Faces of Umoja - interview with Vladimir Reyes, Subject Matter Expert

Vladimir Reyes has been working for the UN for the last 29 years. He recently joined Umoja's Central Support Services Team.

Do colleagues from other departments ask you what Umoja is?

A lot of staff are learning about Umoja these days. Many think it’s a technical system that will replace IMIS, but it’s so much more. Umoja is about reforming UN administrative processes and improving the way we do UN business. So Umoja is a reform process and a technical application.

What is your role on the Umoja team?

I joined Umoja’s Central Support Services Team in a temporary position as a Subject Matter Expert (SME). My role is to share my UN experience in administration and information technology…over the years I’ve worked in procurement, peacekeeping and most recently as a service desk manager in OICT/UNHQ. I’m helping Umoja colleagues understand all the different systems that staff use to request assistance – for computer problems, office maintenance, conference rooms…you name it. We’re trying to develop new ways of handling these queries so that they are fulfilled faster and more efficiently.

What is Umoja's working environment like?

You have to adjust, work fast, improvise and adapt. The space itself is not your typical UNHQ office layout. We have an open space structure and you are aware of what everyone is doing. It is conducive to open communication but it can limit your concentration sometimes. I have been fortunate to have worked in the field so I know how to simply work with what’s available.

Why did you join Umoja?

I was excited by the idea of helping make significant improvements in the way we do things. I’ve worked at the UN for 29 years so it’s a pleasure to participate in a reform of this scope.

What do you like about your job?
I like learning about how Umoja will bring our Organization together. We are so used to working in our own little worlds and getting 5 signatures on a piece of paper just because it’s always been done that way. Here I get to figure out how we can work outside our own silos.

Is Umoja hiring?

Yes! Check out the UN Careers Portal (http://careers.un.org/lbw/Home.aspx) and do a search for vacancies in the Department of Administration and Management – the Office of the Under-Secretary-General.

And to learn more about Umoja, check out our intranet portal called Umoja NET. You can register through our public site at www.unumoja.org.

Find Umoja vacancies on UN Careers Portal by using these search parameters:

Originally published on iSeek in English and French on 15 April 2011

Umoja passes milestone in process acceptance

Umoja, the UN Secretariat's administrative reform initiative that will improve processes and systems that manage financial, human and physical resources, has passed a key milestone:

Over half of released business processes have been accepted!

What does this mean?

Some background:

The Umoja team is working with staff Subject Matter Experts from around the UN who have volunteered their time to help re-engineer business processes in the areas of finance, human resources, supply chain and central support services.

Staff members from field missions and departments such as DGACM, DM, OICT and DFS are analyzing hundreds of everyday operations – such as invoice processing, managing requests for conference rooms, moving staff among posts and reporting of annual leave, to name just a few.

Umoja’s Steering Committee members accept the new business processes based on feedback from Subject Matter Experts.

In the last few weeks, Umoja has achieved a major milestone: 60 per cent of future business processes that have been released for review have been accepted by the Steering Committee.

The 60 per cent mark represents 38 per cent of the larger pool of all business processes; new processes are continuously released for review and acceptance.

The re-engineered processes will be incorporated into Umoja’s technical solution which will enhance the efficiency and speed of UN administrative functions. Umoja will move the Organization away from slow, paper-based administrative practices that are exacerbated by disconnected and outdated systems.

The Umoja team thanks all those who have contributed to the progress made so far.

All UN staff can see the excellent work happening by logging in to Umoja NET at www.unumoja.net. You’ll find details about the current and future business processes, including process maps that outline the future processes.

If you’re not already an Umoja NET member, visit Umoja’s public website to request an account. Once your registration is confirmed, you can access the Umoja Solution section to view presentations on all released processes and give us feedback.

So register today to learn about and contribute to a once-in-a-lifetime reform process at the UN.

If you have questions, contact Umoja at (212) 963-4140 or email umoja@un.org.

Umoja’s public website: www.unumoja.org
Umoja NET: www.unumoja.net (members only)

Originally published on iSeek in English and French on 1 April 2011

Umoja expands with Project and Programme Management Workstream

A new workstream has been added to the Umoja administrative reform initiative: Programme and Project Management.

In December, the General Assembly endorsed an ACABQ report that supported this addition to Umoja’s scope of work.

The Programme and Project Management (PPM) workstream will ensure a harmonised approach to the planning, monitoring and evaluation of UN programmes and projects. It will enhance UN methodologies and tools to support Results Based Management (RBM) - which will provide United Nations staff and Member States with more information about the linkages between programme and project expenditures and results.

The PPM workstream is cross-cutting; it will complement and integrate with the other Umoja workstreams, namely Finance, Human Resources, Supply Chain and Central Support Services. Over the past 18 months, Umoja has worked closely with staff Subject Matter Experts with deep expertise in these respective fields. Together they have made enormous progress in re-engineering business processes that will change how the UN operates.

The PPM Team in Umoja is hiring core team staff who will work with Subject Matter Experts in the area of PPM throughout the Organization. Umoja invites you to view the current PPM vacancies at the Professional level through the UN Careers Portal.

To find these vacancies select the job network “Economic and Social Development,” the job family “Programme Management” and the department “Department of Administration and Management” (see screenshot below).

Originally published on iSeek on 23 March 2011

Umoja gives interns a special opportunity

The Umoja team, charged with implementing the Secretary-General’s administrative reform initiative, gives interns a unique work experience at UNHQ in New York.

Sixteen interns currently assist Umoja staff and staff Subject Matter Experts from across the UN as they re-engineer and reform business practices in programme management, finance, human resources, supply chain and central support services.

Interns are placed on teams that work on these practice areas. They learn about the challenges involved in simplifying a vast range of business processes that were developed in the UN’s early years. They also learn about how Umoja’s technological solution will support new business processes and replace hundreds of transactional systems.

Cheryl Stafford, an Umoja Project Management Officer, reports that intern enthusiasm in strong: “They realize that we present a special opportunity to them because they learn about current and future UN operations here. It’s a unique chance to learn about organizational change. ”

Over 50 interns have been placed with the team since 2009. Umoja requests interns with diverse skill sets to meet the team’s needs; those with experience in management consulting and strong technical programming skills are especially good fits.

Many stay longer than the standard two-month period to maximize their learning: “six-month internships here are pretty common” says Stafford.

What do the Umoja interns say?

“I’m so glad I’ve been placed here” says Ying Zhou of Umoja’s Change Management Team. “My team has to get staff around the world ready for Umoja. Here we are putting organizational reform ideas into practice.” says Zhou.

Intern Sanna Teravianen enjoys the office atmosphere: “Everyone has been really helpful and welcoming towards me. Umoja is a really nice place to work.”

When interns complete their time with Umoja, all team members, including Director Paul van Essche, get together to thank them and say goodbye. “These young people give so much to our team. It’s important to acknowledge them and encourage them to stay interested in the UN’s mission” says van Essche.

For more information on Umoja, visit www.unumoja.org.

Originally published on iSeek on 16 March 2011

Umoja advances the UN's "Green" agenda

Last week the Umoja team hosted a meeting with UN system focal points who work on “greening” the Organization – or making our operations more environmentally sustainable.

Participants from UNEP, the World Bank, the Department of Field Support and the Department of Management attended the session in New York where they gave feedback on Umoja’s plans to incorporate sustainable work practices and tools into its reform initiative.

“A key objective of the Umoja reform is to implement a climate-neutral approach to UN business” says Umoja Director Paul van Essche. “We need to lower our greenhouse gas emissions, to recycle more and to use energy more efficiently. Last week we received valuable input on our approach for tackling these issues” he added.

As many of you know, Umoja is working with UN staff across the Secretariat in re-engineering business processes in programme management, finance, human resources, supply chain and central support services. This will include the capture, management and reporting of environmentally-relevant data elements. The Umoja Solution will also enhance the way we plan our programmes, measure results, and simplify a vast range of administrative practices.

At the event focal points learned how Umoja’s capacity to support environmentally sustainable practices will make the UN a safer, healthier place for staff. “Umoja will improve our ability to monitor health risks, to report incidents and manage hazardous substances” said Ian Divers, Umoja’s Service Delivery Manager.

The Umoja team will integrate feedback from the meeting into its sustainability roadmap. Many participants will meet again in June at the next meeting of the Issue Management Group (IMG) on Sustainability Management in Rome. The IMG focuses on implementing the UN’s climate-neutral strategy and convenes four times a year.

To learn more about Umoja visit www.unumoja.org.

To learn how to contribute to a greener UN visit www.greeningtheblue.org.

Originally published on iSeek on Tuesday, 8 March 2011, New York