Project Management Support Officer (internal position)

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world.  UNOPS supports partners to build a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of peace building, humanitarian and development projects.  Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organizations.  

On 24 February 2022, the military of the Russian Federation invaded Ukraine, with strikes across the territory of Ukraine. Since then, Russia’s invasion imposes a severe humanitarian and socio-economic toll, global energy and food crisis, large-scale destruction of the country's infrastructure, and disruptions in the provision of critical services and degradation of social fabrics and communities’ ties, triggering one of the world’s most significant forced displacements. 

Severe attacks on energy and critical infrastructure facilities leave millions of people without electricity, water or heating supply, struggling to access water, food, health services, materials to repair homes, among others. The continued attacks cause substantial damage to the country’s economy and agricultural production, and also affect the poorest countries worldwide.

UNOPS support to partners spans the humanitarian-development nexus from emergency response to building back better, across the housing, health, education, transport, energy and mine action sectors, through infrastructure, procurement and technical assistance / project management interventions, with the ultimate aim of supporting the country on its EU accession and in its achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. 

Background Information - Job-specific 

The Project Management Support Officer will support respective Project Manager in the implementation of the energy-related project aimed at delivering energy equipment and strengthening the recipient cities’ resilience for providing uninterrupted heating supply.

Under the overall supervision of Project Manager, the Project Management Support Officer will be responsible for the following tasks:

• Project implementation

• Financial and procurement management

• Project monitoring and reporting

• Stakeholder management, coordination and liaison

• Knowledge management and innovation

• Operational and Logistical Support

1. Project Implementation

• Support Project Manager in ensuring UNOPS Policies and Procedures, Financial Rules and Regulations (FR&R) are adhered to for efficient project implementation and progress.

• Monitor project financials and advise the Project Manager accordingly.

• Track expenditure and take relevant action when required to revise budgets (realignment and amendment).

• Managing information flows and overseeing change controls, risk registers and issue management; document and feedback lessons learned and best practices.

• Provide overall coordination and financial management of the project activity. Ensure that the budget provided by the partners are reviewed and finalized before the activity is implemented.

• Identify operational, administrative, financial and other bottlenecks that may impede project delivery, recommend solutions and take appropriate remedial action in consultation with the Project Manager.

• Assist the Project Manager in monitoring of the project quality indicators and undertaking monthly assurance tasks on behalf of the Project Manager.

• Supervise each UNOPS Admin Assistant for finance, budgeting and organizing the events. This will include developing standardized systems, procedures and formats that can be used by each Admin Assistant to organize the logistics and reporting (i.e. invitations, venue, registrations, transport, accommodation, meals, evaluations, finance reports and records etc. as needed).

2. Financial and Procurement Management

• Maintain all supporting project financial documents for audit and review processes.

• 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.

• Support the Project Manager by monitoring budgets, cash flow and reporting on expense obligations to ensure that deliverables are met.

• Contribute to reporting obligations defined in the Legal Agreement(s).

• Take part in bid evaluations, if appointed to the evaluation team; coordinate vendor communications, meetings, and reports as necessary.

3. Project monitoring and reporting

• Maintain records of project files and other supporting documents.

• Establish and maintain a consolidated performance monitoring system for operational support activities.

• Ensure data is regularly inputted and updated, is accurate, and the information can be used to facilitate monitoring and evaluation of project operations.

• Attend deliveries, check project sites, conduct monitoring visits, facilitate communication activities within the project (with regular duty trips to various cities within Ukraine).

4. Stakeholder management, coordination and liaison

• Organize project and stakeholder meetings in coordination with the Project Manager as and when necessary, and maintain records of these meetings.

• Coordinate stakeholders engagement and communication while ensuring that the stakeholders are aware of the progress of the activities, any deviations on the budget as well as leading the negotiations for effective changes.

• Take the lead in contract management and liaison with the project suppliers regarding the modalities of the project implementation, including but not limited to the logistical and payment matters, Environmental and Social obligations implementation.

5. Knowledge management and Innovation

• Maintenance of accurate data and information to facilitate monitoring and evaluation of project and service activities, and to institutionalize and disseminate knowledge.

• Actively support the compilation of issues, risks and lessons learned.

• Contribute to disseminating and sharing best practices and lessons learned for planning and knowledge building.

• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

• Support the compilation of lessons learned as per defined reporting format

• Contribute to the dissemination and sharing of best practices and lessons learned for planning and knowledge building.

6. Operational and Logistical Support

• In consultation with the relevant stakeholders, provide operational oversight and guidance when preparing amendments of Agreements and Budget revisions when applicable.

• Review input of financial information, expenditures etc in OneUNOPS.

• Support implementation of operational strategies, adapts processes and procedures focusing on achievement of the following results;

• Full compliance with UNOPS rules and regulations of programme/project management, financial processes, financial records and reports and audit follow up, human resources management, procurement processes and implementation of the effective internal control framework.

• Maintain records of project files and Activity reports in hard and soft copy.

• 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.

• Coordinate and motivate the operational support delivery team.

• Prepare budget forecasts and periodic financial reports as requested.

And carry out other project support related tasks and duties, as and when needed.

Impact of Results

The Project Management Support Officer directly impacts on the achievement of project results by assisting the Project Manager to adhere to project management methods and strategies, reduce risks, cut costs and improve quality and success rates. This consequently reinforces the visibility and image of UNOPS as an effective service provider in project services and management and strengthens its competitive position as a partner of choice in sustainable development and project services.

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Project Management, Supply Chain Management, Accounting, Procurement, Management, International Relations or other relevant discipline is required.

• Fluency in English and Ukrainian (read, write and speak) is required.

• PRINCE2® Foundation (or equivalent) is an added advantage.

Contract type: Local ICA 
Contract level: ICA Specialist 8
Contract duration: open-ended, subject to satisfactory performance and availability of funds.

• 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. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. 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.