Project Management Office Specialist (PMO)

Summary of functions:

1. Development and planning 

2. Set-up and closure

3. Monitoring and reporting

4. Stakeholder engagement

5. Quality assurance

6. Knowledge management and innovation 

7. Personnel management

• In conjunction with the PMO team, provides appropriate levels of programmatic management and administrative support to the Programme Management regarding all ongoing project activities, while maintaining and implementing appropriate standards and best practices in line with UNOPS policies and procedures.

• Directly contribute to strategic oversight, advice and direction on programme and project management activities in line with service agreements and project documents. 

• Ensure proper development, implementation and, as and when appropriate, amendments, of project budgets and staffing resources, ensuring synergies across the [OC/Hub/PC].

• Develops and establishes resource tracking systems for use within the PMO, complementary to UNOPS' online tools, to ensure effective planning, forecasting and tracking of delivery across the Country Office

• Identifies, and anticipates in a timely manner, potential risks and issues and advises mitigating measures to the Head of Programme.

• Facilitate the development of high-level programme/project plans, including the collation of lower-level plans into programme/project-level milestones.

• Develop, track and maintain dependencies.

• Liaise closely and support the Head of Support Services in all project assets and finance related issues.

• For project closure purposes, acts as (or nominates and supervises) a focal point between the Country Office and donors throughout the process.

• Oversee and coordinate all project closure activities, ensuring appropriate disposal of project assets, timely and effective final (operational) reporting, initiation of financial disbursements as appropriate during Defects Liability Periods, updating of information on the UNOPS system, and effective handover of closed projects to UNOPS HQ for financial closure processes.

• Prepare and issue regular project reports in accordance with donor guidelines for reporting.

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

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

• Identify and anticipates in a timely manner, potential risks and issues specific to delivery forecasts, and advises mitigating measures to the Head of Programme.

• Provide routine oversight and analysis of delivery data within the dashboard system, using UNOPS ERP system as required.

• Perform routine maintenance and implementation of effective monitoring and evaluation systems of programme and project activities, in line with logical frameworks.

• Within the context of monitoring and evaluation, ensure all projects submit and regularly update specific milestones and targets for the duration of projects' life-cycles, and track progress, or otherwise, against such information.

• Provide editorial support to programmes and projects, ensuring effective and timely dissemination of reports, in line with project documentation and clients' expectations.

• Provide the Head of Support Services with necessary project analysis reports and information to support areas relevant to the project management team (i.e. Locally Shared Service Costs projections etc.).

• Coordinate and oversee the implementation of requests or initiatives relevant to project management from the Regional Office, IPAS, and HQ Teams, as required.

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

• Enable the formulation of programme and project communications plans.

• Coordinate stakeholder engagement and communication, ensuring effective timing and interdependency management of communications across programmes and projects.

• Coordinate internal programme/project communications.

• Monitor the effectiveness of programme/project communications.

• Work with internal audit and finance to ensure the programme complies with audit requirements.

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

• Ensure compliance with UNOPS defined standards for programme/project management.

• Coordinate quality reviews of programme/project documents and deliverables.

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

• Represent the Head of Programme in supporting key stakeholders to continuously identify and improve operational processes relevant to project implementation.

• Act as a focal point for the Country Office maturity enhancement initiatives, using the corporate guidance as a baseline.

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

• Participate in, and advocate PMs' participation in, relevant Communities of Practice. 

• Actively interact with PMs and the wider PM community to share case studies, lessons learned and best practices in the Knowledge System. 

• Provides feedback to Practice Leads on policy and supporting guidance working to achieve continuous improvement of UNOPS policies. 

• Contributes to the oversight of lessons learned procedures, ensuring that lessons learnt are shared in a timely and appropriate manner.

• Exercise control of all staffing issues within the PMO team including recruitment, on-boarding and staff performance reviews.

• Directly contributes to the development and maintenance of budget and resource availability tables in conjunction with project managers and relevant project staff.

• Promote and support a learning culture by empowering individuals and teams to identify critical learning needs and plan/provide easy access to learning opportunities to maintain personnel competency and flexibility.

• Foster a positive work environment, respectful of both men and women, and ensure that the highest standards of conduct are observed.

The Project Management Office (PMO) - Specialist directly impacts on achievement of project results by assisting the Head of Programme to implement effective project management methods and strategies, reduced risks, cut costs and improve success rates.  This consequently reinforces the visibility and image of the UNOPS as an effective service provider in project services and management and strengthens its competitive position as a partner of choice in sustainable development and project services.

Education:

A Master’s Degree in Project Management, Business Administration or related field (e.g. International Relations).

Certification:

PRINCE2 Practitioner Certification is highly desirable.

MSP certification (Foundation and/or Practitioner) is an advantage.

Experience:

A minimum of least 5 years of relevant and progressive professional experience, specifically in the field of Project Management with experience of successful implementation and/or oversight of programmes and projects.

Previous experience of working within a PMO environment is an advantage.

Detailed knowledge of UNOPS’ project management tools, UNOPS financial and procurement rules and regulations, and financial management tools, is asset,

Strong experience with data analysis, management reporting and project management tools and information management systems.

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.

Language Requirements:

Full working knowledge of English is essential. 

Fluency in one or more additional official UN languages is an advantage.