Portfolio Operations Specialist

Under the guidance of Portfolio Manager for ‘Effective Institutions’ and ‘Economic Recovery and Development’, the Portfolio Operations Manager acts as oversight and quality control manager on all operational aspects of project and programme implementation. This includes strategic financial and human resources management, efficient procurement and logistical services, appropriate planning and reporting arrangements. The main role is to lead the operations, ensuring smooth functioning of the programme and project operations, consistent services delivery and constant evaluation and readjustment of the operations to take into account changes in the operating environment as and when needed.

The Portfolio Operations Manager, applying a client-oriented approach, advises the Portfolio Manager and leads and guides on operational management within the team, fostering collaboration internally in the portfolio team, with other portfolio teams, with the operations units in the UNDP and as appropriate with Government officials, UNDP HQs staff and other UN Agencies. The Portfolio Operations Manager works to ensure that the operational side of the programme and project management is compliant with UNDP CO rules, regulations and policies in project management and up to standard vis-à-vis expectations on quality, speed and transparency.

The Operations Manager is expected to work closely with the CO POQA Unit as well as the different units in the Operations Section of the Country Office.

Ensures programme and project management arrangements within the Effective Institutions and Economic Recovery and Development portfolios:

• Ensure the use of the correct formats, schedules and standards in project documents, LoAs, Risk Management, and related documents as well as amendments;
• Oversees coherence and quality of the above-mentioned documents;
• Ensure consistent application of the rules and regulations as well as management approaches throughout the portfolio;
• Ensures timely implementation of approvals and amendments to these documents and avoids retro-active arrangements;
• Ensure appropriate closure of the projects;
• Ensures staff members in the portfolios are up to date regarding regulations, rules and processes, receive training and are made aware of and apply lessons learnt/best practices.

Ensures effective and accurate financial resources management within the Effective Institutions and Economic Recovery and Development portfolios:

• Ensure appropriate planning of the financial resources as per UNDP Country Office arrangements;
• Ensure project budgets are commensurate with the project actions;
• Ensure appropriate oversight on expenditure tracking in each of the projects, produce management overviews for the individual projects and support project staff to address emerging issues;
• Ensure appropriate audit preparations and support audit and project teams during the implementation of the audits;
• Ensure cost-recovery for CO services in the projects is appropriately budgeted and managed;
• Ensure LoA advance management is implemented by the different projects as per UNDP rules and regulations.

Ensures strategic human resources management within the Effective Institutions and Economic Recovery and Development portfolios:

• Plan and ensure optimal staffing of the portfolio and project teams as per UNDP Country Office arrangements;
• Support to recruitment processes in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations, appropriate use of different contractual modalities, contracts management, use of correct formats, etc;
• Maintains oversight of HR actions and alerts responsible staff when action is due;
• Manage the portfolio and individual learning plans;

Ensures provision of efficient procurement within the Effective Institutions and Economic Recovery and Development portfolios:

• Plan and ensure procurement arrangements in the different projects as per UNDP Country Office arrangements;
• Support to procurement processes in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations, appropriate use of different contractual modalities, contracts management, use of correct formats, etc;
• Maintains oversight of procurement actions and alerts responsible staff when action is due.

Ensures provision of efficient logistical and asset services within the Effective Institutions and Economic Recovery and Development portfolios:

• Ensure appropriate office and facility management;
• Proper management of UNDP programme and project assets, including maintaining the asset registry and full compliance with IPSAS in the accounting for the procurement, utilization and disposal of the assets;
• Support the implementation of the logistical side of large events by the projects.

Core     

• Innovation - Creates new and relevant ideas and leads others to implement them
• Leadership - Plans and acts transparently, actively works to remove barriers
• People Management - Models high professional standards and motivates excellence in others
• Communication – Gains trust of peers, partners, clients by presenting complex concepts in practical terms to others
• Delivery -  Critically assesses value and relevance of existing policy / practice and contributes to enhanced delivery of products, services, and innovative solutions

Technical/Functional     

• Advocacy
• Building Strategic Partnership
• Knowledge Management and Learning
• Management and Leadership
• Development and Operational Effectiveness     

Education:

• Master’s Degree or equivalent in Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance, Economics or other related field.

Experience:

• 5 years of relevant experience at the national or international level in providing management advisory services and/or managing staff and operational systems and establishing inter-relationships among international organization and national governments;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems and ERP systems, preferably PeopleSoft;
• Experience of accrual accounting, IPSAS or IFRS is highly desirable.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in oral and written English is required.
• Knowledge of a second UN language is an added advantage but not a requirement

Specific experience

• Experience in conflict affected countries is highly desirable

Important applicant information

All posts in the GS categories are subject to local recruitment.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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