Project Manager (Water Engineering) - Open to both nationals and internationals

UNOPS Haiti Country Office (HTCO) is seeking to hire a Project Manager who will lead an ambitious project (approximately $30M over 3 years) with the National Water Agency (DINEPA) to elaborate (or validate existing) technical designs, manage execution of works and build capacity for operation and maintenance of more than 20 local water delivery systems across Haiti. In parallel, UNOPS will support DINEPA in its supply chain: procuring and importing materials and equipment, and building three warehouses across the country. This Project Manager will engage with senior DINEPA management, and require strong stakeholder engagement competencies.

The Project Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the project(s) and provide services to the different donors, partners and beneficiaries. They act on behalf of the Project Board to manage the project on an ongoing basis during the Implementation Stage. The main responsibility of the Project Manager is to ensure that the project outputs are delivered within the specified project tolerances of time, cost, quality, scope, risk and benefits. They are expected to meet the organization’s performance and delivery goals.

The Project Manager has the authority to assign, as per the Project Plan, work packages to Team Managers and approve deliverables produced by them. They are 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 will be based on the defined Success Criteria. 

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

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.).

• 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.

• Lead and motivate the project management team.

• Establish strategic team objectives, key performance indicators and measurement standards toward delivering expected results. 

• Continuous assessment of the performance and effectiveness of Project services, recommending changes and/or corrective actions in the team structure and/or financial operations to enhance and maintain effectiveness in the changing environment.

• Attract, retain and develop talent with the skills and competencies needed to ensure optimum performance, offering guidance to enable responsible, effective and efficient performance.

• Ensure principles of human rights, gender equity, peace, voice and accountability, ‘doing no harm’ and aid effectiveness in all activities.

• 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.

Education

• An advanced university degree (e.g. Masters) in a relevant technical discipline  (e.g. Water Engineering) related to the nature of the project is required.

• A first-level university degree (e.g. Bachelor) in a relevant technical discipline  (e.g. Water Engineering) related to the nature of the project in combination with two (2) additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.

Certification

• PRINCE2 Practitioner, PMI Project Management Professional, or other internationally recognized certification is an asset. The successful candidate is expected to complete the PRINCE2 Practitioner certification or its equivalent within the first six (6) months of taking up the assignment.

Work Experience 

• A minimum of five (5) years' experience in implementing and managing similar or related projects is required.

• At least three (3) years' experience in developing countries or post conflict environments is required.

Desirable:

• At least three (3) years’ experience working with UNOPS in managing similar projects

• Significant experience in contract management

• Knowledge of FIDIC contracts

• Experience in writing reports, performing data analyses, and writing technical documents

• Strong technical acumen, with the ability to understand and speak to technical project plans and documents

• Experience in planning and applying Health & Safety procedures

• Experience in developing Procurement strategies

• Proficient in MS Project and Schedule Analysis

• Knowledge of quality assurance methodologies

• Experience in risk management for infrastructure implementation projects

• Experience in managing teams.

Languages

• Fluency in either English or French is required. Intermediate level in the other is required.

1. Contract type: International Individual Contractor Agreement (IICA) or Local Individual Contractor Agreement (LICA) 
2. Contract level: ICS-10 / IICA-2 / LICA-10
3. Contract duration: 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.

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.