Martin Masembo
Summary
Resourceful and results-oriented professional with 23 years of extensive experience in UNDP operations and programme management, including oversight and quality assurance mechanisms across multiple country offices and headquarters. Adept at strategic thinking, systems thinking, and effective decision-making in both programme and operations management. Demonstrated leadership as Acting Deputy Resident Representative (DRR) for Programme and Operations for nearly two years, contributing to CCA, UNSDCF, UNDAF, and CPD processes.
Expert in managing the five core components of UNDP operations (finance, procurement, human resources, administration/logistics, and ICT) with an annual delivery of $60M at UNDP Burundi and Central Africa. Significant experience in programme and project management with a proven track record of delivering $200M annually as Head of Programme Management Support Unit at UNDP DRC.
Extensive working experience in five UNDP duty stations (DRC, Haiti, New York, Central African Republic, and Burundi) and multiple short-term missions for compliance review and oversight in countries such as Yemen, Madagascar, Guinea, Mali, Equatorial Guinea, and Mauritania.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Operations Manager and Oversight Specialist
UNDP
2021.04 - Current
- Senior Management function oriented on serving as part of the Country Office Senior Management team, under direct supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative Programme and Operations (DRR/P&O), working also directly with the RR on several matters and issues
- Representing UNDP in OMT and serving also as Focal point of ICSC/local Surveys coordinator
- Leading and supervising, as DRR/O, all operations teams (Finance, Human Resources, Procurement, ICT, and General administration) as well as Operations & Office Management focal point CO oversight and providing assistance to the Programme and Project Managers including supervising the Programme Management Support Unit (PMSU), monitoring the Office performance through the IFD indicators and acting as a member of the Enterprise Risk Management Committee
- Responsibilities and key achievements: Leading a strategic direction of operations by ensuring compliance with UNDP rules and regulation, implementing operational strategies and Internal Control, targets setting and monitoring results achievement
- Ensuring effective Operations & Office financial resources management through planning, budgeting monitoring and reporting
- Expenditures tracking ($65M yearly) and Audit of financial resources; monitoring the integrity of the financial system; managing the cost recovery system for services provided to UN Agencies and to UNDP projects; Proper management of Cost Sharing agreement for UNDP contributions and receivables; proper cash management
- Ensuring strategic Human Resources Management (112 Staffs) in compliance with corporate policies and strategies, assessing the optimal staffing of the office/projects; oversight on recruitment processes and performance ensuring the link between job; people management, performance, and career development
- Ensuring efficient procurement planning, travel and logistics services management including procurement strategies, sourcing strategies, supplier selection and evaluation, contracting strategy (305 PO in 2022), quality management and performance review; proper management of asset, inventories and commons services management and organization
- Ensuring Information and communication management by maintaining secure infrastructures and materials environment, monitoring the DRP
- UN Common services organization and management, establishment of partnership with other UN agencies
- Management of the common premises
- Effectively perform the role of UNDP delegate within the OMT and BOS focal point
- Advising the UNDP Resident Representative on the management of Country Programme activities and delivery including Global Fund Project to improve country office delivery, as well as the resources allocations, monitoring, and reporting
- Delivering more transparency and higher quality of the supporting documentation, as well as developing trust and confidence in donor relations through providing strategic advice to Country Office (CO)
- Participating in the CCA/UNDAF/UNSCDF process to assist the local government to achieve National development goals and priorities in line with UNDP signature solutions, 2030 Agenda and identifying innovative approaches to achieve SDGs and promoting Joint Programming approach with UN Agencies
- Contribution to the resource mobilization strategy
- Audit focal point: Reduce the number of audit recommendations to 0% by ensuring regular audit of the program, as well as the complete and timely implementation of audit recommendations and perform internal evaluations
- Implementing the overall risk management and strategy: identification, assessment, monitoring, and reporting
- Ensuring the Business Continuity Plan/MORSS compliance (RSM) and managing day-to-day safety and security.
Acting DRR P/O -UNDP
UNDP
2023.08 - 2023.11
- Senior Management function as acting DRR Programme and Operations
- Advise Resident Representative on strategic focus on country programme,
- Implement country programme development and delivery to achieve development targets
- Implement programme assurance activities related to the implementation of the Country Programme and assessment of national capacity in financial management and procurement of goods and services as well as reviewing HACT activities and action plan implementation
- Support UNDP Operations management: Financial resources, Human Resources, Procurement and General Administration, ICT, Risk Management Commons Services management and compliance
- Achievements: Performed Country Programme review and taking specific corrective actions to address the identified issues
- ICF review and alignment to the corporate guide, Delegation of Authorities review and adjustment
- Note for Delivering Enabling Services to Project and SOP for DES/DPC
- Note for UNDP office sustainability and Office functional review initiated
- Audit preparedness
- Promote knowledge management to ensure access to best available expertise and facilitate organizational learning both in Programme and Operations areas.
Acting DRR P/O -UNDP
UNDP
2022.06 - 2022.12
- Duties and achievements: CCA/UNSDCF 2023_2027: directly involved in the finalization process by identifying the UNDP programme activities and mandate to assist the Government to achieve their National Development Goals and priorities, through interagency collaboration and joint programming approach
- CPD 2024-2027: actively participated in CPD formulation processes, starting by the alignment to UNSDCF/UNDAP, to the national priorities, the UNDP 2022-2025 Strategic Plan, Theory of Change, dialogues with partners and stakeholders, defining innovative approaches through a sense-making for structural transformation of Burundi
- Leading UNDP Programme Team on resources allocations, Delivery of activities to achieve annual IWP targets ($65M in 2022) through the programme pillars: Governance, SDG integrator role, Poverty eradication, Environment, Resilience, UN interagency collaborations
- Ensuring Assurances activities: UNBOA audit preparation, Enterprise Risk Management, fields mission support for satisfactory report, CPD 2019-2023 Independent evaluation
- Leading Gender Seal committee for UNDP Burundi Gold certification.
Finance Specialist P4, Common Services Manager and Acting CO Operations Manager
UNDP Central Africa Republic
2017.11 - 2021.03
- Senior Management function oriented on serving as part of the CO Senior Management team, under direct supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative Operations (DRR/O), Acting DRR/O for 25% of my time, as well as the CAP chairperson for the period of 2019 – 2020 and providing assistance to the Programme Management Support Unit (PMSU) and Project Managers in assurance mechanism review
- Responsibilities and key achievements: Ensured effective and accurate financial resources management and oversight of the Country office by leading proper resources planning, financial analysis and maintaining robust internal controls over all financial processes, establishing a reporting system and monitoring key performance indicators
- Ensured implementation of operational strategies and procedures by establishing financial procedures and SOPs and ensuring oversight for the transparency of financial processes, full compliance of financial activities, Audit focal point, elaborating and implementing cost-saving and reduction strategies
- Managed the CO budget (60 million per year) of development and management projects and organized an optimal cost recovery system by management of all financial resources, cost recovery of services provided to UN agencies and UNDP Project through an adequate DPC policy, Cost-sharing contributions management and clearance of financial report to donors
- Ensured facilitation of knowledge management by organizing training to operations and project staff, also through ad hoc working sessions, capitalizing the lessons learned and best practices
- Actively participated in the process of 1) UNDP Country Office annual planning through the elaboration of 2018, 2019, and 2020 Integrated Work Plan linked to the UNDAF 2018_2021 and the UNDP CPD 2018_2021, 2) the implementation of project activities through the Delivery Acceleration Committee and the Chairperson of CAP (Contract Assets and procurement committee), 3) finally to the annual reporting through the ROAR
- Effectively performed the role of UNDP delegate within the OMT, supported the process of BOS finalization (Business Operating Strategies) 2018-2021, the establishment of thematic groups, the elaboration of Annual UN common services budget (UN Clinic, Security, Common Premises, etc.).
Programme Finance Specialist P3/ UNCDF/NEW YORK
2016.11 - 2017.10
- Responsibilities and key achievements: Effective management of UNCDF program portfolio
- Effective and efficient use of ATLAS in line with project/programme cycle
- Analysis and reporting on the financial status of the program portfolio with proposals
- Established and updated the multi-year program resource and expenditure frameworks
- Quarterly and yearly reporting on global portfolio performance
- Ensured due Diligence and Quality Assurance of UNCDF Investment Instruments
- Grant agreements review prior to approval
- Quality control of expenditures prior disbursements
- Oversees Programme/projects annual planning, procurement planning, and audit plans
- Ensures compliance with audit recommendations, Finance Rules and Regulations
- Revenue Management using the contract module in Atlas.
Finance Specialist Global Fund Project and Acting for Electoral Project P3
UNDP HAITI
2014.08 - 2016.10
- Responsibilities and key achievements: Overall management and monitoring of Grant financial resources (USD 30 million/year)
- Compliance of expenses and budget Management of the project
- Management and financial monitoring of 15 sub-recipients’ activities
- Responsible for project financial reporting to the donor or other stakeholders
- Designated finance Audit’s focal point
- Management and knowledge sharing with project financial team and those of sub-recipients.
Finance and Budget Officer Grade SB 4
UNDP CONGO DRC, Global Fund Project
2010.07 - 2012.01
- Responsibilities and key achievements: Monitoring of financial execution of Global Fund grants (4 active grants) by ensuring the proper allocation of expenditures (50 million per year) in accordance with the approved budget categories
- Audit and Financial reporting focal point
- Monitoring financial performance indicators of the project relative to assigned targets.
Head of PMSU ( NOB Level)
UNDP/Congo DRC
2008.08 - 2010.07
- As Head of the Programme Management Support Unit (PMSU), I had the responsibility of the oversight and quality assurance at the CO level, aiming to make the Office more accountable in terms of program and Operations performance, management of results and program financial resources
- I was responsible for developing and mainstreaming practical tools and approaches to promote effective and efficient program planning, implementation, review, monitoring and evaluation, and gender mainstreaming
- Responsibilities and key achievements: Provided policy advice to the CO’s Senior Management on alignment with UNDP Strategic Plan and on quality assurance and compliance issues
- Coordination with the Programme and Operations Units to ensure the CO adheres to and complies with corporate policies and procedures
- Planning, management, and regular monitoring of resources to ensure Program operational autonomy
- Monitoring and reporting of resource and Country office performance indicators
- Management of financial performance of UNDP projects: ensuring in conjunction with Programme/projects units and CO finance
- RBM and Balanced Scorecard, ROAR Focal Point
- Focal Point Audit and Quality Assurance Program
- Knowledge sharing to Programme Staff Officer to improve Program quality standards
- CAP (Committee purchasing and contracts) Permanent member of from 2008 to 2014.
Senior Programme Associate
UNDP Congo
2007.08 - 2008.07
- Unité Lutte Contre la Pauvreté
- Mentored junior associates in developing their project management skills, contributing to team growth and development.
- Enhanced team collaboration with regular communication strategies, fostering a positive work environment.
- Successfully managed competing priorities while maintaining focus on delivering exceptional results within deadlines.
Finance and Administrative Associate
UNDP - DRC
2004.08 - 2007.06
- Responsibilities and key achievements: Assistant Administrator-ACTION AGAINST HUNGRY- USA- RDC/ March 2003 to August 2004
- Ministry of Finances/Democratic Republic of Congo / April 2000 to March 2003: Finance Controller/Direction Tresor et Ordonnancement
- SOGESCOFI: 7 months of professional internship on audit and accounting.
Education
Master 2 in Financial Management -
University of Kinshasa,
Democratic Republic Of Congo01.1999
Bachelor in Economics -
University of Kinshasa, DRC
Democratic Republic Of Congo01.1996
Skills
- Strategic Planning and Implementation
- Programme Management and Oversight
- Operations Management
- Resource Mobilization
- Quality Assurance
- Team Leadership
- Client Relationship Management
- Strategic Decision Making
Training and Certifications
- MSP (Managing Successful Programmes), May 2020 to September 2020, Cohort 14
- CIPS 3 Certificate Rome/June 2019 and CIPS 2, Copenhagen/October 2018
- BOS Regional training, Cotonou, November 2018
- UNDP SURGE Operations Manager profile, Bangkok/Thailand, March 2017
- CIPFA London Diploma level (in progress)
- UNDP Operations Manager Induction, LRC New York, June 2012
- LDMSP (Leader Development and Management Skill Programme/Entry Level; +UNDP-LMS (completed), December 2012
- Result Based Management by RBA/PNUD at Dakar, Nov. 2009
- Certified PRINCE2 and Invigilator PRINCE2 (Appointed by APMG London), December 2008
Languages
French
Proficient
C2
English
Advanced
C1
Certification
- Resource Mobilization: Successfully mobilized over $10 million in funding for various UNDP programmes and initiatives.
- Operational Efficiency: Implemented process improvements that reduced operational costs by 15% across multiple country offices.
- Programme Impact: Led programmes that significantly improved local governance and community resilience in several countries.
- Quality Assurance: Developed and implemented a quality assurance framework that enhanced programme delivery and accountability.
Timeline
Acting DRR P/O -UNDP
UNDP
2023.08 - 2023.11
Acting DRR P/O -UNDP
UNDP
2022.06 - 2022.12
Operations Manager and Oversight Specialist
UNDP
2021.04 - Current
Finance Specialist P4, Common Services Manager and Acting CO Operations Manager
UNDP Central Africa Republic
2017.11 - 2021.03
Programme Finance Specialist P3/ UNCDF/NEW YORK
2016.11 - 2017.10
Finance Specialist Global Fund Project and Acting for Electoral Project P3
UNDP HAITI
2014.08 - 2016.10
Finance and Budget Officer Grade SB 4
UNDP CONGO DRC, Global Fund Project
2010.07 - 2012.01
Head of PMSU ( NOB Level)
UNDP/Congo DRC
2008.08 - 2010.07
Senior Programme Associate
UNDP Congo
2007.08 - 2008.07
Finance and Administrative Associate
UNDP - DRC
2004.08 - 2007.06
Master 2 in Financial Management -
University of Kinshasa,
Bachelor in Economics -
University of Kinshasa, DRC
- Resource Mobilization: Successfully mobilized over $10 million in funding for various UNDP programmes and initiatives.
- Operational Efficiency: Implemented process improvements that reduced operational costs by 15% across multiple country offices.
- Programme Impact: Led programmes that significantly improved local governance and community resilience in several countries.
- Quality Assurance: Developed and implemented a quality assurance framework that enhanced programme delivery and accountability.
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