Project Support Officer

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. 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.

Background Information – Lao PDR

In October 2017, UNOPS established its new country office in Vientiane, the capital of Lao PDR. The Project portfolio of UNOPS in Lao PDR traces back to 2007 and it includes Small Grants Programme supported by the Global Environment Fund, the Regional Artemisinin Initiative (RAI) implemented jointly with the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), SUN Support to Civil Society Alliance Laos, funded by Multi Partners Trust Fund and development programs in cooperation with the Swiss Development Agency (SDC) and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).

The UNOPS Lao PDR Office is part of the UNOPS Cambodia Operational Hub (KHOH), which provides oversight, support and services to UNOPS operations in the country offices.

Background Information - Job-specific

The Project Support Officer will provide support for the implementation of ongoing projects under KHOH-Lao PDR and will ensure compliance with PMM. She/he will be responsible for the coordination with partners and reporting and will support the Country Coordinator for the overall successful delivery of the projects. In addition, the PSO will support the Country Coordinator in representation work, business development and compliance of the unit with UNOPS policies.

Under the overall oversight of and reporting directly to the assigned Project Manager, the Project Support Officer will support with duties and responsibilities in the following disciplines:

• Support Project Implementation
• Provide Financial and procurement support
• Assist in Project Monitoring and Reporting
• Knowledge management and innovation
• Provide Operational and logistical support

Support Project Implementation

• Support the Project Manager in ensuring UNOPS Policies and Procedures, Financial Rules and Regulations (FRR) are adhered to for the client project implementation and progress;
• Assist Project Manager in monitor project financials and advise the Project Manager accordingly;
• Track expenditure and contribute tto budget revision
• Contrbute to prepare risk registers and issue management; document and feedback learned and best practices;
• Supporting the project planning process;
• Maintenance of all supporting project financial documents for audit and review processes; 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.

Provide Financial and Procurement Support

• Assist Project Manager to maintain all supporting project financial documents for audit and review processes;
• Contribute to ensure accurate data entry into UNOPS ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system;
• Assist in Processing direct payments and advance requests and contribute to project budget revisions;
• Contribute to produce financial reports; including developing financial monitoring and reporting formats as per UNOPS requirements;
• Support the Project Manager by monitoring budgets, cash flow and reporting on expense obligations to ensure that deliverables are met.

Assist in Project Monitoring and Reporting

• 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:

• 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.

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.

Provide Operational and Logistic Support

• Support development and maintenance of oneUNOPS based management information systems to ensure real time tracking and asset management under the project activities;
• Liaise with the Finance Unit to process and monitor all payment requests within the Project
• Preparation of Terms of Reference (ToR) for required inputs in the projects (staff, individual and institutional consultancy services, procurement of goods and services, organization of training, seminars, etc.), with expert and/or client support as required;
• Maintain records of project and Activity reports in hard and soft copy;
• Contribute to review weekly Activity reports and quarterly financial reports with respect to outputs based on work plans and budget forecasts.

• Advanced University Degree in Project Management, Business Administration, Finance, Logistics, International Relations, or other relevant discipline.
• University Degree (bachelor’s degree / first level) with a combination of 2 additional years of relevant professional experience in Project Management, Business Administration, Finance, Logistics, International Relations, or other relevant discipline, may be accepted in lieu of the advance university degree.
• A relevant combination of academic credentials and/or industry certifications and qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the university education.                                                  
• Prince 2 Foundation Certification will be considered an asset. 

• 2 years relevant and progressive professional experience, specifically in the field of Project Management and Operations Management with focus on Monitoring, Fiduciary management, Reporting, Development and Coordination. Additional 2 years of relevant experience with a Bachelor's will be considered in lieu of the master degree. Technical/Professional Diploma Certification with 6 years of relevant experience may also be considered.
• Experience in complex operating contexts, including humanitarian coordination mechanisms, donors, security, and operations management is essential;
• Experience and demonstrated knowledge of UN /UNOPS rules and procedures in Procurement, Finance, HR Management and administrative rules and regulations will be an advantage;
• Multi-tasking, flexibility and attention to the social, economic and cultural preferences of  communities while maintaining a high service level is preferable.

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.