Project Management Support - Senior Associate

The Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECR), based in Geneva, is responsible for the effective management, coordination and oversight of UNOPS operations across the region. The ECR region spans the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, South Caucasus, and Türkiye, where UNOPS works with partners to achieve sustainable impact in health, education, environmental management, housing, rule of law, good governance, economic development, and social inclusion. With a wealth of experience in procurement, infrastructure, project and grant management, UNOPS in the region directly implements projects, provides technical advisory services and capacity building to advance the Sustainable Development Goals in support of national governments.

Since opening in 2019, the UNOPS Austria Multi-Country Office (AUMCO) in Vienna has served as a hub for operations across 12 countries in South-East Europe, Türkiye, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia. AUMCO delivers technical expertise, operational support, and sustainable infrastructure solutions for governments, donors, and international financial institutions. Flagship initiatives include Blueing the Black Sea—a GEF and World Bank partnership to reduce pollution and promote sustainable development—and Türkiye’s post-earthquake recovery programme, enhancing protective services for women and children. In Albania, projects revitalise cultural heritage and advance digital justice, while in Kosovo, new university infrastructure supports higher education. In Georgia, AUMCO facilitates the Eastern Partnership European School and strengthens rule of law and digital health access. Across Central Asia, activities range from health system strengthening in Uzbekistan to hazardous waste management in Tajikistan. AUMCO also supports UNOPS’ global Water, Environment, and Climate portfolio, reinforcing its role as a regional and thematic centre of excellence.

Since establishing its presence in Tashkent in 2023, UNOPS has been supporting healthcare infrastructure and service delivery across Uzbekistan. Key initiatives include: - COVID-19 Emergency Response – Strengthening resilience to pandemics by upgrading over 150 Sanitary-Epidemiological Committee facilities. The project delivers infrastructure improvements, diagnostic equipment, an ICT-based national epidemiological surveillance system, and expanded patient treatment capacity. - Oncology Services Development – Enhancing access to quality cancer care by equipping 14 regional hospitals with advanced medical, diagnostic, radiological, and ICT tools, establishing a national cancer registry, and providing capacity building for medical staff. - Hospital Infrastructure Design in Kashkadarya – Supporting healthcare reform through feasibility studies, site investigations, and technical designs for new hospitals in Karshi and Beshkent, aligned with national and international standards. Through these efforts, UNOPS is helping Uzbekistan strengthen its health systems and improve the quality of care for its citizens.

Austria Multi-Country Office (AUMCO)

The Austria Multi-Country Office (AUMCO) is part of the UNOPS Europe and Central Asia Region (ECR). Specifically, AUMCO aims to enable the achievement of Agenda 2030 and the Paris Agreement through global programmes and tailored interventions in the Balkans, South Caucasus, and Central Asia, focused on Infrastructure, Procurement, Project Management (full service, back on track), HR and Transactional Services, Grants Management and Technical and Advisory Services. 

Uzbekistan Office

Under the purview of AUMCO, the UNOPS Uzbekistan Office, established in Tashkent in October 2022 supports the Government of Uzbekistan’s development efforts in the country, through the provision of effective project management, infrastructure and procurement services. At present, the office has signed and has been implementing three engagements contributing to SGD3 (Good Health and Wellbeing), while actively working with the Government of Uzbekistan and development partners in diversifying its portfolio in line with the country’s development priorities including education.

Languages:

Working knowledge of English is required. Fluency in either Uzbek or Russian is required. Fluency in all three languages (English, Russian and Uzbek) is a strong asset.

The Project Management Support Senior Associate provides technical, administrative and logistical support to ensure the efficient and effective delivery of project operations. The incumbent contributes to the coordination and execution of day-to-day project management processes, ensuring compliance with UNOPS standards and procedures. The role is client-focused and results-oriented in supporting timely project implementation.

Project Monitoring and Reporting

• Support the supervisor in monitoring project implementation and financial performance to ensure compliance with UNOPS rules, regulations and reporting standards.
• Prepare and maintain financial disbursement reports and progress updates in coordination with Finance and relevant units.
• Maintain comprehensive project documentation, including financial records, audit files and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) entries (oneUNOPS), ensuring accuracy and completeness.
• Track project budgets, cash flow and expenditures. Identify variances, propose budget revisions, and initiate corrective actions when necessary.
• Record project data and updates in relevant logs and registers, ensuring information accuracy for reporting and audits.
• Take minutes of meetings, track action points, and assist in compiling periodic project performance reports and completion reports.

Project Implementation and Delivery Support

• Assist in day-to-day project execution, ensuring adherence to UNOPS project management methodologies, financial regulations and quality standards.
• Support the preparation, amendment, and monitoring of project work plans, agreements and budget revisions.
• Facilitate communication between partners, service providers and internal teams to ensure the timely delivery of project activities.
• Track project milestones, risks and issues, maintaining updated records and assisting with mitigation planning.
• Support preparation and review of contractors’ invoices, verification of supporting documents, and coordination of deliverables.
• Contribute to identifying operational or administrative bottlenecks and propose practical solutions to enhance project efficiency.

Operational and Administrative Support

• Provide administrative assistance in project operations, including HR coordination, procurement planning and logistical arrangements.
• Support the preparation of Terms of Reference (ToRs), contracts and purchase orders. Review supporting documentation before submission for approval.
• Coordinate and organize workshops, trainings, meetings and missions, ensuring timely logistical, financial and travel arrangements.
• Liaise with Finance, HR and Procurement units to process payments, monitor commitments, and ensure compliance with internal control systems. 
• Maintain project correspondence, records and filing systems in accordance with UNOPS document management policies.
• Support onboarding, induction, and contract management processes for project personnel and consultants.

Financial and Procurement Management

• Assist in the preparation of project budgets, forecasts, and expenditure reports, ensuring accuracy and timely submission.
• Monitor financial transactions, disbursements, and vendor payments in alignment with UNOPS Financial Rules and Regulations.
• Review and reconcile project accounts, ensuring that expenditures align with approved budgets and work plans.
• Coordinate procurement processes, including requisition preparation, evaluation support, and tracking of contracts and purchase orders.
• Facilitate communication with vendors, manage documentation for procurement and financial activities, and ensure timely service delivery.
• Support project audits by maintaining complete financial documentation and assisting in implementing audit recommendations.

Knowledge Building and Sharing

• Support the organization, facilitation and delivery of training and learning sessions on project management.
• Participate in knowledge-sharing initiatives and Communities of Practice (CoPs), contributing insights and lessons learned.
• Conduct research on project management-related topics and contribute to the drafting of reports, summaries and briefing notes.

Required

• Secondary school (or equivalent) with 7 years of relevant experience OR Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 3 years of relevant experience is required.

Desired

• A globally recognized professional certificate or membership in Project Management is desired.

Required

• Relevant experience is work in project management or related areas.  
• Demonstrable proficiency in the use of collaboration and productivity tools (e.g. MS Office, G-Suite, etc) and web-based management systems are required.

Desired

• Experience of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing country is desired.
• Experience in development or humanitarian contexts is desired.

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• Please note that 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. 
• 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. 
• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority 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.

• 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. 
• For more details about the contract types, please click 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.