Project Manager

The Project Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the project(s) 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.

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

The Project Manager is responsible for creating the Implementation Plan, using the Project Initiation Document (PID) where available, 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.

Project Information

The Project Manager will be responsible for the following two projects: 

i. Construction of a training building including the installation of Solar PV Hybrid System, as well as the procurement of furnishings for classrooms and accommodations areas, and equipment required to establish storage functions; and

ii. Rehabilitation of a warehouse, as well as the procurement of equipment including pallet jacks and manual forklift, and equipment required to establish storage functions for the warehouse.

The PM must be able to undertake independently, the following tasks:

1. Project Delivery and Performance

2. Procedures 

3. Monitoring and reporting

4. Stakeholder engagement

5. Quality assurance

6. Knowledge management and innovation 

7. Personnel management

• Ensure the preparation and delivery of all the project’s elements and activities mentioned in the project document/ legal agreement.

• Develop, maintain and update the Project Implementation Plan (PIP) and relevant sub-plans such as Procurement Plan, Health Safety Social and Environmental- HSSE Plan, Gender Action Plan, etc, as per UNOPS Policies and Guidelines.

• Ensure timely planning and implementation of the project’s activities, ensuring that the project’s goals and objectives are accomplished within the prescribed scope of work, timeframe (schedule) and the agreed funding parameters (budget).

• Study and/ or prepare the scope of works, budgets, terms of reference, contracts and all technical requirements of the engineering design and implementation phases;

• Prepare and analyze all project documents, and ensure compliance with specifications in accordance with relevant codes and national standards as well as good engineering practices.

• Review project designs in terms of accuracy, suitability to overall design requirements, including identifying improvements in the designs and being able to propose practical solutions and alternatives. Also, the PM is responsible to submit the final designs to the Design Review team at UNOPS HQ and obtain the Design Review Certificate.

• Develop, complete and update implementation plan(s) on a monthly/ quarterly basis, as applicable.

• Implement and control 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 and oversee 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/contractors/partners.

• 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/contractors.

• Lead contract management duties including supplier performance evaluation.

• Identify, and anticipate in a timely manner, potential risks and issues and advise mitigating measures to the senior management/ Project Board so that maximum benefit to partner(s) and other stakeholders is achieved.

• Identify and report to the Programme Management Advisor and the Partnerships Specialist potential business opportunities for UNOPS.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Prepare and issue regular project and/or financial reports in accordance with Partner and UNOPS requirements for reporting.

• 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.

• Coordinate closely with the Programme Management Advisor and the Partnerships Specialist in stakeholders’ relationship building, promoting a collaborative, client focused, quality and results-oriented approach as would be engaged by the Programme Management Advisor.

• 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), donor 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.

• Represent UNOPS at the relevant coordination and working group meetings to ensure the coordination of project activities on a national level with all relevant partners.
  
  

• 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.).

1. 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 and currents

• 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.

• Lead and motivate the project team.

• Ensure that behavioral expectations of team members are established.

• Ensure that performance reviews are conducted fairly, accurately and timely.

• Select, recruit and train a 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.

• Create, foster and role model a culture of respect and zero tolerance for discrimination, abuse of authority, harassment, sexual harassment 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

• A Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering (Preferable), electrical, electromechanical, mechanical, or Architecture is required.
• A Bachelor's Degree in the above mentioned engineering disciplines in combination with 2 additional years of relevant experience will be accepted in lieu of a Master's Degree

• Minimum of 5 years (or more depending on academic credentials) of experience in Programme/ Project Management of construction of buildings or infrastructure projects is required.
• Knowledge in the renewable energy solutions and systems is an advantage.
• Previous experience with international organization/s or UN agencies in humanitarian, development and/ or conflict/post-conflict settings is an asset.
• Knowledge and skills in using AutoCAD is an advantage.
• Knowledge of UNOPS/UN rules and regulations is an advantage
• Proficiency in the use of computers and cloud-based office software packages (Google Suite) is desirable;
• Proficiency in project scheduling software (Primavera, MS Projects, etc..) is desirable, and
• experience in handling web-based management systems is desirable

Contract type: Local Indivicual Contatual modality 
Contract level: Local Specialist - LICA10
Contract duration:Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance

• 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.