Operations Analyst

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency dedicated to eradicating rural poverty and hunger. It does so by investing in rural people. IFAD finances programmes and projects that increase agricultural productivity and raise rural incomes, and  advocates at the local, national and international level for policies that contribute to rural transformation.

The Department for Country Operations (DCO) oversees the origination, design and management of IFAD investments, including sovereign and non-sovereign operations, as well as the design and implementation of non-lending activities within country programmes, including policy engagement and SSTC. DCO is the department that primarily interfaces with governments, the private sector and other stakeholders to deliver IFAD's programme of work and to provide oversight to ensure quality of the portfolio.  

DCO is led by an Associate Vice-President and is composed of five (5) regional divisions: Asia and the Pacific Division (), East and Southern Africa Division (), Latin America and Caribbean Division (), Near East, North Africa and Europe Division () and West and Central Africa Division (), the Private Sector Operations Division (PSD), and two (2) units:  the South-South and Triangular Cooperation Unit (SSTC) and fragility unit (FRU).

The position is located in the DCO Front Office and the incumbent works under the direct supervision of the Associate Vice-President.

The incumbent is responsible for the management of the front office and  the coordination of the DCO FO Administrative Support Team based on IFAD's mission and values contributing to an efficient and nurturing environment that reflects the image of high reputation within and outside the and ensures a proper office management, playing a key role in the coordination and monitoring departmental budget working closely with all Divisions in DCO and guiding departmental front offices to ensure proper communication flows, providing instructions, analysis of data and administration. 

1. COORDINATION, OFFICE MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS SUPPORT:

• Coordinates and develops efficient and effective systems and routines for the administration of the Office of the Associate Vice President. This includes the follow up of correspondence to ensure timely responses, preparing drafts of a variety of correspondence by ensuring protocol, formal communication standards and proper management of the AVPs briefing files.
• Coordinates the work of the administrative team to ensure an efficient operational running of the office. Proactively analyzes and promotes new methods of work and effective communication to enhance the work in the Front Office.
• Ensures the proper administration of the budget of the Office of the Associate Vice President by monitoring and reporting of budget status and utilization. Provides any statistical reports on budget related matters, ensuring correct use of funds in SSTC and FRU Units.
• Oversees the Associate Vice President's calendar, meetings, missions, travels, and appointments of high-level visitors by obtaining administrative support from the Front Office Administration Team. Ensures security, protocol and divisional involvement the coordination by checking resources.
• Formulates briefs and short papers and provides analyses for the Associate Vice President on various subjects, as needed.
• Provides support to the preparation of the Office's programme of work, the budget (for staff and operational), and the strategic workforce plan.

• Ensure full compliance with established rules, procedures, and corporate standards. He/she is responsible for monitoring and ensuring the timely submission of reports, correspondence, and documentation by staff, guaranteeing accuracy and adherence to organizational requirements.

2. RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING: 

The incumbent plays a pivotal role in the effective planning, management and delivery of the divisional/departmental work plan(s) and budget management with a strong focus on budget formulation, monitoring, and oversight. The incumbent prepares analytical reports and provides analytical and written inputs to corporate reports and documents in collaboration with the Senior Technical Adviser to the AVP and other professional staff in the DCO Front Office.
Prepares expenditure reports which analyzes cost-efficiencies levels for the Office of the Vice President 
Monitors progress towards approved departmental targets and deliverables which include identification of problem areas and activating an early warning mechanism

3. AGENT OF CHANGE:

The incumbent understands and applies the principles of change management and proactively serves as a role model for transformation and capacity for acceptance of change. At this level, the incumbent manages change through consultations with peers at his/her level in all IFAD offices to build understanding of and to ensure open and regular communications pertaining to current and planned changes.

4. MANAGERIAL FUNCTIONS:

The incumbent is accountable for integrity, transparency, and equity in the management of assigned IFAD resources, including equipment, supplies and, as applicable, (indirect) supervision. This includes coordinating DCO's Administrative Support Team and cultivating and nurturing environment, contributing to staff morale and acts as a coach and guide to administrative staff to increase efficiency and work/life balance. It also includes the coordination of Knowledge and Content Management on the other by ensuring (1) knowledge content related to the Front Office is continuously updated and available through the intranet (2) best practices are continuously identified, documented, and made available to clients and peers through the inter-/intra-net and (3) appropriate and up-to-date information and learning tools are available.

The key results of the duties performed by the incumbent will contribute to the quality of a well-managed AVP Front Office by ensuring formal communication standards are applied in a variety of communication. This may include indirect supervisory responsibilities for the work of administrative assistants, temporary and/or contract staff. Technical analysis and synthesis of information and data, including database management, creates the foundation for IFAD's decision-making. The work requires good technical analysis and the capacity to apply conceptual models and policy frameworks.

Position specifics:

DCO Budget:

• Support the preparation of the (a) annual planning of the departmental budget (both staff and non-staff costs), (b) three percent carry-forward and (c) the mid-year review and (d) the accruals processes.
• Support departmental budget execution management and provide guidance to supervisors and DCO staff on departmental agreements on budget regulations, resource allocation rules and procedures,
• Monitor and follow up of expenditures proposing corrective actions, for consideration by supervisor
• Provide technical and procedural support to Budget Associates in HQ (G6) Administrative Resource Analyst in the RO (NOB), to the Country Operational Analyst in MCO (NOA) and to the Country Programme Assistants in ICO/LED (G5) supporting the consistent application of established budget procedures.  
• Support the production of quarterly and annual reporting, analysis, review, consolidation, budget commitment management and management of budget transfers for all funding sources - regular administrative budget, supplementary fund management fees and supplementary funds.
• Contribute to the definition of internal process for collating inputs from Divisions and propose improvements of new methods of work and automated workflows, supporting roll-out and through engagement in open and regular communications with POB and FCD colleagues.
• Assist in developing and provide training for Budget Associates/ Administrative Resource Analyst/Budget Assistant which helps consistency across divisions in the managing of resources.
• Participate in working groups with POB and FCD analysts and officers to ensure DCO alignment.

Human resources:

• Focal point for HR Issues at administrative level and liaising with PCD on sensitive information with discretion
• With support from recruitment, monitor vacancies process to support DCO divisions to comply with established recruitment timeline.
• Ensure elaboration/update of divisional organigrams to map staff in DCO for management information and decision (including CD mapping/system updates i.e. People).

Support ICO resource management:

• Support coordination and identify links across DCO decentralized offices working with Regional Administrative and Resource Analyst and Divisional Assistant, to identify and escalate issues in the field administration.
• Organize meetings with ICOs in the relations of the implementation of best administrative practices rules and procedures, inviting when necessary supporting divisions (like MSD and POB) for clarifications and/or problem solving. Coordinates follow up for the administrative tasks, taking into consideration ICO's needs.
• Prepare periodic analyses on issues of relevance to the work of DCO decentralization

• Maintain accuracy and consistency of department budget data at operational level and provide guidance and training to support GS and national staff in ICOs.

Corporate Priorities:

• Support analysis on programme-related financial data (e.g. programme non-staff budgets), including extracting data on consultants and staff.
• Trouble shoot and problem solve system related challenges at departmental level on administrative tasks.
• Schedule and coordinate regional refresher training courses/ clinic sessions in coordination with DCO Front Offices.
• Support the development of departmental retreat taking care of the logistics including selection of premises and participating to all related meetings.
• Act as focal point for the DOA at operational level, including participating in working groups.
• Coordinate the financial part of the agreement between IFAD/FAO for the consultancy support Design/Supervision working with FCD officers.  

Internally, the incumbent will ensure an effective and efficient workflow with all other IFAD offices to ensure that all commitments made by the Office of the Associate Vice-President can be met.

The incumbent will work on a daily basis with all the divisions within DCO and colleagues across the organization aligned with the coordination tasks required for the DCO Front Office. As the department's administrative focal point for some HR matters, budget and decentralized offices, the incumbent will work closely with the Planning, Organizational Development and Budget Division (POB), the People and Culture Division (PCD), the Management Services Division (MSD), in collaboration with the Senior Technical Advisor.

Position specific 

• Liaising closely with operational teams, technical divisions, and HQ staff. 
• Contribute to cohesion and consistency of information and workflows. 
• Engage in open communication and support cross-departmental actions.

Organizational Competencies:

Level 1:

• Building relationships and partnerships - Builds and maintains effective working relationships
• Communicating and negotiating - Communicates effectively; creates understanding between self and others
• Demonstrating leadership - Personal leadership and attitude to change
• Focusing on clients - Focuses on clients
• Learning, sharing knowledge and innovating - Continuously seeks to learn, shares knowledge & innovates
• Managing performance and developing staff -
• Managing time, resources and information - Manages own time, information and resources effectively
• Problem-solving and decision-making - Demonstrates sound problem-solving and decision-making ability
• Strategic thinking and organizational development - Personal influence
• Team working - Contributes effectively to the team

Education:

• Education includes Advanced university degree from an accredited institution listed on https://whed.net/home.php in international relations, management, business administration, international development, economics or related field is required (*):
  (*) Note:  For internal candidates, this requirement will be assessed in line with the provisions set forth in IFAD¿s Human Resources Implementing Procedures. 

Experience:

• At least two (2) years of progressively professional experience. 

• Position-specific experience:  including experience within an international financial institution, development cooperation agencies and/or the United Nations system.

Languages:

• English (4 - Excellent)
• Desirable: French, Spanish and/or Arabic 

Skills:

• Budgeting, resource management: Know-how in budget administration and accounting, resource allocation and planning at divisional level
• Contract Management: Know-how in contracting of external workforce (e.g. contracting of interpreters, subeditors and proof-reader falling under international agreements)
• Procedure adherence: Ability to strictly adhere to established, formal guidelines, including in new situations
• Record management: Know-how in record keeping (e.g. proper handling of records and systems to preserve institutional memory, including correspondence logs, office filing and reference systems, etc.)
• Topical expertise - Administration: Expertise relevant to the specific role (e.g. For ethics office assistant, procedures outlined in the Code of Conduct, Discipline and Anti-harassment provisions of applicable rules and guidelines)
• Data management: Data collection, cleaning, transformation and consolidation; data-base architecture & development; data presentation
• Adaptability: Adaptability and flexibility when facing new or unexpected situations, and to specific constraints and circumstances and managing complex processes
• Basic ICT & digital fluency: High level of digital literacy and ability to quickly get familiar with new digital tools (e.g. ability to carry out EPR data entry and extraction when budgeting; monitoring security systems, uploading content to inter/intra-net websites, etc.)
• Client orientation: Strong critical thinking combined with communication skills to liaise between the business and technologies to understand business problems and needs, document requirements and identify solutions
• Confidentiality & Discretion: Establishes self and division as trusted advisor to internal stakeholders by maintaining high level of discretion and confidentiality in assignments; demonstrates sound judgement when dealing with sensitive and/or confidential matters; drives good governance and is a "Culture Carrier" demonstrating IFAD institutional conscience through his/her work.
• Initiative and good judgment: High sense of proactive initiative-taking and good judgement (including on security matters)
• Interpersonal skills: Ability to deal patiently and tactfully with others (e.g. visitors, clients, callers, etc.), including senior individuals (e.g. high-level meeting participants)
• Problem solving: Strong systemic and structured thinking, ability to identify and dissect problems into components and formulate a comprehensive set of creative viable and sustainable solutions and strategies.

IFAD staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the President of IFAD. In accordance with IFAD's Human Resources Policy, the President can decide to assign them to any of the activities of the Fund. All International Professional staff members are required to be geographically mobile and positions in the professional category are subject to changes in location at any time in line with strategic priorities and reform initiatives in IFAD.

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