Senior Coordination Officer at United Nations Office at Nairobi

Job Summary

The UNSDG Business Innovation Group (BIG) has subsequently developed the Business Operations Strategy (BOS) and the Common Back Office (CBO) as new business models aimed at improving operational efficiency and effectiveness of the UN System and enhance the quality of service delivery at the country level. Traditionally the UN Secretariat entities have had little exposure to the BOS and the CBO as they were not represented in the BIG. As of 2020, this changed, and the UN Secretariat agreed to engage fully in the BOS and CBO at country level. Given the diversity and number of UN Secretariat entities represented at the country level, the associated workload is significant. The Department of Operational Support (DOS), Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance (DMSPC) and United Nations Office Nairobi (UNON) have agreed to finance and second a staff member to DCO to support the engagement of Secretariat entities at the country level. The position is located in the UN Development Coordination Office (DCO) and outposted in Nairobi duty station. The incumbent reports to the Chief of the Country Business Strategy Branch in DCO and the Director, Division of Administrative Services, UNON.

Responsibilities

• Support the operationalization of the UN Secretariat’s business strategy reform agenda at global, regional and country level, with particular attention to issues related to Secretariat engagement in the UNSDG BIG initiatives (BOS, CBO and Common Premises etc.).
• Facilitate engagement of UN Secretariat entities to support Business operations strategy (BOS), Common Back offices (CBO), Common Premises, including advising on the development system reforms and its implementation.
• Provide advice on the regional operationalization reform agenda as needed.
• Develop and implement guidance based on lessons learned and best practices to UN Secretariat offices, in particular to DOS and DMSPC to further guide UN Secretariat offices globally on BOS, CBO, CP and global shared service centers.
• Provide direct inputs to the development and implementation of Business operations strategy (BOS), Common Back offices (CBO) and Common Premises activities in the Nairobi duty-station.
• Share experiences and best practices, support the work of the Nairobi BOS/ CBO working groups, draft terms of reference, monitor and guide local and regional BOS an CBO streams
• Provide high level policy and programme planning advice to Development Coordination Office (DCO) on the advancement of business operations for the development system through: integration of back offices, optimization of UN presence on the ground through common services and other means, quantifying client satisfaction levels, scaling up the BOS and increasing the proportion of common premises.
• Serve as functional lead for the Common Back Office in the DCO/CBS team for the design and roll-out of the Common Back Office workstream, including representation on the BIG Task Team on Common Back office.
• Build capacity to develop the UN System to the United Nations Country Teams (UNCT) through guidance, webinars, and trainings on Common back office implementation; ensure alignment and full compliance with UNSDG guidelines at the field level.
• Enable knowledge sharing on business innovations amongst UNDCO regional desks and UNCTs.
• Coordinate activities related to budget and funding for Business Operations initiatives and ensures preparation of related documents/reports (work programme, programme budget, etc.) in support of the CBS annual work planning and budgetary processes.
• Provide substantive input in the preparation of position papers and reports for presentation to intergovernmental bodies such as the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, Committee for Programme Coordination, Economic and Social Council, the General Assembly and other policy-making organs, as appropriate.
• Represent the Organization at inter-agency meetings, seminars, etc. on issues relevant to DCO/CBS and the Secretariat entities.
• Lead field missions, including provision of guidance to external consultants, government officials and other parties and drafting mission summaries, etc.
• Organize and prepares written outputs, e.g. draft background papers, analysis, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, etc.
• Keep abreast of latest emerging trends and innovative approaches harmonization of business strategies.
• Perform other related duties, as required.