Project Management Support - Senior Officer

Background Information – Kenya Multi Country Office (KEMC)

The KEMC sub-region currently consists of an established Operation Centre in Nairobi/Kenya which manages a portfolio of engagements in multiple countries in East and South Africa. This includes primarily transactional projects in partnership with the Nairobi based UN Agencies, UN-Habitat and UNEP, and multiple ‘operational’ projects in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and several island states.

Purpose and Scope of Assignment

Reporting to the Senior Project Manager, the incumbent will be responsible for the following:

• Advise the Senior Project Manager on UNOPS Policies and Procedures, Financial Rules and Regulations (FR&R) and other requirements for efficient project implementation and progress;
• Monitor project financials and advise the Senior Project Manager accordingly;
• Track expenditure and take relevant action when required to revise budgets (realignment and amendment);
• Monitor and record best practices and innovative approaches within UNOPS FR&R; identify and show alternative options according to Activity needs;
• Manage information flows and overseeing change controls, risk registers and issue management; document and feedback lessons learned and best practices;
• Support the project planning process;
• Maintain all supporting project financial documents for audit and review processes;
• Manage work packages within the project as and when required;
• Assist the Senior Project manager in monitoring of the project quality indicators and undertaking monthly assurance tasks on behalf of the Senior Project Manager;
• Continuously monitor the project quality indicators and undertaking monthly assurance tasks on behalf of the Senior Project Manager;
• Supervise Project Associates and Assistant(s) within the Team, to ensure consistent work efficiency and quality.

• 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;
• Support the Senior Project Manager by monitoring budgets, cash flow and reporting on expense obligations to ensure that deliverables are met;
• Alert the Senior Project Manager or any financial shortfalls and over-expenditures;
• Propose budget revision and initiate corrective action when necessary;
• Coordinate vendor communications, meetings, and reports as necessary.

• Provide substantive inputs to assist the Senior  Project Manager in the preparation of project reports and documents;
• Maintain records of project files and other supporting documents;
• Maintain the following records: Quality Register, Configuration Item Records and all other registers/logs delegated by the Project Manager;
• Support the Senior  Project Manager in maintaining the following: (I). Electronic Blue File, (ii). Procurement, HR and Finance files as required by Organizational Directive (OD) 12;
• Manage the compilation, consolidation and analysis of relevant data related to the project(s);
• Assist the Senior  Project Manager in the preparation of project completion reports and ensure compliance with contractual obligations.

• Contract management of all contracts (Procurement, HR, Service Contracts etc) under the Project;
• Pro-actively coordinate and liaise with support units on all administrative matters related to contract management;
• Liaise with the Programme Management Office (PMO) Team Members to complete project assurance related tasks;
• Support the coordination and management of communications.

• Support the compilation of lessons learned according to the defined reporting format;
• Contribute to the dissemination and sharing of best practices and lessons learned for planning and knowledge building;
• Contribute to expertise in tools and techniques.

• In consultation with the relevant stakeholders, prepare amendments to Agreements and Budget Revisions when applicable; 
• Support the Senior Project Manager in progressing Engagements and Amendments through oneUNOPS Projects;
• Review input of financial information, expenditures etc in oneUNOPS ERP;
• Ensure conformity of project disbursement requests with procedures, work plans, and availability of resources for expenditure;
• Support development and maintenance of UNOPS management information systems to ensure real time tracking and asset management under the project activities;
• Liaise with the Finance Unit to process and monitor all payment requests within the Project;
• Assist the Senior Project Manager in monitoring all HR requirements and related activities under the Project.
• Prepare Terms of Reference (ToR) for required inputs in the projects (staff, individual and institutional consultancy services, procurement of goods and services, organization of training, seminars, etc.), with expert and/or client support as required;
• Provide induction briefings to newly recruited staff and render support to consultants in the course of their assignment.
• Supervise and review submissions for Contracts, Purchase orders, Waivers and related documents prior to final approval;
• In accordance with UN and UNOPS Security Policies, manage travel for all personnel in the Project Team;
• Organize all project and stakeholder meetings as and when necessary, and maintain records of these meetings;
• Maintain records of project files and Activity reports in hard and soft copy;
• Prepare budget forecasts and periodic financial reports as requested;
• Review weekly Activity reports and quarterly financial reports with respect to outputs based on work plans and budget forecasts;
• Liaise with finance and logistics/procurement units in tracking commitments and disbursements;
• Identify operational, administrative, financial and other bottlenecks that may impede project delivery; recommend solutions and take appropriate remedial action;
• On behalf of the Project and as directed by the Senior  Project Manager, participate in periodic visits to the project sites to review compliance with recognized procedures as required;
• Establish and monitor an internal control system for all administrative actions.

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Project Management, Finance, Development Studies, Economics, Commerce or related field is required. 

• A Master’s degree will be an asset.

• Full working knowledge of English is required. 

• Knowledge of a second UN or regional working language is an asset.

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 

• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions 

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 

• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.

• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.