General Operations Specialist (Nationals Only)

Position Purpose:

UNDP Afghanistan Operations teams actively supports the delivery of projects throughout the country, providing strategic services across Procurement, Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, and Administration and Common Services. This includes support to the management of the network of field offices in the regions of the country and therein with extensive support provided by the Administration and Common Services Unit.

The Administration and Common Services Unit provides operational services in the following key areas:

• Administration services
• Premises management, including for accommodations
• Asset management
• Logistics
• Travel and protocol
• Transport and fleet management

Under the overall strategic guidance of the Deputy Resident Representative for Operations and the direct supervision of the Operations Manager, the General Operations Specialist leads of the day-to-day management of the above-mentioned service lines. They promote a proactive, collaborative, client-focused, quality and results-oriented approach to providing services.

The General Operations Specialist works in close collaboration with other Operations units, as well as Programme and projects in UNDP Afghanistan and with personnel in other United Nations agencies in receipt of its services, to successfully deliver its administrative services.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.
 

• Effective implementation of operational strategies and common services:
• Efficient management of UNDP office premises and accommodation facilities
• Ensure effective asset and inventory management
• Ensure effective administrative, travel, protocol, transport, and logistical support
• Facilitate knowledge building and knowledge sharing

Effective implementation of operational strategies and common services:

• Ensure full compliance of administrative activities with UN/UNDP rules, regulations, policies and strategies.
• Ensure country office administrative business processes mapping, development of and implementation of the internal standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Ensure preparation of results-oriented workplans and reporting.
• Prepare regular reports on service line results.
• Implementation of control mechanisms for administrative services, the maintenance of administrative control records, including commitments and expenditures.
• Ensure audit readiness for the Administration and Common Services Unit.
• Develop proposals and implement measures for cost savings
• In line with UN reform, identify and implement collaborative approaches to realizing resource efficiencies in all operational areas.
• Informed by research and with engagement of technical expertise, ensure greening initiatives are undertaken to improve service provisions.
• Ensure gender mainstreaming initiatives in the service line delivering on gender equality results according to corporate gender strategies and action plans.
• Ensure timely billing and cost recovery for the services provided. provided, and timely finalization in the UN Agency Portal
• Proper planning and tracking of common services budget and of contributions by agencies to the common services account.
• Actively participate and contribute in the UN Common Services initiatives, including the Administration and Logistics Working Group.
• Ensures UNDP contribution to BOS is reflected in a timely manner.
• Ensures where required support services for UN Agency administration matters are provided
• Ensures maintenance of efficient filing system for each service line, ensuring safekeeping of confidential materials and creating institutional memory.
• Ensures audit readiness through implementation of compliant processes.

Efficient management of the UNDP office premises and accommodation facilities:

• Ensure premises required for UNDP offices and accommodation facilities are identified in a timely manner, based on Programme priorities and funding availability.
• Ensure to regularly review existing/available facilities and make recommendations for cost-effect and green enhancements based on need.
• Ensures premises and accommodation budgets, procurement and staffing plans are developed in a timely manner, with a stringent monitoring and reporting mechanism in place to enable effective use of resources.
• Ensures timely submission of monthly reports on the status of accommodation rental and revenue generated.
• Plan for emergencies and prepare risk reduction measures on the common premises, including, but not limited to, fire, flooding, interruption of utility services, safety and security of UN staff and property
• Ensure contingency planning for premises is regularly updated and tested involving necessary technical staff for emergency plans.
• Ensure timely processing of corporate insurance coverage for the UNDP premises.
• In coordination with the UNDP Afghanistan Security Unit, liaise with UNDSS to ensure consistency in the management of security related services and the infrastructure needed for compliance with the requirements for the safety and security of staff.
• Ensures compliance in processing Lease Agreements and/or MOUs for UNDP contract premises, including premises leased under the local cost-shared security budget (in coordination with UNDSS)
• Ensures the UNDP General Operations database is kept up to date with accurate information and supporting documents.
• Ensures systems are in place to manage outsourced service delivery, evaluate and report on performance to the supervisor and other stakeholders.
• Ensures as needed coordination with UNAMA and/or local authorities, on space and related administrative matters.

Ensure effective asset and inventory management:

• Establish asset and inventory management procedures.
• Provide oversight of the receiving, inspecting and verification of all incoming equipment, furniture and supplies and scheduling deliveries to users; timely updates as needed.
• Manage the system for tagging of all furniture/equipment upon receipt from the supplier/update with physical movements.
• Management on physical assets disposal in line with corporate guidance.  
• Oversee the identification of problem areas in the inventory system, input and accuracy of data entered in the system.
• Manage periodic physical inventory verification exercise to ensure accuracy of records and location of property.
• Ensure efficient collaboration with GSSC on recording and reporting of assets in Quantum, as well as maintaining all asset-related dashboard indicators as green.
• Ensures that the disposal of assets is undertaken in a timely and compliant manner.

Ensures effective administrative, travel, protocol, transport and logistical support:

• Ensures the organization of shipments, customs clearance arrangements, preparation of documents for UNDP shipments (received/sent); preparation of all necessary documentation, implementation of follow-up actions
• Support procurement processes including the preparation of RFQs, ITBs or RFPs documents, receipt of quotations, bids or proposals, and their preliminary evaluation.
• Oversight of the unit support for arrangements of travel and hotel reservations, preparation of travel authorizations, processing requests for visas, identity cards and other documents.
• Manage the administrative support to conferences, workshops, retreats.
• Collection of information for DSA, travel agencies and other administrative surveys, support to organization of common services.
• Ensures timely preparation of reports on protocol services provided
• Oversight and management of the transport team, including ensuring a work-schedule is in place for drivers, and regular vehicle repair/maintenance mechanism is in place.
• Ensure timely and compliant disposal of fleet vehicles.
• Identify tools to increase efficiency of the transport service provision and monitor use and cost recovery (i.e. vehicle booking tools).
• Ensure to quality assure the vehicle daily log and gas consumption, update and the maintenance of vehicle history report.
• Custodian for management of office stationery supplies, including maintenance of stock list of stationery, distribution of stationery as required by staff and keeping a log of distribution.  

Facilitate  knowledge building and knowledge sharing:

• Make captured knowledge and information related to the unit available within UNDP Afghanistan, and to agencies as applicable, including maintaining the unit SharePoint site.
• Organization of training for operations/projects personnel on administration.
• Briefing to staff members on general administrative matters; provision of advice and administrative support.
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities:

Ensure effective team management, by putting in place measures for regular team meetings, joint team review of work plans, performance goal setting and timely completion of mid-term and annual performance reviews.
 

Achieve Results:LEVEL 3

• Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact

Think Innovatively:LEVEL 3

• Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems

Learn Continuously:LEVEL 3

• Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences

Adapt with Agility:LEVEL 3

Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands

Act with Determination:LEVEL 3

• Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results

Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3

• Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration

Enable Diversity and Inclusion:LEVEL 3

• Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

People Management: UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site. 

Cross-Functional & Technical:

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

Business Management - Portfolio Management:

• Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization’s 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 Management - Customer Satisfaction/Client Management:

• Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs. Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests.
• Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.

Business Management - Communication:

• Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.
• Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media, and other appropriate channels

Administration & Operations - Lease Management:

• Ability to perform business case analysis to enter into an agreement with owners, governments and sister UN agencies, collect leasehold data for each location and maintain the global premises database; administer RFA

Administration & Operations - Travel policy and procedures:

• Knowledge of travel policy and procedures; ability to interpret travel policy, the Staff Rules, administrative circulars and financial regulations and rules on travel related matters

Administration & Operations - Assets management:

• Knowledge of policy & procedures on PP&E; ability to prepare financial statements on PP&E; Asset Management Module in Quantum, Asset Dashboard; develop supporting tools for assets certification and further enhancements for AM module; design and run training programs, etc. on assets management and assets recording; run APAM interface; perform AP-AM-GL reconciliation; perform analytical review of AM reports and asset information to ensure completeness and accuracy of asset information