions.
• Prepare various written outputs, e.g., draft background papers, analysis, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, etc.
• Provide substantive support to consultative and other meetings, conferences, etc., to include proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations, etc.
• Undertake outreach activities; conducts training workshops, seminars, etc.; make presentations on assigned topics/activities.
• Participate in or lead field missions, including provision of guidance to external consultants and other relevant parties and drafting mission summaries, etc.
• Performs other duties as required, including administrative tasks.
• Undertakes on-the-job and other training activities both internally and externally.
Work implies frequent interaction with the following:
Staff within UNDCO, at HQ and regional level, and consultants. UNCT and OMT members, as well as other counterparts, senior officers and technical staff in relevant Secretariat units and in UNSDG entities.
Results Expected:
Accurately analyses current and emerging business operations issues by applying sound principles; prepares reports and policy proposals that are useful to UNCTs, OMTs and other stakeholders; engages in capacity building activities that support business operations efforts in the UNCTs.
Competencies
Professionalism:
Ability to apply business operations theories, concepts and approaches. Ability to conduct independent research and analysis on business operations topics, determine suitability, validity and accuracy of data provided by different sources.
Shows skill in developing sources for data collection. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations.
Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
Communication:
Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify; and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
Planning and Organizing:
Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.
Education
- Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business administration, management, economics or related field.
- A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
- PMP or PRINCE2 certificate is desirable.
Work Experience
- A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in project or programme management, administration, or a related area, is required.
- Three years of experience working with UN (or a comparable international organization) systems policies, practices and procedures is required.
- Experience in the UN inter-agency collaboration and development cooperation is desired.
- Knowledge of Business Operations Strategy is desired.
- Experience in operations management is desired.
- Experience in the UN system or a comparable international organization is desired.
- Experience working at the headquarters of a development cooperation organization is desired.
- Field experience in development cooperation is desired.
Languages
- Fluency in one of the working languages of the UN Secretariat, English or French, (both oral and written) is required.
- For the position in New York, fluency in both English and Spanish is required, and knowledge of French is desirable.
- For the position in Addis Ababa, fluency in both English and French is required, and knowledge of Spanish is desirable.
- For the position in Bangkok, fluency in English is required, knowledge of Spanish and French is desirable.
- Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which will be followed by competency-based interview.
Special Notice
This temporary job opening is for 364 days. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity.
All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities.
Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.
United Nations Considerations
According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship.
Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c).
Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage.
The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.