Head of Programme

UNOPS - Ghana Multi Country Office (GHMCO) is recruiting this position: Head of Programme.

Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply.

This is an exciting and rewarding opportunity to help shape UNOPS' efforts to support the expansion of affordable, accountable and effective stakeholder engagement within the Hub.

The Multi-Country/Country Office is responsible for managing strategic and operational risks associated with the CO/MCO portfolio of engagements, developing and delivering cost-effective services contributing to partners' sustainable results and achievements of UNOPS management results.

UNOPS Ghana Multi-Country Office (GHMCO), located in Accra, spans across West Africa, covering Ghana, Gambia, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. GHMCO is responsible for managing strategic and operational risks associated with a subset of the regional portfolio of engagements, developing and delivering cost-effective services contributing to partners’ sustainable results and achievements of UNOPS management results. 

The core functions of the Multi-Country Office are to

• Liaise and develop engagements, and deliver services responding to partner needs.

• Leverage advice and integrate delivery modalities of the three Delivery Practices and the Global Partner Service Office.

• Maintain appropriate arrangements and capacity for direct transactional support for delivery of the sub-regional portfolio.

GHMCO has a diverse portfolio covering infrastructure, urban plan development, project management, procurement and futuristic studies. Opened in 2015, GHMCO is one of the newest Multi-Country offices in UNOPS with a vision and drive to deliver top-quality results to its partners with a sharp focus on operational excellence.

Position Information:

The Head of Programme (HoP) reports directly to the Ghana Multi-Country Office Director who provides direction and general supervision.  She/He is responsible for program development planning and preparation and for managing all stages of programming to achieve results in the area/s of responsibility. The HoP is a leadership role that contributes to the development and implementation of strategies to enhance the competencies and position of UNOPS in sustainable project management and services to partners, stakeholders, and UN system partners.

She/He will be responsible for the following summary of Functions:

• Programme governance, implementation, and monitoring

• Programme development and planning

• Manage programme resources

• Partnership networking and advocacy 

• Knowledge management and innovation

1.  Programme Governance, Implementation, and Monitoring

• Accept responsibility for project portfolio oversight as delegated by the Ghana Multi-Country Office Director and through the role of Project Executive on Project Boards.

• Establish and execute the programme implementation plans in collaboration with the team and partners, including setting objectives, performance measurements, standards and results expected to ensure timely delivery and client-oriented services. 

• Monitor and supervise the timely and cost-effective implementation of the programme according to UNOPS goals and partner expectations, agreed on quality standards, approved budget and full cost recovery, and in line with signed Legal Agreements.

• Supervise the Programme Management Office (PMO) and its setup, to ensure that project management governance, policies, processes, and methods are complied with and practiced according to the UNOPS standards, best project management practices are promoted, and overall assurance of projects is provided.

• Ensure proactive programme and project risk identification and assessment and implementation of adequate mitigation measures.  

• Mentor and assist Project Managers in planning, execution, and delivery of allocated projects, ensuring incorporation of best practice project management processes.

• Facilitate timely and accurate project tracking, analysis of outputs, and reporting.

2.  Programme Development and Planning

• Support the Ghana Multi-Country Office Director in ensuring the financial sustainability of the programme and delivery of desired results, compliance with organizational strategies, rules, regulations, and standards of performance.

• Submit mandated reports and critical issues to the Ghana Multi-Country Office Director and clients, to drive future process improvement and business development planning.

• Analyse and keep abreast of political and development trends in the geographical area, to identify and propose to the Ghana Multi-Country Office Director areas for UNOPS engagement and support based on priorities in the relevant geography, and strategic areas of focus, and comparative advantage.

• Manage and oversee the preparation of programme documents (including business cases/strategies, policy briefs, programme plans, and risk assessments).

• Ensure the accurate and timely completion of programme/business recommendations for the review and approval of the Ghana Multi-Country Office Director.

• Consult and collaborate with internal and external colleagues and partners to ensure linkages, consistency, and harmonization of approaches and compliance with guidelines, framework, and standards of accountability, integrity, and performance.

• Act as the Gender Focal Point for the Ghana Multi-Country Office, assume accountability for the Gender Mainstreaming in the Country Office/Multi Country Office, including Gender Mainstreaming Action Plan being actioned and timely implemented, as well as ensuring that the office has required gender mainstreaming capacity and knowledge, and that gender is mainstreamed into relevant projects, programs, and processes.

3.  Manage Programme Resources

• Plan and propose to the Ghana Multi-Country Office Director, required programme resources (human and financial).

• Compile from the Project Managers, monitor and submit revenue and expenditure forecasts based on UNOPS and Ghana Multi-Country Office financial goals.

• Determine pricing strategies based on UNOPS pricing policy and models to ensure an appropriate balance between revenue and development capacity within UN mandate and spirit.

• Manage programme resources in accordance with UNOPS standards of ethics, integrity and accountability framework and financial sustainability. 

• Plan, recruit, manage and develop programme personnel/technical experts with the skills and competencies needed to ensure optimum performance and encourage the formation of diverse teams.

• Promote teamwork, collaboration, and diversity by providing the programme team with clear direction, objectives, and guidance to enable them to perform their duties responsibly, effectively, and efficiently. 

• Foster a positive work environment, respectful of both men and women, and ensure that the highest standards of conduct are observed.

• Plan, conduct and/or respond to UNOPS performance evaluation reviews and surveys. 

4.  Partnership, Networking, and Advocacy 

• Build and strengthen strategic partnerships through active networking, advocacy, and effective communication of UNOPS competencies in project service delivery and management.

• Support the business development function by identifying and developing new business and partnership/customer opportunities. 

• Work closely with the partnership unit to ensure and facilitate the capture of lessons learned from programme and project implementation into new opportunities and engagement development, as well as the adequate identification of risks and mitigation measures.

• Contribute to current and future growth plans for the Ghana Multi-Country Office, ensuring alignment with the UNOPS Strategic Plan.

• Support Communication Specialists to develop communication strategies to maximize communication impact and outreach and build awareness of UNOPS goals and competencies to reinforce UNOPS's competitive edge as a provider of sustainable project results.

• At the request of the Ghana Multi-Country Office Director participate and/or represent the Ghana Multi-Country Office in inter-agency discussions and planning to ensure UNOPS position, interests, and priorities are fully considered.  

5.  Knowledge Management and Innovation 

• Keep abreast of and incorporate best practices, approaches, and technology to enhance the programme delivery and results. 

• Operationalise and share best practices and lessons learned for corporate development planning and knowledge building.

• Draft policy papers and/or recommend policy changes to align operations with changing environments.

• Lead the planning, implementation, and organization of strategic capacity building of personnel, clients, and stakeholders within the programme.

Impact of Results

The effective and successful performance by the Head of Programme directly impacts on the achievement of programme results and consequently reinforces the visibility and image of the UNOPS as an effective service provider in project services and management and strengthens its competitive position as a partner of choice in sustainable development and project services.

Education 

• A Master’s Degree or Higher in Engineering, Project Management, Public Administration, International Relations or other relevant related fields is required. 

• A Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Project Management, Public Administration, International Relations or other relevant related fields with an additional two (2) years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of a Master’s Degree.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of seven (7) years of relevant experience that combines strategic and managerial leadership in social development, business development, executive management and/or programme management planning and operations in a large international and/or corporate organization is required. 

• Some experience in UN system organizations preferably in a developing country is desirable.
• Experience in the use of Google Suite applications as well as experience in handling web-based management systems is desirable.
• Experience working in developing countries is desirable.

Language: 

• Fluency in written, reading and spoken English is required.  

• Knowledge of another official UNOPS language is an asset.

Certification

• PRINCE2® Foundation/Practitioner is an asset but required completion within the first one (1) year upon joining the organization.

• Programme/Project Management Professional (MSP® or PMI-PgMP/PMI-PMP) is an asset.

• Contract type: International Individual Contract Agreement (IICA)
• Contract level: IICA 3/ ICS 11
• Contract duration: Ongoing ICA – ‘Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.’

• 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
• Accra is a Family Duty Station.
• 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.

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.

Africa Region

AFR helps ensure that projects are executed to the highest standards, providing a shared knowledge base and ensuring that best practices and lessons learned are disseminated between projects across the entire region.