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.

Established in 2018, the Pacific Operations Cluster supports the delivery of infrastructure, capacity building, programme management, and procurement services across 12 Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS). UNOPS partners with governments and development agencies to deliver tailored solutions aligned with national development priorities. Drawing on its core expertise in infrastructure, procurement, and project and programme management, UNOPS helps PSIDS address the challenges of small population size, geographic isolation, and heightened vulnerability to climate change. UNOPS projects in the Pacific contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by strengthening health systems, promoting sustainable consumption and production, enhancing climate resilience and coastal protection, and supporting institutional development and local governance.

Against this background, UNOPS EAPMCO Pacific is hiring a Project Manager who has biomedical engineering experience to oversee a project to procure medical items for the Republic of Marshall Islands, not only in the capital city but also in another city on another island, which requires close coordination and collaboration with the various stakeholders and timely implementation. The Ministry of Health is also keen to provide capacity development from the viewpoint of the procurement capacity assessment and inventory management for the supply. The Project Manager is strategically important and is expected to demonstrate UNOPS’s strong performance for the further diversification of the services.

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. The Project Manager acts on behalf of the Project Board to manage the project on an ongoing basis during the Implementation Stage. The main responsibility of a Project Manager is to ensure that the project outputs are delivered within the specified project tolerances of time, cost, quality, scope, risk, and benefits. He/she is expected to meet the organization’s performance and delivery goals.

The Project Manager is responsible for creating the Implementation Plan, using the Project Initiation Documents (PID), Legal Agreement, and having a thorough understanding of the terms, conditions, and the respective roles and responsibilities of the partners/stakeholders to ensure the project(s) outputs are capable of meeting the business cases for both UNOPS and the partner(s). The success of the project(s) and hence the Project Manager will be based on the defined Success Criteria. 

The project manager for Implementation projects will be managing project(s) whose ultimate goal is to provide implementation services that contribute to the achievement of partners’ goals. The variety of projects is quite diverse and can range from management of grants, development of strategies to delivery of training or providing technical assistance. While the complexity of those projects may vary, maintaining high standards in terms of quality, health, safety, and sustainability is always expected.

Depending on the nature and configuration of the project, the project manager might be executing technical studies, reviews, designs, supervision, or operation and maintenance services of one or several physical infrastructure assets, in one or multiple sites. Depending on the implementation modality, it may involve large volumes of procurement of goods, services, and HR services.

UNOPS operates in complex contexts where resources might be scarce, local capacity low, and where professional judgement and experience in these environments are of utmost importance.

The Project Manager (Implementation) is responsible for planning, organizing, and leading the project from Initiation to Closure. The Project Manager ensures effective delivery and oversight of projects, while implementing the services in scope and contributing towards the achievement of partners’ goals and objectives. Acting on behalf of the Project Board, the Project Manager ensures that project outputs are delivered within agreed tolerances of time, cost, scope, quality, risk, and benefits. 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. The Project Manager serves as the focal point for coordination with donors, partners, and beneficiaries, ensuring alignment with contractual commitments and UNOPS performance standards.

Under the direct supervision of the Pacific Small Islands Developing States Advisor, the Project Manager will be responsible for the following:

1. Project Delivery and Performance 

• Develop, complete, and update implementation plan(s)

• Implement the approved plan (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 span. 

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

• Ensure that the quality of work packages and deliverables complies with the quality requirements defined in the Implementation Plan.

• Liaise with any external suppliers or account managers

• Manage acceptance and delivery of work packages

• Monitor project progress, ensuring that work packages are being executed properly

• Control project and work packages changes

• Identify and anticipate in a timely manner, potential risks and issues, and advises mitigating measures to senior management/ Project Board so that maximum benefit to partner(s) and other stakeholders is achieved

• Identify and report to the supervisor potential business opportunities for UNOPS

1. Procedures 

• Comply with all organizational policy and specifically the Project Management Manual

• Prepare/adapt all relevant plans for approval by the Project Board.

• Manage the reporting obligations defined in the Legal Agreement(s) and in the Implementation Plan

• Ensure maintenance of the project files, and that lessons learned are recorded

• 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

• Understand the unique structures of the UN and budget appropriately for personnel

• Manage expenditures against the budget (based on accurate financial reports)

• Where the Project Manager has no delegation as a committing officer, s/he retains these responsibilities and will monitor and instruct/request others to carry out the relevant commitments and disbursements.

• For project closure purposes, provide a formal handover of the project to the closure manager

• Support project audit activities, including planning, preparation, and coordination during the audits, and follow up on audit observations/recommendations

1. Monitoring and reporting

• Prepare and issue regular project and/or financial reports in accordance with Partner and UNOPS requirements for reporting.

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

• Maintain diaries and progress reports as required by the organization’s standard procedures.

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

• Ensure all project team members track and regularly update milestones and targets for the duration of projects' life span

1. Stakeholder engagement

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

• Establish solid working relationships with the Project Board (Executive, Senior Users, and Senior Suppliers), client, and key stakeholders

• Enable the formulation of project communications plans. Coordinate internal project communications. Monitor the effectiveness of project communications

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

1. Quality assurance

• Work with internal stakeholders to ensure projects comply with audit requirements

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

• Coordinate quality reviews of project documents and deliverables

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

1. Knowledge management and innovation

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

• Actively interact with other Project Managers and the wider PM community to share case studies, lessons learned, and best practices 

• Contribute to the oversight of lessons learned procedures, ensuring that lessons learnt are shared in a timely and appropriate manner. Participate in the relevant Communities of Practice

• Research and logging of lessons learned throughout the project life span.

• Provide feedback to Practice Groups on policy, supporting guidance with an aim towards continuous improvement of UNOPS policies

1. Personnel Management

• Lead and motivate the project management team

• Ensure that behavioural expectations of team members are established 

• Ensure that performance reviews are conducted fairly, accurately, and timely.

• Select, recruit, and train team as required, taking into account gender parity and diversity objectives.

• Ensure safety and security for all project personnel and comply with UNDSS standards

• Create, foster, and role model a culture of respect and zero tolerance for discrimination, abuse of authority, harassment, sexual harrasement and sexual exploitation and abuse. Ensure accountability for actions and perform duties in accordance with protection mechanisms and action plans, as expected by UNOPS policies, standards, and commitments.

Required

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in International Relations, Development Studies, Supply Chain, Business, Project Management, Public Health, or a related field, with 7 years of relevant experience OR

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any of the above disciplines with 5 years of relevant experience is required.

Desired

• Certification in Project Management (PRINCE2, PMI, etc.) is an asset.

Required

• Relevant experience is work in the implementation of complex projects/ programmes, or related areas (project planning, implementation, and control, including project communication and reporting)

• A minimum of 2 years’ experience in biomedical engineering is required.

Desired

• Experience in inventory management for medical supplies is an asset

• Experience in procurement capacity assessment is an asset.

• Experience in capacity development activities is an asset.

• Experience in developing countries or post-conflict environments is an asset.

• Experience in writing reports, performing data analysis, and writing technical documents is an asset.

• Knowledge of quality assurance methodologies is an asset.

• Experience in managing project risks in a multi-stakeholder context is an asset.

• Experience working in multicultural teams is an asset.

• Experience in managing teams is an asset.

• 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. 
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience requirements outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to considering all candidates in a fair and transparent manner, and we value diverse perspectives and experiences, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals with diverse 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.