Regional Service Associate

In May 2019, The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) approved the expansion of services of its Global Shared Services Unit (GSSU). With offices in Copenhagen, Kuala Lumpur and Istanbul, the GSSU services over 180 countries, 40,000 personnel and more than 40 other UN Agencies and Organizations. Through its functional lines, GSSU ensures high quality and timely delivery of human resources, financial and procurement services as well as information and innovative tools to its various clients and stakeholders.

The Global Shared Services Unit (GSSU) within the Bureau for Management Services (BMS) supports all UNDP offices and units with the provision of transactional services. This includes a core set of transactions in Finance and HR that are already being handled by the Global Shared Service Unit (GSSU) in Kuala Lumpur. The GSSU is led by the Director, who reports to the Director of Bureau for Management Services (BMS).

The Regional Service Associate will be required to work closely with all UNDP Offices to provide Tier-1 services in respect of all clustered services consistent with UNDP policies and procedures. Reporting to the Regional Service Analyst, the Regional Service Associate works collaboratively within the Contact Centre team, with GSSU personnel and Clients with a client-oriented approach. The Regional Service Associate works in close collaboration with GSSU Service Teams and supports knowledge management within GSSU.

• Respond to client questions and queries by reviewing Frequently Asked Questions, Standard Operating Procedures, and UNDP regulations, rules, policies and procedures. Keeping client regularly informed of cases channeled through the GSSU Contact Centre for resolution.
• Channeling client suggestions, concerns and issues to the relevant GSSU service team leader, following up the responses in order to ensure timely client feedback.
• Supporting processing of GSSU transactions, where authorized.

• Support submission of GSSU Contact Centre monthly reports and analysis to the GSSU Client Management Team reflecting number of cases, types of queries and performance against GSSU Contact Centre key performance indicators.
• Ensuring GSSU Contact Centre internet page and other online resources are up to date with complete and accurate information including Frequently Asked Questions, Standard Operating Procedures and documents to support Country offices.
• Provide Up-to-date information to the Strategic Performance and Client management Service and the GSSU Service Delivery teams to facilitate timely and accurate information concerning the operations of the GSSU Contact Centre to Clients.

• Organization of training of GSSU, Regional and Country Office staff on GSSU service delivery streams (financial, procurement and Human Resources management)
• Synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices in GSSU Service delivery lines (financial, procurement and Human Resources management).
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice on yammer and other communication channels of GSSU.

• Organization of training of GSSU, Regional and Country Office staff on GSSU service delivery streams (financial, procurement and Human Resources management).
• Synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices in GSSU Service delivery lines (financial, procurement and Human Resources management).
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice on yammer and other communication channels of GSSU.

• Support integration of client management sites and tools in GSSU. 
• Documents best practice, drafts wiki and knowledge management articles on innovative processes and procedures.
• Support development of innovative client management and quality assurance approaches for GSSU services. 
• Contribute to studies initiated to improve GSSU services, including time in motion, costing and other initiatives.

• Ability to make new and useful ideas work
• Adapts deliverables to meet client needs

• Ability to persuade others to follow
• Proactively seeks and recognizes contributions of others

• Ability to improve performance and satisfaction
• Appropriately involves team in different stages of work and decision-making

• Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform
• Expresses information and views with adaptive reasoning and appreciation for complexity and variation

• Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement
• Takes responsibility for addressing critical situations and delivering core value

• Knowledge of accounting concepts, principles, regulations, and policies and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations
• Implement & Manage: Exercises skills and knowledge independently, demonstrating ability to manage self and team responsibilities, in area of work

• Ability to identify and execute opportunities to improve operational efficiency
• Implement & Manage: Exercises skills and knowledge independently, demonstrating ability to manage self and team responsibilities, in area of work

• Accurately accumulating information and its analysis; forecasting potential problems and planning; allowing for alternative, creative solutions and identifying most reasonable solutions
• Implement & Manage: Exercises skills and knowledge independently, demonstrating ability to manage self and team responsibilities, in area of work

• Ability to capture, develop, share and
• Implement & Manage: Exercises skills and knowledge independently, demonstrating ability to manage self and team responsibilities, in area of work

• Secondary Education with specialized certification in Business Administration, Accounting, and/or Finance. University degree in Finance, Accounting or Business Administration desirable, but it is not a requirement.

• Minimum 6 years of relevant experience with Secondary education or 3 years with Bachelor’s Degree in office management, operations, accounting or finance
• Experience in working in a computer environment using multiple office software packages, ERP systems, preferably PeopleSoft
• Experience working in UNDP Country Offices is required
• Experience in supporting clients required
• Knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages required
• Experience in handling Client Relationship Management (CRM) applications or business analytics systems is an advantage

• Fluency in English and French is a requirement. Working knowledge of other UN languages is an asset.

Important applicant information

All posts in the GS categories are subject to local recruitment.

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.

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