Risk Education Project Manager

Peace and Security Cluster

The UNOPS Peace and Security Cluster (PSC) is a principal service provider in the field of mine action with the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), UNDP, UNICEF, Governments of mine-affected countries and other mine action partners. The Head of Cluster is responsible to administer, provide support and oversight of the day-to-day management of the Project Field offices, both according to the client requirements and in line with UNOPS rules and regulations. It is headed by the Head of Cluster who has the overall authority and accountability for the performance of the Peace and Security Cluster on behalf of its clients.

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Projects, The Risk Education (RE) Project Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the project(s) and provides services to the different donors, partners and beneficiaries.  He/she is expected to meet and exceed the organizations performance and delivery goals.

The overall objective of Risk Education (RE) in Iraq is to reduce the risk of death and injury of men, women, girls and boys living near areas affected by the threat of EH liberated from ISIL. The objectives will be implemented in close collaboration with the local population, the GoI, Mine Action operators, HCT, UNAMI, and other members of the humanitarian community.

Purpose and Scope of Assignment

The RE Project Manager is responsible to produce/read a needs-based plan for risk education response in the project area of operations, prepare and familiarize him/herself with the project procurement documentation, financial and contribution agreements have a thorough understanding of the terms, conditions, and the respective roles and responsibilities of the partners/stakeholders to ensure the project(s) activities are fit-for-purpose and able to meet the business cases for both UNOPS and the Donor.

The RE Project Manager is responsible for coordinating, oversight of, and quality assurance of several parallel risk education implementers’ activities.  The project relies on a number of external suppliers for its successful delivery and that are working with firm deadlines. The project manager is responsible for all aspects of the project life cycle, from mobilisation, through operational phase and demobilisation. S/he must be able to apply, independently, the below duties and responsibilities of the project success criteria:

Stakeholder Management:

• Establish solid working relationship with  the UNMAS Iraq management team, Head of Projects, the contractors and grantees representatives, local authorities, including the Directorate of Mine Action (DMA), the Donors and other key stakeholders;
• Manage communications, linking to UNMAS Iraq Programme strategically positioned resources, with relevant partners and stakeholders, including national mine action authorities, NGO’s, commercial companies, the mine action sub-cluster, local authorities on the level of Governorate and municipality, UN entities and Security Forces/Federal Police, ensuring that stakeholders are aware of project activities, progress, exceptions and are in a position to support project delivery;
• Advise the client 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 UNMAS Iraq Programme Management, Head of Projects and the Contractors; and
• Coordinate risk education with stakeholders and implementers of reconstruction, return and recovery projects.

Delivery and Performance:

• Develop and maintain project plans for UNMAS Iraq risk education in liberated areas of Iraq, Ensure UNMAS Iraq risk education activities are targeted in line with agreed priorities and coordinate these with relevant authorities, UN agencies, grantees and contractors;
• Develop UNMAS Iraq Risk Education communications strategy and procedures;
• Implement approved project plans (including the establishment of milestones) within tolerances set by UNMAS Iraq Programme Management;
• Embed sustainability dimensions including social and gender inclusion, environmental and economic aspects into project life cycle;
• Lead assessment of existing risk education capacities and provide UNMAS Iraq Head of Projects and Programme Management with periodical updates in terms of relevance, geographical focus and need for RE capacities;
• Ensure UNMAS Iraq grantees and contractors are appropriately accredited for risk education with national mine action authorities;
• Ensure RE Team review UNMAS Iraq grantees and contractors risk education SOPs as appropriate. Ensure SOPs are compliant with IMAS and relevant national standards and review and approve as appropriate any proposed changes to, or revisions of UNMAS Iraq grantees and contractors risk education SOPs ;
• Manage the project outputs, taking responsibility for overall progress and use of resources and initiating corrective action where necessary;
• Liaise with contractors and grantees;
• Communicate with portfolio manager to authorize Work Packages;
• Identify and manage risks so that maximum benefit to client and stakeholders is achieved;
• Manage and review quality;
• Monitor and evaluate performance of service providers and highlight challenges;
• Identify and report potential business opportunities for UNOPS to supervisor;
• Manage quality assurance of all UNMAS Iraq RE grantees and contractors work and products;
• Draft and maintain weekly and monthly risk education plans and advise the UNMAS Iraq Programme management and Head of Projects of any deviations from the plan;
• Conduct review of risk education staff training including plans, curriculum, conduct, testing and competence. Approve successfully certified and competent staff as appropriate

Procedures:

• Follow the Project Management Cycle Instructions and ensure that all organizational policy is complied with (Organizational Directives and Administrative Instructions)
• Prepare/adapt the following plans for approval by the Project Board:  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 project files, in close cooperation with UNMAS Iraq Support and Programme Offices, 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 Communities of Practice; linking to Risk education expertise in other UNMAS programmes, and other United Nations risk education actors and NGOs involved in RE, 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 and UNMAS Iraq policies;
• Actively interact with other PMs and the PM community to share case studies, lessons learned and best practice on the Knowledge System.
• Complete lessons learned as per reporting format
• Incorporate lessons learned from others as per planning format

Personnel Management: if applicable

• Act as the RE Team manager, leading and motivate the Risk education project team;
• 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
• 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

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

• Partnerships and Coordination

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

                 ii. 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 a supervisor

• Excellence

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

Additional Requirements:

• Lead and oversee the development of new, innovative ‘thinking outside of the box’ risk education campaigns in close cooperation with national authorities, UN and other partners, grantees and contractors;
• Oversee the planning and delivery of bespoke risk education workshops for national and international cooperating partners on topics such as communication, design, media and social media platforms, and;
• Oversee the delivery and implementation of new and innovative risk education campaigns

General: 

Ensure that the RE project(s) perform as per the Statement of Works and budgets, within the specified tolerance of time, cost, quality, scope, risk and benefits, reaching the target population and internally displaced people as detailed in project proposals and work plans.  The Project Manager is also responsible for identifying further needs and gaps for future RE activities.

Additional Requirements:

Review grantee and contractor performance through quality assurance on site, through documentation, reports, and during meetings. Highlight successes and challenges in timeframe, cost, quality, scope, risk and benefits. Prepare inputs to donor reports on ad-hoc basis, periodically and at end of project.

Education and Relevant Years of Experience:

• Advanced University Degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in Project Management, Business Administration, Education or other relevant discipline with a minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience: or
• First level University Degree (bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in Project Management, Business Administration,Education or other relevant discipline, with a minimum of seven (7) years of relevant experience; OR
• Military Experience (or relevant Police Experience) at the Senior NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer) or Officer level (or equivalent) with eleven (11) years of experience.

• 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.  
• 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.
  

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 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.