Job Opportunity : Operations Associate at UNICEF

General
Description of assignment title
Operations Associate

Assignment country
Cameroon

Expected start date
21/04/2023

Sustainable Development Goal
5. Gender equality

Volunteer category
National UN Volunteer Specialist

DoA reserved for persons with disabilities
No

Host entity
UNICEF

Type
Onsite

Duration
12 months

Number of assignments
1

Duty stations
Yaounde

Details
Mission and objectives
UNICEF is an international humanitarian agency for children created by the charter of the United Nations in 1946. The organization is present in more than 192 countries and works in the field of health, education, water and sanitation, child protection, HIV and AIDS, nutrition, policy and social protection. UNICEF operates in both humanitarian and development contexts responding to the needs of children and women, especially girls and the most vulnerable.

UNICEF’s presence in Cameroon dates back to 1975. The organization operates in the areas of education, water and sanitation, child protection, HIV and AIDS. While its upstream efforts focus on advocacy and lobbying for favorable budgetary conditions for children and women and the formulation of policies to promote their growth and development. On the operational level, UNICEF Cameroon focuses on building the capacity of stakeholders in service delivery and the creation of partnerships for the improvement of children and women.

The Child Protection Program globally aims to ensure that children, particularly adolescent girls in vulnerable areas are better protected against violence, exploitation and harmful practices, including in the context of humanitarian emergencies. The program thus contributes to the strengthening of governmental and community child protection systems, in order to identify and more effectively combat violations of children’s rights. Particular attention is paid to registration. prevention and response to physical and sexual violence as well as the elimination of child marriage based on evidence.

Background
UNICEF – the United Nations Children’s Fund – created in 1946, is one of the worlds most trusted and respected organizations – and the leading organization for children.

Since 1975, UNICEF has worked for the children of Cameroon to accelerate the realization of child rights for all children including the most deprived and vulnerable.

Working closely with the Government of Cameroon, civil society, the private sector and communities, UNICEF Cameroon Country Office aims to sustain results achieved for children to date, and strive to further improve policies, national institutions and programs, for the well-being of every child in Cameroon, in line with Cameroon’s National Development Strategy 2030 towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Our programs focus on improving the lives of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children in the country, regardless of their nationality, gender, religion or background. Our main pillars include: Child Protection; Education; Water, Sanitation & Hygiene; Adolescent and Youth Engagement; HIV and Health; Nutrition; Social Policy; and Operations.

The UNV Program offers qualified and eligible candidates at both Headquarters (HQ) and Country Offices (CO) the unique opportunity to acquire direct practical experience in UNICEF’s work and the United Nations system under the direct supervision of experienced UNICEF staff.
With the increasing demands due to different requirements in the Operations Section, UNICEF Cameroon is seeking to enhance its intervention with a focus on strengthening its effectiveness and efficiency. A passionate and dedicated UN Volunteer Operations Associate will significantly contribute to maximizing efficiencies in supporting administrative and finance services in Operations section in Yaounde.
The UN Volunteer Operation associate is to be used in the UNICEF Yaounde, Cameroon country office and is responsible for providing a variety of specialized tasks in Administrative and Finance functions, ensuring accurate and timely delivery that is in compliance with UNICEF financial and administrative rules and regulations , whilst demonstrating the capacity to research, adapt and evaluate irregular cases, and also to recommend improvements to process delivery and design.

Task description
Under the Deputy Representative Operations guidance, UNV Operation Associate is responsible for:

BUDGET
• Assess budget expenditures to verify compliance to allotment, codes, guidelines, and procedures.
• Prepare regular analysis, modification, and reports on the budget situation for higher management oversight and action.

HARMONIZED APPROACH TO CASH TRANSFERS (HACT)
• Support the monitoring of HACT assurance activities and compliance with HACT framework.
• Support the monitoring of implementation of action points issued on IP audits, micro-assessment and spot checks;

COORDINATION
• Support coordination process of payments submission (eg MIP, travel claims, pension fund, advances to governments, service contracts etc), journal entries and other financial transactions within scope on a timely basis to the Global Shared Services Center (GSSC), and ensuring compliance with budgetary limits, IPSAS and organizational regulations, rules, policies, procedures, standards of accountability, and ethics. Take timely action on outstanding accounts to resolve pending issues. This includes dialogue and follow up with the GSSC to facilitate timely processing of financial transactions submitted to the center.
• To monitor operations indicators on a weekly basis, and keep abreast of arisen gaps for management oversight and anticipated solutions;
• To prepare briefing notes/bullet points for the Deputy Representative Operations on key documents pertaining to country office and operations;
• Promote culture of highest ethical standards and behavior in management of UNICEF’s resources.
• Support initiatives for management improvement by capturing, institutionalizing, and sharing best practices and lessons learned. Recommend improvements in processes and procedures to enhance productivity and performance including implementation of cost saving strategies.
• Participate and/or organize training and learning events to build capacity of staff and stakeholders/partners.
• Support operations of the office as required Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor.

Travel
• Advice and ensure that staff know travel arrangements and entitlements based on the organization’s rules and policies. Liaises with relevant travel focal points to ensure that the organization obtains the best service and price for all travel.
• Organize, facilitate and follow up the travels of Staff
• Extracts, inputs, maintains and verifies correctness of travel records in the organization’s travel system to ensure accurate transactions related to travel costs and staff travel.
• Prepares budgets on travel costs and maintains travel budgetary control records.
• Ensure travel plan consolidation, Travel Authorization (TA) creation and Trip certification on behalf of

General Administrative Duties

• Maintain hard and electronic files and update data base systems ensuring timely and appropriate recording, safekeeping and disposal of confidential information.
• Ensure matters relating to field office premises, utilities and services with vendors and agencies, transport services, vehicle use and maintenance, equipment, management of drivers including the movements.

13. Results/expected outputs:

• Support contracts monitoring and raise alerts as required:
• Maintain attendance records for administrative and financial files.
• Conduct quarter inventory of material/equipment.
• Perform other administrative and financial assignments as required.
• Result 1: Effective implementation of HACT assurance activities and management of HACT/FACE/Direct cash transfers (DCT);
• Result 2: Improvement in Finance/Admin process and Innovation;
• Result 3: Capacity building and knowledge sharing;
• Result 4: Continuous improvement of contract monitoring and operations business process;
• Result 5: Operations Budget and accounts Management and Reporting.
• Result 6: Effective use of resources and efficient administrative and financial recording

Eligibility criteria
Age
27 – 80

Nationality
Candidate must be a national or legal resident of the country of assignment.

RequirementsRequired
experience
3 years of experience in • administrative and finance
• Have computer skills (word; Excel, Power Point);
• Have knowledge of accounting management;
• Previous experience as a volunteer and/or experience of another culture, (ie studies, volunteer
work, internship) would be highly regarded;
• Computer skills (ie Word, Excel, PowerPoint, social media, and others).

Area(s) of expertise
Administration, Economics and finance, Logistics and Inventory

Driving license
–

Languages
​​French, Level: Fluent, Required
English, Level: Fluent, Desirable

Required education level
Bachelor degree or equivalent in in accounting and finance or any other related field

Competencies and values
​​• Professionalism:
• Integrity
• Teamwork and respect for diversity
• Commitment to continuous learning:
• Communication:
• Flexibility:

Other information
Living conditions and remarks
Yaounde is the political capital of Cameroon and the second most populous city in the country after Douala . It is the headquarters of UN agencies, several international organizations and embassies Yaoundé is characterized by a humid and dry tropical climate with temperatures moderate during the year, high temperatures ranging from 27 to 29 degrees C. Yaoundé is also characterized by a long-wet season covering a period of 10 months between February and November. The official languages ​​of Cameroon are English and French.

Cameroon is a unique country and Cameroon is a unique (humanitarian) operation. It provides for an interesting and enriching environment, but also requires a mature level of cultural awareness, as well as more stamina and commitment than elsewhere to make life comfortable and affordable. Therefore, flexibility and the ability and willingness to live and work in harsh and potentially hazardous conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort, are essential.

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials.

Inclusivity statement
United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity program that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values ​​of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promote respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

Reasonable accommodation
UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for UN Volunteers with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the recruitment process and afterwards in your assignment.

Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements
In addition to duty station-specific vaccine requirements, appointments are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the appointment. It does not apply to UN Volunteers who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, program delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their contracts.

All applications must be submitted ONLINE at:

 https://app.unv.org/opportunities/1720430198698240