Portfolio Senior Assistant

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.

The East Asia and Pacific Multi-Country Office (EAPMCO), headquartered in Bangkok, supports UNOPS operations across 24 countries in Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, and the Pacific. Established in January 2023, EAPMCO provides strategic direction, operational support, and quality assurance to ensure the efficient and effective delivery of projects across its portfolio. EAPMCO implements initiatives in priority areas such as energy transition, climate change, and sustainable development, drawing on UNOPS' core expertise in human resources, procurement, infrastructure, fund management, and programme management.

UNOPS South East Asia Multi-Country Office (EAPMCO)

The South East Asia and Pacific Multi Country Office (EAPMCO) supports, develops, and oversees the UNOPS portfolio of projects in South East Asia and the Pacific. EAPMCO was established in January 2023 following the merger of the Thailand Multi-Country Office, which covered 20 countries across  North East Asia, South East Asia, and the Pacific, and the Cambodia Multi-Country Office, which covered 4 countries in South East Asia - 3 countries in the Mekong Sub-region (Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Vietnam) and the Philippines.  EAPMCO currently covers 24 countries across North East Asia, South East Asia, and the Pacific. With its head office in Bangkok, the Multi-Country Office comprises nine business units: EAPMCO Thailand, EAPMCO Indonesia,  EAPMCO Pacific Operations Cluster, EAPMCO Papua New Guinea, EAPMCO China, EAPMCO Mekong, and EAPMCO Philippines.

In 2024, the UNOPS EAPMCO implemented projects worth more than USD 80 million, in the areas of Energy Transition, Digital Transformations, Sustainable Environmental Management, Climate Change, Waste Management, Rule of Law and Access to Justice, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Post Conflict Reintegration, Emergency Relief, Post COVID19 Economic Transformations, and Health, through HR, procurement, construction, contract management, fund and program management services.

The Multi Country Office head office in Bangkok provides strategic direction, operational support, delivery oversight, and assurance of the excellence of business processes and quality standards across all of the entire Multi Country Office locations. It is also responsible for developing, delivering, and managing the portfolio of engagements in the country of the MCO location itself. 

Background Information – Job Specific 

EAPMCO Thailand is a UNOPS business unit under the South East Asia and Pacific Region. It was established to better support, develop, and oversee the UNOPS portfolio of projects in South East Asia and the Pacific. 

The Human Resources Services Team (HRST) was established in 2011 in Bangkok, Thailand, and it delivers HR transactional services on behalf of UNOPS to major UN clients. Through this service provision stream, HRST enhances the operational capacity of UNOPS to serve partners with large-scale and high-volume HR services through need-driven corporate-level project services.  In support of, and to best serve clients' needs, HRST has developed and utilizes standardized and unified systems and processes born of extensive experience that ensure the highest quality of services and cost-effectiveness for partners.

Supplemental to the above, HRST also services partners on whose behalf it undertakes complete Project Implementation with in-house expertise spanning the whole of the Project Management Lifecycle (LEAD Generation, Costing and Budget Preparation, UNOPS internal systems management, through to Project Closure). With its extensive experience base in Project Management related services, including but not limited to Administration, Financial and Portfolio Management, Partner (client) Engagement and Management, Procurement as well as HR Transactional Services, HRST has a strong base upon which to lay the foundation for increasing its overall business acquisition.

The Portfolio Senior Assistant position will be based in Manila, Philippines, and is expected to work in the team of HR Transactional Portfolio led by the Project Manager based in Bangkok, Thailand.

Functional Responsibilities

• Provision of HR Services and Project Management Support 

• Implementation of Operational Strategies and Procedures

• Knowledge Building and Knowledge Sharing

1. Provision of HR Services and Project Management Support 

• Act as the communication focal point for assigned HR projects which deliver UNOPS HR Services to respective partner in full compliance with UNOPS rules, regulation and SOPs.

• Assist with administration and regular monitoring of all budgetary, financial, procurement and routine aspects of project delivery.

• Assist with the preparation and processing of budgets and required formats in compliance with UNOPS requirements for internal approval, review of budgets to confirm if funds are available; run budget reports including transactions details and exceptions; Monitor expenditures, verification for accuracy of expenditure requests (Certification of Payments, invoices, Travel/Expense Claims) and availability of funds, completeness of documentation submitted.

• Create vendor details and approval follow-ups.

• Assist with issuance of contracts and process payroll for partner personnel.

• Monitoring of payments and follow up when problems arise; Review of payment vouchers and supporting documentation for completeness, accuracy, compliance with UNOPS FRRs and correctness of account code charges.

• Analyze project finances including contributions, expenditure and UNOPS charges monthly, and prepare adjustments as required.

• Extract partner financial reports for internal review and submission.

• Prepare invoices and follow up with partner contributions.

• Support administrative arrangements (e.g., logistics) for conferences/meetings.

• Interact with colleagues, clients, and partners to exchange information on administrative issues and seek co-operation. Resolution of routine administrative and process problems, referring complex issues to the supervisor with recommendations for a course of action.

• Create Requisitions and Purchase Orders (POs); performance of reconciliation activities such as closure and cancellation POs. Inquiries on PO details and activities. Generation of PO reports for expedition, status, and details information; and create receipts including information such as distributions, rejections, and cancellations.

• Maintain procurement/contract-tracking plan to review sub-contractor invoices and supporting documentation and ensure that services provided and claims are in conformity with the terms of the contract.

• Prepare routine project communications, documentation, reports, and contracts, checking documents for accuracy and compliance with UNOPS format and style.

• Prepare briefing materials, as required for mission travel and/or discussion on project activities and status.

• Prepare financial authorizations for project activities for approval of the Supervisor.

• Maintain accurate records of all operational and financial transactions for easy reference and retrieval; efficient document management including file closures, archiving and monitoring due dates for project progress status reports and submission by UNOPS of substantive and financial/budget utilization reports to clients.

• Process travel and expenses according to established procedures and practice.

• Support Programme Manager in management, implementation, monitoring of HR, procurement and other related requests including monitoring tools.

• Verify for the accuracy of requests/transactions and completeness of documentation. Initiate action and certification for approval at the higher level as required.

2. Implementation of Operational Strategies and Procedures:

• Full compliance with operations with UNOPS rules, regulations, policies, and strategies.

• Inputs to the content of internal Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in operations, in consultation with the direct supervisor and office management.

3. Knowledge Building and Knowledge Sharing:

• Input and update accurate data and information to facilitate monitoring and evaluation of project activities, and to institutionalize and disseminate knowledge. 

Required

• Secondary school (or equivalent) with 5 years of relevant experience OR

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in International Affairs, Business Administration, Social Sciences, Economics, Environmental Studies, Development Studies, or another field relevant to international development assistance with 1 year of relevant experience is required.

Desired

• Technical/Professional License/Diploma 

Required

• Relevant experience is progressive work experience in administration, finance, project or programme support,  or related fields.

Desired

• Knowledge of OneUNOPS is desirable.

• Familiarity with UNOPS policies and procedures, especially with regard to finance, travel, procurement of personnel, goods, and services, is desirable.

• Excellent computer skills, including business productivity suites (MS Office 365 and/or GSuite)

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

• Experience in development or humanitarian contexts is desired.

Important note: This vacancy is open only to nationals or those who have a valid residence and working permit in the Philippines.

• 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.