Across 190 countries and territories to protect the rights of every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. UNICEF has spent 70 years working to improve the lives of children and their families. Defending children's rights throughout their lives requires a global presence, aiming to produce results and understand their effects. UNICEF believes all children have a right to survive, thrive and fulfill their potential – to the benefit of a better world. And we never give up!

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply. Our workplace policies promote flexible work arrangements, to support all staff in maintaining a healthy life balance, both in and out of the office.

We are the first United Nations agency to be awarded the EDGE certification – the leading global standard for gender equality in the workplace.

UNICEF prides itself on fostering a multicultural and harmonious work environment, guaranteed by a zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse, and on any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment and discrimination. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

For Every Child, AN ADVOCATE:

In an effort to measurably improve UNICEF's ability to deliver better results for children, there is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

Organizational Context:

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programmes, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

Job organizational context

Purpose for the job:

The Operations function in RMP is a strategic Business Partner role, assuring the best use of UNICEF assets in alignment with sound management practices, office priorities and goals to deliver results for children.

As a Strategic Business Partner, the incumbent will be accountable for relvant operations functions within the RMP team to facilitate change, provide risk informed, solution-focused analysis, advice and services and contribute to fundraising and partnership activities for delivering results for children in specific operational contexts. The Operations Officer will accomplish this by:

• Facilitating services in the relevant functional areas of operations support: budget, financial management and reporting, administration, supply and logistics management, and safety and security;
• Understanding business needs for the office, to propose viable solutions aimed at value for money.
• Maintain and strengthen all elements of financial, budget, supply & logistics and administrative management for the Resource Mobilisation & Partnerships (RMP) team.
• Ensure that all necessary RMP inputs/updates in reports such as investment fund reports, QFS/PSP report, annual work plan, RAM, COAR and other reporting required of the RMP team are prepared in a timely manner with relevant and high-quality inputs.
• Ensure effective and ongoing contract management and on-time processing/payment of invoices, in conjunction with relevant RMP assistants.
• Provide accurate and consistent interpretation and application of operations policy and procedures implemented to support all operations and finance activities/functions in RMP.
• Provide effective technical input provided in strategic planning and policy recommendations in the area of operations and finance, taking initiative in improving and implementing operations management systems.
• Compliance with all operational systems and procedures effectively monitored and corrective measures taken as appropriate to ensure integrity in all financial and other administrative operations of the office.
• Establish and maintain effective coordination, communication, collaboration established and maintained with internal (including the Regional Support Centre in Bangkok, PFP Division in Geneva and various teams in New York) and external partners for efficient operations, invoicing, budgeting and payment processing.
• Supporting the RMP team during external and internal audit reviews, contributing with audit observations and monitoring implementation of recommendations.
• Support the creation and maintenance of Job Descriptions for all roles within the RM team
• Facilitating business transactions processed by GSSC from a perspective of Efficiency, Performance, Risk Management and Fraud prevention
• Supporting the management of PSFR operations, where applicable.
• The Operations Officer will be entrusted with the following five pillars, the core focus of all operations functions: Valuing People, Valuing Money, Valuing Risk Management, Valuing Systems and Structures, Valuing Partners.

Key function, accountabilities and related duties/tasks:

Valuing Money: Champion strategic resources to achieve organizational goals and ensure Value for Money (VfM)

• Support the financial oversight management, monitoring and reporting of the private sector fundraising budgets; make analysis and recommendations as needed.
• Support implementation of various modalities of valuing resources through financing modalities such as budgeting and pre-financing modalities for supplies, etc.
• Implement Supply plan for RMP and stay abreast of the regional strategies.

Valuing Risk Management: Enhance Risk Management to increase organizational performance and strengthen internal control

• Support the office with up-to-date information to make operational and financial risk informed decisions and improve performance, with the support of the enterprise Governance, Risk and Compliance (eGRC) platform.
• Participate in review of internal controls and policies/guidance included in the Regulatory Framework, support appropriate implementation policies and procedures and provide feedback on policy and internal controls as appropriate.
• Support implementation mandatory anti-fraud systems, processes and actions, and share anti-fraud achievements within the office.
• Support mitigation of risks of engagement with external partners via appropriate, risk-informed due diligence.

Valuing Systems and Structures: Ensure further operational centralization and optimization for maximized efficiency gains

• Participate in the review of Operations processes and recommend measures to minimize cost, reduce duplication of work and maximize efficiencies while creating an environment of smarter controls to render the organization ready to respond to programme needs.
• Contribute to improving IT-enabled business processes to increase productivity and collaboration, better knowledge management, and ensure effective use of UNICEF assets.
• Provide contribution to CPMP and review operational structures in collaboration with Regional Chiefs of Operations and the Strategic Business Support unit in DFAM.

Valuing Partners and Suppliers: Strengthening internal and external-facing partnerships and leveraging UNICEF’s oversight and understanding of financial management across all areas of the office.

• Provide technical support and recommendations on budgets, procurement, contracting, invoicing and financial reporting.
• Support UNICEF Office resource mobilization partners from donor negotiation and formulation of partnership agreements and contracts through written financial reporting, resolve discrepancies and ensure donor accountability and transparency.
• Contribute to UNICEF Office resource mobilization through programme proposals, written financial reporting, and analysis of discrepancies.
• Contribute to developing private sector partnerships especially in middle income countries.
• Engage as stakeholders in the UN Reform, facilitating Business Operating Services (BOS) and proactively paving the way for a potential “one back office” in country offices.

Impact of Results: (Please briefly outline how the efficiency and efficacy of the incumbent impacts its office/division and how this in turn improves UNICEF’s capacity in achieving its goals)

• The ability of the Operations Officer to effectively support the operations functions in RMP for the efficient delivery of fundraising and partnership results, directly impact on income and expenditure, resource mobilization and thereby delivery of results for children. This in turn contributes to maintaining/enhancing the credibility of UNICEF as an effective and responsible manager of funds and resources entrusted to the organization and to furthering UNICEF’s image as a competent organization.
• The ability of the Operations Officer to support assessment, mitigation, monitoring, review and reporting on the most significant risks that could potentially harm the organization, is a critical element of UNICEF’s risk and internal control performance management framework. Risk management skills are necessary to safeguard UNICEF’s reputation, resources, continuity of operations and reputation to fulfill our primary mission to save and protect children, globally.

Qualifications:

Education:

A University Degree (Bachelor’s) in one of the following areas is required:

• Business management
• Financial management
• Accounting
• Public Finance
• Related operations function (Supply Chain, Human Resources, Information Technology, International Business, Project management, etc.)
• A professional license from internationally recognized institutions is an asset.

Experience:

• A minimum of 2 years of professional experience, at the national and/or international level, is required, specifically in one or more similar management area including budget; financial management and reporting; supply and logistics management; etc.
• Experience in a UN system agency, large private or public company, or experience working in a developing country and/or humanitarian/ emergency context is an asset.
• For country offices with a significant private sector fundraising operation, prior experience working with or in the private sector, and supporting private sector fundraising, is an asset.
• Experience in working with corporate ERPs (Enterprise Resource Planning) and IPSAS (International Public Sector Accounting Standards) is highly desirable.
• Experience in supporting successful client-oriented work units is an asset.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office applications is required.

Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered as an asset.

Source:https://www.unicef.org/about/employ/?job=528141