The Senior Project Manager(SPM) is responsible for the day-to-day operations of ...
The Senior Project Manager(SPM) is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the project(s) and provides services to the different donors, partners and beneficiaries. SPM acts on behalf of the Project Board to manage the project on an ongoing basis during the Implementation Stage. The main responsibility of the SPM 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 organisation’s performance and delivery goals.
The SPM has the authority to assign, as per the Project Plan, work packages to Team Managers and approve deliverables produced by them.
The SPM is responsible for creating the Implementation Plan, using the Project Initiation Document (PID), 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 SPM will be based on the defined Success Criteria.
Project Information:
The SPM will manage the delivery of a cluster of projects, primarily to address recovery requirements in the North of Mozambique. The centre piece of this project cluster is the ‘Mozambique Northern Crisis Recovery Project’ (NCRP). The project team will be based in Pemba and multiple locations in the northern province of Cabo Delgado - with potential additional locations in the provinces of Niassa and Nampula. The NCRP aims to provide support to host communities and IDPs in areas of displacement, and to provide support in areas of origin/return. The project will support both IDPs and Host communities.
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The project comprises of 4 main objectives:
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Component 1: psychosocial social support and community peace building; and enhancing State-society trust and confidence.
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Component 2: provision of agriculture and fisheries inputs, cash for work programs for youth and women and the provision of kits for micro and small business development; and training on entrepreneurship and business management.
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Component 3: the restoration of basic services, small works for agriculture production, education and health infrastructure and the construction or rehabilitation of school and health infrastructure and community services and amenities in temporary and relocation sites and host communities.
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Component 4: strengthening of technical capacity of government authorities and local governments for conflict management. This component will also support project implementation, financial management, procurement, safeguards, reporting, and monitoring and evaluation.
The project is being implemented in collaboration with government authorities and will be guided by the various project guidelines provided by the World Bank - as the funding source.
The multidisciplinary project team is made up of >50 local and international specialists in the field of (a) Safeguards and Health and Safety, (b) Monitoring and Evaluation, (c) Social Cohesion and Protection including Community Mobilizers, (d) Infrastructure, (e) Agriculture and Fisheries, as well as (f) Project Management support and support services teams.
The SPM may also manage additional projects that contribute to the same objectives, including emergency procurement and community development initiatives.
Local Context:
The project is anchored in the UNOPS Mozambique Country Office and is implemented under the direction of the UNOPS Country Manager.
The project is implemented from Pemba, Cabo Delgado Province. This position is further expected to maintain regular travels to Niassa and Nampula provinces, as needed. The Hardship level of Pemba is 4.
As SPM the incumbent will also be required to represent UNOPS in humanitarian and development fora in Cabo Delgado and take part in Steering Committee and other stakeholder meetings in Maputo.
In addition, the SPM will be required to manage the definition of partnership arrangements required for rapid delivery and utilisation of locally available specialised implementation capacity (e.g UN, NGOm CBOm and other available resources.
UNOPS mandate is to support the National Government PIU to deliver this project and ensure adequate support is provided to build sustainable capacity in relevant institutions.
Under the direct supervision of the Country Manager the SPM will perform the following roles/responsibilities:
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1.
Project Delivery and Performance
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Develop and maintain implementation plan(s) and Project Operation Manual (POM)
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Lead the implementation of the approved plan (including the establishment of milestones) within tolerances set by the Governance structure
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Embed sustainability dimensions including World Bank Safeguards Instruments, social and gender inclusion, environmental and economic aspects into project life span.
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Manage the production of the required outputs, taking responsibility for overall progress and use of resources and initiating corrective action where necessary.
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Ensure that quality of work packages and deliverables complies with the quality requirements defined in the Implementation Plan.
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Liaise with any external suppliers or account managers
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Manage acceptance and delivery of work packages
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Monitor and manage project progress ensuring that work packages are being executed properly
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Control project and work packages changes
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Establish and implement appropriate arrangements ensuring goods, services or works delivered by suppliers are accepted. (If applicable)
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Ensure contract management including supplier performance evaluation is carried out in full
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Act as the Employer’s Representative within the FIDIC works contracts. (If applicable)
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Identify, and anticipate in a timely manner, potential risks and issues and advises mitigating measures to senior management/ Project Board so that maximum benefit to partner(s) and other stakeholders is achieved
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Identify and report to the supervisor potential business opportunities for UNOPS
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Exercises leadership and responsibility for the Financial Management and UNOPS Implementation Support Partner (ISP) role under component 4 in particular
2. Procedures
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Comply with all organisational policy and specifically the Project Management Manual
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Prepare/adapt all relevant plans for approval by the Project Board.
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Manage the reporting obligations defined in the Legal Agreement(s), the Project Operations Manual (POM) and in the Implementation Plan
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Responsible for implementation of the bespoke Security Risk Management Plan for NCRP project(s)
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Exercise Management Control over the requirements definitions for procurement processes.
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Approving requisitions and requests for non-purchase order payments; Evaluating submissions received, if appointed to the evaluation team. (if applicable)
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Ensure maintenance of the project files and lessons learned are recorded
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Ensure the development and implementation of project financial management guidelines and control mechanisms, in conformity with UNOPS rules and regulations.
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Manage budgets, cash flow and obligations to ensure that deliverables are met and payments to contractors and personnel are received on time.
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Understand and manage UNOPS overheads, allocable charges, and related corporate charges as they apply to the project
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Understand the unique structures of the UN and budget appropriately for personnel
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Manage expenditures against the budget (based on accurate financial reports)
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Where the Senior 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.
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For project closure purposes, provide a formal handover of the project to the Closure Manager
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Support project audit activities, including planning, preparation and coordination during the audits and follow up on audit observations/recommendations
3. Monitoring and Reporting
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Prepare and issue regular project and/or financial reports in accordance with Partner and UNOPS requirements for reporting.
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Establish and maintain performance monitoring and reporting systems fit for project needs
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Regularly review project status, evaluating performance criteria (scope, cost, schedule and quality).
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Maintain diaries and progress reports as required by the organisation’s standard procedures.
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Provide routine oversight and analysis of delivery data within the dashboard system.
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Ensure all project/project team members track and regularly update milestones and targets for the duration of projects' life span
4. Stakeholder Engagement
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Develop stakeholder profiles and facilitate the formulation of stakeholder engagement strategies
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Manage the implementation of Governance Arrangements in the POM, the NCRP Stakeholder Management Plan in line with UNOPS project mandate
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Manage the performance of Implementing Partners (IPs) UN2UN Agreements and Grant Support Agreements
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Establish solid working relationships with the Project Board (Executive, Senior Users and Senior Suppliers), client and key stakeholders
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Lead the formulation of project communications plans. Coordinate internal project communications. Monitor the effectiveness of project communications
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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
5. Quality Management
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Work with internal stakeholders to ensure projects comply with audit requirements
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Work with procurement staff and Component delivery to ensure effective interface with suppliers' quality systems
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Ensures all Components (and sub-components) have quality management plans in place and are being implemented as defined in line with Quality Management Guidance and the POM
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Coordinate quality reviews of project documents and deliverables
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Exercise Management Control for management outputs (project documents, reports, etc.)
6. Knowledge Management and Innovation
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Encourage routine and effective capacity building activities are conducted in order to build the long-term and sustainable capacity of staff.
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Actively interact with other Project Managers and the wider PM community to share case studies, lessons learned and best practices
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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
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Research and logging of lessons learned throughout the project life span.
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Provide feedback to Practice Groups on policy, supporting guidance with an aim towards continuous improvement of UNOPS policies
7. Personnel Management
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Lead, motivate and empower the project management team
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Ensure that behavioural expectations of team members are established
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Ensure that performance reviews are conducted fairly, accurately and timely
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Select, recruit and train teams as required and take into account gender parity and diversity objectives.
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Ensure safety and security for all project personnel and comply with UNDSS standards
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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.
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Ensure accountability for actions and perform duties in accordance with protection mechanisms and action plans, as expected by UNOPS policies, standards and commitments.
Impact of Results:
The Senior Project Manager directly impacts on achievement of project results by adhering to project management methods and strategies, reducing risks, cutting costs and improving 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.