Project Management Support - Specialist (Regional Operations), Multiple positions

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.

Under the direct supervision of the Team Lead - Rural Component, the group of Project Management Support - Specialist (Regional Operations) is responsible for supporting the effective and successful field level implementation of the community resilience and livelihoods program in the given region.

Summary of Key Functions  

1. Stakeholder management and communication

2. Project coordination

3. Monitoring and reporting

1. Stakeholder management and communication

• Represent the UNOPS CRL Programme Implementation Unit (PIU) and support all Facilitating Partners (FPs) in the given region to develop realistic and achievable field implementation plans, monitor the plans and provide regular and ad-hoc reports to the CRL management team.

• Support the FPs/private contractors of the project in the region in working with communities to define community boundaries in rural areas, and project site boundaries and numbers in urban areas, and the GIS mapping of the same.

• Support the FPs in the region in approving or securing UNOPS PIU-headquarter approval for various project documents and/or operational requirements in the field as needed.

• Support the management team in grievance redressals related to the project field implementation.

2. Project coordination

• Support the project management team and continue to liaise with key actors to ensure a sound understanding of the project objectives and implementation modalities for the CRL in the given region (for personnel from UNOPS and private contractors contracted for Component 2, and Facilitating Partners (FPs) for Components 1, 3 and 4).

• Coordinate project activities in the given region between project staff, local authorities at the provincial and district levels, and the FPs. 

• Monitor and ensure that information is readily available about the achievement of Entry Criteria for Access (ECA) for every community.

• Support the ARTF monitoring agents and headquarters team members in coordinating field visits and monitoring missions.

3. Monitoring and reporting

• Regularly monitor the situation and update the UNOPS PIU management team on significant developments in the region of relevance to the project, particularly related to security, new policy directives/ interpretations from local authorities,  on women’s inclusion and participation, environmental and social safeguards, access of project and FP staff and monitors to the communities, etc.

Impact of Results

The results achieved by the Project Management Support - Specialist (Regional Operations) directly impact on the development and performance of the project, in particular the successful implementation of the rural component of the CRL. It confirms UNOPS’ role as a key and trusted partner to the World Bank, and UNOPS’ position as a critical service provider, in all challenging work environments. Given the current political and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, this project would support the urgent repositioning of AFCO and strengthen UNOPS presence and visibility in Afghanistan, raising the profile of UNOPS  in the global humanitarian context. 

Monitoring and progress controls will be in accordance with work plans that the Supervisor and incumbent will prepare at the beginning of the assignment.  

a. Education

• A first-level university degree (e.g. Bachelor) in development studies, international relations, sociology, management, business administration, or other relevant fields is required. 

b. Work experience 

• A minimum of 5 years of experience working with regional, provincial or district level authorities and/or communities is required.

• Experience of field implementation of a complex project/operations, for example with an NGO or private sector, is valued.

• Experience working with community elders is an asset.

c. Languages

• Fluency (oral and written) in English is required.

• Pashto and Dari languages are desired.

• Ability to speak the local language dialects predominant in the region is desirable.

This VA is open only for Afghan nationals under CTG contract modality not UNOPS ICA.

• 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
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• 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.