The UNOPS Africa Regional Office, based in Nairobi, Kenya, oversees the delivery of over 250 projects across 40 countries, with a focus on fragile and conflict-affected settings. Supported by more than 1,000 personnel across five multi-country offices—spanning North, West, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Horn of Africa—the office advances national priorities through strategic initiatives in Climate Action, Health, Infrastructure, Peace and Security, Middle-Income Country Support, and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The Regional Office provides strategic leadership, operational support, and oversight in key areas including Partnerships, Communications, Management and Oversight, Infrastructure and Project Management, Health and Safety, and Security. By promoting excellence in project delivery, fostering knowledge sharing, and driving continuous improvement, the office contributes to sustainable infrastructure, transparent resource management, and a better quality of life for communities across the continent.

Based in Dakar, Senegal, the West Africa Multi-Country Office (WAMCO) delivers high-quality project management, infrastructure, and procurement services across 16 countries in West Africa and the Sahel, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Togo. Aligned with UNOPS’ mission, WAMCO supports partners in peacebuilding, humanitarian assistance, and sustainable development. WAMCO’s portfolio spans key sectors such as health, climate change, renewable energy, agriculture, water and sanitation, environment, infrastructure, justice, and peace and security. Notable projects include the construction of pre-preschools for early childhood development in Senegal (in partnership with KOICA and UNICEF), capacity-building for national agencies on disaster risk reduction and resource management, and the development of rural mini-grid electrification systems in Sierra Leone. Through these initiatives, WAMCO contributes to inclusive growth and the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across the region.

The Project Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the project(s) and provides services to the different donors, partners and beneficiaries. He/she is expected to meet and exceed the organization's performance and delivery goals. The project manager is responsible to produce/read the project initiation documents (PID), Legal Agreement and have a thorough understanding of the terms, conditions, and the respective roles and responsibilities of the partners/stakeholders to ensure the project(s) products are capable of meeting the business cases for both UNOPS and the client. The Project Manager will be expected to follow the project lifecycle from inception to completion using standard project lifecycle practices and artefacts. They will be provided with guidance and support by the PMO. S/he will rely on a number of external suppliers for its successful delivery, managing tight timelines with agility and solution orientation.

The Project Manager will analyze requirements and synthesize proposals or project options to meet client needs. They will apply conceptual models and policy frameworks to assess new program objectives, judge the soundness and validity of analysis or recommendations from others, and analyze and adapt precedents or previous decisions to solve current problems. The Project Manager will also make substantive comments and contributions to professional documents or plans, prepare detailed reports, analyses, and presentations, and occasionally persuade or influence colleagues on a specific course of action in non-contentious settings.

1. Stakeholder Management

• Establish solid working relationship with the project board (Executive, Senior Users and Senior Suppliers), client and key stakeholders.
• Manage communications and ensure stakeholders are aware of project activities, progress, exceptions and are in a position to accept handover products.
• Advise the client on issues that may impact the achievement of their outcomes (including issues of sustainability and post project requirements such as maintenance).
• Manage the information flows between the Project Board/OC Director and the project(s).

2. Delivery and Performance

• Develop and maintain project plans.
• Implement approved project plans (including the establishment of milestones) within tolerances set by the project board.
• Embed sustainability dimensions including social and gender inclusion, environmental and economic aspects into the project life cycle.
• Manage the production of the required products, taking responsibility for overall progress and use of resources and initiating corrective action where necessary.
• Liaise with any external suppliers or account managers.
• Authorize Work Packages.
• Advise the Project Board and OC Manager of any deviations from the plan.
• Identify and manage risks so that maximum benefit to client and stakeholders is achieved.
• Manage and review product quality and ensure products are accepted.
• Monitor and evaluate performance of service providers.
• Identify and report potential business opportunities for UNOPS to supervisor.
• Identify and report threats to UNOPS internal business case to supervisor.

3. Procedures

• Follow the Project Management Cycle Instructions and ensure that all organizational policy is complied with (Organizational Directives and Administrative Instructions).
• Prepare/adapt the following plans for approval by the Project Board: I. Project Initiation Documentation; II. Stage/Exception Plans and relevant Product Descriptions.
• Prepare the following reports: i. Highlight Reports; ii. End Stage Reports; iii. Operational Closure Checklist; iv. End Project Report; v. Handover Report.
• Maintain the following: i. Electronic Blue File; ii. Procurement, HR and Finance files as required by those practices as per OD12.
• Ensure that all expenditures comply with UNOPS Financial Rules and Regulations (FRR).
• Manage budgets, cash flow and obligations to ensure that deliverables are met and payments to contractors and personnel are received on time.
• Understand and manage UNOPS overheads, allocable charges, and related corporate charges as they apply to the project.
• Manage and remain accountable for expenditures against the budget (based on accurate financial reports).

4. Knowledge Management

• Participate in the relevant Communities of Practice.
• Actively interact with other PMs and the PM community to share case studies, lessons learned and best practice on the Knowledge System.
• Provide feedback to Practice Leads on policy, supporting guidance with an aim towards continuous improvement of UNOPS policies.
• Complete lessons learned as per reporting format.
• Incorporate lessons learned from others as per planning format.

5. Personnel Management (if applicable)

• Lead and motivate the project management team.
• Ensure that behavioural expectations of team members are established.
• Ensure that performance reviews are conducted.
• Identify outstanding staff and bring them to the attention of the OC Director.
• Have a thorough understanding of UNOPS personnel contract modalities (including ICA and Staff).
• Select, recruit and train team as required by project plans.
• Perform the Team Manager role, unless appointed to another person(s).
• Perform Project Support role, unless appointed to another person or corporate/programme function.
• Ensure safety and security for all personnel and comply with UNDSS standards.

6. Quality Assurance

• Work with internal stakeholders to ensure projects comply with audit requirements.
• Work with procurement/ purchasing personnel to ensure effective interface with suppliers’ quality systems.
• Coordinate quality reviews of project documents and deliverables. 
• Provide quality control for management outputs (e.g. project documents, reports, etc)

Required

• A Master's Degree (or equivalent) in Civil Engineering or any other relevant field.

• A bachelor's degree (or equivalent) combined with four (4) additional years of relevant professional experience in Civil Engineering or relevant field may be accepted in lieu of a Master's degree.

Desired

• Project Management Certification (e.g., PRINCE2® Foundation, PMP)

Required

• Minimum of 2 years of progressive experience in project development and management, with a focus on monitoring, reporting, development, and coordination in either public or private sector organizations with a Master's Degree.

• Demonstrated experience in holding a Project Management or Acting PM role in the delivery of development projects.

Desired

• Experience implementing projects in the health sector.

• Past experience in projects involving procurement.

• Knowledge of the UN system and familiarity with UNOPS procedures.

• 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.