Project Manager

UNOPS South East Asia Multi-Country Office (EAPMCO)

The South East Asia and Pacific Multi Country Office (EAPMCO) supports, develops and oversees the UNOPS portfolio of projects in South East Asia and the Pacific. EAPMCO was established in January 2023 following the merger of the Thailand Multi-Country Office, which covered 20 countries across  North East Asia, South East Asia and the Pacific, and the Cambodia Multi-Country Office, which covered 4 countries South East Asia - 3 countries in the Mekong Sub-region (Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam) and the Philippines.  EAPMCO currently covers 24 countries across North East Asia, South East Asia and the Pacific. With its head office in Bangkok, the Multi-Country Office comprises nine business units: SEMCO Thailand, EAPMCO Indonesia,  EAPMCO Pacific Operations Cluster, EAPMCO Papua New Guinea, EAPMCO China, EAPMCO Vietnam, EAPMCO Lao PDR, EAPMCO Philippines and EAPMCO Cambodia.

In 2022, the UNOPS EAPMCO implemented projects worth more than USD 95.7 million, in the areas of Energy Transition, Digital Transformations, Sustainable Environmental Management, Climate Change, Waste Management, Rule of Law and Access to Justice, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Post Conflict Reintegration, Emergency Relief, Post COVID19 Economic Transformations, and Health, through HR, procurement, construction, contract management, fund and program management services.  

The Multi Country Office head office in Bangkok provides strategic direction, operational support, delivery oversight and assurance of the excellence of business processes and quality standards across all of the entire Multi Country Office locations. It is also responsible for developing, delivering and managing the portfolio of engagements in the country of the MCO location itself. 

UNOPS in the Philippines

Established in 2016, UNOPS Philippines provides expert support to ensure sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure activities in projects. With funds from the European Union (EU), UNOPS supports the Supreme Court, the Department of Justice, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government under the Governance in Justice (GOJUST) Programme (GOJUST2) through procurement, logistics, and grants management to push forward the justice reform agenda of the Philippine government through innovations and interventions; as well as providing grants to civil society organizations to improve access to justice of marginalized groups. In the Support to the Bangsamoro Transition (SUBATRA) Programme, UNOPS is working with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Government strengthening capacities of the executive, legislative and judicial branches to ensure a smooth transition, also with funds from the EU. In the health sector, UNOPS works with the DOH / ADB in the HEAL project (Health System Enhancement to Address and Limit COVID-19).

UNOPS Philippines is in the process of expanding its area of engagement in cooperation with its development partners, focusing mainly on a portfolio of projects and programs in the infrastructure, logistics management, procurement in health, rule of law,  and governance sectors.

Background Information - Project

Support to the Bangsamoro Transition (SUBATRA) Programme, the Action, is a 5-year programme funded by the European Union to contribute to a smooth and timely undertaking of the transition, through capacity building of the three branches of the Bangsamoro Government. This will promote an enabling good governance environment and support the efficient implementation of policies set up by the transition plan, with a focus on capacities that are critical for a sound functioning of interim institutions. These include: capacity of the BTA’s executive branch superstructure to drive and coordinate key transitional policies; capacity of the Parliament to exercise its law making and oversight functions; capacity of the Justice System to adjudicate litigations and improve access to justice, and capacity of the civil society to contribute to a peaceful transition to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). 

The Action supports the institutional components of the peace process set out by the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro, Bangsamoro Comprehensive Agreement and their implementing arrangements as well as BOL’s art. XVI provisions on the transition, through an integrated approach combining institution building and capacity building of core Bangsamoro democratic governance institutions, to efficiently undertake the transition, including post-transition.

UNOPS is one of the implementing partners of  the SUBATRA Programme under Indirect Management and will be responsible for the provision of logistical and administrative support, which may include the organization of training, workshops, seminars and study tours; procurement of goods and services; infrastructure; and communication and visibility.   

The primary role of the Project Manager is to provide Subatra Project with the structures, tools and techniques needed to ensure that it has the right programmes and projects in place, that operational and change priorities are balanced, the governance and decision making is facilitated and it has the resources and capability to deliver them consistently well.  

The functions and services of the Project Manager include:

• Strategic Planning/Portfolio Support: Ensuring UNOPS is focused on doing the right projects by supporting management decision-making.

• Delivery Support: Ensuring UNOPS is doing projects the right way, through the effective  delivery of the programme and projects. 

• Best Practices: Applying UNOPS standards in project management, encouraging consistent working practices and ensuring appropriate application. 

The primary role of Project Manager is to ensure that project management policies, processes and methods are followed and practiced according to the organization standards, while acting as the overall Project Assurance capacity within the business unit. The Project Manager strongly contributes to moving the Subatra project toward achieving its mission-focused goals and objectives.

The incumbent will be responsible for providing overall technical and programmatic support for the planning, implementation, management, and monitoring of cash activities and will be assisting the supervisor in the day to day running and operations of all field locations. S/he is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

Project Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the project(s) and provides services to the different donors, partners and beneficiaries. 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 Project Manager 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 organization’s performance and delivery goals.

Project Manager has the authority to assign, as per the Project Plan, work packages to Team Managers and approve deliverables produced by them.

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

Main responsibilities: 

Under the overall supervision of the Country Manager and in accordance with UNOPS procedures and practices the incumbent will be responsible for the following: 

Summary of Key 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.

• Act as the Employer’s Representative within the FIDIC works contracts.

• 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, harrasement, sexual harrasement 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.

Education:

• Advanced University Degree (Master Degree) in Project Management, Business Administration, Communication, Economics or other relevant discipline is required;

• First level University degree (Bachelor’s Degree) in Project Management, Business Administration, Communication, Economics or other relevant discipline in combination with two (2) additional years of experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Certifications:

• PRINCE2® Foundation is an asset and  the successful candidate to obtain the certification within the six months from the start of the role;   

• PRINCE2® Practitioner an asset and completion within 12 months of onboarding;

• MSP® Foundation is an asset;

• Project Management Professional (PMP® – PMI®) is an asset.  

Experience:

• Minimum five (5) years of experience (or more depending on academic credentials) in project management, project implementation, operation, and communication in UN/NGO, public or private sector organizations in combination with an advanced degree is required.

• Experience with EU funded projects is an advantage;

• Knowledge of the UN system and familiarity with UNOPS procedures is an advantage.

Language:

• Full working knowledge of English language is required.

• Knowledge of Tagalog language  is desirable.

• Contract type: Local Individual Contract Agreement (LICA)
• Contract level: ICS-10/LICA-10
• Contract duration: Open-ended and subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.
• Duty Station: Cotabato City, Philippines. Cotabato is a non-family duty station.
  
  

https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx 

• 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.