Project Management Support - Associate, Multiple positions

The second phase of the Yemen Emergency Electricity Access Project seeks to improve access to electricity for households and provide electricity to critical service facilities in rural and peri-urban areas within the Republic of Yemen. The project is financed by the World Bank (grant from IDA), and implemented by UNOPS. To achieve the project’s objectives, UNOPS will engage solar microfinance institutions (MFIs), solar installers and suppliers, technical service providers, and other stakeholders.

The Project will finance distributed solar solutions to provide urgently-needed access to electricity in Yemen. The project consist of three components: 

Component 1: Electricity in rural and peri-urban Areas (electricity for households, electricity for Critical Services facilities and support to COVID-19 isolation and vaccine cold chain units)

Component 2: Implementation support, market development and technical assistance for power sector sustainability.

Component 3: Contingent Emergency Response Component (CERC)

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager, the Project management support- associate  will be responsible for efficient reviewing, monitoring and evaluation of the project’s planned activities and implementation progress; will promote a client-oriented approach consistent with UNOPS rules and regulations; and will work in close collaboration with the project teams in Yemen, respective units in the Amman Operational Hub, and local participating partners to ensure reviewing activities in support of successful planning and implementation of the project’s components.

The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS. 

UNOPS is committed to achieving a truly diverse workforce.  

The Project Management Support Associate works closely with and under the supervision and guidance of the Project Manager ensures support to efficient implementation of Project through a range of actions contributing to planning, management and monitoring of Project activities.

In performing her/his work, the Project Management Support - Associate promotes a quality and results-oriented approach, and works closely with the Project’s personnel and Support Services, to exchange information and ensure consistent service delivery.

The Project Management Support Associate will undertake the following activities/responsibilities:

Project Monitoring and Reporting:

• Coordinate the preparation of financial and narrative reports  sent by contractors and consultants before handing over to operations section;

• Support in drafting of regular project progress reports and monthly highlight reports in coordination with the project team and Partnership team to UNOPS management, donor and other recipients;

• Supports facilitation of regular project reporting in the system, including for quarterly Quality Assurance exercise.

• Support the planning, reporting, project design and resource mobilization efforts of UNOPS in providing technical services;

• Monitor the provision of services by contractors and consultants in coordination with the field personnel and/ or relevant partners;

• Supports the Project in monitoring the provision of services by contractors and consultants, including technical outputs as well as progress and final reports submitted.

• Support in donor reporting - prepare initial drafts, collect and sort data from internal and external sources, prepare statistical charts, tables and other; collect and file all the supporting documents.

• Support project  management activities and monitor project  implementation, in line with UNOPS Project Management Manual and Project Management ERP.Support administrative, procurement and financial processes, such as Requests  for Proposals’ announcements/ RFQs,  and evaluation processes, communicating different administrative information to Project team, beneficiaries, and administrative monitoring of the grant contracts.

• Contribute to formulating, rolling out and managing M&E strategies and plans, logframes and result tracking toolkits including gender-sensitive performance indicators and establishing baselines and methodology.

• Undertake necessary steps to clean and analyze M&E result related datasets (regular result management, impact monitoring and impact evaluation).

Project Implementation and Visibility

• Support the Project Team in Project planning, implementation and day-to-day activities.

• Provide support for the Project’s communication and visibility activities in full conformity with the donors’ regulations and guidances.

• Provide event management support, including logistics, preparation of participants’ list, invitations, agenda, presentations, attendance sheets, and other.

• Support of all aspects of project implementation and service delivery in full compliance with UNOPS rules and regulations; ;

• Provide support in maintenance of the Project filing system and different project registers.

• Work in close collaboration with other UNOPS projects and participate in UNOPS management/planning exercises as required;

• Receive and check technical outputs sent by contractors and consultant before submitting to administrative section;

• Support planning and participate in the project steering committee and other meetings (as required) and prepare respective minutes/protocols of the meetings.

Operational and Logistics Support:

• Preparing for, and organizing of project meetings, conferences and trainings  which includes support in preparing presentation materials , data collection , drafting reports and minutes of meetings and all necessary logistics   ;

• Assist in  preparing the  terms of reference for contractors and consultant,s and prepare recruitment requests;

• Collect, sort, file and send out project files to the Project team and other relevant personnel.

• Assist in follow up of engagement of project consultants and submission of related time sheets.

• Manage and prepare all supporting documents related to  payments.

• Support procurement related activities

• Support logistical preparations for training events, seminars and workshops;.

• Assist with the translation of project documents to and from Arabic and English;

• Maintain Project inventory list, vehicle log-sheet, fuel consumption, and other.

• Provides support in translation of documents. Interprets during meetings if/as required.

• Support Project staff and consultants with the travel-related processes/procedures.

• Perform other duties as required and in line with the incumbent’s scope of services above.

• Supports the project management office to ensure all project administration tasks are completed in accordance with customer and internal processes and governance;

• Perform any other duties as might be required for the successful implementation of the projects. 

Monitoring and Progress Controls

• Number of project reports/ documents submitted;

• Number of stakeholder coordination meetings coordinated.

• Number of presentations conducted

• Compliance with PMO requirements as per UNOPS procedures and policies

 Education 

• High School Diploma with a combination of 6 years of relevant professional experience prefereably in project management, business administration, finance, logistics, international relations, monitoring  or other relevant discipline 

• University Degree (bachelor’s degree / first level) with a combination of 2 years of relevant professional experience in project management, business administration, finance, logistics, international relations, monitoring or other relevant discipline

• 6 years relevant experience with a High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with a Bachelor Degree; experience in project management , finance , M&E, administration or a collective of all is preferred.

• Experience of working in an international NGO, UN agency or other international technical cooperation agency is desired;

• Experience in complex operating contexts, including humanitarian coordination mechanisms, donors, security, and operations management is an asset;

• Experience and demonstrated knowledge of UN /UNOPS procurement, finance, HR management and/or administrative rules and regulations will be an advantage.

• 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.