Management and Oversight Senior Advisor

Job Highlight

As the Management & Oversight Senior Advisor in Bangkok, you will be a strategic partner to the Regional Director, driving business performance and operational excellence across the Asia Pacific. You will oversee regional internal controls, lead the operations management group, and serve as Officer in Charge in the Director's absence. This high-impact role ensures sustainable results through expert financial stewardship and strategic planning.

Role Purpose

The role is responsible for, amongst others:

• Providing strategic advice to the RD, with particular focus on financial stewardship, operational excellence, effective and productive workforce management and delivery of results across the region;
• Providing advice to the RD related to regional performance improvement and knowledge sharing across the region;
• Coordinating and monitoring of implementation progress for the strategic corporate initiatives across the region;
• Supporting the RD to monitor and update the regional business plan;
• Leading the regional operations management group and
• Coordinating improvement and knowledge sharing initiatives and overseeing their implementation.
  
  

Functions / Key Results Expected

Functions / Key Results Expected

• Strategic Advisory
• Operational Performance Oversight and Coordination
• Performance Improvement
• Knowledge Management and Innovation
  
  

Role Overview

The incumbent advises and supports the Regional Director (RD) with respect to the following responsibilities and activities:

• Strategic Advisory
• Facilitate the development of regional strategies and policies through advice to the RD and senior management, including advising on current and future business operations and strategy development and planning.
• With the RD and in collaboration with the team and partners, develop the multi-year strategic plan for the Region and the annual business plan for the Region, including proposing targets, standards and results expected to ensure timely and partner-oriented services.
• Evaluate overall regional activities and initiatives to ensure alignment with organisational strategic plans, frameworks and standards of accountability, ethics and integrity, and to ensure that portfolio delivery and business development are mutually reinforcing.
• Keep abreast of organisational changes to make recommendations on regional strategy and approaches to business development, management of the regional project portfolio, and delivery of sustainable results.
• With the RD, plan and allocate resources (human, financial and administrative) to achieve goals and ensure the cost-effective and appropriate use of resources in accordance with UNOPS standards of ethics, integrity and accountability framework.
• Operational Performance Oversight and Coordination
• Review and endorse proposed regional and country targets in terms of process excellence, workforce management excellence and financial stewardship.
• Monitor and oversee performance across the region; provide guidance and support in relation to actions required to achieve targets.
• Monitor and oversee internal controls across the region; provide guidance and support in relation to actions required to achieve sufficient levels of controls.
• Oversee regional performance and execute appropriate controls, with particular focus on cost recovery, attribution of costs, and other high operational risks.
• Coordinate with relevant UNOPS HQ units to ensure prioritisation, alignment and coherent interactions with the region; actively engage with internal stakeholders and HQ units to ensure that country and regional perspectives are reflected in HQ-led initiatives.
• On behalf of the RD, participate in and report on relevant coordination meetings, working groups, task forces, etc.
• Coordinate and maintain regular communication with all countries in the region regarding their needs and requests for support.
• Coordinate the preparation of substantive briefs for the RD on regional opportunities and challenges.
• Act as the secondary supervisor for the Heads of Support Services in the region.
• Performance Improvement
• Drive and support world-class performance, organizational excellence and continuous improvement, and nurture a high-performance management culture.
• Make recommendations to the RD on matters related to performance and efficacy of regional operations.
• Recommend to the RD changes to structural arrangements within and between entities in the regional structure, including cross-functional integration and coordination within the region, in accordance with UNOPS standards on organisational structures.
• Develop and implement a performance monitoring system to provide oversight of regional performance measures and tracking of improvement initiatives.
• Knowledge Management and Innovation
• Actively engage with UNOPS HQ Practice Groups and regional portfolios to capture and provide a synthesis of best practices and lessons learned, and to ensure harmonisation of practices across the region.
• Facilitate and encourage the sharing of information, knowledge and best practices across the region.
• Contribute to the planning, implementation and organisation of strategic capacity building for personnel, partners and stakeholders for strategic business development and engagement.
• Act as the learning focal point for the region.
  
  

Impact of Results

The effective and successful achievement of results by the incumbent directly contributes to the visibility and image of the UNOPS brand as an effective service provider in project services and management, and consequently strengthens its competitive position as a partner of choice in sustainable development and project services.

Education Requirements

Required:

• Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in Business Administration, Finance, Political Science, International Relations, International Development, Social Sciences or a related discipline with 12 years of relevant experience OR
• Master's degree (or equivalent) in the above mentioned fields with 10 years of relevant experience is required.
  
  

Requirements

Experience Requirements

Required:

• Relevant experience is work in management and advisory/coordination roles
• A minimum of 3 years experience working in project and programme management, international development, postdisaster and/or emergency contexts is required.
• Field work experience is required.
  
  

Desired:

• Proven ability to collaborate with and oversee diverse and senior teams
• Experience in an international organization is an asset.
• Demonstrated experience in strategic planning and change management is desirable.
• Demonstrated understanding of development issues and current donor and sectoral trends is an asset.
• Prior work experience in Asia is desirable.
• Strategic planning experience is an asset
• Chartered Accountant (CA) or Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or equivalent is desirable.
• PRINCE2 Foundation and/or Practitioner Certification or equivalent is desirable