Specialist, Operational Efficiency – GL D
To support the Global Fund’s mission of ending the epidemics and enable efficient portfolio management, Grant Management Division (GMD) must operate with up-to-date and robust portfolio data, aligned business processes and integrated systems within a framework of continuous improvement. The Grant Management Operational Efficiency Team is responsible for ensuring the continuous improvement of GMD-owned processes (Grant Making, Grant Implementation, AFD/Disbursements, Grant Revision, Progress Reporting and Grant Closure and supporting processes such as Master Data) through ongoing review, monitoring, optimization, integration and enhancement of grant management operational policies/regulations, procedures, system guidance as well as GMD-owned data & data quality. The Team is also responsible for defining and prioritizing Grant Management business needs for system solutions (as part of Business as Usual or dedicated Launches). The Specialist, Operational Efficiency is responsible for implementing the Grant Management operating framework and Operational Efficiency Framework, by providing the business integration and project management expertise for the above GMD-owned grant management processes. They are responsible for the continuous improvement of these processes, guiding the necessary activities for the delivery of agreed milestones, resulting in optimized business process design and the implementation of aligned grant management policies, procedures, system, tools, templates and other solutions. They are also responsible for business process monitoring to drive continuous improvement and ensuring structural data quality improvements are realized. They provide business needs and has an agreed engagement with the IT Business Partner to ensure the development of high-quality business requirements as input into systems development across the grant lifecycle. They also drive the required cross-functional change in the other functions affected by the specific change. They may indirectly manage and direct one or more OE Officers and/or OE Support Staff. They provide direct support when required, monitors effectiveness of support, works with IT to define optimal & timely issue resolution and mitigation and with the Change Coordination Team to ensure effective change management and communication. They act as the GMD business process owner in the alignment and roll-out of the assigned business processes and associated policy, data and business requirements, the latter for system development.
Key Responsibilities
The Specialist, Operational Efficiency will have the following responsibilities: Integrated business design:
- Review and prioritize GMD business needs in collaboration with IT, Program Finance and business owners across the Secretariat, and contribute to the organizational prioritization, based on rigorous assessment of resource needs and benefits.
- Conduct a business integrator review of assigned business processes, policy, business requirements and user stories to ensure solutions are aligned with the grant lifecycle design.
- Ensure the development of high-quality detailed business requirements as per agreed timelines.
- Collaborate with the IT business partner, to ensure the timely and quality delivery of key milestones related to systems development, and a continued alignment with the Operational Launch Planning with the ultimate aim of an enhanced integrated solution that reinforces improved data quality.
Project Management:
- Coordinate development of grant management operational processes, policies and procedures across divisions and departments, ensuring quality deliverables aligned with the Operational Efficiency approach, using a rigorous work planning and project management approach
- Define and gain agreement for Operational Launch timelines, define tasks and resource requirements, execute and track delivery, conduct stakeholder management activities, monitor and report on progress, proactively resolve problems to achieve deliverables, identify dependencies and co-ordinate issue resolutions and business risk mitigation; escalate issues for senior management decision
- Lead diagnosis of business processes as input into the proposed changes forming part of an Operational Launch, integrating input from CTs, PRs, LFAs, CCMs and technical teams in GF, collecting input through surveys, focus groups, etc., conducting quantitative analysis of process effectiveness and using metrics from operational process monitoring.
- Define proposed changes to the business processes, review to ensure coherence with overall Grant Life Cycle processes and submit the proposed changes, impact assessment and business case to the Operational Change Group for approval.
- Ensure cross-Secretariat alignment of deliverables, timelines and effort so that identified process, policy, reference data and system enhancements are approved by the Operational Change Group, prioritized and implemented as agreed.
Data and data quality:
- Based on a good understanding of the underlying data model, advise OE support staff and OE Officers on how the business process is enabled by data elements and how these are or should be linked.
- In collaboration with IT and DASH, advise OE Officers on the most appropriate data sources to use (among the available business data systems) to meet business requirements.
- Define and lead projects to remedy identified quality issues with GMD-owned data.
- In collaboration with IT and DASH, resolve data related issues such as differing definitions of data elements.
- Provide business integrator support to IT for GMD-owned data migration activities.
Business process monitoring:
- Define data quality, process quality and performance metrics and work with DASH to operationalize the ongoing monitoring (e.g. through dashboards).
- Conduct follow-up analysis of process performance, providing input to operational launches and other GMD improvement initiatives.
- In coordination with DASH, define risk-based monitoring approach for grant data quality review, including proposing performance improvement targets if applicable and exception reporting including appropriate thresholds.
- Provide input to performance targets for teams and staff based on analysis of process performance metrics.
Business validation:
- Undertake quality assurance of systems deliverables against set business requirements;
- Design and oversee implementation of the user acceptance testing plan prior to system delivery, including coordination with business focal points across the organization to ensure efficiency and optimal testing of critical business scenarios for operational excellence;
- Provide content to and review (e)training materials for internal staff (including new staff members) and external stakeholders (Principal Recipients and LFAs) on process, policy, data and systems changes;
- Act as key business expert by providing content input and introducing best practices and innovations from a business integration perspective.
Business support:
- Oversee support activities by OE Officers and support staff, providing guidance and direction.
- Review and quality assure support solutions developed by IT and vendors.
- Drive continuous improvement of support provision by measuring outcomes, tracking performance and taking corrective action
- Act as the key liaison with IT to ensure seamless support delivery for end users
- Conduct analyses and define reporting to guide effective service delivery
Coordination with stakeholders:
- Chair cross-functional meetings to ensure engagement and alignment with any function involved in/affected by a specific process change;
- Act as a key business counterpart for internal IT teams (including business analysts, solution experts, data and BI specialists) and external stakeholders (e.g. PRs, LFAs, CCMs) as needed.
- Act as key business expert by providing content input and introducing best practices and innovations from a business integration perspective, and by providing subject matter expertise and content input to reports/ briefings /solution demonstrations for internal stakeholders, senior management and reports to governance bodies.
As required, The Specialist OE might have people management responsibilities. If the Specialist OE manages a team he/she ensures that the team members have relevant measurable objectives agreed and the appropriate understanding of the requirements of their role, capacity and skills needed to meet them; engages, motivates and develops their team in order to drive their performance and increase their impact measurably. This includes performance management through regular feedback, coaching and ongoing development discussions.
At the request of the Head, Grant Portfolio Solutions and Support or the Senior Manager, Operational Efficiency undertake additional tasks to allow GPS to flexibly respond to evolving priorities or urgent needs of the Global Fund.
Subject to change by the Executive Director at any time at their sole discretion.
Qualifications
Essential:
- Advanced university degree in areas such as Operations, Finance, Public or Business Administration, Information Management, Public Health or another relevant field.
Desirable:
- Qualification in project management or equivalent, or work experience in a project management, change management, or business improvement capacity
Experience
Essential:
- Project/program management experience
- Experience and understanding of grant design and management requirements and processes
- Experience with functional design of IT solutions for business end-users
- Demonstrated experience in establishing and managing productive partnerships and ability to facilitate and strengthen the involvement of a range of internal & external stakeholders through strong interpersonal skills, tact and diplomacy
Desirable:
- Minimum 5 years project/program management experience
- Knowledge of the Global Fund and its policies, processes, procedures and systems;
- Experience in process improvement and using optimization methodologies applied in a business environment
- Experience and understanding of financial and programmatic reviews and reporting for development programs, preferably in the health, social or financing sector for impact would be an advantage;
- Knowledge of Salesforce Platform
- Hands-on experience of Global Fund grants, within the Secretariat, as a Recipient, a Local Fund Agent or a partner organization.
Competencies
Languages: An excellent knowledge of English and preferably a good working knowledge of French. Knowledge of other languages would be an asset.
Functional competencies
- Analytical
- Business
- Country Context
- Finance
- Multicultural Understanding
- Operational Policy
- Project Management
Technical competencies:
- Business process improvement
- Communication, diplomacy and change management skills
- Cross-functional business process design and integration leadership
- Excellent computer skills
- Data management and data quality improvements
- Solution oriented analysis – ability to create business relevant and creative solutions using Excel and other analytical tools
- Good written and verbal communication skills
- Strong stakeholder management, presentation and facilitation skills
Personal competencies:
- Structured and strategic thinking: Demonstrated ability to gather and analyze information skillfully, to draw insightful conclusions and to propose creative solutions
- Strong attention to detail
- Ability to multi-task, manage competing priorities under tight deadlines
- Sound judgment and decision making
- Planning and organizing
- Strong business focus, delivery culture and results-oriented mindset
- Influencing and interpersonal skills
Core Competencies:
- Collaboration – Building Relationships
- Adaptability – Flexibility
- Global Fund Awareness & Mindset – Helicopter view
- Interaction – Impactful communication
- Drive for results – Proactive Approach
- Service Orientation – Problem Solving
The Global Fund recruits top-tier talent for our open positions, in support of our mission to end AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as epidemics.
Explore our vacancies and apply on the Global Fund Careers recruitment system.
More information on working at the Global Fund is available on the Careers section of our main website.
Job Posting End Date
05 September 2023
