Senior Project Manager

The Asia Pacific Regional Office, based in Bangkok, Thailand, provides strategic leadership and oversight for UNOPS operations across 17 countries, ensuring high performance, operational excellence, and alignment with organizational goals. Operations currently span Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Pacific Islands. Across these countries, we work closely with key stakeholders to strengthen partnerships and maximize impact through five main operating units: Afghanistan (AFCO), Myanmar (MMCO), South Asia Multi-Country Office (SAMCO), East Asia and Pacific Multi-Country Office (EAPMCO), and the Asia Regional Health Cluster (ARHC). Through these entities, we provide agile, client-focused service delivery across diverse sectors - including infrastructure, health, procurement, and project management - supporting the implementation of sustainable development solutions across the region.

UNOPS Myanmar is one of UNOPS’ leading offices in Asia, acting as the fund manager for some of the largest development programmes in the country. In addition, UNOPS is the Principal Recipient for the Global Fund in Myanmar and for the Global Fund’s regional artemisinin-resistance initiative towards the elimination of Malaria, which works to accelerate progress toward malaria elimination in the Greater Mekong sub-region. UNOPS provides procurement, infrastructure, and project management services to a wide range of organizations in the country, including international development partners, other UN agencies and INGOs. UNOPS plays a critical role in ensuring that the quality of services provided to its partners meets stringent requirements of speed, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.

The UNOPS Myanmar 3PI (Partnership, Project Management, Procurement and Infrastructure) unit implements programmes and projects for bilateral donors on UNOPS global services lines, mainly infrastructure and procurement. 

Our program and projects focus on fostering resilience and self-reliance among internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host communities. Building essential community infrastructure, including WASH facilities, shelters, monastic schools and health facilities in remote and hard-to-reach areas, with added value renewable energy solutions, giving access to electricity and addressing gender and protection issues to enhance resilience of the vulnerable populations. Additionally, the 3PI Team has procured essential items such as non-food items (NFIs), to remote hard-to-reach regions and areas in Myanmar to address critical humanitarian needs.  

Under the supervision of the Head of Programme, the Senior Project Manager (Implementation) is responsible for planning, organizing, leading the project from Initiation to Closure. The Senior Project Manager ensures effective delivery and oversight of projects, while implementing the services in scope and contributing towards achievement of partners’ goals and objectives. Acting on behalf of the Project Board or applicable governance body, the Senior Project Manager ensures that project outputs are delivered within agreed tolerances of time, cost, scope, quality, risk, and benefits. The Senior Project Manager serves as the focal point for coordination with donors, partners and beneficiaries, ensuring alignment with contractual commitments and UNOPS performance standards. The incumbent possesses and applies a deep understanding of Project planning, implementation, monitoring and control, while managing stakeholder expectations. and ensuring delivery is as per the terms of the Legal Agreement. 

1. Project Delivery and Performance

   1. Develop, complete and update the project implementation plan.

   2. Implement the approved plan (including establishment of milestones) within tolerances set by the Project Board or applicable governance body.

   3. Embed sustainability dimensions, including social and gender considerations, and environmental and economic aspects, into the  project life span.

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

   5. Ensure that quality of work packages and deliverables comply with the quality requirements defined in the implementation plan.

   6. Liaise with external suppliers or account managers to ensure quality and timely delivery of outputs.

   7. Manage acceptance and delivery of work packages.

   8. Monitor project progress, control project variances (if any), and manage changes.

   9. Identify, anticipate and advise senior management and the project board on mitigating measures against project risks to ensure that benefits to partners and other stakeholders are maximized.

   10. Advocate and promote UNOPS service offerings, identify and report potential growth opportunities for UNOPS.

2. Procedures

   1. Comply with the organization’s policies and standards, and ensure project information is kept updated in project management systems.

   2. Be aware of applicable local laws and regulations, and ensure adherence. This includes international regulations and standards, where applicable, as well as technical standards.

   3. Prepare and adapt all relevant plans for approval by the project board, and manage baselines

   4. Manage the reporting obligations defined in the implementation plan and legal agreements.

   5. Maintain project documentation in an orderly manner for accessibility and audit support when needed.

   6. Understand and apply the UNOPS financial rules and regulations. Be accountable for the use of delegation of authority (where applicable) and ensure compliance with relevant policies and standards of ethics.

   7. Provide a formal handover of the project to the closure manager when applicable.

   8. Support project audit activities, including planning, preparation and coordination during audits and follow-up on audit observations/ recommendations.

3. Monitoring and Reporting

   1. Include a results framework and M&E plan in the project implementation plan with clearly defined indicators and agreed targets, ensure regular monitoring and tracking of project results.

   2. Prepare and issue regular project and financial reports in accordance with partner and UNOPS requirements for reporting.

   3. Regularly review project status and evaluate performance criteria (scope, cost, schedule, and quality)

   4. Maintain diaries and progress reports as required by UNOPS standard operating procedures.

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

   6. Ensure all project team members track and regularly update milestones and targets for the duration of the project life span.

4. Stakeholder Engagement

   1. Develop stakeholder engagement strategies and plans. Actively engage stakeholders, take feedback, and adjust as necessary. 

   2. Establish solid working relationships with the project board (executive, senior users and senior suppliers); clients; and key stakeholders.

   3. Enable formulation of project communication plans and monitor effectiveness of project communications.

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

5. Quality Assurance

   1. Work with internal stakeholders to ensure projects comply with audit requirements.

   2. Work with procurement/ purchasing personnel to ensure effective interface with suppliers’ quality systems.

   3. Coordinate quality reviews of project documents and deliverables. 

   4. Provide quality control for management outputs (e.g. project documents, reports, etc)

6. Knowledge Management and Innovation

   1. Create a learning environment for the project team, encourage knowledge sharing and training to contribute to longer-term capacity building.

   2. Actively interact with other project managers and the wider project management (PM) community, share case studies, lessons learned and best practices.

   3. Stay abreast with latest updates and good practices of the profession, participate in training and learning activities for self to advance proficiency and competency.

   4. Ensure lessons learned are shared in a timely and appropriate manner. 

   5. Provide feedback to corporate practice groups on policy and systems, when needed.

   6. Provide feedback to functional groups  on policies and related guidance to support the continuous improvement of UNOPS policy framework

7. Personnel Management

   1. Organise and structure the project team, ensure clearly defined roles and responsibilities. Provide regular guidance and direction, as needed, and support the team in effectively performing their tasks. 

   2. Supervise and support the Engineering Coordinator (technical lead) in ensuring the 3PI infra./engineering/procurement service personnel deliver their technical services on time, with quality, on budget to the requesting Funds/Programme and Projects. 

   3. Lead and motivate the project management team, and manage performance.

   4. Ensure performance reviews are conducted fairly, accurately, and on time.

   5. Select, recruit, and train project teams as required, taking gender parity and diversity objectives into account.

   6. Ensure safety and security for all project personnel in compliance with the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) standard

Required

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 9 years of relevant experience OR

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 7 years of relevant experience is required.

Desired

• Project management certification from a globally recognized institute is desired.

• Professional certification from a reputed institute in the technical topic relevant to the job area is desired.

Required

• A minimum of 9 years of progressively working experience in project/programme management is required and out of this at least 5 years in recovery and livelihoods, humanitarian response or humanitarian-development- peace nexus or related areas is required.

• Minimum 7 years of experience  in managing complex projects/ programmes related to infrastructure, procurement, and other projects/programmes in humanitarian/nexus context is required.

• Experience in project planning, implementation, and control, including project communication and reporting is required.

• Experience of managing project risks in a multi-stakeholder context is required

• Solid practical experience in working with the UN, donors, non-governmental organizations, public sector and/or civil society and stakeholder management is required.

• Strong writing skills including the ability to synthesize information and translate it into analytical reports and actionable plans is required.

• Strong communication skills are required.

• Experience in managing teams is required.

Desired

• Experience of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing or conflict affected country is desired.

• Solid experience in risk management is desired.

• Knowledge of quality assurance methodologies is desired.

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. 
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments. 
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
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• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 
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• 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.