Senior Project Manager (Open for both Nationals and Internationals)

Afghanistan

With more than 20 years of experience in the country, UNOPS Afghanistan focuses on providing maximum support to the people of Afghanistan through the delivery of projects and services that improve the lives of people in need. The UNOPS Afghanistan Country Office (AFCO) serves as an organizational mechanism to deliver a range of projects for which UNOPS has been designated as the implementation agency. At present, UNOPS AFCO activities cover a range of sectors including humanitarian, basic human needs, cash for work, infrastructure, development, procurement and HR services.

The functional objective of UNOPS AFCO is to contribute to improving the lives of girls, boys, men and women living in Afghanistan. The aim of UNOPS AFCO is to provide efficient and cost-effective implementation services on behalf of all our partners to support the humanitarian response and development of the country. UNOPS AFCO’s mission is to exceed the expectations of all stakeholders in the delivery of AFCO services, at all times, in all places, in all circumstances, in order to improve the lives of Afghans in need.

Project specific

The Project for Community-led Climate Change Adaptation in Afghanistan aims to strengthen the resilience of communities by implementing community-led adaptation measures. Its overall objective is to empower people in target communities to have strengthened climate change and disaster resilience through two main components: constructing and rehabilitating small-scale infrastructure for climate change adaptation (e.g., check dams, river bank protection walls, irrigation canals), and strengthening community-based systems to mitigate the impacts of climate change and adverse climate events through training and capacity building.

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Programme, the Senior Project Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the project(s) and provides services to the different donors, partners and beneficiaries. The Senior Project Manager acts on behalf of the Project Board to manage the project on an ongoing basis during the Implementation Stage. The main responsibility of a Senior Project Manager is to ensure that the project outputs are delivered within the specified project tolerances of time, cost, quality, scope, risk and benefits. He/she is expected to meet the organization’s performance and delivery goals.

The Senior Project Manager is responsible to create the Implementation Plan, use the Project Initiation Documents (PID), Legal Agreement and have a thorough understanding of the terms, conditions, and the respective roles and responsibilities of the partners/stakeholders to ensure the project(s) outputs are capable of meeting the business cases for both UNOPS and the partner(s). Success of the project(s) and hence Senior Project Manager will be based on the defined Success Criteria. 

The senior project manager for infrastructure projects will be managing project(s) which ultimate goal is to deliver infrastructure physical assets or technical outputs. Those infrastructures are diverse and range from check dams, river bank protection walls,irrigation systems. 

The senior project manager will be managing project(s) which ultimate goal is to provide implementation services that contribute to the achievement of partners’ goals through a variety of projects quite diverse which can range from management of grants, development of strategies to delivery of training or providing technical assistance. 

While the complexity of those may vary, maintaining high standards in terms of quality, health, safety and sustainability is always expected.

Depending on the nature and configuration of the project, the senior project manager might be executing technical studies, reviews, designs, supervision or operation and maintenance services of one or several physical infrastructure assets, in one or multiple sites. Depending on the implementation modality it may involve large volumes of procurement of goods, services and HR services.

UNOPS operates in complex contexts where resources might be scarce, local capacity low and where professional judgement and experience in these environments are of uttermost importance.

Summary of functions:Project Delivery and Performance

1. Procedures 

2. Monitoring and reporting

3. Stakeholder engagement

4. Quality assurance

5. Knowledge management and innovation 

6. Personnel management
   
   

• Advanced University Degree (Master's Degree or equivalent) in a relevant discipline (International Relations, Development Studies, Project Management, Architecture, Civil Engineering, Water Engineering, etc) is required.

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

• Certification in Project Management (PRINCE2, PMI, etc.) is an asset.

• Complete the UNOPS PMM, UNOPS PMM Infra perspective and oneUNOPS Projects trainings within (3) months from joining UNOPS.

• Professional certification from an accredited institution ( PEng., CEng. , etc) is an asset

Infrastructure Senior Project Managers:

• A minimum of seven (7) years' experience on implementing complex projects/programmes is required.

• A minimum of seven (7) years' experience in Implementing and managing infrastructure projects check dams, river bank protection walls, irrigation canals) is an asset.

• Experience working in JICA or Japan funded projects  is an asset.

• Technical acumen, with the ability to understand and speak to technical project plans and documents.

• Experience in planning and applying Health & Safety procedures is an asset.

• Experience in developing Procurement strategies is an asset.

• Proficient in MS Project and Schedule Analysis is an asset.

• Experience in developing countries or post conflict environments is an asset.

• Experience in writing reports, performing data analysis, and writing technical documents is an asset.

• Knowledge of quality assurance methodologies is an asset.

• Experience in risk management is an asset.

• Experience working in multicultural teams is an asset.

• Experience in managing teams is an asset.

• Strong analytical capabilities with the ability to manage tasks associated with the development of projects.

• Strong Problem Solving Skills.

• If the selected candidate is a national of the duty station, a Local Individual Contractor Agreement (LICA) will be issued.

• Kabul is a non-family duty station

• 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. 

• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience requirements outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to considering all candidates in a fair and transparent manner, and we value diverse perspectives and experiences, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals with diverse 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.