Deputy Representative Operations, P-4, Fixed Term Position, Cotonou, Benin, #00007662

Organizational Context

UNICEF operates in over 190 countries, dedicated to saving children's lives, defending their rights, and helping them fulfill their potential. We are committed, passionate, and proud of our work, viewing the promotion of children's rights as a calling. We offer diverse opportunities for professional and personal development in a passionate and diverse culture.

Job Purpose

The Deputy Representative Operations, P-4, plays a strategic Business Partner role within the Senior Management Team, ensuring the optimal use of UNICEF assets in line with sound management practices, office priorities, and goals to achieve results for children. This role supports the Head of Office in managing the office, monitoring operations and programmes, and providing advice on best and innovative management practices to enhance office performance. The position focuses on leading and managing people resources to foster technical competence and career progression, championing strategic resources for organizational goals and Value for Money, enhancing risk management for improved organizational performance and internal control, ensuring operational centralization and optimization for efficiency, and strengthening internal and external partnerships while leveraging UNICEF’s oversight and understanding of financial management.

Responsibilities

The Deputy Representative Operations is responsible for leading and managing people resources within the Operations Function, promoting technical competence, fostering career progression, and retaining an agile workforce. This includes championing strategic resource allocation to achieve organizational goals and ensure Value for Money (VfM). The role involves enhancing risk management strategies to increase organizational performance and strengthen internal controls. Furthermore, the position is tasked with ensuring further operational centralization and optimization to maximize efficiency gains across the office. Strengthening internal and external-facing partnerships is a key responsibility, as is leveraging UNICEF’s oversight and understanding of financial management across all office areas. The role requires effective leadership, supervisory skills, and robust operations management experience, with a focus on risk management and strategic implementation of organizational initiatives in areas such as budget, financial management, facilities management, administration, supply chain, IT, and human resources.

Work Experience

A minimum of 8 years of professional experience at national and international levels is required. This experience should focus on implementing strategic organizational initiatives in at least one operations management area, including budget, financial management and reporting, facilities management, administration, supply and logistics, information and communication technology, or human resources.

Skills

Leadership, Supervisory, Operations experience, Risk management, Financial management, Budget management, Supply chain management, Human resources management, Information technology management, Strategic planning, Partnership building, Change management

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