Project Associate

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 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.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

The Project Associate under the general guidance and supervision of Project Manager and Senior Project Associate is responsible for service delivery under an assigned client’s project and will take independent decisions on administrative actions based on clearly established authority and guidelines. In performing her/his work, the Project Associate works with minimal supervision and promotes a client, quality and results-oriented approach. The Project Associate will work in close collaboration with the Operations, Programme and Projects staff in the Project Centre, Regional Office and HQ to exchange information and ensure consistent service delivery. S/he may also directly train and coach colleagues.

The Project Associate will ensure the provision of project support to Jerusalem Office Projects in the fulfillment of their duties and responsibilities, as framed in Project Documents, and in keeping with internal UNOPS policies, processes and procedures (the “UNOPS legislative Framework”).

The Project Associate, reporting to the Project Manager, is based in Gaza and responsible for the following functional areas:

Project administration/management/planning 

• Collaboration in the management of all aspects of project implementation and service delivery in full compliance with UNOPS rules and regulations, financial processes, financial records and reports and audit follow up, human resources management, procurement processes; implementation of the effective internal control framework;

• Serving as point of contact between UNOPS finance and support staff on issues related to the implementation of the project, point of contact for administrative and operational needs and requirements for the project, and UNOPS;
• Supporting Project Managers with the preparation of project documents for submission to the Jerusalem Office’ Director for his/her approval, in particular assists with the preparation of internal and external project reports;
• Managing information flow and oversea change controls, risk registers and issue management;
• Documents and provides feedback regarding lessons learned and best practices;
• Supporting the project planning process;
• Maintaining project financial documents for audit and review processes;
• Ensuring that accurate date is entered and reflected in oneUNOPS;
• Entering/revising project budgets and awards in oneUNOPS. 

• Initiating procurement of goods or services by requesting quotations, examining cost estimates, evaluating cost effectiveness and compliance with provisions contained in the UNOPS Procurement Manual and related guidelines. Active follow-up from procurement to delivery;
• Managing relationship with suppliers;
• Supporting HR related tasks e.g. monitoring leave usage, verifying timesheets etc.;
• Assisting with various administrative and tasks related to travel and logistics
• Administering complain mechanism and ensuring timely response to beneficiaries’ complains;

Project Finance

• Establishing and ensuring efficient budgetary and monitoring controls are in place;
• Extraction of required financial information from UNOPS project agreements and set up of necessary accounts in line with existing UNOPS financial policies and procedures;
• Information gathering for budget preparation; assisting in preparation of project budget and budget revisions;
• Monitoring of project expenditure; creating project cash flow and exporting expenditure reports on a regular basis;
• Preparing financial reports upon Project Manager’ or stakeholder’s request;
• Providing advice to the Project Manager and stakeholders on the budget status;
• Maintaining budget databases by verifying and entering approved budgets;
• Reviewing and adjusting project expenditures/obligations against approved budgets.

Project Management

• Supporting the Project Manager in meetings with key stakeholders as required by project requirements;
• Assisting in developing and keeping up to date stakeholder management and communication plans;
• Assists in developing and keeping up to date project plan, procurement plan, quality as well as risk and issue management strategies;
• Liaising with the UNOPS Infrastructure Project Management Group (IPMG) to introduce best practices and corporate compliance for project management;
• Advising Project Manager on upcoming reporting deadlines;
• When necessary, can be appointed as an OIC Project Manager.

Project Assurance

• Preparing and monitoring project quality indicators and monthly health checks for the supported project;
• Ensuring that project “blue files” and other relevant project documentation in hard and soft copies are up to date; and
• Providing, as needed project assurance support to project boards.

Final Product

• Ensures smooth running of the project works with minimal amount of supervision;
• Ensures accuracy in recording financial transactions;
• Independently provides accurate reports and /or records in the areas of work, budget/financial management, project management, personnel administration and other administrative functions.
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3.0 Monitoring and Progress Control

Provides monthly reports on project financial situation.

• High School diploma with 6 years of relevant professional experience are required. Master’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, International Management or other relevant discipline would be a significant asset. Two (2) Additional years of relevant work experience in combination with a relevant bachelor’s degree would be accepted.

• Six (6) years of working experience in Administrative Service, Project Management, Finance, Human Resources or  related areas; 
• Experience in resolving finance-related issues;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Office 2010 and/or newer versions) and knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages;
• Experience in handling of web-based management systems;
• Experience in reporting writing and donor communication is strongly desirable;Technical report writing and communications experience would be an asset;
• Minimum of 1 year working experience with the UN and or international organizations, including knowledge of UN rules and procedures in budget management, procurement and recruitment, would be an asset.

Contract type: ICA

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.