Enhancing management strategy, policy and compliance: DMSPC in the spotlight

Meet DMSPC:

The launch of the new Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance (DMSPC) on 1 January 2019 was a critical step in the path to make the Secretary‑General’s vision for a nimbler, more responsive United Nations a reality.

DMSPC will work closely with the Department of Operational Support (DOS) on implementing the vision for management reform and overseeing information and communications technology. DMPSC will also lead in the implementation of critical initiatives such as the new framework for delegation of authority, bringing transparency, accountability and decision-making closer to the point of mandate and programme delivery.

DMSPC Organizational Chart

The Office of the Under-Secretary-General is responsible for overall departmental leadership, intergovernmental and interagency matters, management evaluation, the Headquarters Committee on Contracts and Property Survey Board, and provides assistance to the chairpersons and bureaux of the Fifth Committee and the Committee for Programme and Coordination. The office also leads and supports key initiatives, such as zero tolerance for sexual harassment and abuse.

The Office of Programme Planning, Finance and Budget will be the central provider of policy, instruction and guidance for programme planning, budgeting, finance, and programme and financial performance across the Secretariat, including procurement and asset management policy.

The Office of Human Resources will work to align the Organization’s human resources with its mission and mandate through the development and refinement of a global human resources strategy and innovative policies based on the needs of both the Organization and its personnel. It will be the primary external client-facing department, serving as the main interface of the Secretariat with Member States and the oversight bodies. The Office will focus on establishing human resources strategies, developing human resources policies and establishing accountability and compliance frameworks for human resources (and other areas) with effective monitoring systems.

Business Transformation and Accountability will establish and mainstream accountability systems to drive a results-based culture and the proactive management of risk. By leveraging Umoja and other enterprise solutions, the Division will use business analytics to provide real-time support on performance to stakeholders and conduct management reviews and quality assurance functions in a cycle of continuous improvement, as well as support managers in self-evaluation. It will seek opportunities to modernize and innovate and ensure that the Secretariat’s business model stays aligned with evolving mandates, best practices and changing operational environments.

Umoja is a single, global solution that is enabling efficient and transparent management of the United Nation’s financial, human and physical resources and improving programmatic delivery. The project will continue with the rollout of Umoja Extension 2 and mainstreaming into the Secretariat.

The Office of Information and Communications Technology, which reports to both DMSPC and DOS, provides enterprise-wide oversight of ICT programmes, budgets and decision-making to ensure alignment with the Secretariat's overall ICT strategy.

DMSPC will drive transformation for the benefit of those we serve. Leveraging technology and innovative tools, we will improve decision-making processes and increase transparency and accountability.

Updates

The UN MEDEVAC Mechanism serves as an example of a successful One UN partnership between numerous entities to design, resource, and implement a system-wide medical evacuation framework in the face of the unprecedented circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. Complementing First Line of Defense (FLOD) activities, COVID-19 MEDEVAC is a last resort, which provides life-saving support for severely ill COVID-19 patients who require a level of care not available at their location. This ensures that UN personnel, partners, and their dependents can continue to stay and deliver.

The global human resources strategy of 2019-21 set a goal to become “simplified, decentralized, flexible, and field-oriented” in order to drive strategic human resources management and empower managers. 

Then COVID-19 exposed an overreliance on physical paperwork and signatures in our human resource management. Adopting electronic signatures and migrating paper-based forms into digital systems will help the United Nations strengthen its ability to manage human resources in an ever-changing world.

It might seem like critical situations or incidents should be second nature in the United Nations, yet sometimes capacities are stretched beyond any norm or barriers to reallocation of resources put up obstacles. As part of management reform, a dedicated capacity in the Department of Operational Support was created to support the start-up, surge, or closure of Secretariat entities, as well as to better respond to critical incidents.