Background
The UNDP Resilience Hub was established in Nairobi, in 2019, following a review of the Regional Bureau for Africa (RBA) assets in Africa. The Resilience Hub is the successor of the Sub-regional Platform for Eastern and Southern Africa, established in 2014, to ensure UNDP representation in the Regional UN Sustainable Development Group for Eastern and Southern Africa (R-UNSDG-ESA) and support strategic sub-regional initiatives, including the Great Lakes Regional Strategic Framework and initiatives in the Horn of Africa. The Resilience Hub is a thematic hub, with a mandate on integrated resilience, covering 46 RBA countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Resilience Hub works in an integrated fashion, leading and supporting regional initiatives, as well as country offices in policy and programming across the areas of Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction, Governance and Peacebuilding as well as Migration and Displacement. The Resilience Hub Reports to the RSCA in Addis Ababa and is part of the new UNDP presence in Africa; as such it works in a coordinated manner with the Regional Service Center for Africa in Addis Ababa, the Dakar Hub for Central and Western Africa, the Pretoria SDG Finance Hub, RBA HQ and the GPN.
In alignment with UNDP’s portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve strategic goals, the Regional Programme generates and avails development knowledge, experience and expertise to countries across the region; supports the creation and development of inter-country initiatives and networks among governmental and non-governmental partners to address shared challenges at a sub-regional and regional levels; facilitates inter-country collaboration on cross-border issues, such as trade, environment, and migration; advances regional dialogues, and experience exchange on development issues that may be sensitive where regional level advocacy may enable country level engagement and action, such as with efforts to fight corruption and exclusionary practices targeting certain groups; and promotes experimentation and innovation to help overcome institutional, financial and knowledge barriers that may be too high for an individual country to surmount.
As the regional programme continues to grow in size and scope, it is essential to conceptualize and deliver high quality, relevant, innovative and scaled-up programming, strengthening strategic engagement with donors, enhancing visibility and improving the quality of results reporting. The RH recently completed its transition from a PIP to a 5-year portfolio project, with specific need to set a strong foundation for the consolidation of initial results, achieved in 2024.
Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Programme Advisor and the overall leadership of the Director, the Programme Support & Operations Analyst supports the coordination and delivery of the Hub. S/He will be tasked to provide core operations and programme support functions to the Directorate and contribute to monitoring results and financial performance of the regional programme, while providing targeted assistance to individual projects.
Position Purpose
Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Programme Advisor, the Programme Support & Operations Analyst supports the coordination and delivery of the Hub. S/He will be tasked to provide core operations and programme support functions to the Directorate and contribute to monitoring results and financial performance of the regional programme, while providing targeted assistance to individual projects.
Duties and Responsibilities
UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.
1) Ensures the elaboration and implementation of operational strategies focusing on the achievement of the following results:
- Full compliance of operations activities with UN/UNDP rules, regulations and policies, implementation of corporate operational strategies, establishment of management targets (STREAM, Integrated Financial Dashboard, Office Budget IWP) and monitoring of achievement of results;
- Supervises collaboration arrangements with current and potential partners, and client relationship management system for resource mobilization purposes and appropriate operational partnership arrangements;
- Reviews RH businesses processes mapping and operating environment and contributes to internal Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in Finance, Human Resources Management, Procurement, Logistical and ICT services;
- Monitoring timely readjustment of the operations and provides inputs on legal considerations and risk assessment;
- Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and sharing with regards to operations processes in the RH, highlighting lessons learnt/best practices and sound contributions to UNDP knowledge networks and communities of practice;
- Supervises and approves Quantum use profiles ensuring total compliance with ICF.
2) Ensures the project quality assurances and monitoring functions, focusing on the achievement of the following results:
- Development of indicators, monitoring and tracking of results of the various projects in the resilience hub, in close coordination with all business units of the regional programme for Africa;
- Implementation of Project Quality Assurances (PQA) milestones, based on the Regional Programme for Africa guidelines;
- Implementation of donor intelligence and partnerships mapping, using the UNDP online interfaces, including the Unity Platform on Quantum+;
- Tracking of corporate milestones, reporting obligations and other program milestones related to donor funded project, to strengthen the reputation of UNDP.
3) Contribute to the financial resources management, in close coordination with the RSCA, and focusing on achievement of the following results:
- Implementation of proper planning, expenditure tracking and audit of financial resources, including extra-budgetary income in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations;
- Performance of Level 2 Approving Officer in Quantum for voucher and Treasury transactions approvals, bank reconciliation, etc. Approval of pending disbursements as the “third authority” (checks, bank transfers, EFT), approval of bank reconciliations;
- Management of cost-recovery mechanisms for RH services provided to projects and UN Agencies, including ensuring the preparation of proforma invoices for UN agencies;
- Organization and oversight of RH cash management processes, including liquidity management, recommendation of imprest level, risk assessment, bank relationship management; timely accounting and reconciliation of all transactions, security for cash assets on site;
- Monitoring of financial exception reports for unusual activities, transactions and investigation of anomalies or unusual transactions. Provision of information to supervisors and other UNDP staff at HQ of the results of the investigation when satisfactory answers are not obtained;
- Member of bank signatory panel. Transaction and stop payment approval on internet banking system;
- All financial transactions are identified, recorded and verified in compliance with IPSAS as outlined in the corporate policies and procedures.
4) Actively support efficient procurement and logistical services focusing on achievement of the following results:
- Resilience Hub compliance with corporate rules and regulations in the field and contributes to the elaboration of the CO procurement strategies including sourcing strategy, supplier selection and evaluation, quality management, customer relationship management, e- procurement promotion and introduction, performance measurement, PROMPT;
- Contributes to the elaboration of the Resilience Hub contract strategy including tendering processes and evaluation, guiding the management of contracts and contractor and legal implications;
- Supervision of procurement processes and logistical services in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations, OA acting as Level 2 Approving officer in Quantum for Purchase orders approvals;
- Proper management of UNDP assets, facilities and logistical services, including full compliance with IPSAS in the accounting for the procurement, utilization and disposal of the RH’s assets;
- Will be the focal point for all OMT related activities such as HACT, Resilience Hub Audit, private sector due diligence, MOSS & MORSS and Common premises.
5) Actively supports common services organization and management, establishment of partnerships with other UN Agencies focusing on achievement of the following results:
- Maintenance of coordinating machinery to assist in the implementation of activities on common services and implementation of the UN reform;
- Implementation of harmonized approach to common services management with analysis of requirements and elaboration of proposals on common services based on best operational practices;
- Research and identification of systems and applications for optimal content management, knowledge sharing, information provision and learning including e- registry, web-based office management system, etc; eqEYlS5 BIpnb
- Proper planning and tracking of common services budget and of Agencies contributions to the common services account.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Competencies
Core Competencies
- 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 and/or /maintain coalitions/partnership.
- Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making.
Functional/Technical competencies
Communication
- Writing and Editing: Ability to create and/or edit written content in different UN languages.
Partnership Management
- Relationship Management: Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding.
Business Direction and Strategy
- Effective Decision Making: Ability to make decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one authority, area of expertise and resources.
Business Management: Portfolio Management
- Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization as programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity;
- Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment.
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 UNDP strategy and policies.
Business Management: Communication
- Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.
- Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.
Business Direction & Strategy
- System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance, Economics, or related field is required.
- A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the above fields in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience:
- Minimum of 2 years (with master’s degree) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience at the national or international level in providing management advisory services and/or managing operational systems and establishing relationships with international organizations and national governments;
- Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.), and web-based management systems such as ERP is required;
- Experience and good knowledge of Quantum is highly desirable;
- Experience in providing operations and programme support functions to programmes and projects is an asset;
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and experience working collaboratively in small and large multi-cultural teams within and across organizations is desired;
- Previous experience with the UN is an asset.
Language:
- Fluency in English is required.
- Knowledge of another UN language is desirable.
Disclaimer
Equal opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.
UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.
Probation
For all new UNDP fixed term appointments (FTA), including for staff members being transferred or seconded to UNDP under the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff, on an appointment of more than one year, continuation of the appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.
Right to select multiple candidates
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.
Scam alert
UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.
More Information
- Job City Nairobi, Kenya
