Senior Consultant for Modernizing UNRWA’s Project Management System

The consultant shall deliver the following outputs, in high-quality written English, formatted according to UNRWA’s templates or style guidelines where applicable. All draft deliverables will be reviewed by UNRWA, and the consultant will be responsible for incorporating comments and finalizing the documents: • Inception report: A report produced within the first two weeks of the consultancy, outlining the consultant’s understanding of the assignment, detailed methodology, workplan, and initial findings. The inception report should include an initial mapping of stakeholders to be consulted, a refined timeline for activities and deliverables, and any issues requiring early attention. • Assessment and gap analysis report: A comprehensive report documenting the findings from Task 1 and 2 – the review of current project management systems, processes and the identification of gaps/inefficiencies. This report should include an overview of UNRWA’s current project management workflow (possibly with flowcharts or system diagrams), descriptions of existing systems (REACH/SAP, PMRS, etc.) and their usage, and a clear list of identified issues or pain points. It should also summarize feedback from stakeholder consultations. An executive summary highlighting the most critical needs should be included. • Benchmarking analysis report: A report summarizing the research and insights from Task 3. This should cover the comparative review of practices in other UN or similar agencies, highlighting at least 3-4 case examples. The report should detail the features of the project management solutions reviewed (including integration with SAP or other ERPs, support for RBM, etc.) and best practices in processes or governance that could inform UNRWA’s approach. The findings should be synthesized into lessons learned or guiding principles for UNRWA’s system modernization. Any specific tools or software identified as “best-in-class” should be described with pros/cons in the UNRWA context. • Draft business case for a modernized project management system: A detailed business case document as described in Task 4. This will likely be a substantial document containing the proposed solution options, analysis of technical and financial aspects, and justification of the recommended path. Supporting annexes (e.g. cost tables, technical specifications, risk log, etc.) should be included as needed. The draft will be reviewed by UNRWA’s senior management or a steering committee, and feedback will be provided. • System requirements and specifications document: This document will capture the detailed functional and technical requirements for the proposed project management system. It will serve as a basis for any subsequent software procurement or development. It should outline required functionalities (user stories or use cases) such as project registration, workplan scheduling, budgeting, indicator tracking, dashboards, user roles/permissions, workflow approvals, etc., and technical specifications like integration interfaces (APIs to SAP or other systems), data migration needs, security standards, and any compliance with UNRWA IT policies. If the business case already contains these details, a separate extract or annex can fulfil this deliverable. • Roadmap for system rollout and adoption: A practical, phased roadmap that sets out how UNRWA should roll out the recommended project management system. This should include steps for piloting, scaling, training, stakeholder engagement, change management, and long-term adoption. The roadmap should also propose mechanisms for monitoring progress and ensuring that the system is embedded in UNRWA’s business processes. • Final reports and presentation: Incorporating feedback on the draft business case, system requirements and specifications document and roadmap, the consultant will produce final versions of the documents. In addition, the consultant will prepare a presentation (PowerPoint) summarizing the key recommendations and findings of the assignment (covering the case for change, recommended solution, and next steps). The consultant may be required to deliver this presentation to UNRWA senior management and/or external stakeholders (e.g. donors) as part of validating the proposed approach. All deliverables should be submitted in electronic format (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint as appropriate). The consultant is expected to maintain all working documents and data collected (interview notes, etc.) and hand these over to UNRWA at the conclusion of the assignment. 4. Methodology and Timeline Methodology: The consultant should utilize a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative and quantitative analysis. Key methodological steps are expected to include: • Document review: Thorough review of relevant UNRWA documentation, including but not limited to: current project management guidelines and manuals, any existing SOPs or workflows, samples of project reports, system user guides, previous assessments or audit/evaluation reports related to project management or information systems, and UNRWA’s strategic documents (e.g. Strategic Plan 2023-2028, Digital Transformation Strategy 2022-2026, etc.). This will provide baseline information on how project management is supposed to function and known issues. • Stakeholder consultations: Conduct structured interviews and focus group discussions with a broad range of stakeholders. This should include HQ Departments/Divisions (Planning, DITID, Finance, ERCD, etc.), project managers and support staff in Field Offices, programme chiefs (Education, Health, Infrastructure, etc.), and possibly external partners or donors who interface with UNRWA’s project reporting. The purpose is to gather first-hand insights on system usage, challenges, and requirements. The consultant will prepare interview guides and share key findings with the stakeholders for validation. Note: Consultations should strive for inclusivity across all fields and levels to capture diverse perspectives. • Process mapping and observation: Where feasible, map the workflows for project identification, design, planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting. For example, follow the process of developing a project proposal and entering it into systems, or generating a donor report, to identify pain points or manual steps. Create visual process maps to illustrate the “as-is” state, which will aid in identifying improvements. • Benchmarking research: As described, gather information on other organizations’ systems. This might involve a combination of literature/web research (e.g. UNDP and UNOPS publicly available information, contacting resource persons in those organizations, or using UN inter-agency knowledge networks). • Analysis and synthesis: Analyse the information collected to produce the gap analysis and formulate solution options. This will involve identifying root causes of current inefficiencies and abstracting the requirements that any new system must meet. Use best-practice frameworks for business analysis (for example, SWOT analysis for options, cost-benefit analysis for the business case, etc.) to ensure rigor. If needed, the consultant can apply tools like comparative scoring (for evaluating different software solutions) and reference industry standards for project management systems. • Validation workshops: Hold one or more validation meetings with key UNRWA stakeholders to discuss the findings and proposed recommendations before finalizing the business case. This will help build consensus and refine the outputs. • Collaboration and reporting: The consultant will closely collaborate with a small working group designated by UNRWA throughout the assignment. Regular progress meetings (weekly or bi-weekly) should be held to update on progress, address challenges, and ensure alignment. The consultant should maintain an open line of communication (email/virtual meetings) and provide monthly progress reports (even if informal) to document work accomplished against the timeline. Timeline: The expected duration of this consultancy is five months (20 weeks) from the start date, with an anticipated start in November 2025. The following is an indicative timeline for key milestones and deliverables (which will be finalized in the Inception Report): • Week 1-2: Contract onboarding, initial briefings with UNRWA, collection of background documents. Deliverable: Inception Report (end of Week 2). • Week 3-6: Conduct comprehensive assessment (Task 1 & 2) – stakeholder interviews, process mapping, initial analysis. Deliverable: Assessment & Gap Analysis Report (end of Week 6). • Week 5-8: Conduct benchmarking research (Task 3) in parallel with ongoing assessment. Begin formulating potential solutions. Deliverable: Benchmarking Analysis Report (end of Week 8). • Week 9-14: Develop draft business case and System Requirements Document (Task 4). Engage in validation discussions on preliminary recommendations. Possibly present draft findings to senior management for input. Deliverable: Draft business case and Systems Requirement Document (around end of Week 12, can be shared for feedback). • Week 15-17: Refine business case based on feedback and prepare draft roadmap (Task 5). Deliverable: Revised business case (end of Week 16); and draft roadmap (Week 17). • Week 18-20: Finalize all deliverables – incorporate final comments, prepare presentation. Deliverable: Final Business Case, roadmap and presentation (by end of assignment, e.g. Week 20). UNRWA will facilitate the consultant’s access to necessary information and stakeholders. If travel to UNRWA’s area of operations is required and feasible, it should be agreed in the planning phase and will be arranged in line with UNRWA’s travel policies. The timeline should be flexible to accommodate the schedules of stakeholders and any unforeseen delays, but the consultant is expected to manage time efficiently to deliver within the contract period.

HQ Amman

Five months

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is a United Nations (UN) agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 with a mandate to provide assistance and protection to about five 5.9 million registered Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. UNRWA delivers education, health care, social services, infrastructure, microfinance, protection and emergency assistance through a large operation of approximately 30,000 staff, funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions. UNRWA mobilizes and manages funding through three complementary streams. The Programme Budget (PB) provides unearmarked resources that cover the Agency’s core services. Emergency and Flash Appeals (EA/FA) are issued annually or as needed in response to crises, enabling UNRWA to secure short-term earmarked and unearmarked funding for urgent priorities. The Projects stream complements the PB and EA/FAs by funding time-bound initiatives that address funding gaps or other specific needs. Effective project management is critical for UNRWA to plan, implement, and monitor its diverse portfolio of donor-funded projects. Currently, the Agency utilizes multiple tools and processes for project management. While reliable and providing a solid foundation for day-to-day operations, there is a clear opportunity to reduce overlap, enhance coherence and streamline workflows by harmonising data across platforms and strengthening reporting and analytics. To further embed results-based management, UNRWA seeks to adopt a more integrated project management solution that links project planning, monitoring, and reporting with its ERP (SAP REACH) and results frameworks. To address these challenges, UNRWA is seeking to engage a Senior Consultant to conduct a comprehensive assessment of its current project management systems and processes, benchmark against best practices in comparable UN organizations, and develop a compelling business case and roadmap for a unified project management digital platform that meets UNRWA’s needs. Current System Environment: REACH is the name given to UNRWA ERP system which is SAP ECC 6.0. Other key components being used include SAP Business Objects (BO) and Business Planning and Consolidation (BPC). REACH’s Functional Scope includes: • Public Sector: Grants (GM), Projects (PS), Budgets (CO, FM) • Finance: Accounts, Treasury, Assets • Procurement and Logistics • Human Resources and Payroll • Fund Planning and Result Base Monitoring (RBM): Business Planning and Consolidation (BPC) and SAP BW • Reporting: SAP BI/BO and SAP-BW 2. Objectives and Scope of Work Objectives: The primary objective of this consultancy is to lay the groundwork for modernizing UNRWA’s project management system. This involves producing a thorough assessment of the current situation, identifying improvement opportunities, and formulating a strategic business case and roadmap for a new or enhanced digital solution integrates with UNRWA’s ERP (SAP REACH) and supports results-based management. The end goal is to enable UNRWA to adopt a lean and cost-effective project management solution tailored to its operational context, thereby strengthening project planning, implementation, monitoring, budgeting, and reporting across the Agency. Scope of Work: Under the supervision of the Head, Strategic Project Management Office in the Department of Planning in HQ-Amman, the Senior Consultant will perform, at minimum, the following tasks and responsibilities: 1. Comprehensive assessment of current systems, tools and processes: Conduct an in-depth review of UNRWA’s existing project management environment. This includes mapping out the current systems (notably REACH/SAP, the Project Monitoring and Reporting System [PMRS], Results-based monitoring [RBM] system, and other internal systems used by fields and HQ Departments/Divisions), as well as the organizational structure, business processes, and workflows related to project planning, implementation, monitoring, budgeting, and reporting. The consultant will analyse how projects are currently initiated, approved, tracked, and reported within UNRWA, and document any system limitations or process bottlenecks. This assessment should involve consultations with key UNRWA stakeholders (e.g. Department of Planning, Digital Impact, Technology and Innovation Department [DITID], Finance Department, External Relations and Communications Department [ERCD], other Support Departments, Field Offices etc.) to gather insights on user requirements, pain points, and aspirations for improvement. 2. Identification of gaps, redundancies, and inefficiencies: Based on the assessment, identify and articulate the gaps between UNRWA’s current project management needs and the capabilities of existing tools and systems. Highlight any redundancies (e.g. duplicate data entry or overlapping functions) and inefficiencies (e.g. manual workarounds, slow reporting workflows, lack of real-time data visibility). This should cover all aspects of the project cycle – from the identification of needs, project formulation, planning and initiation, through implementation and monitoring, financial tracking, to reporting (internal management reporting and external donor reports) and closure. Specific attention should be paid to how well current systems support results-based management – e.g. linking projects to strategic outcomes/indicators – and where improvements are needed. The consultant will produce a diagnostic report and matrix summarizing these findings and the consequences of the status quo (such as delays in reporting, data inconsistencies, limited analytical capacity, etc.). 3. Benchmarking with comparable UN Agencies and best practices: Research and benchmark UNRWA’s project management practices and systems against those of comparable UN agencies. This should include agencies such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), the UN Secretariat (e.g. departments using the Umoja SAP system), and other relevant UN agencies,. Examine how these organizations plan, monitor, and report on projects, and what project management information systems or platforms they use. Identify lean and cost-effective digital solutions and evaluate their features in supporting results-based management, multi-donor reporting, and real-time analytics. The consultant should draw lessons on best practices (process improvements, governance arrangements, change management) and technology options that could be applicable to UNRWA. This benchmarking may involve desk research as well as interviews with counterparts in those institutions to gather practical insights. 4. Development of a business case for a modernized and unified project management system: Based on the findings from the assessment and benchmarking, develop a comprehensive and well-justified business case for the design and implementation of a modernized and unified project management system at UNRWA. The business case will serve as an internal decision-making document for UNRWA leadership and as the foundation for seeking funding support. It should be prepared in a clear and compelling manner, suitable for presentation to senior management and governing bodies. Key elements to include: • Recommended solution: Propose solution options for the new project management system. This could range from configuring existing SAP modules or SAP add-ons, to procuring a dedicated PPM software that integrates with SAP or building an enhanced in-house system – or a combination thereof. For each option, describe the core functionalities and how they meet UNRWA’s requirements (e.g. capturing the full project cycle, linking logical frameworks/results to projects, budget and expenditure tracking, document management, dashboard and reporting capabilities, integration with REACH SAP financials and possibly other systems like the RBM platform, etc.). • Technical feasibility and integration needs: Analyse the technical requirements for implementing the recommended solution. Explain how the new system would interface with UNRWA’s existing IT landscape, particularly the SAP-based REACH ERP and other relevant systems. Discuss data migration needs, hosting and security considerations, and alignment with UNRWA’s IT architecture and standards. • Cost estimates: Provide an estimate of the total cost of ownership for the new system option(s). This should include one-time implementation costs (software licensing or development, hardware or cloud infrastructure, implementation services, training, data migration) and recurring costs (maintenance, support, subscriptions) over a multi-year period. If multiple options are presented, a comparative cost analysis should be included, along with an outline of potential cost-savings or efficiencies that the system will enable (e.g. reduced staff time spent on manual processes, improved timely utilization of funds, etc.). • Operational benefits and impact: Articulate the expected benefits of the new system for UNRWA’s operations. This may include faster and more accurate reporting to donors and management, improved ability to track results and outcomes, greater transparency (including feeding data into the Projects Transparency Portal in real-time), elimination of duplicate data entry and reconciliation efforts, strengthened internal controls and compliance, and better decision-making through dashboards and analytics. The business case should clearly link these benefits to UNRWA’s strategic objectives of efficiency, accountability and improved service delivery. Include qualitative and quantitative justifications, and if possible, incorporate examples or evidence from other entities organizations (e.g. how similar system improvements yielded positive results). • Risks and mitigation measures: Identify potential risks or challenges in pursuing the new system (such as implementation risks, change management issues, training needs, data privacy concerns, etc.) and propose mitigation strategies for each. 5. Development of a roadmap for system rollout and adoption: Based on the recommended solution, prepare a phased roadmap that outlines how UNRWA could implement and adopt the new project management system. This should include sequencing of activities (e.g. piloting, configuration, data migration, training, change management), key decision points, indicative timelines, and resource needs. The roadmap should also identify the roles and responsibilities of different departments, anticipate challenges in adoption, and propose strategies to ensure agency-wide buy-in and sustainable use of the system. Throughout the assignment, the consultant is expected to maintain close coordination with relevant UNRWA stakeholders, provide regular updates, and incorporate feedback. All work should be carried out in a participatory manner, building buy-in for the recommended solution across the Agency.

UNRWA is seeking a highly qualified Senior Consultant with the following profile: • Education: An advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Project Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, Information Systems, or a related field. A first-level university degree in combination with additional qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree. • Experience: At least 7 years of progressively responsible professional experience in relevant areas such as project/programme management, business process analysis, and information system implementation. This should include substantial experience leading or advising on the design and/or implementation of project management systems or enterprise solutions in large organizations. Experience with UN agencies or international organizations is highly desirable, especially work involving results-based management and donor-funded projects. The candidate should demonstrate a successful track record of conducting organizational assessments and developing business cases or strategic plans for system improvements. • Technical Expertise:  Strong knowledge of project management methodologies and standards (e.g. PRINCE2, PMBOK, or others) and demonstrated ability to apply these in improving organizational processes. Certification in project management (such as PMP, PRINCE2 or others) is an asset.  Familiarity with ERP systems, particularly SAP, and how they support project/grant management. Direct experience with SAP Public Sector Management modules or SAP-based project systems would be a distinct advantage. Knowledge of project portfolio management (PPM) software solutions and trends in the industry (cloud-based project management tools, integration via APIs, etc.) is expected.  Strong analytical and IT skills, with the ability to understand database structures and data flows. While programming is not required, the consultant should be comfortable discussing technical integration (e.g. linking a web-based application with SAP or data warehouse). Familiarity with business intelligence and reporting tools (such as SAP BI, Power BI, or others) is desirable given the emphasis on improved reporting.  Up-to-date knowledge of best practices in results-based management (RBM) and monitoring & evaluation, to ensure the system supports logical frameworks, indicator tracking, and outcome reporting.  Communication and analytical skills: Excellent analytical writing skills with the ability to synthesize complex information into clear, structured reports and actionable recommendations. The consultant must be fluent in English, with superb written and oral communication skills. Ability to present findings to both technical and non-technical audiences and to facilitate discussions/workshops is essential. Working knowledge of Arabic would be an asset (though not mandatory), given UNRWA’s regional context.  Interpersonal and organizational skills: Demonstrated ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders, including senior management, technical IT staff, and field personnel. The consultant should have strong facilitation and coordination skills to engage stakeholders in different locations (possibly remotely) and gather inputs. Experience working in the Middle East or in multi-cultural environments will be beneficial. The consultant should be self-motivated and able to work independently, but also adept at collaboration – as the role involves coordinating with multiple UNRWA Departments/Divisions and possibly external partners.

Fluency in written and spoken English is required

• Other Requirements:  Neutrality and Professionalism: The consultant must adhere to UN standards of conduct. Familiarity with the UN’s ethical norms and the need for neutrality/impartiality in a politically sensitive environment is important.  Availability: Willingness to travel to UNRWA areas of operation if required (security and health conditions permitting), and to adapt to different time zones for remote consultations.  References: The consultant should be able to provide references for similar work undertaken (preferably a sample ToR or business case developed for a comparable assignment). Duty station, duration and remuneration. The Senior Consultant will be employed full-time for a period of five months. The duty station for this position will be UNRWA Headquarters in Amman, Jordan. Partial remote working modalities can be considered. Remuneration will follow the UN international salary scale, with a P4-level salary of approximately of $US 116,000-118,000 per year (all-inclusive).

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.