UNDG Business Operations Strategy (BOS) - User Manual - A Step by Step Guide to Building a BOS Framework

Sep 11, 2026

Uploaded by Margaret

UNDG Business Operations Strategy (BOS) User Manual provides a step by step process for Operations Management Teams and related programme and coordination staff to build, contribute to, and implement the UNDG BOS. It explains how to use standard BOS templates, perform cost-benefit analysis, develop the BOS Results Framework, draft the BOS document, and prepare BOS Annual Work Plans. It is supported by a BOS Toolkit, with additional executive summary guidance for UN Resident Coordinators and UN Country Teams.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages55

Reading Time19 min

AccessFree to download

ACRONYMS

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Value drivers of the Business Operations Strategy

Why develop the BOS?

What is the BOS?

The BOS process

BOS linkages with UNDAF

Support to UN Country Teams

STEP ONE: ROADMAP AND KICK-OFF

Writing the BOS Roadmap

The BOS kick-off meeting

STEP TWO: OPERATIONS ANALYSIS

Stock take

Needs analysis

Cost-benefit analysis (CBA)

STEP THREE: PRIORITIZATION

STEP FOUR: BUILDING THE BOS

The BOS document

BOS Results Narrative

BOS Results Framework

Management structures and accountability mechanisms

Budgetary Framework

STEP FIVE: VALIDATION AND SUBMISSION OF BOS DOCUMENT

STEP SIX: ANNUAL WORK PLANNING AND REPORTING

Standardized Common Services Packages

Monitoring AWPs

STEP SEVEN: MONITORING AND EVALUATION

Annual monitoring

Evaluation (end of cycle)

APPENDIX A: ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

APPENDIX B: TOOLS AND TEMPLATES

UNDG BUSINESS OPERATIONS STRATEGY (BOS) USER MANUAL A STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO BUILDING A BOS FRAMEWORK The BOS User Manual is for Operations Management Teams (OMTs), operations practitioners, coordination staff and programme staff responsible for building, contributing to and/or implementing the UNDG Business Operations Strategy (BOS) . It provides a step by step guide to the BOS process and provides practical advice on how to use standard BOS templates, undertake a cost-benefit analysis, develop the BOS Results Framework, write the BOS document and prepare BOS Annual Work Plans. The user manual is supported by a BOS Toolkit containing tools and templates good practice examples from other countries and relevant policy guidance. This user manual is accompanied by the BOS Executive Summary, an overview intended to support those responsible for oversight and leadership of the BOS process such as UN Resident Coordinatorsand UN Country Teams. The publications are available at [https://undg.org/home/guidance-policies/](https://undg.org/home/guidance-policies/)[ ](https://undg.org/home/guidance-policies/)[business-operations/](business-operations/) Copyright © UNDG DOCO September 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 ACRONYMS 3 BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT 6 Value drivers of the Business Operations Strategy 6 Why develop the BOS? 7 What is the BOS? 9 The BOS process 10 BOS linkages with UNDAF 11 Support to UN Country Teams 12 STEP ONE: ROADMAP AND KICK-OFF 12 1.1 Writing the BOS Roadmap 13 1.2 The BOS kick-off meeting 14 STEP TWO: OPERATIONS ANALYSIS 16 2.1 Stock take 19 2.2 Needs analysis 23 2.3 Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) 28 STEP THREE: PRIORITIZATION 29 STEP FOUR: BUILDING THE BOS 29 4.1 The BOS document 32 4.2 BOS Results Narrative 34 4.3 BOS Results Framework 38 4.4 Management structures and accountability mechanismsk 39 4.5 Budgetary Framework 41 STEP FIVE: VALIDATION AND SUBMISSION OF BOS DOCUMENT 42 STEP SIX: ANNUAL WORK PLANNING AND REPORTING 42 6.1 Standardized Common Services Packages 42 6.2 Monitoring AWPs 45 STEP SEVEN: MONITORING AND EVALUATION 45 7.1 Annual monitoring 46 7.2 Evaluation (end of cycle) 48 APPENDIX A: ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 50 APPENDIX B: TOOLS AND TEMPLATES ACRONYMS AWP BOS BPM CBA CS DaO DESA DOCO DSA ECOSOC HACT HLCM HR ICT KPI LTA M&E MOU OMT QCPR RBM RCO SLA SMART SOPs TOR TOT UNCT UNDAF UNDG UNEG UNGM UNSF UNSSC VoIP VSAT Annual Work Plan Business Operations Strategy business process map cost-benefit analysis common service Delivering as One United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs UNDG Development Operations Coordination Office daily subsistence allowance United Nations Economic and Social Council harmonized approach to cash transfers High-Level Committee on Management human resources information and communications technology key performance indicator long-term agreement monitoring and evaluation Memorandum of Understanding Operations Management Team UN Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review results-based management Office of the UN Resident Coordinator Service Level Agreement Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound Standard Operating Procedures terms of reference training of trainers United Nations Country Team United Nations Development Assistance Framework United Nations Development Group United Nations Evaluation Group United Nations Global Marketplace United Nations Sustainability Framework UN System Staff College Voice over IP (Internet Protocol) Voice Satellite A STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO BUILDING A BOS FRAMEWORK UNDG BOS USER MANUAL ⊲ 2 DEFINITIONS Activity Actions taken or work performed through which inputs, such as funds, technical assistance and other types of resources are mobilized to produce specific outputs. Baseline Information gathered at the beginning of

FAQs

Who is the BOS User Manual intended for?

It is designed for Operations Management Teams, operations practitioners, coordination staff, and programme staff responsible for building, contributing to, and/or implementing the UNDG Business Operations Strategy (BOS).

What are the main steps in the BOS process described in the manual?

The process is organized into steps: roadmap and kick-off, operations analysis (including stock take, needs analysis, and cost-benefit analysis), prioritization, building the BOS (document and results framework), validation and submission, annual work planning and reporting, and monitoring and evaluation.

How does the manual support development of BOS documents and planning?

It provides guidance on using standard BOS templates, performing cost-benefit analysis, developing the BOS Results Framework, writing the BOS document, and preparing BOS Annual Work Plans, supported by a BOS Toolkit.

Sep 11, 2026

Uploaded by Margaret