Operations Associate

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Job Purpose and Organizational Context

As a trusted multilateral partner serving 177 countries and territories around the world, UNDP is uniquely positioned to help advocate for change, connect countries to the knowledge and resources they need to develop and to coordinate the efforts of the United Nations at the country level.

The Gender Team is part of the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) which provides policy advice and technical support to all of UNDP’s Bureaus, leadership and operations on how to mainstream gender across all areas of work. It is at the forefront of UNDP's commitment to gender equality and women's empowerment. The Team works to implement gender equality as a core objective of UNDP through a two-pronged approach (i) mainstreaming gender in all core practices; and, (ii) dedicated interventions that empower women and promote gender equality.  
The Gender Team supports the Administrator and senior management in addressing gender equality and women’s empowerment in their convening and representational function. In addition, the Gender Team is currently leading the work through three main programmes: The Gender Equality Seal which is a corporate quality assurance mechanism that measures and certifies the achievements and competence of Country Offices in advancing women's rights and gender equality,  the Ending Gender based Violence & Achieving SDGs (GBV) for  the prevention and advocacy of efficient  policies and strategies to address and prevent this epidemic, and the Woment’s Economic Empowerment Programme.

The Gender Team is seeking to recruit an individual for a temporary appointment to provide programme operations and administrative support to the current programmes, projects and activities (Gender Mainstreaming, Gender Seal, Ending Gender based Violence & Achieving SDGs. The successful candidate will work under the direct supervision and guidance of the Director and will work in close collaboration with the operations and project staff at UNDP Headquarters, country office and regional levels.

1) Provide programme and financial management support:

• Responsible of supporting project management  resources, budgets and expenditures, reviewing and analyzing financial resources for an effective planning, guidance and oversight.
• Design and monitoring budgets by creating an Annual Work Plan with Shadow Budget as per information on yearly AWPs.
• Review, analyze and thoroughly research data to prepare evidence-based reports for manager’s budget management and financial planning in conformity with financial regulations.
• Regular monitoring of the Team’s budget and expenditures as per the yearly Annual Workplan (AWP) in consultation with the Director, ensuring alignment between AWP and Atlas, and take timely corrective actions, maintaining a “shadow” budget.
• Conduct financial analysis to ensure that budgets do not exceed allocation and expenditures are within approved budgets.
• Support project teams to manage budgets, undertaking and submitting budget revisions with relevant documentation for approval.
• Development and follow up on data recording of new grants and projects into Atlas.
• Process Financial Authorizations (COAs) to Regional Centers, Country Offices, etc.
• Responsible for processing advances and direct payments for programme implementation.
• Support cost-sharing agreements processes with donors and implementing partners, including following up the status of contributions, uploading agreements to BPPS portal with payment and reporting schedules.
• Support the preparation of financial reports for donors, partners, etc. in collaboration with Operations Specialist.
• Take corrective actions and resolve issues on exceptional transactions, including budget errors, as well as un-posted/unapproved transactions.

2) Support effective and quality procurement processes:

• Leads all aspects of procurement planning and processes in accordance with established UNDP guidelines and procedures, and advise on innovative tools.
• Responsible for the recruitment of consultants and experts through CPU or GPN Express Roster, liaise with the counterparts to obtain clearances, and contribute to the CAP and ACP submissions in collaboration with Operations Specialist.
• Issue IC-GPN Express Roster and procurement contracts  for goods/services and resolves complex issues in the process.
• Support procurement processes for communication services, publications and venues.
• Timely preparation and submission of requests for payment to Finance.
• Facilitates knowledge building and sharing, and provides guidance and recommendations to team members.
• while keeping up to date with UNDP Procurement Policies and Procedures.

3) Provide general operations and administrative support:

• Conducts administrative support to the implementation of the annual workplan, Gender Equality Strategy Plan and business continuity of the unit’s operational and administrative strategies in accordance with the Internal Control Framework for the Team/BPPS, and applies a risk lens to operational activities within the context of UNDP’s regulatory framework,  UNDP rules, regulations and policies, ensuring high standards and compliance to targets and achievement of results.
• Focal point for HR processes, including knowledge of new guidelines to the implementation of new contract modality (I-PSA), submission of relevant documentation for creation of new positions, contract extensions, change of COAs, and other HR related matters.
• Support to implementation of the resources mobilization initiatives by reviewing draft cost sharing agreements and obtaining of clearances for approval, uploading signed documents in the SSM-ROM Portal, monitoring of cost sharing contributions and processing relevant budget revisions.
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• Oversight, monitoring and support to the unit's official mission travel requests, coordinating with Travel Unit, BPPS/BTMS and Atlas actions, applying compliance of rules and regulations and completing all steps in the process (travel request, F10 claims); follow up with travelers for timely travel claim processing.
• Provide guidance and supervision to junior team members to ensure efficient and timely processing of requests, including support to the organization of meetings, trainings, conferences, retreats and special events organized by Unit.
• Act as absence management focal point and leave monitor for the team.
• Focal Point to the Gender Team’s interactions with SSM on all programme and operational actions.

4) Maintain the team’s documentation repository:

• Identify needs, create a system and maintain a document-management system to make available project/programme related documents to team members and follow standards in filing systems.
• Support digital filing of all Unit documents that must be retained in support of corporate policies.
• Contribute and oversight to collect and disseminate information related to thematic area, including inputs for donor reports and provides information when requested from various sources.
• Promote maintaining and updating a full inventory of MOUs, consultants, service contracts, and ensures monitoring of compliance with corporate approvals (head of the office, committee reviews, others).

Core

Innovation

• Ability to make new and useful ideas work.

Leadership

• Ability to persuade others to follow.

People Management

• Ability to improve performance and satisfaction.

Communication

• Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform.

Delivery

• Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement.

Technical/Functional

Primary

Organizational Skills

• Demonstrated capacities to perform multiple tasks, in multi-cultural environment and dealt with confidential matters.

Office Administration

• Ability to manage day-to-day office activities (including but not limited to travel management, facilities and asset management, policy and procedures maintenance) to meet operational needs.

Reviewing and reporting

• Ability to review and edit documents, ability to produce meeting report identifying key actions.

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Programme management skills and communication skills.

Research

• Knowledge of analytical tools and methods for undertaking substantive research on various policy related issues.

Secondary

Financial Reporting and Analysis

• Ability to evaluate financial data, derive relevant findings and present them in a meaningful manner.

Partnerships/Relationship Management

• Ability to engage with other agencies, donors, and other development stakeholders and forge productive working relationships.

Risk Management

• Ability to identify and prioritize risks, and organize action around mitigating them.

Education:

• Completion of secondary education is required; a university level degree would be desirable, but not a requirement.
• Candidates who do not have a university degree or an accredited certification in the technical field will be required to complete the Global General Service Test (GGST) or UN Administrative Support Assessment Test (ASAT) – formerly known as the UN Clerical Test.

Experience:

• A minimum of 6 years of administrative experience in a large or international corporation/organizations and multi-cultural environment, preferably in the UN System/UNDP with progressively responsible operational support covering the following areas: finance, accounting, project management, procurement services is required.
• Experience in the use of web-based management system –People Soft/Atlas - Finance applications with particular focus on Grants, Project Management, Procurement and T&E Modules (UNDP Headquarters travel management system) is required.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages such as MS Word, Excel or other relevant programs) is required.
• Knowledge of UN/UNDP operations, structure and administrative procedures is a distinctive advantage.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English (both oral and written) is required.

Important applicant information

Internally advertised General Service (GS) fixed-term appointment (FTA) positions located in Headquarters are open to GS staff members currently serving in New York/Washington D.C. who hold a UNDP permanent or FTA who are either US Permanent Residents, US citizens or holders of a valid G4 visa at the time of their application and whose G4 visa has been acquired on account of their employment in the UN Systems based in New York or Washington, DC.

Current UNDP GS staff serving outside of HQ must meet the eligibility criteria stated above prior to their application.

Selected candidates who meet the above mentioned eligibility criteria are responsible for their own travel and/or relocation costs

Local recruitment

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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