Support Services Manager

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. UNOPS supports partners to build a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of peace building, humanitarian and development projects. Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organizations.

The UNOPS Multi Country Office in Central Africa, located in Kinshasa, DR Congo, covers eleven countries, including in the Central African Republic (CAR). The multi-country office has developed strong working relations with the international partners, UN agencies including UN Missions and Governments of Central Africa over the years. It provides technical support and capacity building in strategic development areas including infrastructure rehabilitation and development across health, education, public works, governance/public administration sectors; procurement, project management and sectoral advisory services; peace and security, environmental preservation and protection among others.

The Central African Republic Country Office (CAR) has a growing portfolio of over 100 million USD in projects, with more than 100 personnel. The portfolio of the CAR Country Office reflects that of its Multi Country Office in that it ranges from infrastructure rehabilitation and construction to multi-sectoral projects for social protection and peace and security.

The Support Services Manager has a dual reporting line to the Head of Support services based in the Multi-Country Office in Kinshasa and Country Manager - CAR office, leads and guides the Support Services Team in the Central African Republic Office, develops collaboration within the team as well as the client-oriented approach. Under the overall guidance of the Head of Support services, the Support Services Manager works in close collaboration with a number of local internal stakeholders, relevant partners as well as colleagues in HQ - to successfully deliver operations services.

The Support Services Manager acts as an advisor to Senior Management on all aspects of the office management and operations. This includes strategic financial and human resources management, efficient procurement and logistical services, ICT, transportation and vehicle management and administration in accordance with UNOPS rules and regulations. The main purpose of the role is to ensure the right support is in place for current and upcoming projects, balancing operational and project priorities, whilst ensuring effective, efficient and consistent support service provision across the project portfolio and internally.

• Support the Country Manager in preparation of the Office financial plan and budget. Ensure timely revisions and reallocation of funds.

• Supervise the Support Services finance unit and ensure compliance with the UNOPS/Financial Rules & Regulations and Finance procedures

• Monitor, track and control expenditure to ensure optimum and appropriate use of financial resources. 

• Ensure the availability of required financial reports and exception reports including investigating anomalies to resolve problems, reporting or recommending any action required to relevant partners.

• Supervise the timely review, posting and closure of accounts. Certify/verify accuracy and compliance with standards of accountability framework. Submit/prepare a mandated report on financial status.

• Supervise all financial services (accounting, cash management, payments etc.) ensuring timeliness and compliance with standards of accountability and performance.

• Monitor the Management Budget expenditures for the Office and ensure that LMDC (Locally Managed Direct Cost) is properly recovered, billed and spent in accordance with the applicable procedures

• Supervise the Support Services HR Unit

• Ensure the Office follows with corporate human resources policies, procedures and that all corporate HR initiatives are correctly implemented 

• Support the Country Manager in planning personnel required for the optimal administration of the office and for the delivery of the Office portfolio

• Supervise all human resource services/processes including recruitment, salary administration and compensation, performance review, training and development, ensuring compliance with human resource rules, regulations, procedures and standards of performance and ensuring that hiring managers actively seek to create diverse teams in terms of gender and geography.

• Promote and support a learning culture by empowering individuals and teams to identify critical learning needs and plan/provide easy access to learning opportunities to maintain personnel competency and flexibility. Definition of training plans for personnel involved in the delivery of support services

• Cultivate a positive work environment, respectful of both men and women, and ensure that the highest standards of conduct are observed.

• Manage the timely and efficient delivery of all administrative services, (e.g. centralized project admin, premises and asset management, organizational and IT).

• Full compliance of operations of the Country with UNOPS rules, regulations and policies, on administrative matters and supervision of the administrative team.

• Maintenance of a secure, reliable infrastructure environment for ICT and adequate planning for disasters and recoveries, supervision of the ICT Associate.

• In close collaboration with HQ and HoSS for the Multi Country Office, support the maintenance of a secure and reliable ICT environment, including adequate plans for disaster recovery.

• Manage the acquisition, maintenance, inventory, recording, verification and protection of project and administrative facilities/assets, including IT infrastructure, equipment and servers.

• Identify opportunities for demonstrating the use of IT to enhance business operations and efficiency and to facilitate knowledge management, and information sharing.

• Knowledge building and sharing with regards to management and operations in the Office, synthesis of lessons learnt/best practices, and sound contributions to UNOPS knowledge management initiatives.

• Development of tools and platforms for operations and data management, ensuring information and knowledge sharing with colleagues, clients and partners

• Master’s Degree or equivalent in Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance, Economics, HR or related field is required.
• A combination of Bachelor’s degree with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the education requirements outlined above.

• A minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in operations management, preferablly in a large international organisation is required.
• Some experience in the UN system organisations, preferably in a developing country, is desirable.

• Fluency in written and oral French and English required.

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
• Nationals of Central African Republic are strongly encouraged to apply. If selected, the local salary grid will be applied to them.
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.