Project Management Support Officer

The development objective of the NORTHERN MOZAMBIQUE RURAL RESILIENCE PROJECT (MozNorte) is to improve access to livelihood opportunities for vulnerable communities and management of natural resources in selected rural areas of Northern Mozambique. The project aims to improve the resilience of vulnerable communities in selected landscapes of Northern Mozambique. More specifically, the project will address the following drivers:

• exclusion of local communities and IDP (particularly women and youth) from access to sources of livelihoods depending on renewable natural resources; 

• environmental degradation, climate variability and limited capacity of formal institutions to manage natural resources in a sustainable and inclusive manner; and 

• exclusion of local communities and IDP from managing and deciding over use of natural resources. 

Given the high vulnerability of Northern Mozambique to climate and geophysical hazards, as highlighted in the Climate and Disaster Risk Screening Report carried out for the project, the design takes an overall climate-sensitive approach to help mitigate risks and enhance adaptive capacity of project beneficiaries. This will translate into promoting climate-smart solutions across all activities and sectors of intervention, from infrastructure to agriculture, fishery, forestry and community-driven activities. The project has four components: 

1. Improving access to livelihoods and community infrastructure; 

2. Improved management of natural resources; 

3. Multi-stakeholder Coordination and Project Management; and 

4. Contingency emergency response (CERC).

MozNorte Project provides bridge financing to stabilise rural livelihoods and to improve the management of natural resources on which most rural livelihoods depend on in 18 districts of three provinces (Cabo Delgado, Nampula, Niassa). The target districts of the intervention include: 

• In Niassa the districts of Lago, Chimbonila, Mecula, Sanga, Maua, Muembe; 

• In the province of Cabo Delgado the districts of Montepuez, Mecufi, Metuge, Ancuabe; 

• In the province of Nampula the districts of Memba, Erati, Mecuburi, Ribaue, Moma, Larde, Angoche and Mossuril.

One of the key approaches of the MozNorte project is the Community - Driven Development Fund (CDDF) which has the objective to generate sustainable livelihoods, promote inclusive and participatory development and strengthen social integration. The CDDF has two windows: district window and community window. The target groups are communities. While the district window is implemented by district authorities, the community window will be implemented by community and/or local organisations/consortia/Lead Service Providers.

UNOPS will support FNDS in managing the community window that will support 300 communities across the target 18 districts with a budget allocation of a minimum of one project per community up to USD 120,000, with an average budget allocation per community of USD 90,000 (equaling a total allocation of US$ 27 Million in community grants); variations in allocations and number of projects can be made depending on the needs and the readiness of the community. 

Examples of activities that can be funded under the community window include, but are not limited to: 

• Climate - smart agriculture systems, including small irrigation systems 

• Community agro-processing, aquaculture, storage facilities 

• Social and WASH projects at community level 

• Community agroforestry and restoration projects  

• Non-timber forest products value-chains 

• Alternative livelihood strategies 

• Sustainable use of energy 

• Sustainable fisheries and fishery value chain  

• Community tourism and culture value chains 

• Integrated agriculture and forestry management

• Initiatives of youth and women economic empowerment  

• Social cohesion activities 

The selection of the projects in each community will be implemented in a participatory manner applying the Community - Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) methodology.  

The Project Management Support Officer will support the implementation of CDDF in the province of  Nampula under the supervision of the Grants Manager and the Senior Project Manager who will be based in Cabo Delgado.

Under the overall supervision of the Grants Manager and the Senior Project Manager, the incumbent is required to monitor all aspects of project progress and implementation, identify operational and financial problems at the project level. This will be done with the main focus on project Implementation, budget management and project closure at the local level.

Functional Responsibilities

1. Project Implementation

2. Project monitoring and reporting

3. Stakeholder management, coordination and liaison

4. Knowledge management and innovation

1. Project Implementation

• Responsible for ensuring the successful implementation of the project at the field level

• Provide oversight, support and supervise the project teams, implementing partners and services providers 

• Monitor, coordinate, and communicate strategic objectives of the project 

• Facilitate communications for project-related issues

• Work with project staff members to develop a greater understanding of the project and any issues that arise

• Develop and foster relationships among UNOPS, clients and donors, and other stakeholders

• Collect, analyse, and utilise data and feedback to identify opportunities to improve the relationship between UNOPS and stakeholders

• Compile reports about particular incidents, events, or updates from the project sites 

• Proactively solve conflicts and address issues that could occur between parties

• Carry out any other duties and projects as required 

1. Project monitoring and reporting

• Provide substantive inputs to assist the Senior Project Manager in the preparation of project reports and documents

• Assist the Senior Project Manager in ensuring compliance with contractual obligations.

• Visit project sites periodically each month and prepare a report on each one of them to inform management action towards meeting set standards

• Review the project field staff work plans and reports

• Review the reports from implementing partners and service providers and verify the information reported through site visits 

• Produce reports from site supervision visits with recommendations for the service providers and implementing partners 

1. Stakeholder management, coordination and liaison

• Ensure that UNOPS adequately engages with the project’s donors and end-users, as well as government agencies on project implementation

• Liaise and build relationships with the relevant provincial and district level authorities and any other partners in order to implement and improve the quality of project activities

• Support the coordination and management of communications

• Participate in meetings with UN agencies and other Stakeholders, as required and/or delegated by the Senior Project Manager

1. Knowledge management and innovation

• Support the compilation of lessons learned from project activities 

• Contribute to the dissemination and sharing of best practices and lessons learned for planning and knowledge building

• Frequently brief and consult with the Senior Project Manager to mitigate any risks associated with the project implementation

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Project Management, Rural Development, Sustainable Development, Business Administration, International Relations, or related field is required. 

• Master’s degree in Project Management, Rural Development, Sustainable Development, Business Administration, International Relations, or related fields would be an advantage. 

Experience 

• Minimum of 2 years work experience in Project Management and/or Operations is required;

• Minimum of 2 years of work experience in rural development and sustainable development projects is required; 

• Humanitarian emergency operating contexts, including humanitarian coordination mechanisms, donors, security, and operations management is an asset;

• Experience in stakeholder management and partnership development is an asset

• Experience working in post-conflict or conflict situations is an advantage;

Languages 

• Fluency in written and oral English and Portuguese is required.

1. Contract type: Local Individual Contractor Agreement (LICA) 
2. Contract level: LICA 8/ ICS 8
3. Contract duration: Ongoing ICA – ‘Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.’

• 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 an EPP ICA Recruitment process

Terms and Conditions 

• 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.