The Consultant's objective is to analyze current business operation processes within GWOPA and identify areas of opportunity for improvement and automation for more efficient work processes. The Consultant will serve as a critical liaison between GWOPA and the 22 Implementing Partners (IPs) of the EU-WOP financed Water Operators` Partnerships and will support the communication with the IPs on technical deliverables of the WOPs and focus on the financial monitoring as well as keeping track of the implementation of the Agreements of Cooperation with the 22 Implementing Partners, which needs careful monitoring that the different stages of the 22 WOP projects are completed in time. It is furthermore intended to reduce transactional processes to decrease required human resources while providing support to the Implementing Partners on financial reporting and progress of implementation of scheduled activities. The consultant analyses workflows in close consultation with GWOPA staff and will drive the creation of process designs, articulate business requirements to key stakeholders to complete the implementation of more efficient workflows.
Bonn, Germany
12 months
Background:
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. Together with governments, the agency is responsible for promoting and consolidating collaboration with all partners, including local authorities, and private and non-governmental organizations in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Alliance (GWOPA) helps water and sanitation operators help one another. Led by UN-Habitat, it is an international network created in 2009 to support operators through Water Operator’s Partnerships (WOPs) – not-for-profit peer support partnerships between water and sanitation operators aimed at enhancing their capacity and performance to provide a better service to more people in support of the SDGs.
The GWOPA Secretariat translates GWOPA’s mandate into strategies and programs. It implements, through collaboration with a range of partners, annual alliance work plans to help ensure WOPs are scaled up and are contributing to water and sanitation service providers’ improved capacity and performance. The GWOPA Secretariat is currently hosted by the Government of Germany.
The EU-WOP programme is a 4.5-year-long initiative overseen by GWOPA that supports 22 WOP projects in developing countries, with a duration of 3 years each and will contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals, most directly goal 6, to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. It funds partnerships between water and sanitation utilities with the goal of helping beneficiary operators play their full role in contributing to local realization of Agenda 2030 and associated global goals. GWOPA coordinated an international call for proposals and 22 have been selected. GWOPA oversees: 1) programme management, 2) vocational education and training (VET) partnership deliverables, 3) payments, 4) the monitoring and reporting of the overall programme to the EU and leads a robust communications component to ensure visibility for programme activities and results for its various target audiences.
Responsibilities:
The consultant reports to Programme Management Officer Human Settlements of GWOPA, within the Urban Basic Services Section of the Urban Practices Branch and will deliver outputs contributing to the following areas:
Objectives and Activities:
The Consultant's objective is to analyze current business operation processes within GWOPA and identify areas of opportunity for improvement and automation for more efficient work processes.
The Consultant will serve as a critical liaison between GWOPA and the 22 Implementing Partners (IPs) of the EU-WOP financed Water Operators` Partnerships and will support the communication with the IPs on technical deliverables of the WOPs and focus on the financial monitoring as well as keeping track of the implementation of the Agreements of Cooperation with the 22 Implementing Partners, which needs careful monitoring that the different stages of the 22 WOP projects are completed in time.
It is furthermore intended to reduce transactional processes to decrease required human resources while providing support to the Implementing Partners on financial reporting and progress of implementation of scheduled activities. The consultant analyses workflows in close consultation with GWOPA staff and will drive the creation of process designs, articulate business requirements to key stakeholders to complete the implementation of more efficient workflows. The work areas contribute to following activities:
• Consult team to evaluate/ analyze operational activities/workflows and design more efficient solutions through process guide maps and automation.
• Collect data to identify root causes and suggest technical tools for improvement.
• Measure performance against process requirements.
• Recommend and test appropriate workflow solutions based on the team's requirements and communicate required business capabilities and expected outcomes
• Design and apply efficient business workflow solutions to improve internal flows of information and adjust standard operating procedures (SOPs)
• Create a process map of proposed workflows and conduct projects related to the implementation of automation steps using Microsoft Power Apps and other tools available for use at the UN secretariat.
• Provide clear and succinct documentation for future users as well as training sessions on improved operation workflows.
The expected field of business improvement includes:
1. European Union WOP Project
• Communication with Implementing Partners on the requirements for financial reporting and providing operational support in monitoring that the WOPs are on track.
• Documentation management for Agreements of Cooperation and the workflows involved and coordination with the EU-WOP focal points within GWOPA
• Update GWOPA's agreements overview dashboard and ensure conditions and information are on track and staff will receive regular reminders to their inboxes
• Create a useful dashboard or automation system to support procurement of equipment and services; facilitate petty cash replenishments and develop a workflow that helps approve internal requests efficiently and enable a swift turn-around on monthly reimbursements and replenishments
2. Management of web-based infrastructure that adheres security standards
• Coordinate new web-hosting arrangements with database developer, web team, and procurement procedures, and facilitate the shift of website and database to AWS contract which is managed by UN OICT.
• Coordinate shift of EU-WOPs and other records within SharePoint and transfer records from an external platform to the corporate Sharepoint site
• Develop RPA (Robotic Process Automation) by Microsoft Power Apps workflows to support daily operation for projects.
3. GWOPA Membership Processing
• Review membership application process and explore the potential for automation
4. Human resources and financial planning
• Document workflow of hiring activities and explore other personnel options available with HQ and propose process improvements.
• Establish an HR forecasting table and provide regular updates to GWOPA staff to make decisions regarding Human resources plans and budgets.
• Establish a dashboard for financial planning and accounting that draws on data from the ERP to support better resource and financial planning within the team.
5. Contribute to GWOPA Secretariat operational development:
• Analyze forms in use and create automatic insertion -as much as possible that can be fed from systems to make work processes more efficient.
• Create, organize and apply smart administrative instructions (ToR building, intern recruitment, AoC & payment processes with links to forms and documents) in an accessible Microsoft SharePoint library to provide personnel online guidance on important operational processes to support self-service processes on HR, Missions, Procurement, etc. while raising efficiencies by reducing transactional losses (e.g. due to fluctuations in workforce).
• Capacitate and train GWOPA staff in the use of MS Office applications and regularly introduce updated features.
6. The 5th Global WOPs Congress operation planning:
• Build upon the existing Global WOP Congress logistics plan, explore the potential for automation, design a logistics note for participants coming to Bonn, and support the Administrative Assistant by providing support on visa and hotel reservations for congress participants.
• Develop and implement the Global WOP Congress workforce plan for hiring consultants and interns.
(i) A first-level university degree in Business Administration, Human Resources, International relations, Development planning, Management, or a related field is required.
(ii) At least 4 years of experience in administrative services, finance, accounting, audit, human resources, or related areas is required.
(iii) Experience in the use of ERP tools or equivalent is desirable.
(iv) Experience in international organizations is desirable and in urban water and sanitation issues is a distinct asset.
(v) Experience in Human resources, IT, Accounting, and project management is desirable.
Fluency in spoken and written English is required; knowledge of another UN language will be considered an asset.
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.