Project Management Support Associate

Job categories Human Resources, Project Management

Vacancy code VA/2025/B5333/29534

Department/office AFR, ETMCO, Ethiopia MCO

Duty station Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Contract type Local ICA Support

Contract level LICA-6

Duration Ongoing Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.’

Application period 08-Jan-2025 to 14-Jan-2025

Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement.

Please note that UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.

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Background Information - Job-specific

UNOPS Horn of Africa Multi Country Office is recruiting for this position: Project Management Support Associate based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Established in 2009, Ethiopia Multi-country office, now referred to as the Horn of Africa Multi-Country Office (HAMCO) manages a growing portfolio of engagements, including associated strategic and operational risks within the region. The HAMCO sub-region currently consists of an established Operation Centre in Addis Ababa which manages a portfolio of engagements in four (4) Horn of Africa countries (Ethiopia, Djibouti, Sudan and South Sudan). HAMCO focuses on Infrastructure, Procurement, Project Management, HR and Transactional Services, and Fund Management services across a wide range of sectors including Health, Education, Agriculture, Resilient infrastructure, among others. Our goal is to support countries, help people in need and enable our partners through delivering on our mandate of infrastructure, procurement and project management in the countries in the Horn of Africa.

UNOPS has signed a project agreement with the Ministry of Health to strengthen the Capacity of the Ministry for the Realization of Health Sector Transformation Plan (HSTP-II) on selected priorities. This project will be implemented in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and the overall objective/purpose is to contribute towards the realisation of selected strategic priorities of the Health Sector Transformation Plan (HSTP-II) which is more on project management focusing on institutional capacity building and technical assistance. UNOPS is selected to manage and implement the project by creating a project management unit (PMU). This unit will be formed by a group of experts and specialists in the relevant matters and will lay the groundwork for institutional capacity strengthening through the establishment of a Technical Assistance Management Unit (TAMU). The TAMU will be composed of a group of Technical Assistants and experts, recruited and supervised by UNOPS personnel that would implement part of the project activities. The unit will be managed by the UNOPS for the duration of the project. TAMU will oversee the mapping of the necessary human resource requirements and potential interventions aimed at boosting the capacity of the Ministry.

The Project Support Associate will support the implementation of the project with contract administration and management. The incumbent serves as the first contact for internal and external stakeholders in resolving questions and providing support on all aspects of managing the contracts of technical assistants and consultants.

Functional Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager, the Project Management Supp...

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager, the Project Management Support Associate will undertake the following activities/responsibilities:

Support the TAMU team, and the broader category 2 project portfolio, in the administration of all contracts (Technical Assistants, Procurement, Service Contracts etc) under the project
In consultation with the HR team in Addis, support efficient onboarding of personnel required for project implementation
In consultation with the HR team, inform project personnel on their conditions of service and entitlements according to their contract modality, expediting actions to facilitate their efficient, timely, and client-focused onboarding.
Support in monitoring contract performance, deliverables and preparing contract change notices accordingly
Set up and maintain reference files/records for each technical assistant supporting the ministry under the auspice of TAMU
Track and follow up on the status of pending requests and approaching deadlines in relation to technical assistant contracts including in payment request verification and follow up of payment processing
Act as liaison between technical assistants and HR to ensure the smooth onboarding of incoming personnel including those based in regional health bureaus.
Assist the TAMU team in the development of documents and guidelines related to technical assistant management, particularly in the areas of recruitment and management of contracts, benefits, and entitlements
Research precedents and present recommendations to the TAMU team on a range of technical assistant administration issues, taking into account institutionalized exceptions
Assist in maintaining systems for monitoring performance of technical assistants including the development of relevant KPIs to ensure real time performance tracking
Assist the project team in implementing capacity strengthening activities that are aimed at supporting the MOH apply the systems developed through the TAMU
Supporting partner in any ad hoc request for example Audit related to HR
Assist in organizing training and learning initiatives for personnel on technical assistant management related topics
Support the project team in updating risk register and implementing mitigation measures in accordance with the project’s risk management approach
Contribute to the preparation and dissemination of regular progress updates and reports to internal and external stakeholders
Perform other duties as may be reasonably required and in line with the incumbent’s scope of services above.

Impacts of results

The effective and successful achievement of results by the Project Management Support Associate directly impacts the success of the TAMU project and the promotion of UNOPS’s credibility as an effective service provider in project services and management.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education ...

Competencies

Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and enc...

Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.

Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).

Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.

Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.

Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.

Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: Local Individual Contractor Agreement (LICA) Contract level: ...

Additional Information

Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. Applic...

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.
This is a local position, and is hence open to Ethiopian nationals only.

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.

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APPLICATION TIPS

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TOGETHER, WE BUILD THE FUTURE

UNOPS – an operational arm of the United Nations – supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by successfully implementing its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world.

Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development.

We are proud of our people. The UNOPS family brings together approximately 160 nationalities, represented by over 5,000 UNOPS personnel as well as some 7,800 personnel recruited on behalf on our partners. Spread across 80 countries, our workforce is rich in diversity and culture – with inclusion at its core.

We understand the importance of balancing professional and personal demands and offer several flexible working options.

Explore what we offer here.

Education	Completion of Secondary education is required. A first level University (Bachelor’s) Degree in Human Resource Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, or equivalent disciplines is desirable.
Experience	Minimum of six (6) years of relevant experience in an international and/or national organization supporting projects related to HR/and Admin support/operations is required. Experience in personnel performance and contract management is an asset. Knowledge of UN policies, procedures and practices is highly desirable. Some experience in UN system organizations is an asset. Proficiency in computers and office software packages(Google suite) and experience in handling web-based management systems is an asset. Experience in use Enterprise systems including OneUNOPS is desired.
Language	Fluency in oral, reading and written English is required Knowledge of another official UN language is an asset.