Project Manager - DDR Programme

Located in Kinshasa, DRC the UNOPS office in Central Africa covers the DRC, CAR and RC. The office has developed a strong working relations with the international partners, UN agencies including UN Missions and Governments of Central Africa over the years. It provides technical support and capacity building in strategic development areas including infrastructure rehabilitation and development across health, education, public works, governance/public administration sectors; procurement, project management and sectoral advisory services; peace and security, environmental preservation and protection among others.

Background Information - Project CAR

The Security Council, by its resolution 2149 (2014), established MINUSCA for an initial period until 30 April 2015 and decided that, as from 15 September 2014, MINUSCA would initially comprise up to 10,000 military personnel, including 240 military observers and 200 staff officers, 1,800 police personnel, including 1,400 formed police personnel and 400 individual police officers, and 20 corrections officers.

The Mission will deploy in up to 45 locations in the Central African Republic (CAR), including a Mission headquarters in Bangui, three integrated sector headquarters (Kaga Bandoro, Bria and Bouar), five integrated field offices (Ndele, Bambari, Bossangoa, Bangassou and Berberati), three sub-offices (Paoua, Obo and Birao) and 31 additional locations with only a permanent military presence.

UNOPS is already supporting MINUSCA in the erection of three integrated interim soft walls camps in Bouar, Bria and KagaBandoro to host MINUSCA priority personnel. UNOPS is constructing the infrastructures necessary to erect the soft walls camps and is providing complementary furniture to the three interim camps. Each camp has a capacity of 100 people with a possibility of extension to 200 on a second phase.

In May 2015, the Mission requested additional support from UNOPS, more specifically the mission seeks UNOPS to establish in three HQ sectors (Bouar, Bria and KagaBandoro) catering and camp maintenance services for a 12 months period. In December 2015, additional requests came from DDR section of MINUSCA.

The Project Manager is responsible for day to day activities, project staff and implementation of all projects for the DDR Program in CAR, including the following:

• Support of Pre-DDR activities in 4 locations
• Support to pre-DDR Operations – Delivery of Food Items in the four Priority Locations
• Support to CVR activities in Bangui, which includes the development of CVR and other pre-DDR and DDR project documents in phases, working closely with DDR chief, his team and the UNOPS Kinshasa-based Partnership & Technical Advisory team.
• Support any new DDR initiatives

PM on DDR projects will report directly to Program Manager/Head of Office based in CAR and he will link for day-to-day activities with the assigned PMO and work closely with the Partnership Development team, based in Kinshasa.

Support of Pre-DDR activities in 4 locations

• Set up of “Pre-DDR Operations mobiles sites”, to undertake registration and information on ex-combatants
• Provision of short term employment opportunities through labor intensive Project (for about max 3 months for each beneficiary) which includes small infrastructure projects; the projects will be identified through the Local Committees in the various locations and have to respond to community priority needs. Sensitization sessions about peaceful coexistence and about saving will be integrated
• Ensure the provision of food and non-food items to the different locations including Bangui

Support to pre-DDR Operations – Delivery of Food Items in the four Priority Locations

• Output 1: purchase of food items available in local market, progressively procured following the progress of pre-DDR Operations and according to the technical specifications provided by MINUSCA reflecting local food habits
• Output 2: Delivery of food items to MINUSCA DDR personnel in at  designated sites in the 4 priority locations
• Output 3: The delivery of food support to the beneficiaries of pre-DDR operations is organized and monitored, under MINUSCA DDR Section supervision an direction, progressively in the four priority locations following progress of pre-DDR Operations 

He/She is responsible for all aspects of the project life cycle. S/he must be able to apply, independently, the below duties and responsibilities of the project success criteria.

The project Manager will be also in daily contact with MINUSCA in order to strengthen MINUSCA’s engineering and project management capacities for the rapid development and implementation of projects which need to be launch in the next six months.

The PM will be in contact with DDR section as well for the supervision of the projects managed by UNOPS on their behalf.

At the request of the Operational Hub Director/Operations Centre Director participate and/or represent the Operational Hub/Operations Centre in inter-agency discussions and planning to ensure UNOPS position, interests and priorities are fully considered.

Stakeholder Management:

• Establish a project Board and solid working relationship with the 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 Partners 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, OH Director and the project;
• Contract management: supervision of UNOPS’s subcontractor for the provision of services;
• Assure that services are delivered with quality (according to MINUSCA DDR and UNOPS ‘s standards) and on time;
• Link with MINUSCA DDR section in duty station in order to explore for new projects and possibilities of cooperation for UNOPS;
• Detect new opportunities with MINUSCA DDR section and other donors for such activities and inform and coordinate with CDOH Partnership Unit for new proposals;
• Link with MINUSCA DDR and be UNOPS focal point for MINUSCA DDR in Bangui.

• Detect further new business possibilities for UNOPS with MINUSCA DDR and other relevant partners and liaise with UNOPS CDOH Partnership Unit in Kinshasa.

Execution:

• Implement approved project plans (including the establishment of milestones) within tolerances set by the project board;
• 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 OH Program Manager/HoO 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.

Procedures:

• Follow the Project Management Cycle Instructions and ensure that all organizational policy is complied with (UNOPS Organizational Directives and Administrative Instructions);
• Prepare/adapt the following plans for approval by the Project Board:  Project Initiation Documentation;  Stage/Exception Plans and relevant Product Descriptions;
• Prepare the following reports: Highlight Reports for the client and CDOH management;  Weekly reports for Programme Manager in CAR, Head of Program and CDOH Director in Kinshasa:

          * End Stage Reports

          * Operational Closure Checklist

          * End Project Report

          * Financial progress report/final financial report (in cooperation with UNOPS CIOH/ UNOPS HQ and             project team)

 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 expenditure 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;
• Understand the unique structures of the UN and budget appropriately for personnel;
• Manage and remain accountable for 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.

Knowledge Management:

• Participate in the relevant UNOPS 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.

Personnel Management:

• Lead and motivate the project management team (international and national personnel);
• Ensure that behavioral 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.

Supervision:

• The incumbent reports directly to the Head of Office located in CAR. PM will work in consultation with PMO (Project Management Office) based in  Kinshasa for daily management issues.

• Advanced University Degree (Masters degree or equivalent) in Political science, Conflict management, Project management or related fields is required;
• First level University degree (Bachelor's or equivalent) in Political Science, Conflict Management, Project Management or related fields in combination with 2 additional years of relevant work experience may be considered in lieu of the Advanced University Degree;
• Sufficient years of practical experience combined with relevant technical qualifications may be accepted in lieu of a university degree.

• Minimum 7 years of experience in Project Management;
• Experience working in emergency,  post-crisis environment and/or with UN missions is a strong asset;
• Strong experience in Project Management is required;
• Experience in Engineering and construction with UNOPS is a strong asset;
• Proven experience in management  of complex projects is required;
• Proven experience in financial management is required;
• Proven experience in camp maintenance is an asset;
• Proven experience in infrastructure projects is an asset. 

• Fluency in English is required;  
• Fluency in French is required.  

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

UNOPS supports the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to serve people in need by expanding the ability of the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, infrastructure and procurement in a sustainable and efficient manner.

Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, our vision is to advance sustainable implementation practices, always satisfying or surpassing our partners’ expectations.

With over 7,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, wherever they need it.

A flexible structure and global reach means that we can quickly respond to our partners' needs, while offering the benefits of economies of scale.