Programme Management Specialist (Programme and Operations Coordinator)

UNOPS Myanmar is one of UNOPS’ leading offices in Asia, acting as the fund manager for some of the largest development programmes in the country In addition, UNOPS is the Principal Recipient for the Global Fund in Myanmar and for the Global Fund’s regional artemisinin-resistance initiative towards the elimination of Malaria, which works to accelerate progress toward malaria elimination in the Greater Mekong sub-region. UNOPS provides procurement, infrastructure, and project management services to a wide range of organizations in the country, including international development partners, other UN agencies, NGOs, and INGOs. UNOPS plays a critical role in ensuring that the quality of services provided to its partners meets stringent requirements of speed, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.

The Livelihoods and Food Security (LIFT) Fund is a multi-donor fund established in 2009 to address food insecurity and income poverty in Myanmar. LIFT has delivered outcomes in the areas of improving incomes, resilience, nutrition, and pro-poor policy developments. To date, LIFT has reached more than 7.5m people (roughly 20% of Myanmar’s population), and has operated three-quarters of the country’s townships. LIFT recently initiated a programme of work related to its fifth strategic cycle encompassing the period 2024-2028. LIFT is currently funded by eight donors: Australia, Canada, EU, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, UK and US.

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) serves as LIFT’s Fund Manager with responsibility for administrating the fund and providing monitoring and oversight services. 

LIFT’s overall goal is to achieve a sustained reduction in the number of people living in hunger and poverty in Myanmar. LIFT strengthens the resilience and livelihoods of poor and vulnerable populations through interventions to raise income, decrease vulnerability, improve nutrition, and support food security.

LIFT works with a broad range of implementing partners, including non-governmental organisations, UN agencies, the private sector, civil society, and academic and research institutions. The Fund is active in the four main agro-ecological zones of Myanmar. For more details visit www.lift-fund.org.

Under the direct supervision of the Deputy Fund Director and with a secondary reporting line to the Programme Management Office (PMO) unit and in close cooperation with other LIFT teams and in accordance with UNOPS policies, procedures and practices, the Programme Management Specialist (Programme and Operations Coordinator (POC)) will lead the coordination of activities across the fund, including the management and implementation of projects, thereby contributing to LIFT’s goals relating to food security, livelihoods and community resilience. The position is also central to enhancing the quality of LIFT funded programmes. The role has three principle tasks: 

1. Coordination of activities across the Fund

2. Project implementation, financial and procurement management 

3. Project management and maturity improvement 

4. Personnel and Team Management

5. Knowledge Management and Innovation 

Coordination of activities across the Fund

• Support the Fund Director (FD) and Deputy Fund Director (DFD) with action tracking and ensuring implementation of Fund decisions, compiling​ and reporting on KPIs, preparing materials for and responding to donor requests

• Develop and maintain LIFT-wide dashboards and information analysis as needed by the FD/DFD or Fund Board 

• Support the FD and DFD in the overall management of activities across the teams, including support to development and implementation of strategies, policies, annual work planning, standard operating procedures, briefings, working papers. 

• Work closely with other LIFT technical teams to design and implement programmes that are integrated, coordinated, effective and coherent.

• Ensure coordination with other UNOPS funds and/or projects and collaborate on possible joint programming, learning, analysis and advocacy initiative

• Ensure coordination with relevant stakeholders to collaborate on possible joint learning, analysis, and advocacy initiatives. 

• Manage events, meetings, consultants, and technical experts as assigned by the FD or DFD 

Project Implementation, Financial, and Procurement Management 

• Ensure strong coordination between LIFT’s Fund Management Office (FMO) and the Programme Management Office (PMO), particularly between programmes and grants

• Provide a strategic bridge and liaison to ensure smooth processes and services between the FMO and the Support Services Unit (SSU), which includes finance, HR, procurement, transport, security. 

• Support the FD and DFD in monitoring budgets, cash flow, and reporting on expense obligations to ensure that deliverables are met in liaison with PMO; alert the FD and DFD on any financial shortfalls and over-expenditures, propose budget revision and initiate corrective action when necessary. 

• Work with the FD and DFD to identify and manage risks, including risk management through the OneUNOPS systems and with the Fund Board. 

• Manage and coordinate implementation of recommendations to the Fund, including those from the Fund Board and donor annual reviews. 

• Respond to or support inputs to UNOPS corporate requirements from HQ, regional office, MMOC

• Contribute to expertise in tools and techniques; ensure that local capacities are built at every level. 

Project Management and maturity improvement 

• Under the overall lead of the PMO, support LIFT’s engagement and operationalisation of P3M3/ programme management maturity improvement roadmap, processes and best practices 

• Lead or co-lead work in areas requiring special attention or turnaround, initiate and lead/support adjustments when required; manage assigned work packages and take responsibility for progress. 

• Lead on the development, implementation and monitoring of the LIFT portfolio, strategy and partnerships approaches with various development partners, UN agencies, NGOs, CSOs, public and private service providers and any other relevant stakeholders.

• Oversee a coordinated and strategic approach with donors, development partners, UN agencies, NGOs, CSOs, private service providers and other stakeholders, including CSOs and ESPs. 

• Provide technical support to LIFT programme teams and partners for the successful and coordinated design and implementation of LIFT projects. Operationalise and share best practices and lessons learned for corporate development planning and knowledge building.

• Identify project and programme management related training needs for staff under responsibility. 

• Contribute to the dissemination and sharing of best practices and lessons learned for planning and knowledge building; ensure that local capacities are built at every level. 

Personnel and Team Management 

• Oversee and manage the work of the Programme Management team by establishing team objectives, a work plan with key performance indicators and measurements, standards and expected results.

• Attract and retain talent and develop an agile and empowered team with the skills and competencies needed to ensure optimum performance and ability to respond to changing environment.

• Promote teamwork and collaboration by providing the team with clear direction, objectives and guidance to enable them to perform their duties responsibly, effectively and efficiently.

• Continuously assess team and individual performance and effectiveness and recommend changes and/or corrective actions in the team structure and/or operations to enhance and maintain effectiveness in changing environment.

• Promote and support a learning culture by empowering individuals and teams to identify critical learning needs and plan/provide easy access to learning opportunities to maintain personnel competency and flexibility.

• Plan effectively and allocate resources to achieve goals and ensure the cost effective and appropriate use of resources in accordance with UNOPS standards of ethics, integrity and accountability framework.

Knowledge Management and Innovation 

• Keep abreast of and incorporate latest policies especially on programme management, best practices, approaches and technology to enhance the programme delivery and results. 

• Institutionalise and share best practices and lessons for corporate development planning and knowledge building.

• Draft policy papers and/or recommend policy changes to align operations with changing environment.

• Conduct regular learning reviews with the team on programme management topics as part of continuous improvement.

• Lead the planning, implementation and organization of strategic capacity building of personnel, clients and stakeholders especially in the field of programme management

Education 

• An advanced university degree (e.g. Masters) preferably in economics, business administration, natural resource management, project management, development studies, social science or other relevant discipline is required.

• A first-level university degree (e.g. Bachelor) in combination with 2 additional years of progressively relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Work Experience

• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in the field of Project Management with experience of successful implementation, coordination and/or oversight of programmes and projects is required. 

• Experience working with the major stakeholders such as local and international partners, donor agencies, academic and research entities and coordination bodies is required. 

• Strong policy analysis and advocacy experience and/or experience in operational and formative research would be an asset. 

• Computer literacy is required. Experience with Google Suite is highly preferred.

Languages

• Fluency in both written and spoken Myanmar language and English is required.

Contract type: Local ICA Specialist
Contract level: LICA-10
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.