P3M Digitalization Lead (internal candidates only)

Process Innovation and Digitalization Programme (PID)

UNOPS is on a Process Innovation and Digitalization journey. The Programme aims to ensure UNOPS delivers the highest quality projects - sustainably, on time, and within budget - for partners and beneficiaries.  

The Programme is expected to last until the end of 2027. It will enhance UNOPS operational efficiency, effectiveness, and agility, overhauling processes and leveraging digital technologies and solutions. It will improve UNOPS collection and use of data, capacity for foresight, capacity for planning, knowledge management, and reporting.

The UNOPS Process Innovation and Digitalization Programme (PID) is committed to maximizing the value of its Programme Management (P3M) systems. This role is crucial in driving the development and implementation of these systems to meet the evolving needs of UNOPS project teams and stakeholders.

The Digitalization Lead will be part of the Practice team and will work closely with the PID Programme. This requires a deep understanding of the organization, its policies, tools and processes, both at the strategic as well as the operational levels; as well as a consultative and facilitative approach, to process re-engineering, development of digital systems and reporting.

This vacancy is for UNOPS internal candidates only. 

The Digitalization Lead will be responsible for maximizing the value of the P3M systems by defining the product vision, managing the product backlog, and ensuring that the delivered systems meet user needs. This includes the following key projects:

• Core P3M Process - Opportunity to Signing: This project focuses on streamlining the initial stages of project development, from identifying opportunities to signing legal agreements.

• Core P3M Process - Implementation and Closure: This project focuses on optimizing the implementation and closure phases of projects, ensuring efficient delivery and effective knowledge capture.

• Sub P3M Process - Infrastructure Management System: This project focuses on developing a robust system for managing infrastructure projects, and enhancing oversight and control.

Key Responsibilities:

Product Backlog Management:

• Translate user needs into clear and comprehensive user stories, ensuring they are aligned with the overall P3M Programme objectives and organizational strategies.

• Collaborate with stakeholders, including PID, ITG, IPMG Senior Project Manager, vendors, and other relevant parties to gather, analyze, and prioritize user needs related to business processes, systems, and technologies for all areas within the P3M capability mapping.

• Lead product backlog refinement sessions, ensuring a clear understanding of user needs and alignment with the overall programme objectives.

• Create and maintain a clear Definition of Done to guide development and ensure that delivered features meet user needs.

Product Vision and Roadmap:

• Develop and communicate a clear product vision for the P3M systems aligned with the PID overall vision and organizational strategies.

• Create a product roadmap that outlines the planned development and release of product increments, ensuring alignment with the overall P3M Programme objectives and the PID objectives.

• Regularly review and update the product vision and roadmap to reflect evolving needs and priorities.

Data Management and Migration:

• Collaborate with stakeholders to gather and analyze data needs for business processes, oversight, and reporting requirements.

• Define acceptance criteria for data migration activities, ensuring data integrity and accuracy.

• Collaborate with the IT team to ensure that data migration is planned and executed effectively.

• Coordinate and manage existing dashboards and the development of new dashboards to suit new/improved systems.

• Lead the testing and rollout of new/improved systems, ensuring a smooth transition and user adoption.

Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration:

• Collaborate with PID, IT teams, the IPMG Senior Project Manager, and stakeholders to align business processes with digital solutions and technologies.

• Engage and collaborate on a communication plan to keep stakeholders informed of the product vision, roadmap, progress, achievements, and challenges.

• Engage stakeholders at all levels to obtain buy-in and support for product development initiatives.

• Capture feedback and suggestions from stakeholders, particularly user groups, incorporating them into the product backlog.

• Engage with external partners, industry experts, and communities of practice to exchange knowledge and best practices.

Change Management and Support:

• Collaborate with the Digital Transformation Change Management Coordinator and Regional Transformation Change Advisors to develop and implement change management strategies to ensure the smooth adoption of new digital systems and technologies.

• Provide guidance and support to project teams, practitioners, and stakeholders during systems design, implementation, and migration efforts.

• Support change adoption, training, and communication strategies, ensuring effective knowledge transfer and user understanding.

Documentation and Knowledge Management:

• Develop standardized systems documentation, including systems architecture, training material, and guidelines.

• Establish a centralized repository to store and manage systems documentation and related knowledge assets, ensuring easy accessibility and regular updates.

• Foster a culture of continuous improvement within the P3M Systems community of practitioners, encouraging the sharing of best practices, lessons learned, and success stories.

Education:

• An advanced degree preferably in Project Management, Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Administration, Public Administration, or other related field is required.

• A combination of Bachelor’s degree with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the education requirements outlined above.

Desirable:

• Strong knowledge of business process management methodologies, tools, and best practices. Lean Six Sigma, or other process improvement certifications would be an advantage.

• Professional certification in relevant practice area (portfolio, programme, project management)

Experience:

• A minimum of 7 years of relevant and progressive professional experience in Programme and/or Project Management is required. 

• Familiarity with UNOPS or other UN policies, processes, tools and systems in portfolio, programme and project management is required. 

• Knowledge of UNOPS policies and procedures, particularly as they relate to project management and digital systems is required.

• Experience in facilitating workshops, engaging stakeholders, and managing change it is required.

• Experience in data management and migration, including the development and management of dashboards is required.

Desirable:

• Recent Field experience of at least 2 years would be an asset.

• Strong understanding of Agile methodologies and principles, including Scrum and Kanban

• Experience in business process analysis, redesign, and optimization

• Familiarity with digital technologies and their application in process optimization and automation.

• Experience in large scale digital transformation.

• 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. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. 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.