Within UNOPS, Implementation Practices and Standards (IPS) is responsible for the UNOPS delivery practices. IPS provides thought leadership, standards and oversight as support to the successful delivery of programmes and projects within UNOPS service lines (infrastructure, procurement, project management, human resources and financial management services).
IPS comprises the Infrastructure and Project Management Group and the Procurement Group which aims to reduce organizational risks, improve project performance, and promote excellence across UNOPS projects through the Standards Management Framework; and provides organisational oversight on the application of standards. These Groups also support the positioning of UNOPS in the UN system and development sector in Infrastructure, Project Management and Procurement.
In addition, the Portfolio Support unit aims at supporting the building up and management of the organisational readiness of UNOPS and therefore supports the implementation of the UNOPS global portfolio. Last, the IPS is hosting the corporate Knowledge Management initiative.
Background information - IPMG
UNOPS strategic focus places emphasis on sustainable approaches to project management, procurement and infrastructure services. A key objective is to be recognized as an organization that delivers world-class infrastructure and project management in the most challenging environments. To achieve this goal, UNOPS has established the Infrastructure and Project Management Group (IPMG).
Within UNOPS, it is IPMG’s objective to serve the organization’s personnel and partners by broadening their infrastructure and project management capabilities, while disseminating best-practices in both of these areas. Through this work, the group helps facilitate the successful delivery of programmes and projects around the world.
To achieve its objectives, IPMG has established three interrelated and interdependent work teams, namely, Strategic Initiatives, Standards, and Engagement Assurance. IPMG is managed overall by the Director of IPMG and supported by a Programme Support Unit.
In 2018, IPMG established the Organizational Portfolio Management Office (OPMO) to assist the organization identity and recommend solutions to the root cause of portfolio, programme and project level risks and issues. The OPMO operates under the IPMG Engagement Assurance Team unit and works closely with the UNOPS HQ groups and regions in providing analysis and recommendations to enhance organizational risk management at the engagement, country, regional and organization levels.
In addition, UNOPS’ Executive Director has established the Engagement Acceptance Committee (EAC), which is managed by a Secretariat headed by the IPS Director. The main purpose of the EAC is to evaluate high risk engagements that may have organization-wide consequences. The Senior Project Analyst will be responsible for supporting the EAC Secretariat functions.