Operations Officer

UN-HABITAT Operations Officer - Ramallah

Application Type : External Vacancy
Job ID/Title : 972 - UN-HABITAT Operations Officer
Category : Other
Brand : UN-HABITAT
Post Level : NOA
Application Deadline : 31-Jan-18
Duty Station : Ramallah
Duration of Initial Contract : One year

Background:

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 Regional Office for Arab States, The Special Human Settlements Programme for the Palestinian People. The post is located at the UN-Habitat office in Ramallah, Palestine. The Operations Officer will support the project managers in all Finance and Administrative matters. In successful performance of the duties and responsibilities, the incumbent is required to liaise and interact with UN-Habitat Offices at Headquarters, Country Offices, the United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON), UNDP Country Offices and other United Nations offices in Palestine in addition to the Government agencies, and the donors where necessary. Under the direct supervision of the Head of Office, 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, logistics and procurement in the Palestine Office. 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.

Description of Responsibilities:

The Operations Officer will be responsible for the following duties: Functions / Key Results Expected Summary of key functions:

- Programme Management and Operations;

- Financial Management;

- Human Resources Management;

- Administrative Management

1. Programme Management and Operations:

• Provide timely support and inputs to the project personnel on administrative and procedural issues related to project and budget formulation, implementation, monitoring and reporting.

• Implement UN Habitat HQs; UNON and the Regional Office SoPs and serve as focal point for setting the necessary tools and software (PAAS, Lotus Notes, UNOJA etc.).

• Assist in the coordination with Project Managers and other partners on financial and administrative matters pertaining to project initiation, implementation and/or closure.

• In consultation with the Project Managers, periodically prepare donor’s reports; and necessary financial statements; in line with the project documents.

• Supervises and reviews the unit work; provide guidance advices and trainings as and when required.

• Reviews and verifies operational advance accounts to ensure appropriate balances. Investigates erroneous/invalid entries and takes appropriate corrective accounting action.

• Prepare regular and ad hoc status reports on administrative matters of the project/programme.

• Reviews requisitions for goods and services to ensure (a) correct objects of expenditure have been charged, and (b) availability of funds.

• Reviews, records and prioritizes purchasing requests and obtains additional information/documentation as required; proposes product substitutions consistent with requirements to achieve cost savings; determines the availability of funding sources.

• Produces tender documents (e.g. Invitations to Bids, Requests for Proposals and Requests for Quotation) based on the nature of the requirements and cost of procurement involved.

2. Financial Management:

• Ensure compliance of the UN Rules and Regulations applicable for the execution of Programmes.

• Review and analyses data with respect to the finalization of cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of Staff (Programme and Project Staff) and non-staff requirement (Programmes and Projects operational budgets).

• Issue allotments (Budget Released) for the Projects, including redeployment of funds when necessary, ensuring appropriate expenditures and monitoring of budget implementation.

• Assist in the preparation of financial reporting in line with the Business Intelligence (BI) module.

• Assist in developing the unit’s work program and budget; analyses inputs and formulates resource allocations by work program, or business processes.

• Monitors budget/work program with respect to Headquarters’ budget, trust funds and grants, on a regular basis, and reallocates resources as necessary.

• Support the implementation of procedures and systems for implementing the appropriate financial database. • Collect data from relevant databases and prepares customized financial reports.

• Assists managers in the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions.

• Assist the substantive staff in the preparations of the new grants in Umoja, and Agreements of Cooperation with the Implementing Partners, purchases and sub-contract processes in-line with UN-Habitat and the Secretariat standards and systems.

• Sound management to the organization assets.

3. Human Resources Management

• Manage, oversee and support all functions related to human resources services that includes functions from assisting in development of job descriptions; job classifications and vacancy announcements to interviewing, selection and administration of personnel contracts. Assist staff both Nationals and Internationals in their dues, leaves and other entitlements.

• Undertake actions related to the administration of the unit’s human resource activities, e.g., recruitment, placement, promotion, performance appraisal, job classification reviews, separation of staff members, training and capacity building, ensuring consistency in the application of UN rules and procedures.

• Provide information to Nationals; Internationals and consultants regarding conditions of service, duties and responsibilities, and privileges and entitlements under the Staff Rules and Regulations.

• Coordinate staff/Consultant salaries and entitlements with UNDP Palestine; ensure timely payments for both staff/consultant. Provide UNDP the necessary documentation needed to issue contracts, and timely provision of job accomplishment certificates to allow them to process docs in time.

• Provides information on unit’s staffing needs for inclusion in department’s staffing table.

• Prepare evaluation reports for all support staff; review policies and procedures of staff benefits and remunerations and recommend changes as required.

4. Administrative Management:

•Assist the Project Administrator, the Regional Director; the Heads of the Country Offices the Senior Managers, in liaising with the host country authorities in matters related to the Host Countries Agreement.

• Provide information to the Head of the office and the senior managers on managerial, financial and administrative matters in relation to UN-Habitat policies and procedures, practices and UN Rules and Regulations.

• Facilitate the use of delegated authority in the programme/project when applicable.

• Provides guidance, training and daily supervision to other general service staff in the area of responsibility.

• Keep up-to-date on documents/reports/guidelines that have a bearing on matters related to the Programmes and Projects. Keep up-to-date on Umoja implementation; liaise with Office of Management and UNON to allow smooth operations in ROAS and ROAS Country Offices.

• Maintain Liaison with UN-Habitat HQs; the Programme Division, UNON, UNDP, UNOPS and other service providers on administrative matters. Impact of Results The key results have an impact on the success of country programme within specific areas of cooperation. In particular, the key results have an impact on the design, operation and programming of activities, creation of strategic partnerships as well as reaching resource mobilization targets.

Competencies :

Competencies Professionalism: Show pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery in UN administrative and financial procedures, sound understanding of the systems associated with these procedures (IPSAS, UMOJA, ERM, IMIS, INSPIRA); is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. Ability to identify issues, analyse and participate in the resolution of issues/problems.

Teamwork: Demonstrated interpersonal skills; ability to work collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Planning& Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.

Client Orientation: Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients; Identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

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Qualifications :

Education: Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Business, Public Administration, Management, Finance, or Accounting. A first-level university degree in combination with relevant qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Advance knowledge of Excel, enterprise resource management systems (ERP) and MS Project is an asset. Experience:

- 2 years of relevant experience if with Master’s Degree.

- 4 years of relevant experience if with a Bachelor’s degree in programme and project management, administration and procurement, financial and human resource management, or related area. Experience in regional programme and project administration or finance management is required. Prior experience with UN funds and programmes on various operational modalities (national execution, direct execution and cost recovery), experience in Umoja (ECC, SA and ESS) is an added value.

Language Requirements: Fluency in English and Arabic is required. “UNDP/PAPP is an equal opportunity employer: applications from both internal and external men and women will be considered equally” UNDP actively supports the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities adopted by the United Nations General Assembly Important message to all applicants!

- Please be aware that the UNDP/PAPP will review your application only if you have uploaded Personal History Form (P.11) to your application.

- You will get the opportunity to upload the P-11 at when you apply for the position.

- Incomplete applications or applications received after the closing date will not be given consideration. Please note that only applications that are under consideration will be contacted.

- For more detailed information about UNDP/PAPP please visit our website at www.undp.ps.