Job description

The Position:

This position is located in the Facilities and Administrative Services Branch (FASB) within the Division for Management Services (DMS). FASB provides and oversees a broad range of support services relating to facilities and asset management, travel, mail & pouch and administrative/general services for both Headquarters and Field Offices. The term Field Offices includes all offices located outside of Headquarters including Regional/Sub-Regional Offices, Liaison Offices and Country Offices. The incumbent reports directly to the Chief of the Branch and supervises 1 Professional and 4 General Service staff.

The incumbent maintains professional contacts with staff at UNFPA-Headquarters, Development Coordination Office (DCO), UNDP and other sister agencies together with field based colleagues. Provides professional support, analyses, clarification, and information and maintains regular contact with staff, within and outside the Organization as may be required.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The UNFPA Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 articulates the organization’s response to a complex global environment, providing a roadmap for resilience and renewal. It is designed to accelerate the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This mandate is pursued through a focus on four interconnected outcomes: ending the unmet need for family planning; ending preventable maternal deaths; ending gender-based violence and harmful practices; and adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies. 

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact and sustained results and ensure effective external relations, communications, and partnership-building and resource mobilization in a rapidly changing development and funding landscape. We need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them, and who commit to delivering excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

Reporting to the Chief of the Facilities and Administrative Services Branch, the Section Chief provides leadership and supervision in the areas of Business Operations Strategy (BOS)/Common Back Office (CBO) implementation, Efficiency Reporting, Fleet Management, Common Services and Mail & Pouch Services.

The primary roles are specifically:

a) Lead, manage and coach a group of international & national staff under his/her direct supervision;

b) Oversee the UNFPA global vehicle fleet management;

c) Guide UNFPA participation in UN Reform efficiencies incl BOS/CBO and GSS; 

d) Lead UNFPA negotiations with UN service providers on a global level.

You would be responsible for:

a) Provide strategic guidance and leadership in the area of administrative and common services 

  • Develops and maintains, with the assistance of a team of professionals and specialists, a comprehensive set of policies and procedures for all administrative and common services; 
  • Ensures that policies & procedures are practical and usable in the day-to-day business
  • Interprets, provides guidance and monitors compliance with all such policies and procedures;
  • Identifies needs for new or modified policies and procedures; review and initiate action as may be required;
  • Negotiates global Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and Universal Price Lists in the interest of UNFPA and ensure global SLAs and price lists are used accordingly;
  • Coordinates with internal and external stakeholders as required.

b) Provide strategic guidance and leadership for the implementation of the UN efficiency agenda

  • Represents UNFPA on UNSDG Task Teams on UN efficiency (BOS/CBO, GSS, etc. to ensure that decisions taken serve the best interests of UNFPA;
  • Leads and guides the Business Operations Analyst in implementing BOS/CBO in all UNFPA field locations and liaises with DCO to resolve any potential challenges;
  • Ensures that local BOS/CBO arrangements are in the interest of UNFPA;
  • Ensures efficiency gains from interagency, bilateral and internal initiatives are provided timely for internal and external reporting.
  • Guides UNFPA field offices in the implementation of BOS/CBO and liaises with DCO to resolve any potential challenges;
  • Reviews and analyses issues and trends, preparation of evaluations or other research activities and studies on Common Services and BOS related policy and services.

c) Provide strategic guidance and leadership in the area of global Fleet Management

  • Leads negotiations with potential service providers in the area of fleet management;
  • Ensures UNFPA is aware of innovations in fleet management and works on; implementing the best solutions for UNFPA;
  • Oversees the roll out of vehicle leasing and vehicle tracking globally;
  • Oversees fleet sharing initiatives with sister agencies globally;

d) Lead, Manage and coach all staff in the Section and foster staff development

  • Fosters an efficient and motivated team to ensure the smooth operation of the following services:
    • Mail, courier and pouch services, including internal document distribution;
    • Business Operations Services (Fleet, BOS, CBO, GSS).
    • Nairobi Administration
  • Manages, advises and coaches staff in the Business Operations, Mail and Pouch units as well as the Nairobi Administrative Associate;
  • Fosters development of staff under his/her direct supervision;
  • Monitors and ensures that CMP outputs and RRP Milestones of staff under direct supervision are achieved.

e) Other duties

  • Serves as acting or replacement for the Chief of Branch as required;
  • Performs any other activity as required in order to assure the success of the work team in support of the UNFPA mandate and strategy;
  • Backs-up the Chief Facilities and/or Chief Travel Section as necessary.

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education:  

Advanced university degree in Business, Management, Business Administration, Operations Management, Public Administration or any other relevant discipline.

Knowledge and Experience: 

  • 7 years of experience in the field of management at the national and international level; this should ideally include direct field/in-country experience;
  • UN common system knowledge and work experience with the United Nations Efficiency Agenda including BOS implementation is highly desirable;
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite is a must.

Languages: 

Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language an asset.

Required Competencies: 

Values:

  • Exemplifying integrity, 
  • Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system, 
  • Embracing cultural diversity, 
  • Embracing change

Core Competencies: 

  • Achieving results,
  • Being accountable,
  • Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
  • Thinking analytically and strategically,
  • Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,
  • Communicating for impact

Functional Competencies:

  • Working in teams
  • Self-management/Emotional Intelligence
  • Communication
  • Analytical and Strategic Thinking
  • Results orientation/Commitment to excellence
  • Appropriate and transparent decision making
  • Knowledge sharing/Continuous learning

Managerial Competencies:

  • Providing strategic vision and focus,
  • Engaging internal / external partners and stakeholders,
  • Leading, developing and empowering people / creating a culture of performance,
  • Making decisions and exercising judgment,
  • Performance Management.

Compensation and Benefits:

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements. 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts. 

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.

At Impactpool we do our best to provide you the most accurate info, but closing dates may be wrong on our site. Please check on the recruiting organization's page for the exact info. Candidates are responsible for complying with deadlines and are encouraged to submit applications well ahead.
Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify. Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.