Senior Project Manager

UNOPS Somalia Country Office (SOCO) exciting career opportunity:

UNOPS -Somalia Country Office (SOCO) is recruiting this position: Senior Project Manager

Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply.

This is an exciting and rewarding opportunity to help shape UNOPS’ efforts to support the expansion of affordable, accountable and effective policing in Somalia.

Somalia is amid major new political and security developments that will offer a greater possibility for peace and security than the country has seen in over 20 years. The Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), established in 2012, and international community have driven a process of rebuilding of functioning government institutions and processes through Somalia’s peacebuilding and state-building priorities under the Somali Compact (2013-2016), based on the Busan “New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States” agreement. The Somalia National Development Plan (2017-2019), builds on this foundation laid by the Compact and sets the priorities for national recovery and development in full collaboration with national and regional governments.  A landmark electoral process in late 2016 and early 2017 resulted in a peaceful transfer of power to a new President and government, in place since February and March 2017 respectively. The government has set out an ambitious agenda for its term (the period to 2021).  At the London Somalia Conference in May 2017, a Security Pact was agreed by Somalia and the international community, which will allow for sustainable, long-term security based on mutual accountability.

The functional objective of UNOPS in Somalia is to deliver projects in an efficient and effective manner, to achieve the development outcomes sought by the Government of Somalia and the donor community. The aim of UNOPS in Somalia is to provide implementation services to the Government of Somalia, the donor community and partner agencies in the reconstruction and development of the country. In doing so, UNOPS aims to exceed client expectations in the delivery of quality services throughout the country.

Background Information: Somalia Country Office (SOCO)

Located in Mogadishu, Somalia, the Somalia Country Office manages a growing portfolio of engagements. SOCO works with multiple partners including the Governments of Somalia, bilateral and multilateral donors, United Nations agencies, funds and programmes. 

SOCO is largely focused on assisting partners with the implementation of physical infrastructure projects including construction and rehabilitation of rule-of-law infrastructure, transport infrastructure (roads, airports) and public administration infrastructure. 


Project Information: 
UNOPS will implement component 3.1 Building Emergency Response Capacity at Hospitals of the World Bank’s Somalia Covid-19 Emergency Vaccination Project. 

The objective is to support selected hospitals with additional resources to strengthen their capacity to respond to COVID-19, specifically in setting up isolation areas. The project will seek to help upgrade the infrastructure and develop the capacity to manage climate emergencies including preparedness and response plans, creating a climate emergency hospital response team, and upgrading and upgrading medical capacity to handle the impacts of climate shocks (malnutrition, injuries, drowning and climate-sensitive diseases). The aim is to support 6 hospitals at FMS level - one in each FMS as well as in the Benadir Regional Administration. 

Updates to physical building infrastructure will include measures to improve the climate adaptation of facilities and to mitigate against climate change. The scope of works will include major renovations/civil works and installation of medical equipment to improve hospital capacity to respond to emergencies.

The Senior Project Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the project(s) and provides services to the different donors, partners, and beneficiaries. Senior Project Manager acts on behalf of the Project Board to manage the project on an ongoing basis during the Implementation Stage. The main responsibility of a Senior Project Manager is to ensure that the project outputs are delivered within the specified project tolerances of time, cost, quality, scope, risk, and benefits. She/he is expected to meet the organization's performance and delivery goals. The Senior Project Manager has the authority to assign, as per the Project Plan, work packages to Team Managers and approve deliverables produced by them.

She/he 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 Senior Project Manager will be based on the defined Success Criteria. 

Summary of Functions:

1. Project Delivery and Performance
2. Procedures
3. Monitoring and reporting
4. Stakeholder engagement
5. Quality assurance
6. Knowledge management and innovation
7. Personnel management

1. Project Delivery and Performance:

• Develop, complete and update implementation plan(s)
• Implement the approved plan (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 span.
• Manage the production of the required outputs, taking responsibility for overall progress and use of resources and initiating corrective action where necessary.
• Ensure that quality of work packages and deliverables complies with the quality requirements defined in the Implementation Plan.
• Liaise with any external suppliers or account managers
• Manage acceptance and delivery of work packages
• Monitor project progress ensuring that work packages are being executed properly
• Control project and work packages changes
• Accept goods, services or works delivered by suppliers.
• Lead contract management duties including supplier performance evaluation.
• 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
• Identify and report to the supervisor potential business opportunities for UNOPS

2. Procedures: 

• Comply with all organizational policy and specifically the Project Management Manual
• Prepare/adapt all relevant plans for approval by the Project Board.
• Manage the reporting obligations defined in the Legal Agreement(s) and in the Implementation Plan
• Draft the requirements definitions for procurement processes. Approving requisitions and requests for non-purchase order payments; Evaluating submissions received, if appointed to the evaluation team.
• Ensure maintenance of the project files and lessons learned are recorded
• Ensure the development and implementation of project financial management guidelines and control mechanisms, in conformity with UNOPS rules and regulations.
• 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 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.
• For project closure purposes, provide a formal handover of the project to the closure manager
• Support project audit activities, including planning, preparation and coordination during the audits and follow up on audit observations/recommendations

3. Monitoring and Reporting: 

• Prepare and issue regular project and/or financial reports in accordance with Partner and UNOPS requirements for reporting.
• Regularly review project status, evaluating performance criteria (scope, cost, schedule and quality).
• Maintain diaries and progress reports as required by the organization’s standard procedures.
• Provide routine oversight and analysis of delivery data within the dashboard system.
• Ensure all project team members track and regularly update milestones and targets for the duration of projects' life span

4.  Stakeholder engagement:

• Develop stakeholder profiles and facilitate the formulation of stakeholder engagement strategies
• Establish solid working relationships with the Project Board (Executive, Senior Users and
  Senior Suppliers), client and key stakeholders
• Enable the formulation of project communications plans. Coordinate internal project communications. Monitor the effectiveness of project communications
  ● 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 Assurance:

• Work with internal stakeholders to ensure projects comply with audit requirements
• Work with procurement/purchasing staff to ensure effective interface with suppliers' quality systems
• Coordinate quality reviews of project documents and deliverables
• Provide quality control for management outputs (project documents, reports, etc.)

6. Knowledge Management and innovation:

• Encourage routine and effective capacity building activities are conducted in order to build the long-term and sustainable capacity of staff.
• Actively interact with other Project Managers and the wider PM community to share case
  studies, lessons learned and best practices
• 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
• Research and logging of lessons learned throughout the project life span.
• Provide feedback to Practice Groups on policy, supporting guidance with an aim towards continuous improvement of UNOPS policies

7. Personnel Management:

• Lead and motivate the project management team
• Ensure that behavioural expectations of team members are established
• Ensure that performance reviews are conducted fairly, accurately and timely
• Select, recruit and train team as required and take into account gender parity and diversity objectives.
• Ensure safety and security for all project personnel and comply with UNDSS standards
• Create, foster and role model a culture of respect and zero tolerance for discrimination, abuse of authority, harassments, sexual harassments and sexual exploitation and abuse. 
• 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.

A.  Education

• Master’s Degree in a relevant technical discipline related to the nature of the Project (i.e. Architecture, Civil Engineering, Water Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Structural Engineering) is required.
• Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant technical discipline related to the nature of the project ( Architecture, Civil Engineering, Water Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Structural Engineering, etc.) in combination with an additional two (2) years of relevant experience may be considered in lieu of the advance degree.

• Professional certification from an accredited institution (Professional Engineer (P.Eng), Chartered Engineer (CEng), etc is an asset. 
• Certification in Project Management (PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI, etc is an asset. 

C: Language requirement

• Fluency in English Language (i.e. writing, reading  and speaking) is required.

• Working knowledge of Somali Language is an asset. 

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards.
• High degree of personal initiative and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and new work assignments.
• Demonstrated planning and organizational skills and ability to coordinate with various support service units, work on tight deadlines, and handle multiple concurrent activities.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
• Excellent communication skills (spoken, written and presentational), including ability to present sensitive issues/positions and to write reports and technical decisions quantitatively justified.
• Good analytical skills; resourcefulness, initiative, maturity of judgment.
• Self-motivated, versatile and adaptable to different cultures and people.
• Keeps abreast of new developments in the area of professional discipline and job knowledge.

• This is a Competitive Recruitment Process. 
• 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.
• 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.
• Mogadishu is a Non-Family Duty Station
• 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.

1. Contract type: International Individual Contract Agreement (IICA)
2. Contract level: IICA 3 /ICS 11
3. Contract duration: Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

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.

Africa Region

AFR helps ensure that projects are executed to the highest standards, providing a shared knowledge base and ensuring that best practices and lessons learned are disseminated between projects across the entire region.

Somalia Country Office:

UNOPS Somalia Country Office (SOCO) has had a solid and continuous in-country expert presence successfully implementing programs since the mid-1990s, where it is currently undertaking various projects and initiatives in close collaboration with the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), Federal Member States (FMS) and partners from the global donor community. UNOPS’ projects in Somalia focus on several key sectors that include infrastructure development, institutional capacity building, project management, advisory services, and procurement services. These projects cut across multiple sectors, including education, healthcare, national security, law enforcement, immigration services, justice, transport, and public works among others. UNOPS work in Somalia is geared towards driving growth and development in the country, a process that requires developing a close relationship with the FGS and the other development partners.
  
Through its involvement in Somalia’s development process, UNOPS is providing transparent and accountable solutions in the country’s state and nation-building process. In addition, UNOPS is also committed to implementing the United Nations Strategic Framework Somalia 2017 – 2020, with the aim of helping Somalia achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. UNOPS work within the context of these commitments means that the projects it implements in Somalia are specifically designed to provide long-term solutions in the country, leading to sustainable and inclusive growth.

What drives us is a passion to fight inequalities and to provide opportunities to those most vulnerable. This means we often work in the most challenging environments, building foundations for communities to function and people to live with dignity and respect.

To succeed here, he/she need to be able to combine creativity with the organizational skills to manage numerous different projects to tight deadlines simultaneously, as well as working with the different units to meet their expectations.