Project Manager

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

Background Information – Yemen

UNOPS is undertaking a multi-sectorial engagement aims at restoring urban services mainly in energy, urban roads, water and sanitation (WASH), municipality services in targeted cities in Yemen using an integrated approach.

Background Information – Job specific

UNOPS  is undertaking a World Bank-funded project (Yemen Emergency Electricity Access Project), which focuses on improving access to electricity in rural and peri-urban areas within Yemen. The project responds to the immediate developmental crisis by restoring electricity supply to critical infrastructure (hospitals, schools, water corporations, and electricity corporations). It will also build a more inclusive and sustainable solar market in Yemen through targeted financing to the private sector, expanding its reach to the poor and vulnerable while improving the quality of off-grid energy access products and services based on international experience.

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Programme, the Project Manager (PM) provides overall strategic direction and close oversight to ensure successful implementation and delivery of activities under the project in line with UNOPS Project Management Methodology. The PM will ensure effective coordination with key stakeholders (Microfinance Institutions, the World Bank, UNOPS, and other entities such as NGOs, the UN agencies, and solar equipment suppliers). S/he will be responsible for successful implementation and delivery of subprojects.

The PM is responsible for the day-to-day operations of subproject(s) and managing the works of the participating partners.  S/he is expected to meet and exceed the organizations performance and delivery goals.

Success of the project(s) and hence project manager will be based on the Success Criteria of UNOPS engagements which are linked to the below responsibilities.

The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS. 

The PM is responsible for all aspects of the project life cycle. S/he must be able to apply, at a mastery level, the below duties and responsibilities of the project success criteria:

Stakeholder Management:

• Establish solid working relationship with the Project Technical Committee, and other key stakeholders
• Manage communications and ensure all stakeholders are aware of activities, progress, exceptions and are in a position to accept handover products
• Advise the management on issues that may impact the achievement of the project outcomes (including issues of sustainability and post project requirements such as maintenance)
• Manage the information flows between the Project Technical Committee, UNOPS Hub in Amman and  the donor, as needed

Delivery and Performance:

• Develop and maintain project implementation plans
• Implement approved project plans (including the establishment of milestones) within tolerances set by the Project Technical Committee
• Embed sustainability dimensions including social and gender inclusion, environmental and economic aspects into project life cycle
• Manage the production of the required deliverables, taking responsibility for overall progress and use of resources and initiating corrective action/s, where necessary
• Liaise with any external suppliers or account managers
• Authorize Work Packages
• Liaise closely with the established project governance structures and, as relevant, advice the Project Technical Committee and UNOPS Hub management of any deviations from the plan
• Identify and manage risks to realize maximum benefits from successful project implementationManage 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 compliance with organizational policies and procedures (Organizational Directives and Administrative Instructions)
• Prepare/adapt the following plans for approval by the Technical Committee:  I. Project Initiation Documentation; II. Stage/Exception Plans and relevant Product Descriptions
• Prepare the following reports:

                                i.            Highlight Reports

                              ii.            End Stage Reports

                            iii.            Operational Closure Checklist

                             iv.            End Project Report

                               v.            Handover Report

• Maintain the following: i. Electronic Blue File; ii. Procurement, HR and Finance files as required by those practices as per OD12
• Ensure compliance of all expenditure/s 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
• Manage and remain accountable for expenditures against the budget (based on accurate financial reports)

Knowledge Management:

• Participate in the relevant 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
• Contribute to corporate knowledge in order to facilitate implementation of corporate policy and guidelines
• 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
• Ensure that behavioural 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, and as per the approved project budget
• 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

Coordination:

• Engage and coordinate with other UN agencies, as well as national and international partners, as needed
• Represent UNOPS in the relevant coordination forums
• Facilitate programmatic and operational synergies and alignments with other interventions in the solar power sector
• Contribute to UNCT and HCT planning and reporting requirements, in coordination with the Partnerships Advisor in the UNOPS Hub in Amman
• Contribute to the programmatic and operational direction of UNOPS in Yemen
• Perform other related duties as required

Monitoring and Progress Controls

The PM will comply with the UNOPS monitoring processes and procedures. In addition, the project manager will be supported by the Third Party Monitoring to reinforce the performance of the project.

General: 

Core Values and Principles:

• Understand and respect UNOPS sustainability principles

  I.  Look for ways to embed UNOPS sustainability principles in day to day project management

 II.  Seek opportunities to champion gender equality at work place

 III.  Champion and communicate project’s sustainability aspects with key stakeholders

• Understand and Respect National ownership and capacity

i. Understand the principles of the Paris Declaration on aid effectiveness and mainstream them into the project plans

 ii. Seek opportunities to recruit qualified local staff

iii. Look for ways to build capacity of local counterparts

iv. Partnerships and Coordination. Understand the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and UNOPS, the project’s place in the UN system

 v. Strive to build strong partnerships and effective coordination among relevant project actors (e.g. United Nations, governments, and non-governmental organizations or other relevant partners)

• Accountability for results and the use of resources

i. The project management processes are designed to deliver maximum accountability, transparency and results. If a project or processes is not in line with this, it is the responsibility of the PM to raise the issue to the Head of Programme in Amman Hub.

• Excellence

i.  Contribute to innovation and the adaptation of best practice standards of sustainability and quality.

• Master’s degree or equivalent in renewable energy or electrical/ electronics engineering from a recognized university with 7 years of progressive experience in development and management of off-grid renewable energy projects. 
• Bachelor’s Degree in electrical/ electronics engineering with additional 2 years of relevant working experience may also be considered. 
• 7 years of progressive experience in development and management of off-grid renewable energy projects, with focus on monitoring, reporting, development and coordination in either public or private sector organizations. 
• Previous assignment with UN system is an advantage
• Demonstrated experience in the implementation of solar energy projects and/ or microfinance programmes is required.
• Previous similar experience in Yemen or similar hard-ship duty stations is an asset
• Full proficiency in English language is required. Proficiency in Arabic language (oral and written) is an asset.

• Certified Senior Project Manager - International Project Management Association (IPMA Level B) or Project Management Professional (PMP - PMI) is an asset.

• PRINCE2® Foundation is an advantage.

Contract type: Fixed-term staff contract Contract level : P4
Contract duration : One year initially, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and funding availability

• 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.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• 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.