Regional Chief of Operations, P5, Geneva, Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (#13039)

Overview

Lead operations and management for strategic organizational initiatives in support of children.

You have:

• An Advanced University Degree (Master's and above) in Business management, Financial management, Accounting, or related fields is required.
• A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in operations management is required.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language is an asset.
• Experience in audit and investigations, safety and security, grant management, and enterprise risk management is desired.
• Experience working in a multi-office context is required.
• Experience with corporate ERPs and IPSAS is required.
• Experience in Results Based Management is a requirement.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office applications is required.

Contract

This is a P-5 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 10 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 207,103 USD and 259,547 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

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 champion

Located in Geneva, Switzerland, the Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (RO ECA) coordinates and supervises UNICEF's work in 28 countries to ensure that no child is left out in our efforts to realize their rights.

The Operations function is a strategic Business Partner role within the senior Management team, enabling and assuring that operations activities are in alignment with sound management practices, office priorities and goals to deliver results for children.

How can you make a difference?

As a Strategic Business Partner and member of the senior management team, the incumbent will be required 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 within the Regional office and provide technical leadership and guidance for Operations in all CPD countries and field offices, as well as response offices within the region. A Strategic Operations function will accomplish this by:

• 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 programmatic financial management.

The incumbent will also be expected to possess good programmatic knowledge in order to work with all sections and to play a strategic RO advisory and management role, as well as to maintain strong working partnerships with DFAM, DAPM and other HQ divisions.

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) 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.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered as an asset.
• 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 as a Regional Chief of Operations or UNICEF Deputy Representative (Operations) in a large country office context is highly desirable.
• 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 required.
• 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 and executive level stakeholder groups or multi-stakeholder partnerships is highly desirable.
• Previous hands on experience in strategic and managerial leadership, preferably in a multi-office context, is required.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office applications is required.

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.

Remarks:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

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.

Potential interview questions