Project Management Support - Associate (Liaison)

Kenya Multi-Country Office (KEMCO)

Kenya Multi-Country Office (KEMCO) sub-region currently consists of an established Operation Centre in Nairobi, Kenya which manages a portfolio of engagements in multiple countries in East and South Africa. These include Kenya, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, Tanzania, Eritrea and several island states. KEMC focuses on Infrastructure, Procurement, Project Management, HR and Transactional Services, and Fund Management services in those countries. Our goal is to support countries, help people in need and enable our partners through  delivering on our mandate of infrastructure, procurement and project management in the countries  East and South Africa.

Project Information:

Biodiversity conservation, sustainable land management and enhanced water security in Lake Tanganyika basin project is a project aimed at strengthening the collaborative partnerships between the Lake Tanganyika Authority (LTA) and the contracting States (Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Zambia). Lake Tanganyika Authority (LTA) was established by the contracting States on 12 June 2003 when the contracting States adopted what they call “Convention on the Sustainable Management of Lake Tanganyika.”

The project is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through United Nations Environment (UNEP). UNOPS will be the Project Executing Agency, and is accountable to UNEP for the overall implementation of the project. UNOPS will establish a trans-boundary Project Coordination Unit (PCU) in Bujumbura, Burundi to coordinate the day-to-day administration and operations of the project across the four riparian countries (Burundi, DRC, Tanzania and Zambia).

The project is comprised of 4 components:

(i) Addressing identified transboundary threats to fish biodiversity

(ii) Protection of core conservation zones in protected areas

(iii) Sustainable natural resource use in protected areas and their buffer zones

(iv) Transboundary coordination, information management and M&E.

1. Facilitate a close working relationship between the responsible partner institutions (implementing components 1, 2 and 3) in-country and the NRG 

2. Ensure coordination between the responsible partner institutions in -country, and various donor and government-funded projects and programmes.

3. Ensure coordination at the national and local level between the responsible partner institutions in-country and the various government agencies.

4. Contribute to the review of the in-country progress of project activities

5. Support Senior Project Manager in the assessment of performance of the responsible partner institutions.

6. Support Senior Project Manager in monitoring of project risks. 

7. Contribute to the preparation of the project progress reports.

8. Coordinate responses to national and local level grievances.

9. Support the Senior Project Manager in managing responsible partner institutions to ensure that the agreed deliverables in-country are produced satisfactorily according to plans. 

10. Contribute to the preparation of the project Inception Report, Mid-term Review and Terminal Evaluation reports.

11. Assist in the logistical organisation of stakeholder meetings, field trips, training courses and workshops.

12. Assist the Senior Project Manager in project management related activities (e.g. plans, assurances, reports, etc)

13. Assist the  Senior Project Manager in matters related to M&E and knowledge resources management.

Contract type: ICA 
Contract level: LICA 6
Contract duration: Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

• 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.

• Completion of Secondary School education is required. 
• A Diploma, Degree or equivalent post-school qualification in Sustainable Development, Development Studies, Environmental Studies, Economics, International Relations, Social Sciences, or similar is an asset.

• Project Management certification (Prince 2 Foundation, Prince 2 Practitioner, PMP or equivalent) is an advantage

• A minimum of 6 years experience of participation in the administration or management of in-country donor-funded projects or initiatives is required
• Knowledge and experience of Lake Tanganyika basin conservation, and lake fisheries management issues will be an advantage.

• Fluency in English is a requirement.