Functional Responsibilities:

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Programme, the Project Manager will be responsible for managing and coordinating the day-to-day operations and implementation of the project, and provides services to the different donors, partners and beneficiaries. The Project Manager acts on behalf of the Project Board to manage the project on an ongoing basis during the Implementation Stage. The main responsibility of a Project Manager is to ensure that the project outputs are delivered within the specified project tolerances of time, cost, quality, scope, risk and benefits. He/she is expected to meet the organization’s performance and delivery goals. He/she maintains a close eye on the operational and financial performance, identifies probable issues that may need attention, supports in problem analysis and solution identification as necessary, coordinate resolution as per action-items assigned, drafting required correspondences to stakeholders concerned and preparation of project reports.

The Project Manager has the authority to assign, as per the Project Plan, work packages to Team Managers and approve deliverables produced by them.

The Project Manager is responsible for creating the Implementation Plan, using the Project Initiation Document (PID), Legal Agreement and having a thorough understanding of the terms, conditions, and the respective roles and responsibilities of the partners/stakeholders, to ensure the project(s) outputs are capable of meeting the business cases for both UNOPS and the partner(s). Success of the project(s) and hence of the Project Manager will be based on the defined success criteria.

Summary of functions:

• Project Delivery and Performance
• Procedures
• Monitoring and reporting
• Stakeholder engagement
• Quality assurance
• Knowledge management and innovation
• Personnel management

Project Delivery and Performance

• Develop, complete and update implementation plan
• Implement the approved plan (including the establishment of milestones) within tolerances set by the Project Board.
• Embed sustainability dimensions including social and gender inclusion, environmental and economic aspects into project life span.
• Manage the production of the required outputs, taking responsibility for overall progress and use of resources and initiating corrective action where necessary.
• Ensure that quality of work packages and deliverables complies with the quality requirements defined in the Implementation Plan.
• Liaise with any external suppliers or account managers
• Manage acceptance and delivery of work packages
• Monitor project progress ensuring that work packages are being executed properly
• Control project and work packages changes
• Accept goods, services or works delivered by suppliers. (If applicable)
• Lead contract management duties including supplier performance evaluation.
• Identify, and anticipate in a timely manner, potential risks and issues and advises mitigating measures to senior management/ Project Board so that maximum benefit to partner(s) and other stakeholders is achieved
• Identify and report to the supervisor potential business opportunities for UNOPS
• Preparation and maintenance of project files, including internal and external project reports.
• Manage information flows and oversee change controls, risk registers and issue management by establishing document control procedures

Procedures

• Comply with all organizational policy and specifically the Project Management Manual
• Prepare/adapt all relevant plans for approval by the Project Board.
• Manage the reporting obligations defined in the Legal Agreement(s) and in the Implementation Plan
• Draft the requirements definitions for procurement processes. Approving requisitions and requests for non-purchase order payments; Evaluating submissions received, if appointed to the evaluation team. (if applicable)
• Ensure maintenance of the project files and lessons learned are recorded
• Ensure the development and implementation of project financial management guidelines and control mechanisms, in conformity with UNOPS rules and regulations. (if applicable)
• Manage budgets, cash flow and obligations to ensure that deliverables are met and payments to contractors and personnel are received on time.
• Understand and manage UNOPS overheads, allocable charges, and related corporate charges as they apply to the project
• Understand the unique structures of the UN and budget appropriately for personnel
• Manage expenditures against the budget (based on accurate financial reports)
• Where the Project Manager has no delegation as a committing officer, s/he retains these responsibilities and will monitor and instruct/request others to carry out the relevant commitments and disbursements.
• For project closure purposes, provide a formal handover of the project to the closure manager
• Support project audit activities, including planning, preparation and coordination during the audits and follow up on audit observations/recommendations
• Maintain all supporting project financial documents for audit and review processes.
• Ensure accurate data entry into UNOPS ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system.
• Monitor project budget and financial expenditure and all administrative procedures in line with the work-plan.
• Process direct payments and advance requests and prepare project budget revisions.
• Produce financial reports; including developing financial monitoring and reporting formats as per UNOPS requirements.
• Alert the Head of Programme of any financial shortfalls and over-expenditures.
• Propose budget revision and initiate corrective action when necessary.
• Coordinate vendor communications, meetings, and reports as necessary
• Supervise the Project Office procurement/call for proposal processes, including tendering processes and evaluation and supplier/implementing partners (IPs) selection, to ensure viable procurement solutions that meet operational needs and compliance with UNOPS procurement procedures, regulations and standard of accountability, ethics, integrity and performance.
• Establishment of shortlist of suitable contractors/suppliers/IPs, and the preparation and issue of local tenders/calls for proposal. Evaluation of bids or proposals received and of recommendations for contract awards.
• In consultation with relevant colleague, review, administer and issue contracts, grants agreements, agreements/amendments.

Monitoring and reporting

• Prepare and issue regular project and/or financial reports in accordance with Partner and UNOPS requirements for reporting, and ensure compliance with contractual obligations.
• Regularly review project status, evaluating performance criteria (scope, cost, schedule and quality).
• Maintain diaries and progress reports as required by the organization’s standard procedures.
• Provide routine oversight and analysis of delivery data within the dashboard system.
• Ensure all project team members track and regularly update milestones and targets for the duration of projects' life span
• Maintain records of project files and other supporting documents (e.g Electronic Blue File, Procurement, HR and Finance files as required by Organizational Directive (OD) 12.)

Stakeholder engagement

• Develop stakeholder profiles and facilitate the formulation of stakeholder engagement strategies
• Establish solid working relationships with the Project Board (Executive, Senior Users and Senior Suppliers), client and key stakeholders
• Enable the formulation of project communications plans. Coordinate internal project communications. Monitor the effectiveness of project communications.
• Coordinate stakeholder engagement and communication, ensuring effective timing and interdependency management of communications. Ensure stakeholders are aware of project activities, progress, exceptions and are in a position to accept handover outputs
• Pursue engagement of national stakeholders in project implementation and their ownership of project products;
• Contribute to the dissemination and sharing of best practices and lessons learned for planning and knowledge building.
• Champion and communicate the project’s sustainability aspects with key stakeholders.

Quality assurance

• Work with internal stakeholders to ensure projects comply with audit requirements
• Work with procurement/purchasing staff to ensure effective interface with suppliers' quality systems
• Coordinate quality reviews of project documents and deliverables
• Provide quality control for management outputs (project documents, reports, etc.)

Knowledge management and innovation

-Encourage routine and effective capacity building activities are conducted in order to build the long-term and sustainable capacity of staff.

• Actively interact with other Project Managers and the wider PM community to share case studies, lessons learned and best practices
• Contribute to the oversight of lessons learned procedures, ensuring that lessons learnt are shared in a timely and appropriate manner. Participate in the relevant Communities of Practice
• Research and logging of lessons learned throughout the project life span.
• Provide feedback to Practice Groups on policy, supporting guidance with an aim towards continuous improvement of UNOPS policies

Personnel Management

• Lead and motivate the project management team
• Ensure that behavioural expectations of team members are established
• Ensure that performance reviews are conducted fairly, accurately and timely
• Select, recruit and train team as required and take into account gender parity and diversity objectives.
• Ensure safety and security for all project personnel and comply with UNDSS standards
• Ensure Health & Safety minimum standards and requirements are met at all times
• Create, foster and role model a culture of respect and zero tolerance for discrimination, abuse of authority, harrasement, sexual harrasement and sexual exploitation and abuse. Ensure accountability for actions and perform duties in accordance with protection mechanisms and action plans, as expected by UNOPS policies, standards and commitments.

Education/Experience/Language requirements:

Qualifications and Experience:

Education

• A Master’s Degree in Project Management, Finance, Business Administration or related field (e.g. International Relations) is required;
• A combination of a Bachelor's degree with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the education requirements outlined above.

Certifications

• PRINCE2 Practitioner Certification is highly desirable;
• MSP certification (Foundation and/or Practitioner) will be an asset;

Work Experience

• A minimum of 5 years relevant and progressive professional experience, specifically in the field of Project Management and Operations Management with focus on monitoring, reporting, development and coordination.
• Previous experience of working within a Complex programme environment will be an asset;
• Detailed knowledge of UNOPS’ project management tools, UNOPS financial and procurement rules and regulations, and financial management tools will be an asset;
• Strong experience with data analysis, management reporting and project management tools and Information management systems is an asset;
• Some experience in UN system organizations is desirable;
• Experience in Google Suite applications will be an asset;

Language Requirements

• Fluency in English Language (i.e. writing, reading and speaking) is required.
• Fluency in Somali is an advantage.

Think big. Meet challenges head-on. Help people build better lives.

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunities. Our workforce is made up of people from varied nationalities, cultures and races. They speak a range of languages and have different gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities.
• We encourage women and candidates from underrepresented groups in UNOPS to apply. These include candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities. Click apply and join us!

Remarks: Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

How to apply

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