Programme Management Officer, Administration

Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the agency for human settlements mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities. This position is located in the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (ROLAC). Working at the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, the Regional Programme Management Officer (PMO) will coordinate all regional activities in finance and administration at the regional level and provide guidance and support in the delivery of the programme and projects at all countries. The Regional PMO will be instrumental in the implementation of all business processes and ROLAC programmes and projects; ensure the appropriate use of both human and financial resources; will certify funds under delegated authority by the controller and will ensure compliance with the Regulations and Rules of the UN. The Regional PMO will provide expert advice to the Regional Director, Human Settlement Officers & Chief Technical Advisors (HSOs, & CTAs) and other project staff on appropriate procedures to follow for programmes and project implementation. The Regional Programme Management Officer will also report to the Management Advisory and Compliance Service division through the Regional Office and will liaise with UNON and other service providers. Under the direct supervision of the Head of Management Advisory and Compliance Service division , incumbent will carry out the following duties:

Responsibilities

1. Programme Management & Operations: a) Coordinate administrative and financial regional level reporting, monitoring and provide relevant guidance to the Regional Director and Senior project managers to facilitate regional activities at a strategic level. b) Provides input and guidance to the regional office staff on administrative and procedural issues related to programme/project and budget formulation, implementation, monitoring and reporting; and participates in periodic reviews of thematic and geographical priorities for the region. c) Prepares inputs for the work programme of the Regional office, determining priorities, and allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery. d) Identify and introduce business processes that will improve administrative and financial procedures, systems, and practices in close coordination with the Management Advisory and Compliance Service division. e) Coordinates with donor representatives, project staff and other partners on financial and administrative matters related to programme/ project initiation and implementation. f) Manages inputs for the drafting of legal instruments e.g., Agreements of Cooperation, Memoranda of Association (AoCs, MoUs ) etc. as part of the support provided to the substantive officers. g) Monitors Audit and investigation units’ recommendations and their implementation; and reviews their observations and drafts appropriate responses in consultation with the Regional Director and MACs. h) Represents the regional office at inter-agency meetings, seminars, etc. and acts as the focal point in the Regional Operation Management Team (R-OMT). 2. Financial Management and Budgeting: a) Ensure compliance of the UN Rules and Regulations applicable for the execution of Programmes and Projects. b) Acts as Certifying Officer within delegated authority for designated programmes/projects and ensure effective and efficient utilization of project resources. c) Review and analyze data with respect to the finalization of cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirement. d) Issue allotments for the Projects, including redeployment of funds when necessary, ensuring appropriate expenditures and monitoring of budgets implementation. e) Prepare administrative related reports for management and stakeholders to assist in decision-making. 3. Administrative Support: a) Oversees the planning and facilitation of recruitment, procurement and financial requests, and ensures compliance to policies, guidelines and operating procedures for efficient and effective delivery of programme management services. b) Contributes to building the capacities of regional staff through guidance, coaching and mentoring. c) Facilitates the use of delegated authority in the programme/project when applicable. d) Prepare regular and ad hoc status reports on administrative matters of the project/programme. e) Assist the substantive staff in procurement and sub-contract processes and assist in the sound administration of assets. f) Supervise staff assigned to the administration and finance of the Office. g) Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of administrative, budgetary, financial and human resources policies and procedures. Ability to apply various administrative rules and regulations in work situations. Ability to identify issues, formulate opinions, make conclusions and recommendations. The ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings. ACCOUNTABILITY: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable. MANAGING PERFORMANCE: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills; monitors progress against milestones and deadlines; regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff; encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative; actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff; appraises performance fairly.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business or public administration, finance, accounting, law or related area is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two (2) years of additional qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable.

Job – Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in administration, finance, accounting, human resources management or related field is required. Experience in using an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, such as SAP or an equivalent is required. Experience with UN programme/project management policies and practices is desirable. Experience working in the United Nations Common System or similar international organization is desirable. Two (2) years or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Spanish is desirable. NOTE: “fluency equals a rating of “fluent” in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and ” Knowledge of” equals a rating of ” confident” in two of the four areas.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates for this position may include a substantive assessment which will be followed by a competency-based interview.

Special Notice

Appointment against this post is for an initial period of one (1) year and may be subject to extension. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. When completing the Candidate Profile form, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience and contact information are completed and up to date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you. Individual Contractors and Consultants who have worked within the UN Secretariat in the last six months, irrespective of the administering entity, are ineligible to apply for or be appointed to any professional and higher temporary or fixed-term positions, within six months of the end of their current or most recent service. For such positions, at least six months need to have elapsed between the end of a consultancy or individual contract and the time of application and consideration for an appointment as a staff member under the Staff Rules and Regulations of the United Nations. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. On-line applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira “Contact Us” link.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.