Carpooling Implementation Manager, UNOPS IICA-2, Beirut At UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Terms of Reference
Carpooling Implementation Manager
International Individual Contractor,
UNOPS, IICA-2

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is offering an International Individual Contract (Level 2 / P3) within the Global Fleet Management Unit, Global Mobility and Infrastructure Service, Division of Administration and Financial Management in our Beirut Operation (reporting to our Budapest Headquarters).

UNHCR is a global organisation dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. Every year, millions of men, women and children are forced to flee their homes to escape conflict and persecution. We are in over 125 countries, using our expertise to protect and care for millions.

• Title: Carpooling Implementation Manager
• Project: Global Fleet Management
• Duty station: Beirut, Lebanon (initially), with expected travel up to 100%
• Section/Unit: Deployed to the Fleet Management Unit (Lebanon) under the management of the Asset and Fleet Management Section (AFMS), Global Mobility and Infrastructure Service, DFAM. Possible relocation in 2022 as required
• Contract Level: International – Specialist ICA, Level 2
• Duration: 01/09/2021-31/12/2022 with possible extension
• Supervision (admin): Mr. Roman Sinchuk, Snr. Fleet Management Officer (AFMS, HCR Budapest)
• Supervision (technical): Mr. Rowan Veale, Global Project Manager – carpooling (HCR Beirut)

Organizational Context

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is mandated to lead and coordinate international action to protect and assist refugees and other persons of concern. It is constantly seeking talented, compassionate candidates with high-integrity to strengthen its capacity to respond urgently to crises with the right skills. Given the nature of UNHCR’s work, it is essential that its workforce has the right mix of skills and qualities to fulfil its mandate.

UNHCR operates a worldwide fleet of approximately 7,700 light, armored, heavy and specialized vehicles. Using roads is a necessary part daily business in UNHCR field operations. International and local staff members often use vehicles for road missions to emergency and insecure locations to provide humanitarian assistance. The Asset and Fleet Management section takes on the role of leading, coordinating and supervising activities related to fleet management within UNHCR and ensuring compliance with UNHCR rules and procedures, cost-effectiveness and efficiency and professionalism in the management of fleet.

The position

To support UN reform, the UN Sustainable Development Goals Business Innovations Group (BIG) was requested in 2018 to lead the work on realizing targets for common back offices, business operations strategy (BOS), UN common premises, mutual recognition and culture change by measuring “client satisfaction”.

A 2018 report from the Joint Inspection Unit^[1], identified fleet management as one of three areas where meaningful efficiencies could be generated. The report indicated that United Nations agencies, funds and programmes operate more than 20,000 light vehicles at a cost (including depreciation) of approximately $300 million annually, which means that even a small percentage reduction in fleet size can generate significant savings.

Interagency carpooling is widely considered to be effective means of reducing fleet size, and fixed costs by increased utilization of a reduced fleet of vehicles. A proof of concept for fleet sharing, conducted in five countries, by UNDP, UNFPA and UNICEF, in 2016 indicated that it was possible to reduce fleet size, measured by number of vehicles, by as much as 10%^[2].

As part of the Lebanon BOS, UN organisations in the country, led by UNHCR, are piloting a carpooling solution to optimize fleet utilization and performance. With an increasing number of UN organisations joining the initiative, UNHCR requires a dedicated implementation manager to handle the implementation of the solution and associated electronic transport booking platform in Lebanon.

Under the supervision of the Global Project Manager for Carpooling and as part of the Country Fleet Management team in Lebanon, the Carpooling Implementation Manager will:

• Perform a project management function within Lebanon for the continued implementation of the carpooling initiative, at the inter-agency level, in conjunction with the country Fleet Manager of the UNHCR Lebanon operation and the Global Project Manager for Carpooling.
• Collect and analyse feedback on the electronic transport booking platform to guide further development and ensure its effectiveness for fleet management and inter-agency carpooling.
• Perform an analytical function for the carpooling initiative.
• Promote the carpooling initiative and electronic booking platform to interested organisations and other UNHCR operations.
• Perform the role of service support coordinator, coordinating the day-to-day running of the carpooling solution to ensure a smooth operation for participating UN organisations.

The function is time-bound and is required for the inter-agency carpooling project implementation in Lebanon. The Carpooling Implementation Manager may be involved in other fleet projects and initiatives both in Lebanon and at the regional or global level.

^[1] OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS IN ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES BY ENHANCING INTER-AGENCY COOPERATION

^[2] UN Fleet Sharing Proof of Concept Evaluation Report, 2017

Duties and responsibilities

The primary responsibilities of the Carpooling Implementation Manager are as follows:

• Management of the ongoing implementation of the UN carpooling project in Lebanon, in coordination with participating UN organisations and the software platform vendor. The implementation includes the technology platform, operational aspects and business processes required for operation, and alignment between participating organisations.
• Management and coordination of stakeholders at UNHCR and other UN entities in Lebanon.
• Monitoring and analysis of user satisfaction with the carpooling initiative though surveys, interviews and focus groups with system users and other stakeholders. The successful candidate will make constructive recommendations for improvements to the solution and identify training requirements based on the results, in collaboration with the Lebanon fleet management team and other participating UN organisations.
• Organisation of training sessions for system users in coordination with other subject matter experts and the electronic booking platform vendor.
• Development and maintenance of relevant documentation, including the inter-agency memorandum of understanding (MoU), relevant SOPs and project implementation documents.
• Promotion of the carpooling project, in conjunction with the Lebanon Fleet Management team, to encourage other UN organisations to join the initiative. This may include participating in the design of promotional materials with the support of the relevant technical teams.
• Perform the role of service support coordinator, coordinating the day-to-day running of the carpooling service, responding to and resolving operational issues, preparing inter-agency invoices, escalating to the global project manager where required and ensuring overall smooth operation of the inter-agency carpooling service in Lebanon.
• Collecting and analysing fleet and carpooling related data and preparing performance metrics and reports for management and other stakeholders, as required.
• Checking the quality of collected carpooling data and identifying gaps and possibilities for improvement. To achieve this, the successful candidate will maintain regular communications with those who are responsible for provision of the source data to ensure that the collected information is timely, accurate and reliable. He or she will also provide expert advice to stakeholders on the use and interpretation of the prepared reports to optimize project and fleet performance.
• Prior to departure from the operation, the successful candidate will transfer relevant knowledge to the Fleet Manager in Beirut or other applicable staff members.
• Participating in initiation of similar projects in other countries of UNHCR operation and performing other expert duties as required within the area of his or her expertise.

Monitoring and Progress Controls

• Weekly progress updates to the Global Project Manager for Carpooling (AFMS).
• Regular coordination meetings with the country Fleet Manager of UNHCR Lebanon.
• Contributing to regular and ad-hoc updates to the carpooling project board.
• Contributing to regular updates to the Operations Management Team (OMT), the inter-agency group responsible for implementing the Business Operations Strategy (BOS), in Lebanon.
• Contributing to regular updates to fleet stakeholders at various levels of the organization.

Essential Minimum qualifications and professional experience required

• BA/BSc degree in a relevant subject (Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, etc.) with 6 years of work experience in a multi-cultural environment.
• MA/MSc degree in a related subject (Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, etc.) is considered an asset.
• Proven track record of managing complex projects within an international organisation.
• Extensive experience of managing diverse stakeholders.
• Experience in analysis of performance data (preferably in the areas of fleet and subscription/billing management).
• Project management qualifications (e.g., PRINCE2) are considered an asset.
• Experience with carpooling/ride sharing or fleet optimisation services and associated technology platforms is considered an asset.

Key Competencies

• Motivation and drive.
• A desire to make a real difference to the lives of the beneficiaries that the UN serves.
• Excellent inter-personal communication skills. In particular, the ability to communicate effectively with colleagues of different levels of seniority, from senior management to more junior colleagues, and from different culture backgrounds.
• Excellent writing and presentation skills.
• Excellent command of the English language (knowledge of French or Arabic is an asset).
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment where cooperation is often key to success.
• Analytical thinking.
• Technological awareness.
• Innovation and creativity.
• Highly proficient in Microsoft Excel, including advanced functionality, such as pivot tables.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office.
• Knowledge of other UN languages is as an asset.
• Ability to deliver under tight project deadlines in a multi-cultural environment.

Location

The successful candidate will be based with the team in Beirut, Lebanon.