🇸🇱 Job Vacancy @ UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) – Deputy Representative Operations

Deputy Representative Operations, (P5), Freetown, Sierra Leone #4172

Job no: 558356

Position type: Fixed Term Appointment

Location: Sierra Leone Division/Equivalent: Dakar (WCAR), Senegal

School/Unit: Sierra Leone

Department/Office: Freetown, Sierra Leone

Categories: Human Resources, Information Communication Technology, Supply Management, Legal Affairs, Operations, Administration, Financial Management, Facilities Management, Transportation

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, a hero!

The fundamental and primary mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias, or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic, and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in child survival, education, and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

Please access UNICEF Sierra Leone information here and here.

How can you make a difference?

The Operations function supports the Head of the Office on managing the office and monitoring operations and programmes as needed, while providing advice on best and innovative management practices to enhance office performance. The function is a strategic Business Partner role within the Senior Management team, assuring the best use of UNICEF assets in alignment with sound management practices, office priorities and goals to deliver results for children.

Purpose of the job

As a Strategic Business Partner and Deputy for the Head of Office, the incumbent will be responsible to lead for results, drive change, provide risk informed, solution-focused analysis, advice and services and contribute to programme and management decisions for delivering results for children in all operational contexts.

Strategic Operations will accomplish this by:

•  Leading by example and supporting the Head of Office on managing the office.
•  Acting as Officer in Charge, as may be necessary or delegated, in the absence of the Head of Office.
•  Managing 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 and convening the other functions to arrive at a unified vision.
•  Ensuring processes are in place to identify, promote and empower the potential in staff through career development, opportunities for stretch assignments and succession planning.
•  Acting as member of the Country and Senior Management Teams, representing the organizational risk, governance systems and policies perspective in management discussions, and promoting results-based management.
•  Understanding business needs for the Country Programme, to anticipate challenges, propose viable solutions, provide creative and innovative ideas aimed at a solution- focused approach to include value for money strategies, all underpinned by quality assurance measures.
•  Providing key contribution to CPD, CPMP, AMP and support to Results Based Management and implementation using Value for Money criteria.
•  Leveraging technology for results and programme accountabilities, making effective adoption of tools, and promoting the fundamentals of ICT management, information security and controls.
•  Supporting the country office during external and internal audit reviews and responding to audit observations and monitoring implementation of recommendations.
•  Guiding 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.
•  Leveraging governance, systems, and tools to provide regular feedback on risks and achievements of operations functions in the country.
•  Leading on facility management with a specific focus on inclusive accessibility, eco sustainability and common premises.
•  Overseeing 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.

The Deputy Representative, Operations 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.

Key functions, accountabilities, and related duties/tasks

•  Valuing People: Lead, manage and develop people resources to promote technical competence and foster career progression and retention of a “fit for purpose”/ agile workforce
•  Valuing Money: Champion strategic resources to achieve organizational goals and ensure Value for Money (VfM)
•  Valuing Risk Management: Enhance Risk Management to increase organizational performance and strengthen internal control
•  Valuing Systems and Structures: Ensure further operational centralization and optimization for maximized efficiency gains
•  Valuing Partners: Strengthening internal and external-facing partnerships and leveraging UNICEF’s oversight and understanding of financial management across all areas of the office.

Please see attached JD for detailed information Deputy Representative Operations Level 5.docx

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have...

•  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.) 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.
•  A minimum of 10 years of professional experience, at the national and international level, is required, specifically in advocating and implementing strategic 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.
•  Prior experience in the development sector or UN system/ international NGOs would be 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
•  Additional experience in one or more of the following areas, would be desired:
•  Audit and investigations
•  Safety and security
•  Grant Management
•  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.
•  Experience in working with corporate ERPs (Enterprise Resource Planning) and IPSAS (International Public Sector Accounting Standards) is highly desirable.
•  Experience in Results Based Management is a requirement.
•  Experience in managing successful client-oriented work units is an asset.
•  Experience in co-creating policy is desirable.
•  Prior experience working with diverse stakeholder groups or multi-stakeholder partnership is highly desirable.
•  Previous hands-on experience in strategic and managerial leadership is required.
•  Familiarity with Microsoft Office applications is required.
•  Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
•  Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others, (8), Nurtures, leads and manages people.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Priority will be given to all the eligible candidates participating in 2022 Mobility Exercise and Staff on Abolished post.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

Application close: Jan 24 2023 Greenwich Standard Time

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