Technical Project Associate

The United Nations Department of Field Support, Information and communications Technology Division (UN DFS-ICTD) is responsible for the delivery of applications that satisfy the requirements of the Departments of Peacekeeping Operations and Field Support (DPKO/DFS) missions as well as Special Political Missions (SPMs).

The Service for Geospatial, Information and Telecommunications Technologies (SGITT) in the United Nations Global Service Centre (UNGSC) is responsible for the delivery and maintenance of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) infrastructure, systems and software applications in support of operational requirements of peacekeeping missions as well as special political missions.

The FTS Technology Development, Design and Planning Section (TDDPS) is responsible for the development of projects and services that satisfy the requirements of the Departments of Peacekeeping Operations and Field Support (DPKO/DFS) missions. DFS has implemented a range of systems to address the principal requirements of peacekeeping operations and to support and enhance the processes DFS undertakes.

The Technology Project Associate working in UNGSC will liaise among business owners, service managers, project managers, design teams, operations teams, and our partners / supplier communicating between all key stakeholders to ensure the smooth and successful implementation of new projects, executed to high quality standards.

He/she will ensure project management documents are established and documented that align with PRINCE2 method, and provide the capability to initiate, plan, manage projects, identify, record and updates associated risks, develop and maintain good communication plan with project stockholders, maintain all records updated in UNGSSC FTS project server and provide reports and updates on the agreed communication plan.

Under the overall supervision of the UNOPS Senior Programme Manager and under the direct guidance of the Chief Project and Planning Unit (PMPU) and Chief, TDDPS at UNSB-V, the Technical project Associate will support the Project Manager(s) with duties and responsibilities covering the following disciplines:

1. Project Implementation

2. Project Monitoring and Reporting

3. Coordination and liaison

4. Knowledge management and innovation

5. Operational and logistical support

Project implementation

Support the Project Manager in ensuring adherence to standardized format guidelines adopted by ICTD and UNGSC PMO and all related frameworks and SOPs;

Monitor and record best practices and innovative approaches within ICTD and UNGSC PMO; identify and show alternative options according to activity needs;

In consultation with the relevant stakeholders, assist in preparing amendments of Agreements when applicable;

Facilitate information flows and overseeing change controls, risk registers and issue management;

Document and feedback learned and best practices;

Support the project planning process;

Support the monitoring and management of work packages within the project as and when required;

Assist the Project Manager in monitoring of the project quality indicators and undertaking monthly assurance tasks on behalf of the Project Manager.

Project Monitoring and Reporting

Provide substantive inputs to assist the Project Manager in the preparation of project reports and documents;

Maintain records of project files and other supporting documents;

Maintain the following records: Quality Register, Configuration Item Records and all other registers/logs delegated by the Project Manager;

Support the Project Manager in maintaining the following:

1. Project Document Archive,

2. Manage the compilation, consolidation and analysis of relevant data of the mission;

Assist the Project Manager in the preparation of project completion reports and ensure

compliance with contractual obligations.

Coordination and liaison

Support coordination and scheduling of activities related to the assigned project,

Support the monitoring of projects on a regular basis for progress and quality, report issues and follow resolution process.

Assist to record milestones, progress, and measures for projects completion;

Liaise with the Programme Management Office (PMO) Team Members to complete project assurance related tasks.

Knowledge management and innovation

Support the compilation of lessons learned as per defined reporting format;

Contribute to the dissemination and sharing of best practices and lessons learned for planning and knowledge building;

Contribute to expertise in tools and techniques.

Operational and logistical support

Contribute to organizing project and stakeholder meetings as and when necessary, and maintain records of these meetings;

Identify operational, administrative and other bottlenecks that may impede project delivery; recommend solutions and take appropriate remedial action;

Establish and monitor an internal control system for all administrative actions.

Education 

High school diploma or equivalent is required. A Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems, Business Administration or any related fields is an advantage. 

Work Experience

• 6 years of relevant working experience is required.
• Experience in Project Management support or project management related experience, is
• required.
• Work experience in the United Nations or similar International Organizations and/or Global enterprise is an asset.

Certification and other:

• Project Management Professional Certifications such as PRINCE2® Foundation and/or equivalent such as PMP is required,
• PRINCE2® Practitioner, M_o_R, ITIL and other Service Management Certifications are desirable;
• Knowledge of the Department of Field Support, UN systems, applications and Staff Regulations and Financial Rules is desirable.

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of a second official UN language is an advantage 

• 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. 

Based in Geneva, the Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECR) supports UNOPS offices throughout the region through: management, financial and programmatic oversight of global and country-specific portfolios, clusters and operations centres, including hosting services; fund and management advisory services; project implementation; procuring goods and services; and managing human resources.

ECR ensures that projects are executed to the highest standards, providing a shared knowledge base and ensuring that best practices and lessons learned are disseminated between business units and projects across the entire region.

 ECR strategy is to:

• Strengthen UNOPS role in operationalizing the Sustainable Development Goals with particular emphasis on health, environment and economic development.
• Position UNOPS in the Balkan sub-region, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
• Strengthen the implementation of ECR global and regional programmes, with revitalized partnerships in infrastructure, procurement and project management.

ECR operates global portfolios from offices in Geneva, Brussels and New York, and country-specific programmes from its operations and project centres located in Eastern Europe and Central Asian countries.

Based in the New York, the UNOPS Development Group Cluster supports diverse partners with their peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations. For example, within the United Nations Development Programme, the Cluster works with the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support and the Office of South-South Cooperation.

The cluster also supports the United Nations Secretariat, as well as a broadening community of other New York-based United Nations organizations in the delivery of project management and implementation services