Operations Associate, G6, Fixed -Term, Kenya Country Officer, Lodwar Zonal Office #90648 (Open to Kenyans Only)

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, Reaching the hardest to reach!

Purpose for the job:

Under the supervision and guidance of the Chief Field Office, Lodwar, the Operations Associate is responsible for executing a broad variety of procedural and specialized administrative tasks for the respective section requiring in-depth knowledge of UNICEF administrative procedures, processes and policies.

In addition, Staff member is predominantly accountable for applying a broad range of specialized administrative rules and procedures in the coordination of administrative support to the team served. Efficiently initiating, monitoring and ensuring the provision of administrative services allows the professional staff of the organization to focus on substantive core work. This may include supervisory responsibilities with accountability for the work of administrative assistants, temporary staff and/or consultants.

Operations Associates represent the supervisor in initiating, following up on and resolving issues pertaining to administrative requests. External contacts include counterparts in international organizations, bi-lateral and multi-lateral institutions and national governments to organize meetings, workshops and conferences. Communications involve the exchange of information across the UNICEF at the most senior levels and externally to governing body representatives.

 

How can you make a difference?

Key functions, accountabilities, and related duties/tasks :

• Manage the admin and finance function of the zonal office. Negotiate contracts with local providers of services required by the office. This entails ensuring that all offices services including, telephones, photocopying machines and office equipment are well maintained and are running smoothly at all times. Arranging for adequate office space and furniture for staff members and office maintenance services in a timely fashion and supervising the office cleaning services. Overseeing the security of the office and ensuring that the office has adequate security for the entire buildings, property and staff. In this regard the staff members shall be the focal point for all security issues by liaising with the local UNDSS Field Officer on all security matters including Security Clearances. Supervise ancillary staff to ensure effective office maintenance and other related admin services
• Coordinate all Transport functions of the Office Including the supervision of the drivers and the maintenance of office vehicles. Liaise with transport assistant in Nairobi regarding all maintenance and repairs required. Check all logbooks on a regular basis to verify trips undertaken and paying particular attention to vehicle fuel consumption and any anomalies on the mileage covered per trip and report the same to the administrative officer in Nairobi.
• Coordinating all Travel requirements for in-coming and out-going staff members, consultants’ bookings for accommodation, arranging for Security Escort services.
• Manage office inventory and maintain up to date records on all office inventory in the prescribed format. Undertaking physical inventory of all office non-expendable property twice a year in April and October and send the status report on all office inventory to the Administrative Associate in Nairobi
• Responsible to the Finance Manager in Nairobi for cash functions in the office. Custodian for the office petty cash, facilitate payments, ensure adequacy of supporting documents and correct coding, issue payments against approved payment requests.  Maintain records pertaining to the petty cash payments with support documents.  Coordinate with Finance Section for timely replenishment of petty cash following the defined procedures.
• Prepares recurring reports as scheduled including the monthly expenditure reports, ensures timely closure of the monthly accounts, ensures required documents and reports are forwarded to the Finance section on a timely basis for on forwarding to HQ
• Provide guidance to staff on admin and finance related issues in line with the policies,
• Responsible for collecting invoices and filing documents for approval and thereafter processing in Push & Track. Upload electronic files and verifies results to destination system. Responds to client transaction status and other inquiries.
• Maintains and updates a system which monitors the absence of staff.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have:

• Completion of secondary education is required, preferably supplemented by technical or university courses related to the field of work.

• A minimum of six years of relevant professional experience in
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

Essential Skills for the role:

• Training and experience using MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other software such as SharePoint; knowledge of integrated management information systems required.
• Knowledge of administrative policies and procedures.
• Organizational, planning, and prioritizing skills and abilities.
• Ability to deal patiently and tactfully with visitors.
• High sense of confidentiality, initiative, and good judgment.
• Ability to work effectively with people of different national and cultural background.

Ability to work in a team environment to achieve common goals and to provide guidance to more junior support staff.

For every Child, you demonstrate:

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are:

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates are encouraged to apply.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.