Senior Project Manager

The Senior Project Manager will be responsible for  the below listed tasks:

Summary of functions:

• Project Delivery and Performance

• Procedures 

• Monitoring and reporting

• Stakeholder Management

• Quality assurance

• Knowledge management and innovation 

• Personnel management

• Develop, complete and update implementation plan(s) 

• Implement the approved plan (including the establishment of milestones) within tolerances set by the Project Board. 

• Embed sustainability dimensions including social and gender inclusion, environmental and economic aspects into project life span. 

• Manage the production of the required outputs, taking responsibility for overall progress and use of resources and initiating corrective action where necessary.

• Ensure that quality of work packages and deliverables complies with the quality requirements defined in the Implementation Plan.

• Liaise with any external suppliers or account managers

• Manage acceptance and delivery of work packages

• Monitor project progress ensuring that work packages are being executed properly

• Control project and work packages changes

• Accept goods, services or works delivered by suppliers.

• Lead contract management duties including supplier performance evaluation.

• Identify, and anticipate in a timely manner, potential risks and issues and advises mitigating measures to senior management/ Project Board so that maximum benefit to partner(s) and other stakeholders is achieved

• Identify and report to the supervisor potential business opportunities for UNOPS

• Comply with all organizational policy and specifically the Project Management Manual

• Prepare/adapt all relevant plans for approval by the Project Board.

• Manage the reporting obligations defined in the Legal Agreement(s) and in the Implementation Plan

• Draft the requirements definitions for procurement processes. Approving requisitions and requests for non-purchase order payments; Evaluating submissions received, if appointed to the evaluation team. 

• Ensure maintenance of the project files and lessons learned are recorded

• Ensure the development and implementation of project financial management guidelines and control mechanisms, in conformity with UNOPS rules and regulations.

• Manage budgets, cash flow and obligations to ensure that deliverables are met and payments to contractors and personnel are received on time.

• Understand and manage UNOPS overheads, allocable charges, and related corporate charges as they apply to the project

• Understand the unique structures of the UN and budget appropriately for personnel

• Manage expenditures against the budget (based on accurate financial reports)

• Where the Project Manager has no delegation as a committing officer, s/he retains these responsibilities and will monitor and instruct/request others to carry out the relevant commitments and disbursements.

• For project closure purposes, provide a formal handover of the project to the closure manager

• Support project audit activities, including planning, preparation and coordination during the audits and follow up on audit observations/recommendations

• Prepare and issue regular project and/or financial reports in accordance with Partner and UNOPS requirements for reporting.

• Regularly review project status, evaluating performance criteria (scope, cost, schedule and quality).

• Maintain diaries and progress reports as required by the organization’s standard procedures.

• Provide routine oversight and analysis of delivery data within the dashboard system.

• Ensure all project team members track and regularly update milestones and targets for the duration of projects' life span

• Develop stakeholder profiles and facilitate the formulation of stakeholder engagement strategies

• Establish solid working relationships with the Project Board (Executive, Senior Users and Senior Suppliers), client and key stakeholders

• Enable the formulation of project communications plans. Coordinate internal project communications. Monitor the effectiveness of project communications

• Manage stakeholder engagement and communication, ensuring effective timing and interdependency management of communications. Ensure stakeholders are aware of project activities, progress, exceptions and are in a position to accept handover outputs

• Work with internal stakeholders to ensure projects comply with audit requirements

• Work with procurement/purchasing staff to ensure effective interface with suppliers' quality systems

• Coordinate quality reviews of project documents and deliverables

• Provide quality control for management outputs (project documents, reports, etc.)

• Encourage routine and effective capacity building activities are conducted in order to build the long-term and sustainable capacity of staff.

• Actively interact with other Project Managers and the wider PM community to share case studies, lessons learned and best practices 

• Contribute to the oversight of lessons learned procedures, ensuring that lessons learnt are shared in a timely and appropriate manner. Participate in the relevant Communities of Practice

• Research and logging of lessons learned throughout the project life span.

• Provide feedback to Practice Groups on policy, supporting guidance with an aim towards continuous improvement of UNOPS policies

• Lead and motivate the project management team

• Behave as a role model

• Ensure that behavioral expectations of team members are established 

• Ensure that performance reviews are conducted fairly, accurately and timely

• Development of ToRs

• Select, recruit and train a team as required and take into account gender parity and diversity objectives.

• Ensure safety and security for all project personnel and comply with UNDSS standards

• Create, foster and role model a culture of respect and zero tolerance for discrimination, abuse of authority, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual exploitation and abuse. Ensure accountability for actions and perform duties in accordance with protection mechanisms and action plans, as expected by UNOPS policies, standards and commitments.

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s Degree) in relevant discipline related to Business Administration, Economics, Computer Science, Computer Engineering and related field of studies is required.

• A Bachelor's degree in the above subjects can substitute the Master's degree requirement with an additional 2 years of relevant experience.

Certification:

• Certification of project management (PRINCE 2 and PMI-PMP etc)  is an asset.

Experience:

• A minimum of seven (7) years' working experience in implementing and delivering projects/programs for international organizations is required.

• Experience in programme implementation and/or fund management is highly valued.

• Experience in community development and livelihoods is a distinct advantage.

• A minimum of 4 years' experience in developing countries or post conflict environments an asset 

• 4 years previous experience working with UNOPS/ UN in managing and implementing similar projects an asset 

• Ability to build strong, trusted relationships and operate in an influential manner with the government, UN higher officials etc. to assist in driving key initiatives is essential.

• Experience in creating and executing complex project plans to meet needs and requirements is an asset.

• Thorough experience in writing reports, performing data analyses, and drafting documents is an asset.

• The successful candidate is expected to complete the UNOPS PMM and oneUNOPS Projects training within (3) months after starting the assignment. 

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in written, spoken and reading English is required.
• Fluency in written, spoken and reading the local language (Amharic) is required.
• Knowledge of another UN language is an advantage.