Head of Office

Established in 2014, the Ethiopia Operational Hub (ETOH), manages and coordinates the UNOPS activities in Ethiopia, as well as Sudan and Djibouti. ETOH has been providing services to various partners, including governments, UN agencies such as UNICEF, UNHCR and WFP, and other international organizations.

UNOPS ETOH activities range from tailor-made administration, operations, human resources and logistics support for implementation of development and humanitarian projects; infrastructure and procurement management services; and advisory services to partners to facilitate effective procurement, supply and financial management.

UNOPS ETOH is looking for a Head of Office, who will be providing strategic and overall leadership for implementation of successful partnerships and programmes/projects in Sudan. The incumbent will be reporting to the ETOH Director, and working closely with the OH Heads of Programme and Support Services on relevant programme and operations issues.  The role will include representing UNOPS on behalf of the ETOH Director with UN and other partners at the high level. S/he will be expected to meet and exceed the organizations performance and delivery goals and targets.

Impact on Results

The incumbent will have the overall management responsibility for UNOPS’ programme delivery, and partnership development and management efforts throughout Sudan. In executing these responsibilities, the incumbent will be expected to lead implementation of strategies and practices necessary to deliver effective programmes, projects and partnerships in Sudan, and to meet and exceed the organization’s performance and delivery goals.

Alliance building, networking and advocacy for business development

·         Ensure that the implementation plans for the Sudan portfolio are established in collaboration with the partners, including objectives, performance measurements, standards and results expected to ensure timely and partner oriented services.

·         With guidance from the ETOH Director and Leadership Team, identify opportunities, develop current and future growth plans for Sudan, ensuring that those plans conform to the overall strategic plan of ETOH and the organization.

·         In line with the ETOH Strategy and working closely with Partnership Development Unit in OH, oversee drafting of concept notes and project document briefs for further discussion with potential partners.

·         Build and strengthen strategic partnerships through active networking, advocacy and effective communication of UNOPS competencies in project service delivery and management to develop opportunities and engagements with new partners.

·         Keep abreast of and assess the needs of the relevant national government and other UNOPS partners operating in the country, and plan interventions with them to leverage UNOPS’ services/competencies in the three mandate areas of infrastructure, procurement, and project management to facilitate achievement of sustainable results.

·         Keep the OH Leadership Team informed/advised on opportunities and/or challenges to strengthen UNOPS capacity for portfolio management and business development.

Inter-agency partnership

·         Develop and maintain close working relationships with donors, UN missions, UN agencies and government, as well as other bilateral and multilateral partners.

·         Participate in UNCT, Security Management Teams (SMT), and other inter-agency management groups to contribute to discussions and initiatives to strengthen coherence, inclusiveness, aid effectiveness and security measures.

·         Participate, as delegated by the Operational Hub Director, in inter-agency and external meetings/bodies to contribute to the harmonization of policies, practices and approaches within the UN System, including the implementation of the UNDAF/One Program, integrated Strategic Framework and “Delivering as One”.

·         On behalf of the OH Director, keep the UN Resident Coordinator informed of UNOPS activities within the country through regular communication and formal reporting on business acquisition and implementation of activities led by UNOPS as part of the UNDAF.

Sudan Office Management

·         In collaboration with OH Head of Support Services, establish and maintain appropriate arrangements for direct operational support for delivery of the portfolio, including leveraging regional or corporate support facilities, whenever available.

·         Plan for and develop a flexible workforce with the skills and competencies needed to ensure optimum performance, and ensure gender and geographical diversity.

·         Promote teamwork and collaboration by providing timely guidance and supervision to the team to enable them to perform their duties responsibly, effectively and efficiently.

·         Foster a positive work environment, respectful of both men and women, and ensure that the highest standards of conduct are observed.

·         Ensure that all units and personnel abide by all security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

·         Take responsibility for financial decisions/exercise financial control to ensure the fiscal health/sustainability of the office and its portfolio, including submitting financial reports to the Operational Hub Director and Leadership Team.

·         Ensure that revenue and expenditure forecasts are prepared and shared regularly with the OH Leadership Team based on financial goals.

Leadership for Programme Delivery

·         Supervise the work of the Programme Manager, ensuring that Sudan portfolio is planned, initiated and delivered in accordance with UNOPS policies, procedures and practices.

·         Ensure that the Sudan programme governance framework is implemented with guidance from the OH Director and Leadership Team.

·         Oversee the delivery of existing project portfolio, monitoring delivery in terms of quality, costs and time. Initiate corrective actions as needed and appropriate.

·         Analyze project results, and translate results into recommendations for management to assist with the development of the organization as the partner of choice in Sudan.

·         Advise the OH Director and Leadership Team on all matters concerning the delivery of projects and program development in the Sudan business unit.

·         Ensure that clear communications and good relations are developed and maintained throughout the Programme and Project teams, with support units/teams in ETOH, and with external parties such as UN missions, donors, government and UN agencies, etc.

·         Report progress of the programme at regular and sustained intervals to the ETOH Director, HoP, and Leadership Team, and at Projects Boards, as required.

Knowledge management and innovation

·         Drive a culture of excellence, continuous improvement, and performance optimization across all projects

·         Actively participate in the OH Leadership Team meetings to report on activities and contribute to high-level plans and discussions

·         Contribute to the development and introduction of innovation to ensure UNOPS is continually incorporating best practice approaches in the delivery of regional portfolio

·         Contribute to the dissemination and sharing of best practices and lessons learned for corporate development planning and knowledge building

·         Plan, implement and organize strategic capacity building of personnel, partners and stakeholders

Education

·         Master’s degree in business management, project management, public administration, engineering or other relevant related field is required.

·         A combination of Bachelor’s degree with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the education requirements outlined above.

·         Certification: PRINCE2® Foundation or equivalent an asset, but required completion within first 6 months of onboarding.

Work Experience

·         A minimum of 10 years of experience that combines positions in social development, business development, and/or programme management, planning and operations in a large international and/or corporate organization.

·         At least 4 years of leadership experience including supervising teams and managing complex projects and budgets.  

·         Some experience in UN system organizations preferably, in a developing country, particularly in East Africa, is desirable.

Language Requirements 

·         Excellent English skills required.

·         Knowledge of Arabic and/or another official UNOPS language is an asset.

• Creativity and Innovation: Is able to challenge mind-sets and think outside the box, as well as improvise in dynamic situations. Exhibits original and innovative thinking in his/her work. Is solutions-oriented.
• Change-Orientation: Recognizes the need for change, stimulates innovation, and is able to deal with ambiguity and resistance. Incremental change and continuous improvement are more viable approaches in UNOPS than revolutionary change.
• Result-Orientation: Is focused and ambitious. S/he displays tenacity, resilience, and has the capability to tolerate stress. They have effective planning and organization skills.
• Strategic-Orientation: Demonstrates business insight and sees the big picture. He/she is aware of trends and is able to come up with a vision.
• Decision-Making: Shows risk awareness and is able to evaluate options and solutions. S/he exercises judgment in making sound decisions. They are decisive.
• Communicates with Impact: Makes a positive personal impact in all forms of communication. Listens actively and is able to articulate own thoughts convincingly in both verbal and written form. Makes effective presentations.
• Networking Skills: Builds internal and external partnerships and alliances for the exchange of knowledge, experiences and services for mutual benefit.
• People, Performance, and Development: Facilitates personal and professional development by giving others constructive feedback, coaches, mentors, manages, and empowers for performance, competence, and career development.

Sudan

UNOPS supports the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to serve people in need by expanding the ability of the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, infrastructure and procurement in a sustainable and efficient manner.

Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, our vision is to advance sustainable implementation practices, always satisfying or surpassing our partners’ expectations.

With over 7,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, wherever they need it.

A flexible structure and global reach means that we can quickly respond to our partners' needs, while offering the benefits of economies of scale. 

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.