Project Manager

The ‘Our Ocean’ Conference (OOC) Series: Initiated in 2014 by the US State Department, spearheaded by former Secretary of State John Kerry and attended by former President Barack Obama, the Our Ocean Conference series has  elevated ocean issues on the global foreign policy agenda and catalyzed political will on actions to preserve global ocean health, including translating commitments into activities that have significantly enhanced the sustainability of oceans. Since 2014, a total of $18 billion USD has been pledged to support critical activities to improve the health of oceans, ensuring the provision of continued benefits for the societies, cultures and economies that depend on ocean ecosystems. Participation level at OOC has topped 1000+ over the years, and has included the presence of Heads of State, CEOs and executive representatives of global companies, heads of large philanthropic organizations, global funds, and international NGOs, as well as, members of the Royal families of Monaco, Sweden and Jordan.

Palau’s historical hosting of Our Ocean 2020: At the 4th Our Ocean Conference held in Malta and hosted by the EU, Palau became the first small island government to assume hosting duties of the OOC series. Palau joins Chile, Indonesia, the EU (Malta) and Norway as non-US hosts of the series. Palau will convene OOC 2020.

The Project Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the project(s) and provides services to the different donors, partners and beneficiaries.  He/she is expected to meet and exceed the organizations performance and delivery goals.

The project manager is responsible for all aspects of the project life cycle. S/he must be able to apply, with directions, the below duties and responsibilities of the project success criteria:

Stakeholder Management:

• Establish solid working relationship with the project board (Executive, Senior Users and Senior Suppliers), client and key stakeholders
• Manage communications and ensure stakeholders are aware of project activities, progress, exceptions and are in a position to accept handover products.
• Advise the client on issues that may impact the achievement of their outcomes (including issues of sustainability and post project requirements such as maintenance)
• Manage the information flows between the Project Board/OC Director and the project(s)

Delivery and Performance:

• Develop and maintain project plans
• Implement approved project plans (including the establishment of milestones) within tolerances set by the project board
• Embed sustainability dimensions including social and gender inclusion, environmental and economic aspects into project life cycle.
• Manage the production of the required products, taking responsibility for overall progress and use of resources and initiating corrective action where necessary
• Liaise with any external suppliers or account managers.
• Authorize Work Packages
• Advise the Project Board and OC Manager of any deviations from the plan
• Identify and manage risks so that maximum benefit to client and stakeholders is achieved
• Manage and review product quality and ensure products are accepted
• Monitor and evaluate performance of service providers
• Identify and report potential business opportunities for UNOPS to supervisor
• Identify and report threats to UNOPS internal business case to supervisor

Procedures:

• Follow the Project Management Cycle Instructions and ensure that all organizational policy is complied with (Organizational Directives and Administrative Instructions)
• Prepare/adapt the following plans for approval by the Project Board: I. Project Initiation Documentation; II. Stage/Exception Plans and relevant Product Descriptions
• Prepare the following reports:

• Maintain the following: i. Electronic Blue File; ii. Procurement, HR and Finance files as required by those practices as per OD12.
• Ensure that all expenditure comply with UNOPS Financial Rules and Regulations (FRR).
• Manage budgets, cash flow and obligations to ensure that deliverables are met and payments to contractors and personnel are received on time.
• Understand and manage UNOPS overheads, allocable charges, and related corporate charges as they apply to the project
• Understand the unique structures of the UN and budget appropriately for personnel
• Manage and remain accountable for expenditures against the budget (based on accurate financial reports)
• Where the 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.

Knowledge Management:

• Participate in the relevant Communities of Practice
• Actively interact with other PMs and the PM community to share case studies, lessons learned and best practice on the Knowledge System.
• Provide feedback to Practice Leads on policy, supporting guidance with an aim towards continuous improvement of UNOPS policies
• Complete lessons learned as per reporting format
• Incorporate lessons learned from others as per planning format

Personnel Management:

• Lead and motivate the project management team
• Ensure that behavioral expectations of team members are established
• Ensure that performance reviews are conducted
• Identify outstanding staff and bring them to the attention of the OC Director
• Have a thorough understanding of UNOPS personnel contract modalities (including ICA and Staff)
• Select, recruit and train team as required by project plans
• Perform the Team Manager role, unless appointed to another person(s)
• Perform Project Support role, unless appointed to another person or corporate/programme function
• Ensure safety and security for all personnel and comply with UNDSS standards

Core Values and Principles:

Understand and respect UNOPS sustainability principles         

• Look for ways to embed UNOPS sustainability principles in day to day project management
• Seek opportunities to champion gender equality at work place
• Champion and communicate project’s sustainability aspects with key stakeholders
• Understand and Respect National ownership and capacity
• Understand the principles of the Paris Declaration on aid effectiveness and mainstream them into the project plans
• Seek opportunities to recruit qualified local staff
• Look for ways to build capacity of local counterparts

Partnerships and Coordination

• Understand the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and UNOPS, the project’s place n the UN system
• Strive to build strong partnerships and effective coordination among relevant project actors (e.g. United Nations, governments, and non-governmental organizations or other relevant partners)

• The project management processes are designed to deliver maximum accountability, transparency and results. If a project or processes is not in line with this, it is the responsibility of the PM to raise the issue to a supervisor

• Contribute to innovation and the adaptation of best practice standards of sustainability and quality.

• Tracking of project-plan metrics that include performance indicators on management of project team, project budget, project activities duration and project deliverables quality.
• Tracking of project issues and implementation of corrective actions.
• Tracking of project risks and implementation of risks mitigation plans.
• Management of quality of service as agreed with partner.
• Provision of timely project-related reports, including project highlight report, project plan progress report, project issues report, project risks report and project quality management report.

Education:

• Advanced University Degree in Project Management, Business Administration, International Relations, Political/Security/Development Studies, or other relevant discipline.
• University Degree (bachelor’s degree / first level) with a combination of 2 additional years of relevant professional experience  in Project Management, Business Administration, International Relations, Political/Security/Development Studies, or other relevant discipline, may be accepted in lieu of the advance university degree.
• Complete the UNOPS Project Management Foundation course (within one year after signing this TOR)
• A relevant combination of academic credentials and/or industry certifications and qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the university education.                                                  
  
  

Experience:

• Two years (or more based on academic credentials) of progressive experience in project development and management, with focus on monitoring, reporting, development and coordination in either public or private sector organizations is required
• Knowledge of the UN Small Island Developing States (SIDS) ecosystem and its main stakeholders is desirable
  
  

Language:

• Fluency in English, other UN language preferable

1. Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA) 
2. Contract level: International Individual Contractor Agreement ( I-ICA 1)
3. Contract duration: Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

Background Information: Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC)

Based in New York, the Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC) supports diverse partners with their peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations.

The SDC’s services include grants management, development and special initiatives support, and technology support to the UN and UN agencies.

The SDC is part of the New York Service Cluster that supports the United Nations Secretariat, as well as a broadening community of other New York-based United Nations organizations, bilateral and multilateral partners in the delivery of UNOPS mandate in project management, infrastructure management, and procurement management.