Common Back Office Manager

The Viet Nam Common Back Office (CBO), (formerly known as Common Services Unit) was established in 2015, when most resident UN agencies moved into the GOUNH. The Viet nam CBO is hosted by UNDP and operating under UNDP rules and regulations. The Viet Nam CBO was designed as a customer-centric and cost-effective UN local shared service center, providing UN agencies with 53 services in the areas of ICT, building and facility management, and admin and logistics, through a one-stop-shop system and cost-shared among 15 UN agencies. 

Eary 2023, Viet Nam was selected as one of the first 6 countries globally to launch the CBO 2.0, with its scope of services to be expanded to cover 66 compulsory Tier-1 services identified by the UNSDG Business Innovation Group (BIG). Once the Viet Nam CBO 2.0 is launched (tentatively in mid-2024), it will provide participating UN agencies with new services in the areas of procurement and human resources in addition to the current 53 services.

The CBO Manager is responsible for managing the UN common premises and delivering reliable and cost-effective common services in the areas of ICT, building and facilities management, Green One UN House security, general admin and logistics services, and other operational services that will be added to the CBO in support of the implementation of SG’s Business Efficiency Agenda at the country level. 

The CBO Manager is also responsible for constantly seeking opportunities for efficiency gains, quality improvement and cost-saving in common services, as well as development of a revenue generation strategy to ensure affordability, viability and sustainability of the GOUNH and the CBO in support for UN programme delivery and operations in Viet Nam. 

The CBO Manager will supervise the CBO team, currently consisting of 18 staff and more than 60 third party personnel contracted additionally to deliver services. The annual CBO operating budget is approximately $1.7-1.8 million.
 

• Develop a management plan, SOPs, KPIs and SLAs for Common Back Office services that ensure affordable, top quality, sustainable, client-oriented services in the areas for all CBO service areas.
• Ensure that the work is performed in accordance with all relevant rules and regulations of the hosting agency and other established guidelines for the respective areas. 
• Set up and monitor time and qualitative SLA and key performance indicators on service delivery by means of ticketing and report these regularly to client entities through Dashboards.
• Target and track qualitative key performance indicators on clients’ satisfaction by means of both instant and periodic surveys, and report these regularly to client entities. 
• Commit to continuous improvements in the delivery of services to improve efficiency and enhance quality of services, informed by regular oversight of key performance indicators and client feedback, with clear accountability and feedback mechanisms to act on client inputs. 
• Organize regular performance reviews with client entities to discuss results in performance, complaints management, client satisfaction and continuous service improvements. 
• Ensure transparency, value for money for all transactions and detailed reporting on revenues, budgets, cost recovery, cost sharing, performance against service level standards, and other measures as may be agreed. 
• Maintain an up-to-date GOUNH Business Continuity Plan (BCP) including annual BCP testing working closely and in coordination with BCP focal points of GOUNH UN agencies and adequately plan for disasters and recoveries. 
• Maintain a fully integrated, secure, reliable infrastructure environment for GOUNH ICT in a coordinated manner aligned with the ICT Advisory Group of 15 UN Entities operating at GONH.
• Lead the premises green agenda including GOUNH certifications (Lotus, ISO14001), managing green operations of the facilities, regular monitoring the metrics, adjusting operations, reporting and bringing critical issues to the attention of GMB. 
• Manage joint assets of GOUNH in close coordination with the administrative agency. 
• Effective implementation of UNDSS guidelines for Security Risk Management (SRM) compliance of the GOUNH 
• Formulate annual GOUNH Common Back Office budget, act as Certifying Officer (Requesting Authority) for all accounts of the Common Back Office Services and manage financial resources in line with rules and regulations of the administrative agency.   
• Ensure timely delivery of goods and services through working in close coordination with the hosting agency on procurement, oversee effective management of contracts and continuous evaluation of service providers. 
• Ensure readiness for joint UN and agency mandated specific audits. 
• Maintain effective relationships at multiple levels (e.g. GOUNH Agencies, GMB, OMT, service users, suppliers, Staff Associations, Headquarters, Inter-Agency units such as UNDCO, etc), including working relationships with Government at multiple levels (e.g. local authorities, department of transportation, etc) 
• Ensure inclusiveness of all GOUNH participating agencies in critical matters relating to management of CBO 
• Constant monitoring and analysis of the operating environment, risk assessment and quick readjustments to the operations, while bringing critical information to the attention of GMB.
• Prepare regular management reports on performance based on KPIs and expenditures of common Back Office services and CBO Unit for review by OMT and GMB.

• Establish adequate supervisory relationships, learning support and allocation of resources to ensure adequate capacity in key functions. 
• Timely preparation of unit workplans, annual performance plans and reviews for both UN staff and contracted personnel 
• Ensure compliance with staff rules, Code of Conduct and GOUNH Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) to achieve performance. 
• Leadership and teambuilding to support excellence, accountability, motivation, and a high-performance working environment.  
• Build the capacity of local staff to enable them to take on increasingly higher levels of responsibility. 

• Keep track of the key elements of the next phase of business operations reform under UNDS Reform, especially with respect to the common back office and share cutting-edge, up-to-date policies and information in this new area and its implications with UN agencies in Viet Nam 
• Ensure active and regular engagement with both the DCO in New York and the global UNSDG’s Business Innovation Group (BIG) 
• Actively network with CBO staff and common UN premises managers in other countries to exchange knowledge and lessons learned, share Viet Nam’s experience and introduce best practices in Viet Nam 
• Support the implementation of BOS 2.0 for Viet Nam and capacity building for the OMT in this area. 

Develop strategies and proposals for further efficiency gains and cost reduction of Common Back Office of GOUNH through innovation in business operations focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Identification of structural opportunities for further cost-cutting to ensure affordability and sustainability through undertaking financial and operational analysis of current functions under the guidance of GMB. 
• Business development analysis with a view to expanding the scope of services and coverage beyond GOUNH and/or increase revenue in the GOUNH through cost-recovery. 
• Support OMT in developing the joint Business Operation Strategy 2.0 and the Common Premises Plan for Vietnam for further harmonization of operations across UN agencies. 
• Foster a culture of innovation and continuing critical review of cost vs performance parameters. 
• Develop strategic partnerships with potential external clients for common Back Office services and potential service providers. 

• Knowledge building and sharing with regards to management and operations of the GOUNH, synthesis of lessons learnt/best practices, and sound contributions to UNSDG governance and other systems, knowledge networks and communities of practices. 
• Support UN Communication on development of external communications products on GOUNH. 
• Engage with UN Agencies HQ, UNDCO and lead Agency on CBO issues pertaining to the UN in Viet Nam’s offer of services, best practices and potential for expansion of services and adaption. 

• The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

• Core Competencies:

Achieve Results: 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.

• Cross Functional and  Technical Competencies:

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 UNDP.

Business Management - Resource Management: Ability to allocate and use resources in a strategic or tactical way in line with principles of accountability and integrity.