Project Management Senior Associate

Background Information – Amman

The UNOPS Hub in Amman implements projects in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen, in partnership with bilateral donors, national governments, and other UN agencies.  With an established presence across the region, the office runs operations including large-scale procurement, project development, and technical management, and provides financial, human resources, and infrastructure-related services. The functional objective of UNOPS Hub in Amman is to deliver its projects in an efficient and effective manner and in line with the principles, rules and regulations of UNOPS, in order to support the response to the current needs and national priorities in the region.

UNOPS has been active in Iraq since 2004, delivering close to 50 projects worth over USD 260 million. UNOPS has a very strong relationship with the key counterparts at both central and regional government levels in Iraq. UNOPS operates from its Operational Hub in Amman and supports its country office in Baghdad.

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 fully diverse workforce.

Project Information:

The Project’s overall objective is to contribute to the revitalization of agriculture while building resilience to climate change in the Southern Governorates in Iraq.

The Project has the three following specific objectives:

Water Management - Increase water availability and irrigation efficiency to sustain water supply for agricultural production in the selected governorates

Climate Change - Mitigate the impact of climate change namely the reduction in precipitation and increasing water scarcity by supporting irrigated agricultural production

Agriculture - Enhance the profitability of the supported small farms/agri-businesses in order to contribute to the improvement of the income of the rural vulnerable farmers

UNOPS will be responsible for the design and rehabilitation works of the irrigation infrastructure schemes such as the lining of dried up water canals, supply and lay out of closed irrigation systems and rehabilitation of pumping stations.

The project team is planned to be around 5 personnel and the budget is planned to be around $12 million dollars.

Under the general guidance and supervision of the Project Manager, the Senior Project Associate’s responsibilities include the following:

1.     Project implementation

• Assist in management of assigned delivery of work packages and take responsibility for progress.

• Coordinate and liaise with the Project Manager on the implementation progress. 

• Working with the Project Manager, identify and inform on deviations from the plan, and assist in identifying and managing risks and update plans as needed.

• Provide support on contract management.

• Monitor project progress and alert the Project Manager of any deviations and propose corrective measures where necessary.

• Preparation and maintenance of project files, including internal and external project reports

• Assist in overseeing change controls and managing risk registers and issue management by establishing oversight procedures.

2.     Project monitoring and reporting

• Provide substantive inputs to assist the Project Manager in the preparation of project reports and documents, maintaining records on OUP and tools

• Support the Project Manager in maintaining the project document storage system

• Prepare an initial draft of project reports and presentations for the Project Manager

• Monitoring the budget, follow up on payments, receipts, POs and requisitions related to the implementation of the project 

• Verifications of reporting requirements and ensuring adherence to those requirements.

3.     Stakeholder management, coordination and liaison

• Support the coordination and management of communications with relevant stakeholders including the donor, beneficiary, suppliers, contractors etc .

• When required, and in meetings, promote relationships with other stakeholders for the purposes of facilitating activities and improving the quality and relevance of information analysis.

• Participate in internal and external meeting as needed

• Secondary education is required.

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and/or Project/ Programme Management, Engineering, or Development Studies is desired but may substitute for 4 years of relevant experience.

• 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.

• This position is located in Baghdad, Iraq which is a non-family duty station.

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.