Management Specialist

UNDP’s presence in the Bangkok Regional Hub (BRH) delivers a full range of policy, programme, and operations support to 24 Country Offices (COs) in the Asia-Pacific region. As part of the Country Office Support and Quality Assurance (COSQA) function, strategic management oversight and advisory support is provided through the Management Advisory Services Team (MAST). 

As part of MAST, and under the direct guidance and supervision of the Management Advisor in the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific (RBAP), the Management Specialist catalyses new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in her/his professional area of expertise. S/he is responsible for CO level Business Operations Strategy; promoting joint UN efforts; and business automation as well as implementation support services, ensuring consistency with UNDP rules and regulations. S/he ensures consistent services delivery to the UNDP CO programmes and projects as well as Regional programme and projects. The Management Specialist provides support to the Asia-Pacific COs and BRH to maximize office performance and adaptability, demonstrating capacity for innovation, creativity and pragmatism in dealing with staff at all levels.

S/he works in close collaboration with programme, operations and project teams in the COs and the Regional Hub; staff in HQ Units and the Global Shared Services Centre (GSSC) as well as other UN agencies to successfully deliver management services. While this position is based in the Bangkok Hub, it includes a roving function within the Country Offices in the Asia-Pacific to accelerate programme delivery. It will therefore require occasionally extended travel within the region, up to 35% of the time.

1. Provide on-demand support to Country Offices, both remote and in-country, to accelerate programme implementation; trouble shooting; and act as first responder to crisis situations;
2. Coordinating the development of in-house business automation applications to enhance operational efficiency and to reduce transactional costs/time in the COs, including introduction and testing of new technologies;
3. Implement / expand business simplification tools such as e-tendering, travel management, and similar corporate tools in COs, including training facilitation and remote/on-site support;
4. In consultation with UN Development Cooperation Office and the UNDP Bureau of Management Services, providing support for the roll-out and/or expansion of the Business Operations Strategy to strengthen One-UN Operations at the country level;
5. Coordinate the implementation and roll-out of Bureau priority actions as determined by senior management;
6. Develop and/or adapt Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for operational functions in business units;
7. Co-create and manage regional Long-Term Agreements for quick service provision to the Country Offices;
8. Acts as a one-stop contact/main interlocutor for management service lines within the Region, through development of integrated business solutions;
9. Analyse and synthesize issues and solutions across multidisciplinary services provision areas as relevant to CO business operations; 
10. Develop tailored, cross functional technical and/or process solutions, which fulfil organizational principles and controls while addressing specific client requirements;
11. Support the Management Advisory Team in developing training modules and/or conduct training sessions on relevant Programme and Project Management (PPM) sections and/or business applications;
12. Perform other functions, as assigned by the management team.

Education:

• Master's degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Data Analytics or similar from a University listed in http://whed.net/home.php is a requirement.

Experience:

• Minimum five years of work experience in the area of business operations at the national or international level is required;
• Of the above, at least two years must be in a UNDP Country/Regional/HQ location;
• Knowledge of emerging technologies and its application in process improvement is a distinct advantage.

Language Requirements:

• Full proficiency in English is required. 

Other:

• Female candidates are encouraged to apply;
• Candidates are required to have unrestricted ability and willingness to travel up to 35% of their time, including at short notice.

Important information for US Permanent Residents ('Green Card' holders)

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment. 

UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.

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.

Scam warning