Deputy Project Manager

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations helping a wide range of partners in delivering peace, security, humanitarian and development projects across the world. 

UNOPS Sri Lanka implements tailored socio-economic development projects that benefit vulnerable communities and supports the Government national capacities. UNOPS has been working across Sri Lanka managing education, public health, roads, water and sanitation, fisheries, agriculture and solid waste infrastructure projects. UNOPS also provides expertise in procurement, fund management and human resources management services. 

As part of its programme implementation and advisory capacity, UNOPS will work closely with members of the Government of Sri Lanka and its representatives,  and the Sri Lankan civil society to deliver agreed sets of projects and activities  to support the work of Sri Lankan civil society in assisting the people and communities of Sri Lanka.

Under the direct supervision of the Programme Manager, the Deputy Project Manager  will support the  day to day management of project activities under the UNOPS Sri Lanka  Programme. They will work with  UNOPS project teams located in field offices and in Colombo working in Protection, Project Management, Financial Management Advisory Services, Grants Management, ICT services, GIS, and other related areas of work. 

The Deputy Project Manager will have extensive working relationships with team members, and will ensure that all activities are delivered as per UNOPS agreed policies, processes and standards. He/She will have a high sense of integrity, confidentiality and the ability to engage sensibly .

This position is based in Colombo with extensive travel to field and project locations.

• Support the implementation of programme activities in accordance with UNOPS rules, regulations, policies, strategies and PMO requirements.

• Support the development and implementation of strategy, tools and techniques for capacity and needs assessment of programme partners under the guidance of the programme manager and  in cooperation with the programme team, external consultants and other relevant internal and external stakeholders.

• Support the development of the programme work plan based on analysis of partner capacity assessments while ensuring compliance with programme objectives, values  and deliverables.

• Coordinate closely with the procurement, logistics and finance team members to ensure application of standard guidelines and procedures aimed at ensuring an appropriate, efficient and transparent use of funds.

• Contribute constructively to the development of terms of references to support initiation of HR processes to hire programme team members and consultants as advised by the Programme Manager.

• Oversee HR processes to ensure timely hiring of programme staff, consultants and any other personnel in line with established UNOPS policies and procedures to support the implementation of the programme.

• Provide support and guidance to conduct training analysis for project team members to identify training gaps and provide recommendations on learning and development programs and initiatives that provide internal development opportunities for team members.

• Support performance management of programme team members as requested by the Programme Manager.

• Contribute to team development, the dissemination and sharing of best practices and lessons learned for planning and knowledge building and promoting synergy, learning and joint problem solving.

• Facilitate the engagement and provision of high quality results and services of the team through effective recruitment, work planning, performance management, coaching, and promotion of learning and development.

• 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. Ensure accountability for actions and perform duties in accordance with protection mechanisms and action plans, as expected by UNOPS policies, standards and commitments.

• Support the development, implementation and monitoring of the procurement plan in close coordination with the  procurement and programme teams. 

• Contribute constructively to the development of specifications/terms of references to support  initiation of procurement processes to procure goods and services to facilitate programme implementation.

• Oversee procurement processes to ensure procurement and delivery of goods and services  in line with established UNOPS policies and procedures and the procurement plan. 

• Support field visits and site visits to oversee programme implementation activities and direct provision of goods and services to beneficiaries.

• Coordinate and liaise with UNOPS Colombo Support Units (Such as Finance, Procurement, Human Resources etc.) on administrative management issues related to the programme when needed.

• Oversee programme logistics including vehicle fleet management and fulfilling of  administrative and logistical requirements needed to ensure smooth operations of Colombo and the field offices dedicated to the programme.

• Assist in writing and reviewing programme assessment reports, M&E reports, research reports, strategies/policies corresponding to key project deliverables in close collaboration with the programme team as advised by the Programme Manager.

• Support identification of new/innovative and context specific areas of engagement and support the Programme Manager in the development of concept notes/programme documents for future programming.

• Contribute to donor coordination and timely information sharing in collaboration with the programme team as required by the Programme Manager.

• Ensure timely preparation of documents, briefing notes, reports, and related documentation for project review/ board meetings and related events as advised by the Programme Manager.

• Oversee overall programme communications and ensure all programme communications comply with established visual/branding guidelines.

• Oversee the development and maintenance of the programme website in coordination with the ICT team based in Colombo and headquarters, programme team and other relevant  internal and external stakeholders.

• Support the Programme Manager in developing programme budget(s), budget revisions and related activities.

• Support overall budget management via undertaking regular budget monitoring activities including conducting variance analysis in close coordination with programme, operation and finance teams and the project support officer, to ensure that the financial and operational plans that were developed and approved for implementation as part of the budget processes are being implemented.

• In coordination with the project support officer, prepare and submit budgetary reports to the  Programme Manager on a periodic basis  highlighting areas of concerns, providing alerts on any financial shortfalls and over-expenditures together with recommendations on corrective actions required if any.

• Provide inputs and suggestions as appropriate to streamline workflows/business processes and document templates/formats.

• Promote knowledge building and sharing through synthesis of lessons learnt/best practices and sound contributions to UNOPS knowledge management initiatives.

• Arrange and support technical guidance and on-the-job training to ensure work standards are achieved, both in terms of quality and quantity of inputs/outputs processed.

• A Master’s Degree in a relevant field (e.g. Business Administration, Logistics, Development,Emergency Management, International Relations,Engineering) with 5 years of relevant experience is required.

• A  Bachelor's degree in combination with 2 additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the Master’s degree.

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement
Contract level: Local ICA Specialist
Contract duration: Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance
The position is only open to Sri Lankan nationals

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:

• 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. 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.