Deputy Project Manager

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.

UNOPS supports sustainable development in Sierra Leone through infrastructure, procurement, and project management services that enhance energy access, water and sanitation, health, and food security. In the energy sector, UNOPS implements the World Bank-funded Enhancing Sierra Leone Energy Access Project (ESLEAP), including the Moyamba Solar Power Plant (1MW) and rural electrification, totaling $12.7 million. The UK FCDO-funded Rural Renewable Energy Project (£34.5 million) has expanded solar mini-grids and powered community health centers. In water and sanitation, a Government of Japan-funded initiative has improved access to safe drinking water in Freetown, reducing waterborne diseases. To strengthen food security, UNOPS is constructing a 4,000-metric-tonne grain silo and installing solar-powered irrigation systems through a World Bank-supported Ministry of Agriculture project. In close partnership with the Government of Sierra Leone, these efforts aim to improve basic services, enhance resilience, and support inclusive, long-term development.

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world.  Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organisations.  With over 6,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, where they need it.  By implementing around 1,000 projects for our partners at any given time, UNOPS makes significant contributions to results on the ground, often in the most challenging environments.

The UNOPS Africa Regional Office, based in Nairobi, Kenya, oversees the delivery of projects across more than 40 countries, supporting partners in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. Through its regional and multi-country offices, UNOPS delivers infrastructure, procurement, and project management services to governments and development partners.

Local Context: 

The West Africa Multi-Country Office (WAMCO), headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, manages a diverse portfolio across West Africa and the Sahel, supporting initiatives in climate action, renewable energy, infrastructure, agriculture, water and sanitation, environment, and governance.

Sierra Leone faces one of the lowest electricity access rates globally, particularly in rural areas. Expanding renewable energy solutions such as solar mini-grids and standalone systems is a national priority to accelerate electrification and support sustainable development.

The Salone Off-Grid Renewable Energy Acceleration (SOGREA) project, funded by the European Union and implemented by UNOPS in partnership with the Government of Sierra Leone and Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), aims to accelerate off-grid electrification, mobilize private investment, pilot innovative renewable energy solutions, and strengthen institutional capacity in the energy sector.

The project contributes to the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

SDG 13: Climate Action

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

Within this context, and under the direction of the Senior Project Manager, the Deputy Project Manager  is responsible for the day-to-day operational execution and delivery of project support functions within the SOGREA programme.  The incumbent oversees cross-cutting activities encompassing HR processing, procurement interface, financial tracking, M&E, communications, GIS and technical retainers, ensuring outputs meet UNOPS performance standards, donor agreements and audit compliance. of the project(s) and provide services to the different donors, partners and beneficiaries. The incumbent is also  expected to meet the organization’s performance and delivery goals.

The Deputy Project Manager (Transactional) is responsible for the effective delivery and daily oversight of projects which provide transactional services, such as HR services, procurement, grants or services, to UNOPS partners. The Deputy Project Manager serves as the focal point for coordination with donors, partners and beneficiaries, ensuring alignment with contractual commitments and UNOPS performance standards. Acting under the guidance of theSenior Project manager and Project Board, the Deputy Project Manager ensures that project outputs are delivered within agreed tolerances of time, cost, scope, quality, risk, and benefits.

III. Functions / Key Results Expected

Project Delivery and Performance

Develop, complete and update the project implementation plan.

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.

Ensure that quality of work packages and deliverables comply with the quality requirements defined in the implementation plan.

Liaise with external suppliers or account managers to ensure quality and timely delivery of outputs.

Manage acceptance and delivery of work packages.

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.

Identify and report potential opportunities for UNOPS to the supervisor. 

Procedures

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

Be aware of applicable local 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. 

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

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 outputs.

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)..

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.

Ensure lessons learned are shared in a timely and appropriate manner. 

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

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) standards. 

Required

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 7 years of relevant experience OR

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 5 years of relevant experience is required

Desired

• A globally recognized professional certificate (e.g. PRINCE2, PMI, etc) or membership in Project Management is desired.

Required

• A minimum of 5 years' of progressive experience in international organizations on implementing complex projects/programmes specific to HR processes or services, financial management, grants management,  procurement or related areas. 

• Experience in project coordination and operations management.

• Knowledge of relevant quality standards, and assurance methodologies. 

• Demonstrated experience in monitoring delivery metrics and managing project budgets

• Demonstrable proficiency in the use of collaboration and productivity tools (e.g. MS Office, G-Suite, etc) and web-based management systems.

Desired

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

• Experience in development or humanitarian contexts

• 1 year previous experience working with UNOPS in managing similar projects.

• Proven track record of implemented plans and projects.

• Experience in creating and executing project plans to meet needs and requirements.

• Experience in writing reports, performing data analyses, and drafting documents.

• Experience in risk management for implementation projects.

• Knowledge of quality assurance methodologies

• Experience working in multicultural teams.

• Experience working with remote teams.

• 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.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.
  

• 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.