UNCDF has been present in the Pacific since 2008. From 2008 to 2020, together with UNDP, UNCDF implemented the Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme (PFIP). The PFIP played a leading role in bringing about profound changes in the market, which resulted in almost 3Million pacific islanders accessing financial services. The success PFIP helped position UNCDF as the agency with a wide network and extensive knowledge on financial, digital financial and digital services and products, and today our flagship programmes in the Pacific include:

• The Pacific Digital Economy Programme (PDEP) which is implemented with UNCTAD and UNDP, aims to support the development of inclusive digital economies in the Pacific addressing the impact of COVID-19 and at the same time leveraging its catalytic capacity.
• The Pacific Insurance and Climate Adaptation Programme, implemented with UNDP, aims to improve the financial preparedness and resilience of Pacific islanders towards climate change and natural hazards
• The STREIT programme, a partnership with FAO, UNDP, ILO and ITU and that aims to support rural entrepreneurship, investment and trade in Papua New Guinea (PNG).
• Contribute towards Knowledge Creation and Management at Regional & Country level Operational and Programming Support

The portfolio across the region identifies and promotes the deployment of blended finance instruments to lower the upfront capital and/or reduce the investment risk for the private sector. For example, UNCDF is supporting Coral Reef Preservation in Fiji and PNG though our partnership with the Global Fund for Coral Reefs and the issuance of the Blue Bond in Fiji, a project implemented in partnership with UNDP.

As such, the Regional Operations Analyst is responsible for the financial, administrative and operational oversight and support to UNCDF’s Inclusive Digital Economies initiatives in the Pacific. In close collaboration with the Finance Analyst, s/he will provide administrative and operational oversight and support to programme managers and programme assistants with regards to operations of the portfolio, ensuring effective and transparent utilization of resources and integrity of services. S/he will be entrusted with Financial Portfolio reporting, review and approval of budgets, review of donor agreements and approval of POs, vouchers and special cases related to travel and procurement. H/she provided guidance to Operations Associates in a matrix supervisory role to ensure that operational transactions and request are completed and compliant with financial rules and regulations.

The incumbent will be based in UNCDF Regional office in Suva, Fiji and will be expected to work closely with regional programme colleagues and technical specialists, and liaise and coordinate with both HQ FMS functional units and UNDP programme /operations regional colleagues, on all operational matters tied to UNCDF IDE’s Pacific portfolio programme support.

This role will report to the Programme Specialist in Bangkok, with matrix reporting OFMS team in New York.

Summary of key functions:

• Operations management in the areas of finance and the regional administrative budget & operations for all Pacific Portfolio Offices
• Efficient administration of procurement services, ensuring their effectiveness, transparency and integrity
• Advisory support to the Regional Office and Portfolio Countries in financial & operations framework and policies

Effective Operations Management in areas of finance, programme support and regional administrative budget & operations for all Pacific Portfolio Offices

• Full compliance of operations with UN/UNDP rules, regulations and policies, implementation of corporate operational strategies, establishment of FMS operational delivery targets and monitoring of achievement of results.
• Proper planning, expenditure tracking and audit of financial resources, including extra-budgetary income in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations.
• Performance of Manager Level 2 role in Quantum for voucher and Treasury transactions approvals, bank reconciliation. Approval of pending disbursements as the “third authority” (cheques, bank transfers, EFT). Approval of bank reconciliations.
• Ensure compliance with corporate human resources policies and strategies.
• Ensure standard Regional and country level business processes mapping and establishment and compliance with internal Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in Finance, Human Resources Management, Procurement, Logistical and ICT services.

Efficient Administration of procurement & logistical services, ensuring their effectiveness, transparency and integrity

• Ensures compliance with corporate rules and regulations in the field and elaboration of the procurement strategies including sourcing strategy, supplier selection and evaluation, quality management, customer relationship management, e-procurement promotion and introduction, performance measurement.
• Elaboration of the contract strategy including tendering processes and evaluation, managing the contract and contractor, legal implications. Oversight of procurement processes and logistical services in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations, OM acting as Manager Level 2 in Atlas for Purchase orders approvals.
• Facilitate knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the area of procurement.
• Ensures adherence to UNDP/UNCDF Travel guidelines & SOP.
• Proper management of UNCDF assets, facilities and logistical services, including full compliance with IPSAS in the accounting for the procurement, utilization and disposal of the CO’s assets.

Advisory support to the Regional Office and Portfolio Countries in financial & operations framework and policies, in compliance with UNDP/UNCDF Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures

• Full compliance of regional operations with UNDP/UNCDF rules, regulations and policies.
• Effective formulation and implementation of programmes and projects through advisory support, focusing especially on execution modalities, management arrangements, implementation capacities, and other operational aspects
• Ensure quality control in the preparation and approval of project documents, revisions, and budgets
• Support to establish collaborative arrangements with partners in line with applicable UNCDf/UNDP regulations and rules , including but not limited to donor agreements, memoranda of understanding, letters of agreement, grant agreements etc
• Manages, supervises and promote the performance of the regional operations team, implementing performance management system, guides work planning, monitoring and evaluation processes of operations work.
• Supervision over cost-recovery mechanism for FMS services provided to projects and COs.
• Constant monitoring and analysis of the operating environment, timely readjustment of operations.
• Participates in the general management
• Being accountable for integrity, transparency and equity n the management of UNCDF assets and resources.

Contribute towards Knowledge Creation and Management at Regional & Country level Operational and Programming Support

• Knowledge building and sharing with regards to management and operations in the COs in the regions.
• Organization of the Regional operations & programme support staff capacity-building activities, training etc.
• Synthesis of lessons learnt/best practices, and sound contributions to UNCDF knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• Ensures forward-looking information and communication management focusing on achievement of the strong operational results.
• Identification of opportunities and ways of converting business processes into web-based systems to address the issues of efficiency and full accountability.
• Identification and promotion in the Sub Offices of different systems and applications for optimal content management, knowledge sharing, information provision and learning to regional/country operations and programme support staff, to enable continuous learning.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: The Operations Analysts will oversee all the Programme Support team in the Programme Support Unit of the Pacific

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies:

Business Management – Operations Management

• Ability to effectively plan, organize and oversee the organizations business processes in order to convert its assets into the best results in the most efficient manner.
• Knowledge of relevant concepts and mechanisms.

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 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.

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.

Procurement – Procurement Management

• The ability to acquire goods, services or works from an outside external source.

Finance – Accounting (General)

• Knowledge of accounting concepts, principles, frameworks, standards, regulations, policies and trends, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations.

General – Public Relations

• Ability to build and maintain an overall positive public image for the organization, its mandate, and its brand, while ensuring that individual campaigns and other communications and advocacy initiatives are supported in reaching the public.