Operations Manager, P-4, Fixed Term, ECARO O/P Bratislava, Slovakia, (569685) #120007

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 change 

As part of the Ukraine refugee response, ECARO has established Response Offices in Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Hungary. ECARO also has a Migrant Response office in Rome addressing critical child rights issues related to migrant and refugee children. As a Strategic Business Partner, the incumbent will be responsible to coordinate the operational activities in the emergency response offices, 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 emergency contexts.

How can you make a difference?

Strategic Operations will accomplish this by:

• Leading by example and supporting the Regional Chief of Operations on managing the operational activities in ECARO emergency response offices.
• Acting as Officer in Charge in the absence of the Refugee Coordinator(s).
• 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.
• Acting as member of the Office 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 Refugee Response Programmes, to anticipate challenges, propose viable/creative solutions aimed at value for money.
• 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 offices 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 Humanitarian Cash Transfer operations and promoting efficiency across systems and processes, where applicable.
• Contributing to the operational rightsizing of the refugee response offices were applicable by analyzing the residual operational business needs and proposing solutions to ensure risks are addressed.
• Supporting the analysis of operations staffing structures in the response offices including distribution of roles and accountabilities to ensure smooth business process.
• Contributing with inputs to the regional accountability framework and internal control framework.
• Ensuring close coordination of operational aspects in the refugee offices with the RO Ops and RO HR teams as relevant.

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

Key functions, accountabilities, and related duties/tasks:

1. 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:

• Promote an environment of management excellence, staff well-being and accessibility and inclusion through implementation of strategies, policies, procedures.
• Provide proactive solutions and expert advice to senior management on people management and office culture.
• Foster operations behaviors that focus on delivering results for children, whilst balancing risk informed decisions, policy compliance and flexibility through which partners’ needs are reliably addressed, to create an avenue for the greatest results.
• 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. Institutionalize and share best practices and knowledge learned with regional/national colleagues to contribute to organizational development initiatives to strengthen management and operations.
• Promote and support Excellence in Operations by refining the evolving profession in UNICEF derived from the five strategic pillars.

2. Valuing Money: Champion strategic resources to achieve organizational goals and ensure Value for Money (VfM) Optimize 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 with the goal of strategically expanding its use to UNICEF Office functions.
• 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 Head of Office and Deputy to take risk informed decisions.
• Advise various modalities of valuing resources through financing modalities such as budgeting and pre-financing modalities for supplies, cash-based transfer etc. along with key government counterparts.
• Oversee Supply outcome results related to Supply and Logistics Management and stay abreast of and promote the regional strategies and their implementation.

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

• Ensure the office is equipped with the right skills and tools and up-to-date information to make operational and programmatic risk informed decisions and improve performance.
• Maintain UNICEF organizational resilience and enhance staff safety and security by ensuring operational disaster risks address threats through well-formulated and tested business continuity plans and 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.
• Implement mandatory anti-fraud systems, processes, and actions, and share anti-fraud achievements within the offices.
• Facilitate mitigation of risks of engagement with external partners via appropriate, risk[1]informed due diligence.

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

• Review key Operations processes to minimize cost, simplify and 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 programme and review operational structures in collaboration with Regional Chiefs of Operations and the Strategic Business Support unit in DFAM.

4. 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 expertise 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 to 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, supporting Business Operating Services (BOS) and proactively paving the way for a potential “one back office”.
•  Lead the creation of a conducive and optimal environment, capacities and systems within the country office, to allow the business and public sectors to be engaged appropriately for achieving programmatic results.

Impact of Results:

 The ability of the Operations Manager to effectively lead and oversee the operations functions for the efficient delivery of related services, directly impact on program performance, resource mobilization and delivery of results for children. This in turn contributes to maintaining/enhancing the credibility of UNICEF as an effective and responsible manager of funds and resources entrusted to the organization and to furthering UNICEF’s image as a competent organization for delivering cost effective and sustainable program results in regular and emergency settings.

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

• An advanced university degree (master’s or higher) in Education: An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: social sciences, international relations, government and public relations, public or social policy, sociology, social or community development, or another relevant technical field.
• A minimum of [8] years of relevant professional experience in that combines technical and managerial leadership in development cooperation at the international level, some of which served in a developing country is required. Relevant professional experience in any UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset. 
• Possessing experience with UNICEF/UN is considered a valuable asset, and the capability to provide support across multiple offices to national offices is considered highly desirable.”
• Previous proven experience is in the initiation or de-escalation of emergency interventions in various countries or offices is preferable, as the role may entail assuming responsibility for such actions in the event that Regional Response Offices require it”.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is 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) competency Nurtures, leads and manages people) for supervisory role.

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. 

Remarks:

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

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). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be cancelled.

All selected candidates will 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.

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.

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