Project Management Support Officer (Retainer)

UNOPS Ethiopia Multi-Country Office (ETMCO) exciting career opportunity.


UNOPS-ETMCO is recruiting for this position: Project Management Support Officer (Retainer) based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.


Qualified females and candidates from underrepresented groups in UNOPS are highly encouraged to apply.


Organizational Context

UNOPS supports the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to serve people in need by expanding the ability of the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, infrastructure and procurement in a sustainable and efficient manner. 

Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, our vision is to advance sustainable implementation practices, always satisfying or surpassing our partners’ expectations. 

With over 7,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, wherever they need it. 

A flexible structure and global reach means that we can quickly respond to our partners' needs, while offering the benefits of economies of scale. 

Ethiopia Multi-country office (ETMCO) sub-region currently consists of an established Operation Centre in Addis Ababa which manages a portfolio of engagements in four (4)  Horn of Africa countries  (Ethiopia, Djibouti, Sudan and South Sudan).  ETMCO focuses on Infrastructure, Procurement, Project Management, HR and Transactional Services, and Fund Management services across a wide range of sectors including Health, Education, Agriculture, Resilient infrastructure among others.  

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 in the Horn of Africa.  Building on our global experience successfully delivering projects in complex operating environments, a healthy pipeline of engagements are at various stages of discussion with our priority partners.  

Project Background

UNOPS has signed a project agreement with the Ministry of Health to strengthen the Capacity of the Ministry for the Realization of Health Sector Transformation Plan (HSTP-II) on selected priorities. This project will be implemented in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and the overall objective/purpose is to contribute towards the realization of selected strategic priorities of the Health Sector Transformation Plan (HSTP-II) which is more on project management focusing on institutional capacity building, technical assistance etc. UNOPS is selected to manage and implement the project by creating a project management unit (PMU).

This unit will be formed by a group of experts and specialists in the relevant matters that will be in charge of delivering the outputs.

The Project Management Support Officer will report to the UNOPS Project Manager, and will be working day-to-day in close and collaboration with the client institution, particularly the Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority (EFDA) Director General Office. The PM will also gather feedback from the client to manage and assess the deliverables.

Strategic Initiative:  

• Improve Regulatory Systems
• Improve access to pharmaceuticals and medical devices and their rational and proper use

• A first University Degree (Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent) in  Pharmacy or related fields is required. OR

• Advanced university degree (Master’s Degree or equivalent) in pharmaceutical analysis and quality assurance, or other relevant fields is desirable.

Experience 

• At least two (2) years of proven experience of work  in the regulatory sector directly related to top management positions in the sector is required

• Two (2) years of experience working in regulatory system strengthening projects and program management is required

• Ability to demonstrate in depth understanding and analytical capacity across issues related to global , regional and national medicine regulatory systems is desirable

• Experience working  in establishment and implementation of quality management systems for quality control laboratory is an asset

• Experience working  with development partners, international organizations, and relevant agencies working on  medicine regulatory system is an advantage

• Experience in developing strategic and Quality  management system documents is desirable

• Strong understanding of comprehensive regulatory requirements and Ethiopia’s health care system is desirable

• Ability to promote teamwork between EFDA and regional regulatory bodies is an asset

• Good communication and negotiation skills is desirable

1. Contract type: Local Individual Contractor Agreement (LICA)
2. Contract level: LICA-8 (ICS8)
3. Contract duration: One year, with possibility of extension.

• 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.

To apply for a vacancy, please create a UNOPS Jobs Account. This involves submitting details such as personal information, education, experience, languages, skills and other information.

Learn more about how to apply.