Head of Global Shared Services
Deadline for Applications
November 5, 2026
Hardship Level
H (no hardship)
Family Type
Family
Residential location (if applicable)
Grade
DI1
Staff Member / Affiliate Type
Professional
Reason
Regular > Regular Assignment
Target Start Date
2027-01-01
Standard Job Description
Head of Global Shared Services
Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Head of Global Shared Services (GSS) is responsible for the leadership, management, and continuous improvement of UNHCR’s Shared Services operations across key enabling functions including HR, Payroll, Finance, Supply, IT, and global support services. The role ensures high-quality, efficient, and client-oriented service delivery by leveraging standardization, automation, and operational excellence centred on cost efficiencies and quality of service.
Reporting to the Deputy High Commissioner, the incumbent leads the service centre supporting global operations from a centralized location supported by regional hubs, ensuring compliance with UNHCR’s rules and procedures while meeting evolving operational demands. The role plays a central part in advancing the organization's transformation and service delivery model.
All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR’s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.
Duties
Strategic Service Delivery Oversight
- Lead the operational delivery of global shared services across HR, Payroll, Finance, Procurement, Supply, IT, and global support services, ensuring alignment with performance expectations and service level agreements.
- Ensure processes are designed end to end to drive efficiency and service quality.
- Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) across service lines and ensure high-quality, timely and accurate transaction processing.
- Define and implement the GSS operating model, service-delivery and location strategy, and the roadmap for transitioning additional functions and service lines into GSS, including the migration, stabilization and optimization of transferred services.
- Manage the GSS budget and resources; establish and maintain the service costing and cost-recovery model, and benchmark unit costs and service quality against comparable shared services organizations.
- Establish and maintain the GSS service catalogue and service governance with the policy-owning divisions, clearly distinguishing policy ownership from service-delivery accountability.
- Lead the automation and digitalization agenda for transactional services, including self-service, robotic process automation and AI, in close coordination with ITS.
- Ensure business continuity and resilience across the GSS hubs, and the protection of personal and financial data processed by GSS, in line with UNHCR's data protection and information security policies.
- Lead workforce planning, talent development and succession management across the GSS hubs, fostering an inclusive, high-performance culture.
HR and payroll services
- Oversee personnel administration for locally recruited and internationally assigned staff, ensuring accuracy in contract issuance, leave management, onboarding, and separation processes.
- Ensure consistency in application of policies and regulations globally.
- Ensure robust validation and certification of HR and benefits updates and the integrity of data in corporate systems (e.g., Workday, Oracle Cloud and others), supporting compliance and internal controls.
- Support Contact Center services ensuring escalated queries are resolved efficiently, appropriately, and logged for analytics.
Finance services
- Supervise the execution of core financial processes, including:
- Invoice processing, payment runs, and reconciliation of accounts payable and receivable.
- Donor receivables processing and compliance with multiple financial reporting standards.
- Oversee the preparation of financial reports and dashboards, ensuring data quality and ERP alignment.
- Monitor compliance with the Financial Internal Control Framework and support audit readiness and audit response documentation.
- Support Contact Center services ensuring escalated queries are resolved efficiently, appropriately, and logged for analytics.
Supply Services
- Manage transactional procurement services including purchase requisition processing, contract administration, and vendor master data management.
- Oversee supply chain support activities such as stock reconciliation, relief item tracking, and ERP data entry linked to inventory and sourcing operations.
- Ensure compliance with procurement rules and procedures and support Implementing Partner procurement documentation processes.
- Support Contact Center services ensuring escalated queries are resolved efficiently, appropriately, and logged for analytics.
IT Services
- Supervise IT services including end user device support, IT stockpiles, execution of vulnerability remediation in coordination with ITS, and cost recovery of IT services.
- Oversee the scheduling and logistics of IT equipment shipments and customs clearances.
- Support Contact Center services ensuring escalated queries are resolved efficiently, appropriately, and logged for analytics.
Contact Center
- Supervise a multi-channel contact center responsible for the Service Management platform (ServiceNow) that provides first- and second-line support for the GSS globally.
- Ensure all contact center hubs located in Panama, Dakar, Nairobi, Amman, and Kuala Lumpur are integrated into the GSS service offering, providing a follow-the-sun support model and a consistent end-user experience in multiple languages.
- Ensure SLA metrics and customer satisfaction and complaints are tracked and managed to ensure continuous improvement and adherence to the quality standards.
- Ensure a knowledge base is maintained to enable GSS clients to easily access and solve their queries using a self-service approach.
GSS Operations and Administration
- Oversee the administrative unit responsible for workspace management, workspace allocation, and provision of supplies and utilities for all units and support hubs.
- Support the documentation and monitoring of workplace safety, accessibility, and well-being initiatives.
- Ensure effective internal communication and staff engagement across the GSS hubs, including regular all-staff meetings and staff-management consultation mechanisms.
- Oversee the global administration of official travel services, ensuring the efficient processing of travel authorizations, claims, and related entitlements in compliance with UNHCR’s regulatory framework and operational needs.
- Lead the standardization and centralized oversight of asset management processes, including the registration, tracking, disposal and reporting of UNHCR assets across all locations. Ensure compliance with internal controls, audit requirements and financial reporting standards.
- Ensure centralized oversight in fleet management, including vehicle acquisition, utilization, maintenance, and disposal. Support the development and implementation of fleet performance monitoring tools and advocate for sustainability principles.
- Lead risk assessments and discussions with team(s) to proactively manage risks and seize opportunities impacting objectives. Ensure that risk management principles are integrated in decision-making both at strategic and operational levels. Allocate resources for planned treatments with resource requirements in Strategic Plans. Ensure that risks are managed to acceptable levels and escalate, as needed. If a Risk Owner, designate the Risk Focal Point and certify that the annual risk review is completed and ensure that the risk register is updated during the year, as needed.
- Perform other related duties as required.
Minimum Qualifications
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For D1 - 17 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 16 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 15 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree
Field(s) of Education
Business Administration; Economics; International Law; Finance;
Accounting; Human Resources Management; Supply Chain Management; Information Systems;
Operations Management; Political Science; International Relations; or other relevant field.
Certificates and/or Licenses
Lean Six Sigma; ITIL; COPC; Professional accounting designation (CPA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent); PMP or PRINCE2.
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)
Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible experience in shared services or centralized business-services delivery, of which at least 5 years at senior management level leading a global or regional multi-function shared services centre serving clients in multiple countries. Demonstrated track record of transitioning services into a shared services centre and delivering measurable cost and quality improvements. Experience establishing service-management frameworks (service catalogue, SLAs/KPIs, cost recovery, multi-channel contact centre) in an ERP- and service-management-enabled environment. Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to influence stakeholders, with a proven record of successfully leading negotiations and building consensus among internal and external stakeholders. Demonstrated strategic thinking and understanding of interdependencies between business, operations, and technology needs. Substantial experience in managing and...