Project Manager

UNOPS will be leading the implementation of a three-year World bank funded multi million USD Project “Enhancing Community Resilience and Local Governance (ECRP)' in South Sudan starting in August 2020 with the Objective to improve access to basic services and strengthen community institutions in South Sudan.  

The ECRP is a follow on Project to the Local Governance and Service Delivery Project (LGSDP) that was implemented in South Sudan from 2014 and involved the transfer of block grants from the national government directly to county government with the Objective of helping develop an annual intergovernmental fiscal transfer system for local development. 

The ECRP Project will be implemented by UNOPS and the International Organisation for Migration, with UNOPS being the primary grant recipient and responsible authority for the establishment and implementation of the Project Management Unit (PMU) whose primary tasks will include: project management, stakeholder and communication management, fiduciary and procurement management, community engagement, results management and risk management.  UNOPS will be the grant recipient  and will  be directly accountable to the World Bank in all aspects related project delivery (Project Management - Social and Environmental Safeguards, Fiduciary Oversight and Procurement Planning, Infrastructure Quality and Standards; Project Implementation – of community infrastructure as per agreed scope; as well as directly liaising with the Government of South Sudan).

The ECRP comprises the following four components:-

Component 1: Community Infrastructure and Services:- This component will provide block grants to boma-level communities to fund infrastructure and service delivery initiatives based on the priorities established by Boma Development Councils (BDCs). Other than a short negative menu of projects that the program cannot fund, communities are free to identify a wide variety of other types of initiatives to meet their needs.    

Component 2: Local Institution Strengthening:- This component will provide support and capacity building assistance to boma and payam level institutions as well as county governments. The primary focus of ECRP’s capacity-building will be among boma level counterparts, followed by payam and county level institutions.

Component 3: Project Management and Learning:- This component will support (a) project management including technical planning, financial management (FM), procurement, social and environment risk management, and communications; (b) project monitoring which includes a geo-enabled monitoring system and beneficiary feedback/grievance redress mechanism (GRM); (c) continuous data collection on beneficiary impacts and social dynamics; and (d) just-in-time studies as and when needs arise. Such studies may include O&M study, technical assessment of the subprojects, GBV assessment, and so on.

Component 4: Contingency emergency response. A contingency emergency response component (CERC), initially without a budget allocation, will allow for the rapid reallocation of project funds in the event of natural or man-made crisis and major disease outbreaks of public health importance during the implementation of the project.

The ECRP will be implemented throughout the country’s 10 states and select target counties. The community infrastructure sub-projects are divided by area and implemented by IOM and UNOPS separately. While the two UN-agencies will implement their respective projects, a harmonized approach will be managed and governed by UNOPS through the Infrastructure Compliance Guidelines and the Project Implementation Manual. The anticipated sectors for sub-projects will include water supply and sanitation; rural roads; primary health facilities; primary schools; small scale irrigation schemes and community markets. UNOPS will be responsible for quality assurance of all sub-projects during the planning, design and construction stages, through a monitoring plan. IOM will be responsible for community mobilization and capacity support envisioned in Component 2.

Purpose and Scope of Assignment

Stakeholder Management:

●        Establish solid working relationship with the project board (Executive, Senior Users and Senior Suppliers), and key stakeholders;

●        Manage communications and ensure that all stakeholders are aware of project activities, progress, exceptions and are in a position to accept handover products;

●        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 Project Board/OC Director and the project(s).

Delivery and Performance:

●        Develop and maintain project plans;

●        Implement approved project plans (including the establishment of milestones) within tolerances set by the project board;

●        Embed sustainability dimensions including social and gender inclusion, environmental and economic aspects into the project life cycle;

●        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 OC Manager 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 the supervisor

●        Ensure that the Project observes Health, Safety, Social and Environmental aspects in the daily implementation

●        Develop the Project’s gender action plan and ways to mainstream gender into the project

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 and other progress reports as required by UNOPS and the client

                    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 that all expenditures comply with UNOPS Financial Rules and Regulations (FRR) as well as the Client’s guidelines;

●        Manage budgets, cash flows and obligations to ensure that deliverables are met and payments to contractors and personnel are received on time;

●        Understand and manage UNOPS overheads, allocatable 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;

●        Actively interact with other PMs and the PM community to share case studies, lessons learned and best practice on the UNOPS Knowledge management 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;

●        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;

●        Implement the UNOPS Gender parity plan.

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 workplace

                   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.

Monitoring and Progress Controls

●     Ensure that the project(s) produces the required products within the specified tolerance of time, cost, quality, scope, risk and benefits.

●     The Project Manager is also responsible for the project producing a result capable of achieving the benefits defined in the Business Case.

●     Contribute to the overall business targets and needs.

• Masters  Degree in Engineering, or construction or Project Management or other relevant discipline is required
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, or construction or Project Management or other relevant discipline 

with a combination of 2 additional years of relevant professional experience maybe accepted in lieu of a Masters degree

Certification

●        PRINCE2® Foundation is an added advantage

●        PRINCE2® Practitioner is an added advantage

• Minimum 5 years work experience Engineering, or construction or Project Management or other relevant disciplines is required
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation, reporting and coordination in either UN, International organizations, Public or Private sector organizations is desirable
• Experience in road construction works is desirable
• Experience in implementation of community public works is desirable
• Experience in post- conflict or conflict situations is desirable
• Previous experience working in South Sudan is an added advantage
• Working knowledge of the UN is desirable
• Budget management skills at least 1 year is an added advantage
• Skills in capacity building, Financial Rules and Regulations, knowledge management, multistage reporting, project design, project development,risk analysis are desirable

• Fluency in English (writing, reading and speaking) 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.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• 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
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• 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.

Contract type:  International Contractor Agreement Contract level: IICA-2
Contract duration: Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.’

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
Juba is a non-family duty station