Operations Associate

Unit Description 

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Operations Associate is responsible for effective and efficient service delivery in the administrative unit of UNDP as well as for the UNDP Front Office by ensuring full confidentiality in all aspects of assignment, maintenance of protocol procedures, management of information flow and follow-up on deadlines and commitments made. 

The Operations Associate promotes a collaborative, client-focused, high quality and results-oriented approach in the assigned units. 

Scope of Work 

Provision of support to operational and administrative activities, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Maintenance of office administrative related documents, files and records as per corporate guidelines including archiving, both online and offline 
• Payment processing activities and follow ups needed as per guided by the supervisor
• Travel arrangements including ticket purchasing, hotel reservations, preparation of travel authorizations and DSA (daily subsistence allowance) calculation 
• Fleet management including receiving and managing carpooling requests, keeping accurate log of maintenance schedules, follow up on its timely completion and assist to obtain/ensure annual insurance where applicable
• Coordination of planned events, such as workshops, retreats, trainings, seminars, for the country office, different projects, and other UN entities where applicable. The tasks include arranging the needed logistics and coordinating with relevant stakeholders to ensure smooth administration. 
• Asset management activities including tagging of all furniture/equipment upon receipt from the supplier, update of office asset ledgers for new and separating colleagues, monitoring and recording of asset movements and assist with any other asset related tasks
• Provide technical assistance in the implementation and reporting of the Country Office (CO) Audit preparation
• Assist to validate and deploy CO audit materials 
• Provide technical assistance to develop the outline and content of the CO Audit preparation
• Provide any other support needed to the operations team, as per guided by the supervisor.

Ensures effective and efficient functioning of the Front Office focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Maintenance of the supervisors’ calendars, contacts with high-ranking visitors, arrangement of appointments and meetings, acting as an interpreter when required and/or taking minutes. 
• Maintenance of protocol procedures.
• Preparation of high-quality briefing materials for supervisor for appointments, meetings, missions.
• Preparation of informal translations.
• Management of missions and representation schedule.
• Maintenance of rosters of high-level partners, telephone lists.
• Preparation of correspondence, directives, tracking of deadlines, and making follow-up when required.
• Use of automated office management systems for effective functioning of the Front Office.
• Oversee work of management team driver, assigning tasks and scheduling transportation

Institutional arrangement

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Operations Manager, the Operations Associate provides support to office operations performing a variety of standard administrative processes ensuring high quality and accuracy of work. The Operations Associate promotes a client, quality and results-oriented approach. Operations Associate works in close collaboration with the Operations, Programme and projects staff in the CO,  other UN agencies staff and national counterparts, in particular government ministries, parliament, government agencies, embassies, and development partners to exchange information, ensure consistent service delivery and follow through on actions, instructions, commitments and agendas.

Competencies

Core competencies:

Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements 
Learn Continuously:  LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible 
Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business Development          

• Knowledge Generation - Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need. Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches. Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations.

Business Management          

• Customer Satisfaction/Client Management - Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs. · Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. · Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests. · Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.
• Operations Management - Ability to effectively plan, organize, and oversee the Organization’s business processes in order to convert its assets into the best results in the most efficient manner. · Knowledge of relevant concepts and mechanisms.
  Working with Evidence and Data - Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making
• Communication - Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience · Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels

Administration & Operations          

• Documents and records management - Overall document (hard or electronic) management; registry and retention policy including storing and archiving

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Secondary Education is required with specialized secretarial training.
• A university degree in Social Sciences, Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance or equivalent will be given due consideration, but is not a requirement.
   

Experience:

• Minimum 6 years (with high school diploma) or 3 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant progressively responsible secretarial, administrative, and/or programme experience is required at the national and international level.
• Work experience with UN/UNDP/International organizations is an asset.
• Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc), and in handling web-based management systems such as ERP.

Languages

• Fluency of English and Mongolian languages is required.

Disclaimer

Important information for US Permanent Residents ('Green Card' holders)

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.

UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Non-discrimination

UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.  

UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

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