Operations Officer

Background

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 47 least developed countries. With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development.

UNCDF’s financing models work through three channels: inclusive digital economies, connecting individuals, households, and small businesses with financial eco-systems that catalyze participation in the local economy, and provide tools to climb out of poverty and manage financial lives; local development finance, that capacitates localities through fiscal decentralization, innovative municipal finance, and structured project finance to drive local economic expansion and sustainable development; and investment finance, that provides catalytic financial structuring, de-risking, and capital deployment to drive SDG impact and domestic resource mobilization. By strengthening how finance works for poor people at the household, small enterprise, and local infrastructure levels, UNCDF contributes to Sustainable Development Goal-SDG 1 on eradicating poverty and SDG 17 on the means of implementation. By identifying those market segments where innovative financing models can have transformational impact in helping to reach the last mile and address exclusion and inequalities of access, UNCDF contributes to a broad diversity of SDGs. Based on this experience UNCDF started in 2017 to expand the scope of its programmatic agenda to go beyond digital finance. Through the “Leaving none behind in the digital era” strategy, UNCDF is supporting, through its digital finance interventions, the emergence of inclusive digital economies.

UNCDF inclusive digital economy strategy in Zambia

UNCDF in Zambia has been implementing projects that address the needs of the 40% population that has been financially excluded using a market development approach on digital finance in Zambia. The programme has the aim to develop an inclusive digital economy and transformation in Zambia by leveraging digital financial payments in the utility sector. UNCDF in Zambia will support resilient and inclusive digital economic transformation of Zambia, through provision of digital financial services that are available, accessible, and affordable to all Zambians. The programme will support FSPs and Fintechs to expand the reach to services to marginalized populations such as women, youth, rural communities, refugees, persons with disabilities, amongst others.

Under the supervision of the Operations Analyst and direct supervision and guidance of the Country Lead, in Zambia, the Operations Officer will be responsible to lead and guide the project operations team and foster collaboration within the team and with other UN Agencies consistent with rules and a client-oriented approach. The Operations Officer will work in close collaboration with programme and operations staff in other UN Agencies, and Government officials to successfully deliver operations services for CO including overseeing similar operations in Malawi.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of key functions

• Ensures provision of top-quality advisory services and facilitation of knowledge building and management;
• Ensures implementation of programme operation strategies;
• Ensures effective operations management of the programme;
• Ensures creation of strategic partnerships and implementation of the resource mobilization strategy in cooperation with the programme team.

1. Ensures implementation of operational strategies, adapts processes and procedures focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Full compliance with UN/UNDP rules and regulations of financial processes, financial records and reports and audit follow up; implementation of the effective internal control framework;
• Office finance business processes mapping and elaboration of the content of internal Standard Operating Procedures in Finance in consultation with the direct supervisor and office management;
• Maintains the professionalism of the operations unit by implementing all administrative activities in an orderly and time sensitive manner.

2. Ensures administration of finance and procurement focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Delivers solutions-focused, client-oriented operations services as demonstrated through consistent positive feedback received from internal and external clients for operational services delivered;
• Executes the country’s operational activities in accordance with the Internal Control Framework issued by the Executive Coordinator within the context of UNDP’s regulatory framework (such as the Financial Regulations and Rules and the UNDP Programme and Operations Policy and Procedure Manual);
• Preparation and modifications of budgets for UNCDF projects, follow-up with MSU, procurement and finance unit for project;
• Presentation of researched information for planning and status of financial resources of the assigned projects;
• Prepare and/or check the financial reports for Comic Relief, SIDA, UNSSOCC and other donors, monitor use of cost sharing funds and other resources;
• Ensure submission of financial reports to donors is timely and on quality basis;
• Proper control of the supporting documents for payments and financial reports the programme;
• Ensuring that advance payments and direct payments for programme is properly reviewed and made on a timely basis, as well as ensuring that payment information is properly recorded into the Atlas system on a timely basis;
• Timely response to unit requests to resolve financial data issues, timely accounts closure;
• Follow-up with partners on contributions, receipt creation in Atlas and certification of reimbursement of expense claims;
• For local procurement – develop request for quotations (RFQs) for local vendors and local consultants, obtaining quotes, evaluating and propose vendors for selection;
• For other procurement needs – in cooperation with team, develop TORs, project descriptions and other written materials as needed;
• Monitors procurement to ensure timely advertising and collection of quotes. Verify vendors’ eligibility and ensure they are in the UNCDF ATLAS system. Verify quality and receipt of goods;
• Supervision of any assistant to be assigned.

3. Provides administrative support focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Assist in facilitating project assets and inventory and records keeping;
• Custodian for management of office stationery supplies including maintenance of stock list of stationery, distribution of stationery as required by staff and keeping a log of distribution;
• Maintenance of the filing system ensuring safekeeping of confidential materials;
• Provision of support to maintenance of common premises and common services;
• Facilitation and organization of shipments, customs clearance arrangements, preparation of documents for shipments and mail (received/sent).

4. Support to human resources management, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Co-ordination with UNDP CO for human resources management;
• Support the recruitment processes of the programme personnel in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations, appropriate use of different contractual modalities, contracts management;
• Preparation of required documents to initiate recruitments, processing of the competitive selection processes and administration of service contracts as per UNDP rules;
• Establishes a repository of approved JDs and classifications memos for all current posts;
• Monitors contract and post end dates and provides regular updates to the Country Lead in advance for extension decisions. Administers post, contract and separation processes with Brussels and HR through to completion and maintains up to date staff information;
• Facilitates job classification and vacancy announcements and ensures relevant information is uploaded into the HR portal;
• Completes long listing of posts according to the recruitment strategy, where required;
• Focal point for the on-boarding schedule; ensures staff are provided with all office tools to facilitate rapid start up of their work, including requests for staff registration in the HR system, coded UNDSS CO passes provided, IT access established (including Atlas and Sharepoint ), workstation, laptop, email address and phone access and other administration needs are provided for; communicates and follows up on timelines for colleagues to implement their part of the on-boarding process;
• Monitoring of the personnel performance records and attendance and leave of the project personnel.

5. Support travel arrangements, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Administer travel and logistical arrangements for the staff and consultants; arrange itineraries, visas, security clearances, accommodation, prepare appropriate requisitions;
• Draft logistical notes, facilitate arrangement of logistics including visa and liaise with event participants;
• Certification of travel claims and submission of mission reports and other appropriate documents in Atlas.

Institutional Arrangement

The overall supervisor for this position is the IDE -Country Lead in Zambia.

Competencies

Core Competencies

• Achieve Result: 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 with 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 inclusivity.

People Management

• Manage Performance and Ensure  Accountability;
• Ensure regular conversations with people about work;
• Provide positive and constructive feedback;
• Discuss poor performance in a timely manner;
• Provide praise and recognition, as well as ensure accountability.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Customer Satisfaction/Client Management

• Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers’ needs;
• Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy;
• Look for ways to add value beyond clients’ immediate requests;
• Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns.

Communication

• Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience;
• Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.

Entrepreneurial Thinking

• Ability to create clarity around UNDP value proposition to beneficiaries and partners and to develop service offers responding to client needs based on UNDP’s organizational priorities and mandate.

Knowledge Generation

• Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for content, or responsive to a stated need.

Knowledge Facilitation

• Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally.

Operations Management

• Ability to effectively plan, organize, and oversee the Organization’s business processes in order to convert its assets into the best results in the most efficient manner;
• Knowledge of relevant concepts and mechanisms.

Fundamental knowledge of processes, methods and procedures

• Understands the main processes and methods of work regarding to the position;
• Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks;
• Identifies new and better approaches to work processes and incorporates same in own work;
• Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning;
• Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments.

Leadership

• Generates commitment, excitement and excellence in others;
• Creates new opportunities for team, not just self to learn and take on new responsibilities;
• Actively shares knowledge Communication and Relationship Management;
• Synthesizes information to communicate independent analysis;
• Communicates ideas and positions with command and confidence.

Innovation

• Adept with complex concepts and challenges convention purposefully and Critically assesses established methods;
• Contributes to prototyping, piloting, and evaluating lessons /feedback.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master’s degree in Business Administration, Management, Public Administration, Social Sciences or related field.
• Bachelor’s degree in relevant fields with additional years of qualifying experience may be considered in lieu of the advanced degree

Experience:

• Minimum 7 years (Master’s Degree) and 9 years (Bachelor’s degree) of  progressively responsible experience in programme support or project management, including operations, financial management and administration, or similar development context, with at least 2 years of administrative experience is required at the national or international level
• Experience providing management advisory services, hands-on experience in administration ,procurement including operations and finance of development projects;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc), advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages and experience in handling of web based management systems;
• Experience with a UN organization/agency is desirable but not a requirement;
• Experience with ATLAS and UNDP Procurement is an added advantage;
• Strong communication skills (written and oral).

Language

• Fluency in English

Professional certificates: 

• A specialized certification in Management, Accounting or Finance would be desirable.

Disclaimer

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: 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 warning

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.