Support Services Manager Mid level

Functional Responsibilities

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.

I. Functions / Key Results Expected

1. Support Services management

4. Financial management

• 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

5. Human Resources Management

• 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.

6. Administration and Information Technology

• 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.

7. Knowledge Management

• 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

Education/Experience/Language requirements

• 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.

Experience

• 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.

Languages

• Fluency in Portuguese or Spanish is required
• Working  knowledge of English is required