Job Summary: 

The Operations function is a strategic Business Partner role, assuring the best use of UNICEF assets in alignment with sound management practices, office priorities and goals to deliver results for children. The Operations Manager, at the NOC level, is based in Uruguay Country Office (UCO) and reports to the Representative who is at P5 level.

The Operations Manager will be responsible for the strategic leadership and oversight of Country Office operations.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

As a Strategic Business Partner, the incumbent will be accountable for operations functions, facilitate change, provide risk informed, solution-focused analysis, advice and services and contribute to programme and management decisions for delivering results for children in specific operational contexts. Operations Manager will accomplish this by:

• Facilitating services in the functional areas of operations support: budget, financial management and reporting, facilities management, administration, supply and logistics management, information and communications technology, human resources, and safety and security.
• Supporting the line manager to implement career development, opportunities for staff.
• Acting as a member of the Country and Senior Management Teams, representing the organizational risks, governance systems and policies, and promoting results-based management.
• Understanding business needs for the office, to anticipate challenges, propose viable/creative solutions aimed at value for money.
• Providing key contribution to CPD, CPMP, AMP and support to Results Based Management and implementation using Value for Money criteria.
• Promoting the fundamentals of ICT management, information security and controls.
• Supporting supply and logistics strategies and interventions to meet programmatic needs while ensuring Value for Money (VfM), including procurement of fit for purpose products and services, and providing advisory support to governments, national systems and partners on supply chain management.
• Supporting the country office during external and internal audit reviews and responding to audit observations and monitoring implementation of recommendations.
• Providing regular feedback on risks and achievements of operations functions in the office.
• Leading on facility management with a specific focus on inclusive accessibility, eco sustainability and common premises.
• Monitoring business transactions processed by GSSC from a perspective of Efficiency, Performance, Risk Management and Fraud prevention.
• Supporting the management of PSFR operations and promoting efficiency across systems and processes, where applicable.

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks:

The Operations Manager will be entrusted with the following five pillars, the core focus of all operations functions: Valuing People, Valuing Money, Valuing Risk Management, Valuing Systems and Structures, Valuing Partners.

Valuing People: Develop people resources to promote technical competence and foster career progression and retention of a “fit for purpose”/ agile workforce

• Facilitate an environment of management excellence, staff well-being and accessibility and inclusion through implementation of strategies, policies, procedures.
• Implement solutions and advise to office management on people management and office culture.
• Coordinate the human resource development and resourcing strategies to bring about changes in knowledge, skills, abilities and mind sets for Operations staff.
• Keep abreast of industry standards in management and finance and share best practices and knowledge learned within the office.
• Support Excellence in Operations in UNICEF derived from the five strategic pillars.  

Valuing Money: Champion strategic resources to achieve organizational goals and ensure Value for Money (VfM)

• Ensure effective identification and use of resources in various concrete Value for Money (VfM) areas, including eco-efficiency and inclusivity, common premises, costing, results-based budgeting financial monitoring etc.
• Support Business Units on options to generate greater VfM.
• Lead the financial oversight management, monitoring and reporting of all the country programme budget – and where applicable private sector fundraising budgets; make analysis and recommendations for Representative’s and Deputy Representative’s to take risk informed decisions.
• Implement various modalities of valuing resources through financing modalities such as budgeting and pre-financing modalities for supplies, cash-based transfer etc.
• Oversee implementation of Supply plan for the office and stay abreast of the regional strategies.

Valuing Risk Management: Enhance Risk Management to increase organizational performance and strengthen internal control

• Support the office with up-to-date information to make operational and programmatic risk informed decisions and improve performance, with the support of the enterprise Governance, Risk and Compliance (eGRC) platform.
• Update and participate in testing of business continuity plans to ensure UNICEF organizational resilience to disaster and risks and staff safety and security as well as Emergency Preparedness and Response to humanitarian situations.
• Review internal controls and policies/guidance included in the Regulatory Framework, provide oversight of appropriate implementation of policies and procedures and provide feedback on policy and internal controls as appropriate.
• Support implementation mandatory anti-fraud systems, processes and actions, and share anti-fraud achievements within the office.
• Facilitate mitigation of risks of engagement with external partners via appropriate, risk-informed due diligence.

Valuing Systems and Structures: Ensure further operational centralization and optimization for maximized efficiency gains

• Review and recommend simplification of Operations processes to minimize cost, reduce duplication of work and maximize efficiencies while creating an environment of smarter controls to render the organization agile, resilient and ready to respond to programme needs.
• Facilitate compliance with systems by building awareness and capacity of users, explore new ways of working – including in the context of SG Reform – and continuously improve IT-enabled business processes to increase productivity and collaboration, better knowledge management, and ensure effective use of UNICEF assets.
• Provide key contribution to CPMP and review operational structures in collaboration with Regional Chiefs of Operations and the Strategic Business Support unit in DFAM.

Valuing Partners: Strengthening internal and external-facing partnerships and leveraging UNICEF’s oversight and understanding of financial management across all areas of the office

• Provide technical support and recommendations on HACT implementation, including, advice approach to undertaking spot checks, follow-up actions required on result of financial assurance activities; the use and collaboration with the Supreme Audit Institution; and use of micro-assessment results including the appropriate level of capacity building in financial management.
• Partner with Programme by providing advice and recommendations on programme budgeting through contribution in programme document and support the financial impact analysis and determination of refund and amounts owing to the CSO.
• Support UNICEF Office resource mobilization partners from donor negotiation and formulation of partnership agreements and contracts through written financial reporting, resolve discrepancies and ensure donor accountability and transparency.
• Foster a positive and enabling operations environment that supports private sector fundraising and solution-focused engagement (where applicable).
• Engage as effective stakeholders in the UN Reform, facilitating Business Operating Services (BOS) and proactively paving the way for a potential “one back office” in country offices.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

Minimum requirements:

• Education: An Advanced University Degree (Master’s and above) in one of the following areas is required: Business management; Financial management; Accounting; Public Finance; and related operations function (Supply Chain, Human Resources, Information Technology, International Business, Project management, etc.) is required or a full professional accounting designation (CA, ACA, ACCA, CPA, CIMA, CPFA, Expert Comptable) from an internationally recognized institute/body of accountancy with valid membership in good standing is required.
• Work Experience: At least 5 years of relevant work experience at the national and/or international level, is required, specifically in implementing organizational initiatives in one or more operations management area including budget; financial management and reporting; facilities management; administration; supply and logistics management; information and communication technology; human resources.
• Skills: Knowledge of Results Based Management is a requirement. Familiarity with Microsoft Office applications is required.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in Spanish and English is required.

Desirables:

• Prior experience in the development sector or UN system/ international NGOs would be an asset.
• Additional experience in one or more of the following areas, would be desired:

1. Audit and investigations.
2. Safety and security
3. Grant Management
4. Enterprise Risk Management

• Experience in a UN system agency, large private or public company, or experience working in a developing country and/or humanitarian/ emergency context is an asset.
• For country offices with a significant private sector fundraising operation, prior experience working with or in the private sector, and supporting private sector fundraising, is desirable.
• Experience in working with corporate ERPs (Enterprise Resource Planning) and IPSAS (International Public Sector Accounting Standards) is highly desirable.
• Experience in supporting successful client-oriented work units is an asset.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency.
• Knowledge of another official UN language is considered as an asset.

Level of Education: Postgraduate Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 60