Operations Specialist, (P4), Nairobi, Kenya, Eastern & Southern Africa Regional Office #125154 (Temporary Appointment)

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, an advocate.

How can you make a difference?

As a Strategic Business Partner, the Operations Specialist will be cover operations functions, provide risk informed, solution-focused analysis, advice and services and contribute to management decisions for delivering results for children in specific operational contexts of the Eastern and Southern Africa Region. Under the supervision and general guidance of the Regional Operations Manager, the Operations Specialist will accomplish proactively support on the following:

• Operations Management BNLE countries (Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Eswatini)
• Corporate Emergencies
• Other Operational support as needed.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1.  Technical assistance, oversight, and capacity building activities on operational matters for Countries Offices and in particular to BNLE countries (Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Eswatini) and the Johannesburg hub

• Provide dedicated support to BNLE countries and the Johannesburg hub on Strategic planning, governance systems management, policy guidance, risk management, and Operations Management
• Contribute to streamlining operational management in BNLE countries and support the review of the current operations to optimized efficiency gains
• Provide remote or on-site technical assistance and oversight (possibly as part of structured peer reviews)
• Ensure operational management knowledge sharing and organize capacity building activities as needed
• Conduct fact finding and quality assurance on sensitive operational matters that require specific Regional Office attention.

2.  Support to ongoing corporate emergencies in the region

• In collaboration with COs Operations team and RO Emergency team, provide emergency support and strategic guidance to corporate emergencies in the region
• Participate in the Regional Office Technical Emergency Team (TET), to support on operational issues in emergency responses.
• Temporary deployment to L2/L3 emergencies when required to support offices on Operations matters, to implement L1/L2/L3 SSOPs.
• Provide direct technical support to Country Offices during emergency response.
• Regularly contribute to discussions on overall strategies and management of field offices in Country Offices in the region, and regularly review operational capacity of COs during scale-up for emergencies and during other structural changes in mainly emergency-oriented areas.
• Collect and disseminate knowledge on Operations in emergencies across the region and enhance organizational learning on improving Operations in emergency response.
• Support training of Operations staff in the region on emergency response, especially the L1/L2/L3 SSOPs, in coordination with ESARO Emergency team and EMOPS.

3. Conduct any specific task as instructed by the Supervisor, particularly in the areas of regional oversight on Operations management.

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

• Advanced university degree in Business Administration, Finance/Accounting, Audit, or any other relevant area. A first level university degree may be accepted in lieu of advanced degree with a professional license/certificate in a relevant professional area. 
• At least 8 years of relevant Operations experience required.
• At least 2 years in emergency programming highly desirable.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered as an asset.

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.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. 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.