Project Management Support - Senior Associate

The Joint UN Programme "PRO - Local Governance for People and Nature" contributes to improving the quality of life of citizens through the improvement of local governance, social inclusion and environmental protection in 110 cities and municipalities throughout Serbia. The Programme is jointly implemented by the United Nations Agencies in Serbia - UNOPS, UNICEF, UNFPA and UNEP, in cooperation with the Government of Serbia, and with the financial support of the Government of Switzerland, in the period from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2026. 

To achieve the Programme’s Objective, the intervention will focus on three key Pillars and Outcomes: 

1. Pillar Good Governance, Outcome 1: Local self-governments LSGs improve capacities and apply good governance principles in practice;

2. Pillar Social Inclusion, Outcome 2: LSGs and other relevant local actors improve capacities and develop evidence-based local social protection policies;

3. Pillar Environmental Governance, Outcome 3: LSGs improve capacities and apply environmental governance processes in practice.

The key stakeholders at the local level are also direct users of support: local governments (cities and municipalities), including their administrations/staff, other relevant local organisations and institutions (Centres for Social Work - CSWs, Primary Health Centres - PHCs, pre-school institutions and schools), and local Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). The final users of support will be the citizens from participating LGs, especially those from left behind groups, with a focus on people with disabilities, Roma, children and families, youth and older people. The support will be provided to a certain number of informal waste pickers as well. 

All Programme activities will be undertaken in partnership with the Government of Serbia, especially the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Governments (MPALSG), the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs (MLEVSA), the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP).

The Programme will coordinate its activities with the key line national-level institutions while observing the national strategies, laws and relevant development documents, which will contribute to sustainability, ensure national ownership and develop national capacities.

The Project Management Support - Senior Associate will undertake the following activities/responsibilities:

• Provide high-quality inputs for project reports, briefs, assessments and analyses;
• Prepare briefs and analysis of political, socio and economic trends relevant for the Project;
• Following advice from Project Manager, coordinate with UN partner agencies on project implementation and communications activities;
• Maintain project tracking and alert Project Manager on deadlines;
• Timely delivery of approved work, procurement, and financial plans for the communications activities; 
• Contribute to the development, update, and implementation of the Project’s plans;
• Contribute to the identification and mitigation of project risks and administers and document lessons learned and best practices of the Project;
• Effectively manage the communications budget in cooperation with the Project Manager, Head of Support Services, and Finance Specialist;
• Support the Project Manager in communication of project activities and progress with the relevant stakeholders;
• Provide support to Project Officers in presenting the Project's impact to key stakeholders; 
• Implement and evaluate the Project Communication Strategy and Action Plan;
• Manage activities related to the visibility and publicity of the Project support such as events, meetings, visits, press conferences, raising awareness activities etc;
• Maintain cooperation with media and partner UN agencies' communication teams;
• Maintain and update Project’s website and social network accounts;
• Prepare Terms of Reference for communications and other consultants, per need;
• Supervise and/or coordinate the engagement of the communications retainers and service providers;
• Monitor the implementation of the Communications for Development activities; 
• Prepare inputs for tenders for publicity materials (print, graphics, web, audio, video) with guidance from the Procurement Specialist.
• Ensure good governance, gender equality and social inclusion principles and practices are incorporated into the communications products.
• Perform other duties as may be reasonably required and in line with the incumbent’s scope of services above.

Education

• High School Diploma/Secondary School Diploma is required
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor or equivalent) preferably in Public Administration, International Relations, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, Project Management, Communications or Journalism with three (3) years of experience would be an asset and may substitute for four (4) years of relevant experience.

• Professional experience in project management with focus on project implementation, planning, reporting and/or coordination is required (minimum number of years as per education requirements).
• Minimum two years of work experience in project communications is an asset.
• Experience in working or collaborating with international organisations, preferably with the UN, is an asset.
• Experience in writing, reporting and donor communication is an asset.
• Knowledge of good governance, social inclusion and/or environmental governance issues in Serbia is an asset.

Language Requirements

• Fluency in Serbian and English is required

• Driving license and ability to travel independently is required
• Certification in project management (PM, PMI, PRINCE2 Foundation or similar) is an asset

This is a local position, it is therefore open to nationals of the Republic of Serbia and to individuals who have a valid residence/work permit.

• 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.

The UNOPS Republic of Serbia Multi Country Office (RSMCO) is implementing 16 projects in Serbia, North Macedonia and Montenegro.

In Serbia, where UNOPS has been active since 2000, and North Macedonia and Montenegro where UNOPS works since 2017, the organisation provides support in demanding socio-economic reforms and facilitating accession to the European Union. The projects focus on sustainable socio-economic development, good governance, social cohesion, environment and emergency response. The projects are implemented with the funding from the European Union (EU), Kingdom of Norway, Governments of Switzerland, Sweden and North Macedonia.

All projects have gender equality as a transversal theme, and have been contextualised within the broader Sustainable Development Goals frameworks and objectives.