Module 2: BOS 2.

0 Governance

Video Transcript: Overview of the BOS 2.0

Lesson 1: The BOS 2.0 In My Country – A Status Update

My name is Zamir Frotan , and I'm the Global Lead for the Business Operations Strategy
from the UN Development Coordination Office and today we will be talking a little bit on
what the BOS is and what is its focus. As you have seen in your training materials Business
Operations Strategy is a strategic framework at the country level for UN and country
teams and operations management teams to discuss opportunities for collaboration
amongst the UN agencies. The purpose of the Business Operations Strategy is to
eliminate the duplication of efforts and in order to improve the economies of scale, as
well as leverage on an extended or on a stronger UN bargaining power in the market.

The focus of the business operation strategy is on six common service lines and
operations, HR finance procurement, ICT logistics and administration, including the
facilities management. Under these the six common service lines there are several
common services that we believe that UN entities can collaborate amongst each other
and ensure that the efficiencies are gained through these collaborations put in a cost
aspect as well as an equality aspect. The Business Operation Strategy is not new. As you
may have been aware, or your country may have already been part of the BOS countries,
Business Operations Strategy was a voluntary framework for the UN country teams
started in 2013. However, as part of the reform of the business operations in 2018, the
Secretary General has made BOS to be a mandatory framework for all 131 UN country
teams. This is covering that global aspect and it makes sure that apart from cooperation
framework where the country have a mandate or a framework on how to work
collaboratively and jointly in terms of the program implementation, they have the
operational means for that they have the strategic operational framework to support the
program implementation, as well as to see what are the areas where you and entities can
collaborate with each other in managing their day to day operations, because there are
certain day to day operational requirements that the UN entities can collaborate with
each other, and one entity can manage that on behalf of other entities, or at least certain
part of that common service can be managed by one entity on behalf of the other entities.

As you know, the Business Operations Strategy is now mandatory for all UN country
teams. This framework is basically flexible in terms of its timeline. It could go at the same
cycle with the cooperation framework or it could be in a different cycle, however, it still
supports the implementation of the cooperation framework at the country level. Apart
from the cooperation framework, the Business Operation Strategy, as I mentioned,
focuses on the on the day-to-day operational services and it is it is selection of the
contents, I mean, selection of the common services is depending on the context of the
country. So, it's not a one strategy to fit all the countries but it would depend on the

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Module 2: BOS 2.0 Governance

context of the country and what are the needs of the UN country teams in a particular
country on in the business operations. The Business Operations Strategy is going to be a
framework that will remain up to date and valid so there is a requirement now that at the
end of every year, and or at the beginning of the next year, the operations management
team, look into the business operation strategies and the existing collaborations and the
future collaborations and ensure that all these collaborations remain on track with the
context of the country with the implementation framework of the cooperation
framework.

The Business Operations Strategy also have a mandatory reporting procedure. At the end
of every year, the Resident Coordinator is required to report on the efficiency gains, both
in terms of the quality as well as cost avoidance to the Secretary General through
Development Coordination Office that how the collaboration has improved the quality of
service at the country level, as well as how the cooperation has avoided cost for different
UN agencies.

As you know, the BOS 2.0 is now supported by an online platform and this online platform
has made the development of the Business Operations Strategy as well as its
implementation and monitoring. much more easier. A lot of new feature has been
introduced that I would recommend to look into all those contents and videos that are
developed, that will explain each and every features of the online platform, so that you
can easily, without a lot of effort, find out what are the recommended common services
in the business operations that we would think globally that collaboration would work in
those and collaboration will bring fruitful basically results.

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