Project Management Support - Senior Officer

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.

The Blueing the Caspian Sea (BCSP) project, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by the World Bank, aims to strengthen pollution monitoring systems and biodiversity planning in priority sites of the Caspian Sea in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. UNOPS has been selected as the Executing Agency to support governments in improving the quality, consistency, and comparability of environmental data, as well as enhancing the management of critical marine and coastal ecosystems. The project consists of three components: Strengthening pollution monitoring, Strengthening biodiversity planning, and Project coordination, monitoring, and evaluation. This position will serve as a key liaison between the project and national stakeholders in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. This hiring is subject to finalization of the respective Project Agreement with the donor, which is expected in Q2 of 2026.

The Project Management - Senior Officer will serve as retainer consultant primarily to bridge between the project and national stakeholders in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan, ensuring seamless communication and coordination with governmental institutions, NGOs, academia, and the private sector. Their core responsibility involves participation in high-level consultations and workshops to gather critical inputs on pollution control and biodiversity conservation, facilitating the implementation of project activities by navigating local administrative processes, following up on key milestones, and providing technical inputs to ensure outputs are contextually relevant.

Under the direct supervision of the Senior Project Manager, the Project Management Support - Senior Officer 

1. Development and Planning

• Identify and anticipate risks and issues, providing timely advice and mitigation measures to the supervisor.
• Provide logistical and operational support for missions, workshops, and dialogues, including the preparation of materials and reports.
• Support full implementation of Health, Safety, Social and Environmental (HSSE) standards across all activities.
• Conduct or participate in field missions to monitor implementation and support local partners.

2. Stakeholder Engagement and Coordination

• Build and maintain productive relationships with national and local authorities, donors, partners, grantees, and other key stakeholders in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan.
• Facilitate regular communication and coordination among programme teams and partners.
• Support the organization of steering committee meetings, technical workshops, and stakeholder consultations.
• Ensure stakeholders are informed of project progress, activities and results through timely and accurate information.

3. Knowledge Management and Communications

• Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• Collaborate closely with colleagues and ensure effective knowledge management across all functional areas.
• Support the development of internal communication flows with different stakeholders
• Provide any additional support as required.
• Perform other duties based on project needs.

Required

• Advanced degree in Environmental Science, Marine Biology, Natural Resource Management, or a related field with 2 years of experience OR
• A first-level university degree in Environmental Science, Marine Biology, Natural Resource Management, or a related field with 4 years of experience.
  

Desired

• A certificate in Project Management Certification (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2)is an advantage.

Required

• At least 2 years of experience (with an advanced degree) or 4 years of experience (with a first-level degree) in environmental management, pollution control, biodiversity conservation, or related areas. 
• Proven experience with project coordination, stakeholder engagement, and report writing
• Knowledge of the Caspian Sea’s environmental challenges and relevant national policies.

Desired

• Experience with projects in the international development sector are considered an asset.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

• 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.