Operations Manager at the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF)

United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Operations Manager, (P4)

Job Number: 522419
Location: Kano
Work Type: Fixed Term Appointment

How can you make a difference?

• As the head of operations of a small / medium-sized office or area office, accountable for management of cost effective, efficient and secure operations, in support of management, administration and implementation of the country programmes, consistent with operations of all other country offices in the Region in accordance with strategy, plans and decisions made by Regional Management Team and Country Programme Management Teams.
• Provides guidance in operations to a gender-balanced, multidisciplinary team of professionals to identify and correct gender balances.

Key Accountabilities and Duties & Tasks
Effective operations of financial, human resource and administrative management:

• Manages and ensures the effective, equitable and efficient operations of the office’s finance, human resource and administrative systems to support and facilitate the attainment of programmatic goals and objectives by meeting changing operational requirements
• Ensures effective operations that promote gender sensitivity and gender parity. Advises management and assists in establishing new offices.

Policy Interpretation and Application:

• As technical professional and manager, accountable for the correct and consistent application of organizational policies and procedures in the management of finance and administrative functions through the provision of technical leadership and operational support to the country office.
• Contributes to global and regional strategic planning and policy changes / formulation on operational matters as necessary; Provides technical input to contribute to the establishment of operational guidelines in close coordination with the head of office, the Regional Operations Officer and DFAM.
• Implements the effective communication, training, roll-out, monitoring and evaluation of new operational initiatives, guidelines and procedures.

Fiduciary Integrity / Responsibility for Funds And Assets:

• Safeguards the financial resources entrusted to the office by advising on and / or managing financial assets, financial planning and cash management activities and by recommending improvements to the financial and administrative management systems and procedures. Accountable for fiduciary integrity/responsibility for funds and assets taking decision on all operational and financial transactions, disbursement of funds, and administrative arrangements.
• Ensures efficient, cost-effective and transparent utilization of resources through knowledge and technology transfer between offices and consistency of approaches.

Leadership in Strategic Planning and Policy Formulation in the Areas of Operations:

• Plays a major role in strategic planning and decision-making within the UNICEF Operations and provides sound professional input and oversight to the development, reform and change of financial, human resource and administrative policies, systems and procedures, including those that strengthen gender policy in programming and staff gender parity.
• Participates in effective management process by providing technical advices and supports to corporate committees (including PBR, RMTs, CMT, JCC, CRC, PSB, etc.).

Office Services:

• Ensures the provision of basic offices services including space management, equipment, communications and security to enhance staff safety and productivity.
• Under the auspices of the Inter-Agency Operations Management Team, supports approaches for enhancing UN common services to attain efficiencies and effectiveness.

CPMP:

• Development of the finance, budget and administrative components of the CPMP is timely completed; participates in the review of office structures and operations, and compilation of required job descriptions, prior to budget preparation, in line with the country programme commitment; contributes to the preparation of budget and the accompanying justification and documentation
• Participates in the country programme strategy, development, planning and preview/reviews meetings to identify staffing and administrative operational requirements
• Within the framework of the CPMP, coordinates and contributes towards human resources planning.

Compliance and Internal Control:

• Monitors and manages budget process. Ensures all other operational reporting requirements are fully met for the office.  Monitors compliance with all operational systems and procedures and ensures integrity in all financial and other administrative operations of the office.
• Serve as the focal person for office management indicators; ensure all other operational reporting requirements are fully met for the office; in collaboration with the Deputy Representative, ensure the implementation of agreed audit recommendations; advise on corrective measures to be taken and establish relevant internal controls
• Develop training activities to ensure effective operational performance and efficiency.

Staff Learning and Development:

• Develops training activities to ensure effective operational performance and efficiency
• Develops and implements effective staff learning and development programme activities for both programme and operations staff on operational matters for capacity building
• Plans and conducts operations workshops for staff’s competency building, staff development, learning and career development. Provides coaching and counselling to the staff on performance enhancement/development.

Partnership, Coordination and Collaboration:

• Maintains government counterpart relations; resolves issues pertaining to conditions of service, operational facilities and privileges within the context of the Basic Cooperation Agreement; Ensures adherence to financial regulations and rules pertaining to Cash Assistance to Government (CAG).
• Cooperates and coordinates with other UN agency counterparts in the UN reform initiatives (including HACT capacity building of IPs, common services and premises agenda, etc.).
• Advises Head of Office on finance, human resource and administrative matters providing guidance on all operational submissions for the approval of the Regional Director; briefs office staff on financial, human resource and administrative policies and procedures providing authoritative advice; provides technical guidance and oversight to junior Operations staff in country offices and swiftly resolves operational issues.
• Coordinates / liaises with the HQ Divisions to support policy formulation in the area of operations; advises on the applicability of new policy directives to regional operations. Makes substantive recommendations on the improvement of systems and internal controls, planning and restructuring and resolution of sensitive issues and problems, taking into account the prevailing conditions in the locality.
• Establishes and maintains all consultative and management committees (e.g. APC, JCP, JCC, CRC, PSB, TRT, PBR and Training); Organizes and trains committees in compliance with the guidelines.
• Collaborates with senior Programme Officers and country office staff providing creative problem solving in support of programming activities while maintaining sound internal operational controls.
• Represents the office in meetings with local banks and administrative suppliers; negotiates locally issued contracts as well as in meetings with other UN Agencies to coordinate operational matters and activities, including harmonization of the UN common system.
• Represents UNICEF in the local salary survey committee and fully participates in all processes of the salary survey review and administration to ensure the methodology is applied correctly throughout.
• Coordinates promptly with the Regional Office, the Head of Office, Programme Officers and other staff in the country office for security-related issues and emergency operations. Provides operational support to emergency preparedness and emergencies. Informs and updates all staff members in the country office on security related issues and emergency operations.

Requirements
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education:

• An Advanced University Degree in one of the following fields is required: Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, or Financial Management

Work Experience:

• A minimum of eight years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: office management, finance, accounting, ICT, human resources, supply, administration or other related areas.
• Experience in an emergency duty station is an asset.

Language Proficiency:

• Fluency in English is required.  Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of thee duty station is considered as an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

• UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.
• View our competency framework at: http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

Application Closing Date
14th January, 2020; 23:55:00 GMT+0100 (West Africa Standard Time)