Programme Management Office (PRMO) Specialist

At UNOPS we celebrate diversity and are committed to equal employment opportunities. 

We encourage qualified individuals to apply, as well as all individuals who meet the qualifications for the position, especially those from racialized or indigenous groups, people of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

1. About our culture

 ***For more information about the UNOPS Office in Guatemala, please review the Factsheet attached to this publication.***

1. Purpose and Scope of Assignment 

The Program Management Office (PRMO) is established to provide a decision-enabling, delivery support and assurance support structure for UNOPS Guatemala's office. The key functions and services of the Program Management Office PRMO Specialist include:

• Strategic Planning Support: Ensuring UNOPS Guatemala's office is focused on doing the right projects. Key activities include assessment in alignment with the UNOPS Guatemala's office strategic objectives, planning support, preparation of management dashboards and reports, including scrutiny. 

• Delivery Support: Ensuring UNOPS Guatemala's office. is doing projects the right way. Key activities include providing expertise for start-up of projects, planning, delivery and closing of projects, and supporting the Business Development and Project Management teams with the application of UNOPS project management policies, standards and practices.

• Best Practice implementation: Ensuring effective application of UNOPS policies, processes and standards in programme and project management, encouraging consistent working practices and appropriate application of mandatory requirements. 

• Support to project assurance - supporting the project's executive in fulfilling his/her project assurance role, by monitoring projects progress against the agreed tolerances, monitoring that working standards are being followed, monitoring that scope is not changing without proper controls and that project risks are controlled quality being managed. 

The Program Management Office (PRMO) Specialist reports to the Head of Programme and leads the PRMO unit in Guatemala's office, with additional support/advice from the regional Project Management Advisor. This involves support to the Head of Programme in the design, establishing and managing the PRMO in Guatemala's office, supporting senior management decision making and consistently delivering projects in Guatemala´s portfolio, ensuring that project management policies, processes and systems are followed and applied according to the organization standards. The PRMO Specialist provides overall project assurance capacity, and strongly contributes to moving the UNOPS Guatemala's office toward achieving its strategic objectives.

2. Summary of functional responsibilities

• With the support from the regional Project Management Advisor, successfully design, establish and implement the core functions of the PRMO.

• Manage the PRMO on a day to day basis.

1. Education 

• A Master’s Degree in Project Management, Business Administration/Management, International Development, Political Science, Economics, Engineering or relevant fields is desirable .

• A Bachelor's Degree in the above-mentioned areas or other relevant field plus two (2) additional years of experience will be accepted in lieu of the Master’s Degree.

2. Work Experience 

• A minimum of 5 years (or more depending on academic credentials) of relevant and progressive professional experience, specifically in the field of Project Management with experience of successful implementation and/or oversight of programmes and projects.

• Experience with data analysis, management reporting and project management tools and information management systems is required.

• Previous experience of working within a PMO/PRMO environment is an advantage.

• Previous experience of working with International Organizations is an advantage.

3. Language

• Full domain of Spanish

• English is required at a professional level.

4. Certifications

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement -ICA  

• 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. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. 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.