Project Management Support - Senior Associate

Organisational Context:

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world.  Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organisations. 

Diversity

With over 5,000 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.

1. Project Implementation

2. Project monitoring and reporting

3. Coordination and liaison

4. Financial and procurement management

5. Operational and logistical support

6. Knowledge management and innovation

• Preparation and maintenance of project files, including internal and external project reports and documents.

• Coordinate information flows and oversee change controls, risk registers and issue management by establishing document control procedures

• Coordinate assigned delivery of work packages and take responsibility for progress.

• Supports the monitoring and management of work  packages within the project as and when required

• Coordinate and liaise with the Project Manager on the  the project planning process and implementation progress. Document and feedback lessons learned and best practices

• Work with Project Manager to identify and manage risks. Facilitate information  flows and overseeing change controls, risk registers and issue management.

• In consultation with the relevant stakeholders, assist in preparing amendments of Agreements and Budget revisions when applicable.

• Provide substantive inputs to assist the Project Manager in the preparation of project reports and documents, ensure compliance with contractual obligations and UNOPS policies, processes and procedures

• Maintain records of project files and other supporting documents.

• Maintain the following records: Quality Register, Configuration Item Records and all other

• registers/logs delegated by the Project Manager

• Support the Project Manager in maintaining the following:

        i. Project Document records,

       ii. Procurement, HR and Finance files as required by UNOPS policies

• Coordinate the compilation, consolidation and analysis of relevant data of the project.

• Supports the monitoring and administration of contract management (HR, Service Contracts, rental agreements etc.) for Project operations;

• Proactively coordinate/liaise with support units on all administrative matters related to contract management;

• Liaise with the Programme Management Office (PMO) Team Members to complete project assurance related tasks.

• Supports the Project Manager in communication with stakeholders and ensures stakeholders are aware of project activities, progress, exceptions and are in a position to accept handover products.

• Support the Project Manager to ensure accurate data entry into UNOPS ERP system (OneUNOPS) and (OneUNOPS Projects) as appropriate.

• Monitor project budget and financial expenditure and all administrative procedures in line with the work-plan.

• Facilitate processing of direct payments and advance requests and prepare project budget revisions.

• Support the preparation of financial reports, including developing financial monitoring and reporting formats as per UNOPS requirements.

• Support the Project Manager by monitoring budgets, cash flow and reporting on expense obligations to ensure that deliverables are met.

• Conduct financial analysis to manage and calculate financial shortfalls and over-expenditures. Alert the Project Manager of any financial shortfall and over-expenditures.

• Ensure conformity of project disbursement requests with procedures, work  plans, and availability of resources for expenditure.

• Coordinate supplier communications, meetings and reports as necessary.

• Maintain all supporting project financial documents for audit and review processes.

• Establish and monitor an internal control system for all administrative actions.

• Identify operational, administrative,  financial and other bottlenecks that may  impede project delivery; recommend solutions and take appropriate remedial action.

• Liaise with finance and logistics/procurement units in tracking commitments and disbursements.

• Contribute to organizing project and stakeholder meetings as and when necessary, and maintain records of these meetings.

• In accordance with UN and UNOPS Security Policies, manage travel for all personnel in the Project Team.

• Actively seeks advice and coordinates donor engagement with the UNOPS Japan Partnerships Liaison Office.

• Support the compilation of lessons learned as per defined reporting format and the PMM.

• Actively contribute to building local capacities at every level and opportunity in Project

• Management Support.

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

• Contribute to expertise in tools and techniques.

• Minimum of seven (7) years of relevant working experience in Project Management with focus in budget management, financial monitoring, operations support, reporting and project planning is required.

• Demonstrated knowledge of UNOPS and/or UN financial rules and regulations will be an asset.

• Experience in the use of google software packages (Google Doc, Sheets and Slides) and experience in handling web-based management systems is an added advantage.

• Demonstrated experience working with multidisciplinary and multicultural teams is an asset.

• Contract type: Local Individual Contract Agreement (L-ICA)
• Contract level: LICA 7/ ICS 7
• 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.

• Abuja, Nigeria is a family duty station.

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.