Senior Project Manager

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.

Since 1995, UNOPS has maintained an active presence in Afghanistan, delivering efficient, agile services in support of both humanitarian response and development efforts. Prior to August 2021, the Afghanistan Country Office (AFCO) implemented projects across a broad range of sectors, including infrastructure, procurement, capacity building, and environmental protection. In response to evolving humanitarian needs, AFCO has shifted its focus to supporting life-saving initiatives and basic human needs. Current priorities include managing large-scale cash-for-work programmes, procuring emergency supplies, and providing inter-agency coordination, communication, and accountability support.

The Private Sector Resilience Program (PSRP) is a flagship Series of Projects (SOP) financed by the World Bank (IDA and ARTF) designed to strengthen the resilience and job creation potential of Afghan Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), with a particular focus on women, youth, and returnees. The Project Manager will lead the implementation, which involves complex grant-making to NGOs and private sector entities for value chain development (agribusiness and carpets), business acceleration, and contracting comprehensive analytics. The role requires navigating high political-economy risks and ensuring strict adherence to principled engagement while managing a diverse portfolio of international and local implementing partners, and a team of experienced private sector experts and support services professionals.

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

1. Project Delivery and Performance

• Implement the approved plan (including establishment of milestones) within tolerances set by the Project Board.

• Embed sustainability dimensions, including social and gender considerations, and environmental and economic aspects, into the  project life span.

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

• Monitor project progress, control project variances (if any), and manage changes.

• Identify, anticipate and advise senior management and the project board on mitigating measures against project risks to ensure that benefits to partners and other stakeholders are maximized.

• Provide leadership and direction to the project team, ensuring clear roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities.

• Develop and maintain project management plans, including scope, schedule, budget, and risk management plans, in accordance with UNOPS standards.

• Manage project budgets, track expenditures, and ensure compliance with financial regulations and procedures.

• Ensure effective communication and collaboration among project stakeholders, including the World Bank, implementing partners, and government authorities.

• Initiate corrective actions to address delivery bottlenecks in project activities within specified project tolerances.

1. Procedures

• Comply with the organization’s policies and standards, and ensure project information is kept updated in project management systems.

• Be aware of applicable laws and regulations, and ensure adherence. This includes international regulations and standards, where applicable, as well as technical standards.

• Prepare and adapt all relevant plans for approval by the project board, and manage baselines.

• Manage the reporting obligations defined in the implementation plan and legal agreements.

• Maintain project documentation in an orderly manner for accessibility and audit support when needed.

• Understand and apply the UNOPS financial rules and regulations. Be accountable for the use of delegation of authority (where applicable) and ensure compliance with relevant policies and standards of ethics.

• Provide a formal handover of the project to the closure manager when applicable.

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

1. Monitoring and Reporting

• Include a results framework and M&E plan in the project implementation plan with clearly defined indicators and agreed targets, ensure regular monitoring and tracking of project results.

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

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

• Maintain diaries and progress reports as required by UNOPS standard operating 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 the project life span.

1. Stakeholder Engagement

• Develop stakeholder engagement strategies and plans. Actively engage stakeholders, take feedback, and adjust as necessary. 

• Establish solid working relationships with the project board (executive, senior users and senior suppliers); clients; and key stakeholders.

• Enable formulation of project communication plans and monitor 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, and exceptions, and are in a position to accept handover output.

• Establish and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including the World Bank, government agencies, NGOs, and private sector entities.

• Facilitate regular meetings and consultations with stakeholders to ensure alignment and collaboration.

• Represent UNOPS in high-level meetings and forums, advocating for the project's objectives and interests.

1. 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)

1. Grant Management and Fiduciary Oversight

• Oversee the entire grant lifecycle, from solicitation and selection to implementation and closeout, ensuring compliance with the legal agreement and UNOPS and World Bank policies and procedures.

• Oversee due diligence assessments of potential grantees, evaluating their technical and financial capacity.

• Enforce the PSRP Risk Management Framework, ensuring rigorous Integrity Due Diligence (IDD) for all private sector beneficiaries and implementing partners.

1. Procurement and Delivery of Professional Services and Knowledge Products

• Oversee the procurement processes for professional services, ensuring compliance with UNOPS procurement policies and procedures.

• Oversee the delivery of high-quality knowledge products, including research reports, policy briefs, and training materials.

• Ensure that knowledge products are disseminated effectively to relevant stakeholders.

1. Knowledge Management and Innovation

• Create a learning environment for the project team, encourage knowledge sharing and training to contribute to longer-term capacity building.

• Actively interact with other project managers and the wider project management (PM) community, share case studies, lessons learned and best practices.

• Stay abreast with latest updates and good practices of the profession, participate in training and learning activities for self to advance proficiency and competency.

• Provide feedback to corporate practice groups on policy and systems, when needed.

• Provide feedback to functional groups  on policies and related guidance to support the continuous improvement of UNOPS policy framework

• Establish and maintain a knowledge management system to capture and disseminate project lessons learned and best practices.

• Contribute to the development of policy briefs, research papers, and other knowledge products to inform private sector development programming in Afghanistan.

1. Personnel Management

• Organise and structure the project team, ensure clearly defined roles and responsibilities. Provide regular guidance and direction, as needed, and support the team in effectively performing their tasks. 

• Lead and motivate the project management team, and manage performance.

• Ensure performance reviews are conducted fairly, accurately, and on time.

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

• Ensure safety and security for all project personnel in compliance with the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) standard

• Role model a culture of integrity and inclusion, specifically ensuring that gender parity and diversity objectives are met in project staffing and outreach.

• Identify training and development opportunities for project staff to enhance their skills and knowledge, and promote a culture of continuous learning.

Required

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Project Management, Business Administration, International Development, or a related field with 9 years of relevant experience OR

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Project Management, Business Administration, International Development, or a related field with 7 years of relevant experience is required.

Desired

• Project management certification from a globally recognized institute is desired.

• Professional certification from a reputed institute in a technical topic relevant to the job area is desired.

Required

• Relevant experience is work in the implementation of complex projects/ programmes, or related areas.

• Experience in project planning, implementation, and control, including project communication and reporting is required.

• Knowledge of quality assurance methodologies is required.

• Experience of managing project risks in a multi-stakeholder context is required

• Experience in project/programme management, with a focus on private sector development, or economic development in complex environments.

Desired

• Experience in grant management

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

• Experience implementing projects financed by the World Bank or other international financial institutions.

• Experience working in any of the following areas:

  • Private sector engagement and development in fragility, conflict, and violence  contexts

  • Value chain mapping and development (carpets/light manufacturing and agribusiness)

  • Inclusive and sustainable industrial development

  • Early-stage business acceleration

  • Start-up and SME financing

  • Digital livelihood initiatives

  • Livelihoods programming targeting vulnerable groups

  • Financial systems, including international regulatory framework, compliance, service providers, and digital payments

  • Trade facilitation

  • Regulatory reform & policy advocacy

  • International and IFI investments incl. investment analysis, financing structures, blended finance

  • Project concept development and piloting

  • IFI investment requirements & studies, incl. social rate of return

  • Islamic finance and insurance solutions (Takaful), incl. in FCV contexts

  • Capacity building for the private sector and NGOs in FCV contexts

  • Private capital mobilization

  • Jobs creation

• Experience in Afghanistan or other conflict-affected countries.

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• 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. 
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments. 
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
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