Business Transformation Consultant (UN Reform Agenda), Level II

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JOB TITLE:

Business Transformation Consultant (UN Reform Agenda)

TYPE OF CONTRACT:

Consultancy CST II

UNIT/DIVISION:

Finance Division (FIN)

DUTY STATION (City, Country):

Nairobi, Kenya

DURATION:

6 months (with the possibility of an extension of up to 11 months)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

In its Finance Strategy 2024, the Corporate Finance Division, under the Operating Efficiency (OE) strategic theme, identified the Secretary General’s UN Reform Agenda as one of the opportunities for the Finance function to optimize further and simplify its enabling services, allowing WFP to participate in Common Back Office (CBO) activities at the country level and align to the network of UN System global shared service centers (GSSC). The OE strategic theme encompasses all elements within Finance that aim to streamline business processes, free up the finance staff's capacity from transactional work, and refocus the freed capacity on providing value-adding insights. The Secretary-General’s efficiency agenda focuses on repositioning the UN development system to realize cost avoidance and realize performance improvement by harmonizing, centralizing, and consolidating the use of resources to generate efficiencies in financial and quality terms to better respond to the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development.

The Finance division has identified the need to augment its capacity to support WFP in progressing UN reform-related initiatives. This support envisages coordination with the HQ Finance Branches, other divisions, and Regional Bureaux to guide and reinforce WFP field team efforts during their engagement with specifics to the Common back office (CBO) and other UN reform targets. This position will be outposted in Nairobi, Kenya to be closer to WFP's field offices.

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

Under the direct supervision of the Finance officer of the Finance Transformation and Field Support Branch (FINF) in the Finance Division, the consultant will have the following responsibilities:

1. Develop and maintain strong relationships with key internal and external stakeholders in the Common back office (CBO), including the Development Coordination office (UNDCO), counterparts in other UN agencies support and other related division in WFP decision-makers, to ensure that WFP engagement in CBO is aligned with WFP position in the UN reform.
2. Ensure partnership with Headquarters(HQ) Branches, Regional Bureaux(RB), and Country Offices' finance functions in understanding the impact and the roll-out initiatives of the UN Reform targets: BOS, CP, GSS, and CBO.
3. Coordinate and support the development of WFP internal guidance on UNDS reform targets and enablers (e,g, CBO- Mutual recognition) in partnership with relevant stakeholders in HQ and field.
4. Develop and implement strategies for finance transformation and change management on the impact of UN reform initiatives, including identifying areas for improvement, developing plans for addressing those areas, and communicating those plans to stakeholders.
5. Work with FIN branches, regional finance officers, and other relevant HQ divisions to identify and prioritize opportunities for transformation in the financial process and facilitate the development of business cases to support those efforts.
6. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to understand the impact of business transformation initiatives on various stakeholders, field offices in particular, and work with those teams to ensure that their needs are taken into account in the transformation process.
7. Facilitate communication and collaboration across teams and departments to ensure that all stakeholders are aligned and engaged in the finance transformation process.
8. Monitor and report on the progress and effectiveness of transformation initiatives and recommend course corrections as needed.
9. Ensure coherence with the other targets under the BIG targets (BOS-Common Premise) by coordinating with operational leads to maintain deliverability within the project's timelines.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:

To be defined in the development of the work plan on WFP's Performance and Capability Enhancement Tool (PACE).

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education:

University degree in Business/Public Administration, or other relevant office management and administration fields.

Experience:

Candidate should have a minimum of 6 years of experience with WFP enabling services in the field (Finance/Administration/Supply chain/Technology/Human Resources) with previous experience in managing service providers, including establishing Common Back Office (CBO) and Business Operation Strategy (BOS).

Knowledge & Skills:

Candidate should have proven analytical skills with Knowledge of WFP Financial policies and procedures. Ability to interpret complex issues and develop feasible solutions. Effective communication skills. Strong interpersonal skills and ability to coordinate teamwork. Ability to plan effectively and deliver in line with established deadlines and priorities. Effective organizational and planning skills to ensure set objectives are achieved within agreed timeframes. Demonstrates the ability to collate multiple stakeholders' time, resources, and budgetary estimates to design plans for complex projects and implementation activities and manage the change control procedure while ensuring that project deliverables are completed. Proactively engages key stakeholders at existing/potential client sites to understand how Finance officers can best serve as a strategic partners in meeting future business needs.

Languages:

Fluency (level C) in the English language. Knowledge of a second official UN language: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, or WFP's working language, Portuguese, will be an advantage.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

WFP offers a competitive compensation package which will be determined by the contract type and selected candidate’s qualifications and experience.

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Deadline for applications: January 20, 2023, at 23:59 Rome time

Ref: VA No. 262950

All employment decisions are made based on organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU), and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.