Operations Analyst

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the agency for human settlements. It is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all. The post is located in the Special Human Settlements Programme for the Palestinian People.

Position Purpose

The incumbent will perform and will be responsible for supporting and overseeing a wide range of functions in areas of administration, financial & Budget management, human resources, grants management, logistics and procurement in the Palestine Office, also Finance and Grants issues for UN-Habitat Yemen Programme, she/he also will be supporting other Arab state offices in the training and capacity building around the issues of UMOJA and IPMR systems. In successful and effective discharge of his/her responsibilities, the incumbent will ensure the appropriate use of resources (human and financial), and will ensure the compliance with the regulations and rules of the United Nations.

• Prepare cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of office resource requirements such as staff and non-staff requirements, including programmatic aspects; reviews, analyses and revises data with respect to the finalization of the budget proposals.
• Provide support to programme officers with respect to the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions. 
• Administer the allotments in accordance with the established Administer and monitor extra-budgetary resources, including review of agreements and cost plans, ensuring compliance with regulations and rules and established policies and procedures.
•  Monitor budget implementation and determine /recommend reallocation of funds when necessary.
•  Monitor expenditures to ensure that they remain within authorized/approved levels.
•  Review all requisitions generated by the Umoja system for goods and services to ensure correct objects of expenditure have been charged and confirm availability of funds.
•  Prepare relevant documentation with respect to budget performance submissions.
• Review and make appropriate recommendations with respect to the finalization of budget performance reports, analyzing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures.

Procurement:    

• Preparation of procurement plans for the portfolio and projects and their implementation monitoring.
• Organization of procurement processes including preparation and conduct of RFQs, ITBs or RFPs, receipt of quotations, bids or proposals, their evaluation, negotiation of certain conditions of contracts in full compliance with UN-Habitat rules and regulations.
• Implementation of the internal control system which ensures that Purchase orders are   duly prepared and dispatched. Timely corrective actions on POs with budget check errors and other problems.
• Providing inputs to reports on procurement in the CO.
• Serving as a Procurement Officer of the tender procurement processes of the CO procurement activities including: prepare all procurement documents, distribute and present relevant documentation to the members of the committee; coordinate procurement evaluation committee meetings; prepare procurement evaluation committee reports as well as maintain records of all documentation and reports.
• Support with drafting Terms of Reference (TOR)/technical specifications/Statement of Work (SOW) according to UN-Habitat regulations, required evaluation criteria and scoring and provide procurement related inputs before Chief of Procurement clearance.
• Implementation of e-tendering practices.
• Playing leading role in analysis and administration of procurement cases in the online Procurement Plan to ensure accuracy and completeness of the information represented at SharePoint.
• Implementation and maintenance of the new Share-point online archiving tool of procurement activities to record and archive the electronic documents.

Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the CO through:

•  Providing procurement related guidance to the Program Team, in close cooperation with Regional Procurement Unit.
• Synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices in Procurement implemented in procurement processes.

Human Resources:

• Manages recruitment processes including coordinating with Program Managers in forecasting and identifying vacancies.
•  Reviews job openings in consultation with hiring managers, ensuring that the evaluation criteria and responsibilities are in line with the approved or classified documents.
•  Conducts preliminary review, prepares, and submits recruitment cases to UNON Service Centre/UNDP as necessary
•  Arranges and conducts interviews for selection of candidates.
•  Reviews recommendation on the selection of candidate by Program Managers.
•  Participates in task forces and working groups from different UN agencies and different country offices identifying issues/problems, formulating policies and guidelines.
• Collaborate with Head of Office and supervisors to provide adequate staffing support.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of UN-Habitat employment rules and regulations and compliance requirements.
• Advises and counsels staff in respect of rights, responsibilities, code of conduct and difficulties associated with work and entitlements.

Grants Management:

• Write and monitor administration on aging grants in collaboration with UN-Habitat Palestine Officer and ROAS (Regional Office and Arab States).
• Ensure facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the project focusing on achievement.
• Ensure compliance with the rules and regulations administered by the grantor; oversee special audits conducted by grantor.
• Perform functions of financial administration and reporting to include, but not limited to: preparation and timely submission of grant applications and reports, development and adjustment of associated budgets, coordination of budgeted funds, screening and processing requests for expenditures and ensuring the timely application for reimbursement
• Work on development staff to plan and conduct fundraising events, as well as presented funding related Information to Head of Office.
• Constantly analyze current procedures and the quality of internal controls with regards to Implementing Partnerships Management, based on international best practices, donor requirements and internal and external audit results, advise on improvements and take remedial action if necessary. 
• Substantively support Due Diligence exercises and assessments conducted towards potential or current implementing partners including by providing advice, guidance, policy inputs, and relevant documentation to offices.

Travel, Administration and Logistics: 

• Oversee the planning and conducting the logistics for project activities including workshops, training and meetings, lodging and travel arrangements, specifically but not limited to contacting participants, negotiating and securing event space.
• Oversee travel logistics support to staff and partners including the booking of transport and accommodation.
• Oversee office management (cleanliness and order) and develop and institute office support activities. Supervise cleaners and drivers.
•  Ensure the proper use and disposal of goods, materials, and equipment at the office.
• Oversee the process of completing timesheets and completing Advance and Travel Expense Reports.

• Achieve Results:  LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work.
• Think Innovatively:  LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning
• Adapt with Agility:  LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process
• Act with Determination:  LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously
• Engage and Partner:  LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion:  LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

• Finance - Budget management: Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets. 
• HR - People strategy and planning - Workforce planning: Knowledge of theories, mechanisms and tools to analyze the current workforce, determine future workforce needs, as they align to the needs of the business, identify the gap between the present capabilities in the workforce and the organization’s needs, and design and implement talent acquisition and development solutions so that an organization can have the required capacity to accomplish its mission, goals, and strategic plan. 
• Business  Management - Partnerships Management: Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders.
• Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UN-Habitat strategy and policies.
• Knowledge and understanding of EU strategies, approached, processes and systems.
• Business Direction & Strategy - Effective Decision Making: Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources. 
• Business Development - UN-Habitat Representation: Ability to represent UN-Habitat and productively share UN-Habitat knowledge and activities; advocate for UN-Habitat, its values, mission and work with various constituencies

Required Skills and Experience

• A minimum of master’s degree in Management, Accounting, Social Sciences, or any related field.

• Minimum of 2 (Two) years working experience in Finance, Procurement, HR, Operations Management, and Grants Management.
• Proven understanding of critical urban and development issues in the occupied Palestinian territory, especially the old City of Jerusalem.
• Proven track record in large-scale community and public events management is a must

Other requirements:

• Experience in project development, administrative/financial management and reporting;
• Results-orientation, cross-cultural communication abilities and ability to work in a team;
• Proven leadership, presentation and diplomatic record;
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize and to work under pressure;
• Excellent networking and partnering competencies, resource mobilization and negotiation skills would be advantage;
• Experience with international organization and familiarity with UN conventions would be an asset;
• Ability to use information technology as an effective tool and resource.
• Excellent working knowledge of MS Office-Word, Excel, Power Point.
• Sound judgment, excellent analytical skills, strong networking and interpersonal skills, ability to plan, organize and coordinate work and to cope with a demanding workload is expected.
• Familiarity with UN procedures; and UN-Habitat in particular is an asset.

Language: 

• Fluency in spoken and written English and Arabic; Hebrew language is an asset.

Disclaimer