Org. Setting and Reporting

Organizational Setting and Reporting Relationships: United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) is the UN headquarters in Africa and the representative office of the Secretary-General. UNON supports programme implementation of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), Resident Coordinators System globally, as well as other UN offices in Kenya, by providing administrative, conference and information services (www.unon.org)

The post is located in the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) in Kenya. The incumbent will report to the Resident Coordinator as Chair of the Common Services Board once the Common Back Office is implemented in January 2024. In the transition period prior to the implementation of the CBO Unit, the incumbent will be collocated in the Office of the Director of Administration (ODA), UNON. The incumbent is to manage the delivery of CBO services to client entities on a daily basis. This role includes identifying UN Entities’ requirements for services being delivered, including quality and timeliness of services.

The incumbent will also liaise with the Common Services Management Team (CSMT) Chair and support the coordination of meetings and initiatives that have a common interest for UN agencies, funds and programmes. The CSMT will provide the advisory role for the Executive Committee.

Background on the Common Back Office: The Common Back Office (CBO) initiative proposes to streamline key operational areas of participating agencies in specific countries by consolidating support services into one entity at the country level. The CBO service provider will provide agreed common services in the areas of procurement, logistics, human resources, ICT, finance and administration (including facility management) to participating United Nations entities. Additional services can also be provided as agreed between the participating entities and the CBO service provider.

Governance of CBO operations and reporting is assigned to a Common Services Board and a subsidiary Executive Committee. Coordination of these governance arrangements is the responsibility of the CBO Coordination Team. Under the leadership of the Resident Coordinator, the CSB, with the support of the Executive Committee, is the most senior client engagement mechanism responsible for overseeing the service performance of the CBO service providers. The CBO has its own annual budget and staff dedicated to the management and delivery of services to its clients. The CBO Programme Management Officer is responsible for coordination of the governance arrangements and serving as a Secretary of the Executive Committee, monitoring on a daily basis the delivery of CBO services to client entities. The incumbent will work closely with the Office of the Director of Administration (ODA), UNON including the Senior Coordination Officer in charge of Shared Services as well as UNICEF and WFP as CBO Service Providers.

Responsibilities

A. Coordination of the governance arrangements:
• Support establishment and consolidation of the CBO in Kenya as an integrated center of services meeting with efficiency operational needs of its clients, based on UNSDG Client Satisfaction and Costing & Pricing principles.
• Serve as Secretary of the CSB, Executive Committee and the CSMT. The Secretary shall coordinate the organization of the meetings and prepare a draft agenda for each meeting. The agenda and relevant documentation should be distributed to the members in advance of the meeting. The Secretary shall also prepare reports and any correspondence, as well as maintain a record of decisions, documentation and reports.
• Develop a permanent working communication with CSB, through the ExCom, aiming at the production of timely solutions and the consolidation of the new flows.
• Provide regular reports to CSB, through the ExCom, on all aspects of CBO activities, including periodic review of the status of implementation of the annual work plans and of the CBO financial statements, with the service providers.

B. Supporting financial results and performance:
• Monitor the established SLAs and KPIs with CBO client entities for the provision of high quality and timely services and efficient channeling of service feedback in the six functional areas (Procurement, Human Resources, ICT, Administration [including Facility Management], Finance, and Logistics). For Logistics services and Finance services, the SLAs shall be established by WFP and UNICEF, respectively. For the mandatory services and for optional services falling under the provision of UNON the SLAs shall be established by UNON.
• Responsible for facilitating/initiating the drafting and suggesting amendment to SLAs and KPIs.
• Liaise with the service providers to support the presentation of the budget, service rates and billing mechanism to the Executive Committee.
• The CBO Coordinator shall produce an annual report on service delivery for participating Entities, which shall include financial reports provided by the hosting entity and/or service provider. This report shall include aspects related to high quality and timely services including efficient channeling of feedback and the report shall be presented to the Executive Committee before the month of March of the following year, covering the services rendered during the previous year of operations, for initial consideration prior to its submission to the CSB.
• Coordinate the periodic review of the status of implementation of the annual work plans and of the CBO financial statements, with the service providers and with UNON as applicable.
• Develop work plans and budgets for the CBO Coordination unit and monitor CBO day-to-day operations and decisions.
• Provide guidance to staff during the phases of implementation and further adjustments of CBO through overall direction, active coaching and efficient organization of work.
• Provide supervision to the CBO Programme Management Assistant. Develop motivation, team spirit and client-oriented culture. Ensure the continued development and training of the staff.
• Develop appropriate mechanisms of coordination with program staff in the UN Entities.
• Establish appropriated and efficient mechanisms to receive continuous feedback from client entities with particular focus on timely and high-quality services.
• Document the CBO Kenya experience through identification of challenges, best practices and lessons learned.
• Perform other related duties as designated by the Resident Coordinator in support of the CBO activities.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge relevant to the United Nations Efficiency Agenda and development reforms. Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems. Ability to conduct data collection using various methods. Conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis, including familiarity with and experience in the use of various research sources, including electronic sources on the internet, intranet and other databases. Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, plan own work and manage conflicting priorities. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

PLANNING AND ORGANIZING: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.

CLIENT ORIENTATION: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

COMMUNICATION: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business administration, management, economics or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is an advantage.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in project or programme management, administration or related area is required.

Experience in the UN inter-agency collaboration and development cooperation is required.

Knowledge of Business Operations Strategy and common back-office operations is required.

Experience in operations management is desirable.

Experience in the UN system or a comparable international organization is desirable.

Experience working at the headquarters or regional office of a development cooperation
organization is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in (oral and written) English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable.

NOTE: ‘Fluency’ equals a rating of ‘fluent’ in all four areas (speak, read, write and understand) and ‘Knowledge of’ equals a rating of ‘confident’ in two of the four areas.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

Appointment against this position is for an initial period of one (1) year and may be subject to extension.

Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

Internal Applicants – When completing the Candidate Profile form, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience and contact information are completed and up to date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you.

Individual Contractors and Consultants who have worked within the UN Secretariat in the last six months, irrespective of the administering entity, are ineligible to apply for or be appointed to any professional and higher temporary or fixed-term positions, within six months of the end of their current or most recent service. For such positions, at least six months need to have elapsed between the end of a consultancy or individual contract and the time of application and consideration for an appointment as a staff member under the Staff Rules and Regulations of the United Nations.

At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

On-line applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira “Contact Us” link.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.