Project Manager

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types for this position, we offer rest and recuperation every four weeks.

UNOPS Hub in Amman

The UNOPS Hub in Amman implements projects in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and Yemen, in partnership with bilateral donors, national governments, and other UN agencies.  With an established presence across the region, the office runs operations including large-scale procurement, project development, and technical management, and provides financial, human resources, and infrastructure-related services. The functional objective of UNOPS Hub in Amman is to deliver its projects in an efficient and effective manner and in line with the principles, rules and regulations of UNOPS, in order to support the response to the current needs and national priorities in the region.

Project Background

The post-conflict environment in Iraq’s liberated areas is characterized by fragility. It is expected that fragility will continue though the recovery and reconstruction phase, and that renewing the population’s trust in institutions, as well as promoting better governance will represent some of the main challenges in the country.

According to recent statistics in Iraq, 1.9 million people are internally displaced and around 4 million people have returned to their areas of origin. The majority of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) intend to return, however conditions in the areas of return are often characterized by damage to properties and public infrastructure, limited access to services and livelihood opportunities, and fractured social relations. Challenges are facing returnees with lack of livelihoods opportunities and social cohesion as deterrents to sustainable returns. Employment opportunities support the early recovery process and help create the suitable conditions for IDPs return.

To respond to these needs, UNOPS is embarking on a project to support stabilization and recovery efforts for affected communities in Iraq in and help kick‐start economic activity, employment opportunities, and livelihoods.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION - JOB-SPECIFIC

UNOPS is looking to support a project that entails provision of targeted Cash-for-Work (CfW) opportunities in order to increase access to short-term employment in areas affected by the crisis in Iraq across five governorates, including Anbar, Diyala, Kirkuk, Baghdad, and Babel, and to enhance economic activities and livelihood in those areas. This will also contribute to stabilization, recovery for communities in the targeted areas, and rebuilding social cohesion.

The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

UNOPS is committed to achieving a fully diverse workforce.

Under the overall guidance of the Director Amman Operational Hub, and under the direct supervision of the Head of Programme, and in close coordination with the Programme Advisor in Iraq; the Project Manager (PM) will be responsible for all aspects of the project life-cycle in accordance with the approved Project Document, the legal agreement between UNOPS and the donor, and in compliance with Organizational Directives and Administrative Instructions on Project Management. The PM must be able to undertake independently, the following tasks:

1. Functional Responsibilities: Technical tasks:

• Ensure timely planning and implementation of the CfW-project activities, ensuring that goals and objectives are accomplished within the prescribed project time frame and the available funding parameters/budget;
• Study and/ or  prepare the scope of works, budgets, terms of reference, contracts and all technical requirements for the project activities,
• Analyse all project documents, and ensure compliance with specifications utilizing research, development, relevant codes and standards,
• Site supervision and coordination with UNOPS project staff and contractors on all related implementation issues,
• Review and certify the submitted payment certificates,
• Approve submittals and advice on suitable alterations,
• Follow up and report on the project objectives and plans including any delineation of scope, budgeting, scheduling, and setting performance requirements,
• Advice the contractors on ways to maximize the efficient resource utilization through procurement of labor, materials and equipment according to the set schedules and plans.

Administrative tasks:

• Manage proper archiving of all project documents including those related to engineering, procurement and project management,
• Lead the scheduling of tasks related to project works at different phases,
• Maintain records, compile and check daily progress reports on project activities, procurement and others according to the agreed timeframe of works for submission to the Head of Programme on a weekly basis and other periodic reports required by the UNOPS standard procedures,
• Develop project’s closure procedures in all phases. Perform complete contracts closure and gain formal acceptance, and submit final performance reporting.

Monitoring Progress and Risk Controls

• Organize, participate in and document the weekly Site progress meetings,
• Organize and lead team meetings on a periodic basis,
• Maintaining, accurate, quality and completion documentation as identified in responsibilities above,
• Set up quality management plan, perform quality assurance and perform quality control during all phases of the project,
• Monitor and update the project risk register, and escalate any issues and concerns to the management in a timely manner,
• Ensure the proper maintenance of equipment, compliance with all codes and adherence to occupational health and safety regulations as per UNOPS requirements,
• Identify and control any environmental risks that can affect the site or the neighboring domestic areas around the sites.

Stakeholder Management:

• Establish solid working relationship with the project key stakeholders, including the beneficiaries and other project partners such as but not limited to the MOLSA and IOM,
• Manage communication and information flows between and across all stakeholders in a timely manner,
• Advise the client on issues that may impact the achievement of their outcomes (including issues of sustainability and post project requirements such as maintenance)
• Manage the information flows between the Project Board/OC Director and the project.
• Advise the project board on issues that may impact the achievement of project deliverables,
• Coordinate and communicate with UNOPS site engineers, retainers and other personnel based on clear organization chart and communication plan,
• Identify and manage issues and risks so that maximum benefit to the stakeholders is achieved,
• Ensure timely preparation of the progress reports as required by the donor,
• Ensure donor visibility as stipulated in in the approved project document/ legal agreement

Delivery and Performance:

• Develop and maintain project plans
• Implement approved project plans (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 cycle.
• Manage the production of the required products, taking responsibility for overall progress and use of resources and initiating corrective action where necessary

• Manage and oversee the production of all deliverable taking responsibility for overall progress and use of resources and initiating corrective actions as needed,
• Liaise with external suppliers, as well as with all internal units of UNOPS Amman Hub for timely planning and execution of project activities,
• Authorize Work Packages,
• Advise the Project Board and the Head of Programme of any deviations from the plan,
• Implement approved project plans (including the establishment of milestones) within tolerances set by the project board,
• Manage and review product quality and ensure products are accepted,
• Monitor and evaluate performance of service providers,
• Identify and report any potential partnership development opportunities for UNOPS to supervisor,
• Identify and report threats to the project and any UNOPS internal business case to supervisor.

Project Management Procedures:

• Follow the Project Management Cycle Instructions and ensure that all organizational policy is complied with (Organizational Directives , Administrative Instructions and Project Management Manual ),
• Prepare the following reports (including but not limited to):

             - Highlight Reports,
             - End Stage Reports,
             - Operational Closure Checklist,
             - End Project Report,
             - Close out Report. Being fully informative with Project Management Practices

• Maintain the following: i. Electronic Blue File; ii. Procurement, HR and Finance files as required,
• Ensure that all expenditure comply with UNOPS Financial Rules and Regulations,
• 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 UNOPS and budget appropriately for personnel,
• Manage and remain accountable for expenditures against the budget (based on accurate financial reports), and ensure project delivery in accordance with the forecast based on work planning.

Knowledge Management:

• Participate in the relevant Communities of Practice
• Actively interact with other PMs and the PM community to share case studies, lessons learned and best practice on the Knowledge System.
• Provide feedback to Practice Leads on policy, supporting guidance with an aim towards continuous improvement of UNOPS policies
• Complete lessons learned as per reporting format
• Incorporate lessons learned from others as per planning format

Personnel Management:

• Lead and motivate the project management team
• Ensure that behavioral expectations of team members are established
• Ensure that performance reviews are conducted
• Identify outstanding staff and bring them to the attention of the Hub Management
• Select, recruit and train team as required by project plans
• Ensure safety and security for all personnel and comply with UNDSS standards
• Perform the Team Manager role, unless appointed to another person(s)
• Perform project support role, unless appointed to another person or corporate/programme function

Core Values and Principles:

• Understand and respect UNOPS sustainability principles

          I. Look for ways to embed UNOPS sustainability principles in day to day project management

          II.  Seek opportunities to champion gender equality at work place

          III.  Champion and communicate project’s sustainability aspects with key stakeholders

• Understand and Respect National ownership and capacity

            i. Understand the principles of the Paris Declaration on aid effectiveness and mainstream them into
               the project plans

           ii. Seek opportunities to recruit qualified local staff

           iii. Look for ways to build capacity of local counterparts

• Partnerships and Coordination

           i. Understand the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and UNOPS, the project’s place
              in the UN system

           ii. Strive to build strong partnerships and effective coordination among relevant project actors (e.g.
                United Nations, governments, and non-governmental organizations or other relevant partners

• Accountability for results and the use of resources

           i. The project management processes are designed to deliver maximum accountability, transparency
              and results. If a project or processes is not in line with this, it is the responsibility of the PM to raise
              the issue to a supervisor

• Excellence

          i. Contribute to innovation and the adaptation of best practice standards of sustainability and quality.

Ensure that the project(s) produces the required products within the specified tolerance of time, cost, quality, scope, risk and benefits. The Project Manager is also responsible for the project producing a result capable of achieving the benefits defined in the Business Case. Contribute to the overall business targets and needs.

• Master’s Degree in Project Management, Business Administration, International Relations, Political/Development Studies, or any other relevant discipline in addition to seven years of relevant experience.
• Bachelor’s degree / first level) in Project Management, Business Administration, International Relations, Political/Security/Development Studies, or other relevant discipline, may be accepted in lieu of the advance university degree, with a combination of 2 additional years of relevant professional experience.
• PRINCE2® Foundation is required, while having PRINCE2® Practitioner is an asset,
• Certified Senior Project Manager - International Project Manager Association (IPMA Level B) or Project Management Professional (PMP - PMI) is an asset, ( Complete PRINCE2® Practitioner course within 9 months after signing this TOR).
• Seven years of progressive experience in project development and management, with focus on monitoring, reporting, development and coordination in either public or private sector organizations,
• Full proficiency in English is required; Full proficiency in Arabic is an asset,
• Experience as a Project Manager and demonstrated ability to deal with high volumes of transactions is required.
• Experience in Cash for Work Management is an asset.
• Good report writing and oral presentation skills is required,
• Ability to travel to and within the governorates of Iraq.

Desired Skills

• Ability to develop clear goals, independently plan and prioritize own work, work well under tight deadlines and handle multiple concurrent activities,
• Experience with an international organization and/or UN agencies is required,
• High proficiency with computers in particular MS Word, MS Excel, MS Outlook, Internet, MS Project, and other related software related to the positions field of expertise,
• Positive attitude and strong analytical, interpersonal and communication skills,
• Commitment, efficiency, flexibility and willingness to work in a highly motivated team of professionals,
• Ability to adapt to difficult working environment, under pressure and with limited timeframes, and to exercise initiative and resourcefulness necessary for prioritizing multiple tasks,

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. 
• Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.