Project Management Specialist

Beirut

Organization: UNOPS - United Nations Office for Project Services
Location: Beirut
Grade: Mid level - IICA-2, International Individual Contractors Agreement
Occupational Groups:
- Project and Programme Management
Closing Date: Closed

Background Information - UNOPS

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 - Job-specific

The overall situation in Lebanon remains challenging with all the sectors being affected. According to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for West Asia, the poverty rate in Lebanon rose dramatically from 28 percent in 2019 to 55 percent in 2020. Furthermore, the average cost of the food Survival Minimum Expenditure Basket (SMEB) registered an increase of 183 percent nationally, between October 2019 and December 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the overall situation whereby as much as two-thirds of Lebanese households had a reduction in income since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020.

At the request of the Government of Lebanon and with donor support, the United Nations Office for Project Services has been requested to provide monthly stipends (cash payments) to critical population segments in Lebanon under an agreement with an aim to ensure the overall stability of the country. The project is envisaged to last 10 months and will benefit over 100,000 individuals each month.

The specific project will contribute to the Political, Peace, Security, and Governance (PPSG) pillar of the UN Strategic Framework. The project contributes towards Sustainable Development Goal 16: “Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels”.

The primary role of Project Management specialist is to provide the project with the structures, tools and techniques needed to ensure compliance with UNOPS procedures and processes, that operational and change priorities are balanced, the governance and decision making is facilitated and it has the resources and capability to deliver them consistently well.

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager, the incumbent is responsible for performing the following duties:

The functions and services of the PM specialist include:

Strategic Planning Ensuring the project is focused on doing the right activities by supporting project management decision-making.
Delivery Support: Ensuring the project is doing activities the right way, through the effective delivery of the projects milestones and activities
Best Practices: Applying UNOPS standards in project management, encouraging consistent working practices and ensuring appropriate application.

The primary role of PM specialist is to ensure that project management policies, processes and methods are followed and practiced according to the organization standards, while acting as the overall Project Assurance capacity within the business unit on behalf of the Senior Project Manager. The PM specialist strongly contributes to moving the project toward achieving its mission-focused goals and objectives.

Functional Responsibilities

Summary of functions:

Development and planning
Set-up and closure
Monitoring and reporting
Stakeholder engagement
Quality assurance
Knowledge management and innovation
Personnel management

1. Development and planning

In conjunction with the project team, provides appropriate levels of project management and administrative support regarding all ongoing project activities, while maintaining and implementing appropriate standards and best practices in line with UNOPS policies and procedures.
Directly contribute to strategic oversight, advice and direction on programme and project management activities in line with service agreements and project documents and in close coordination with UNSCOL.
Ensure proper development, implementation and, as and when appropriate, amendments, of project budgets and staffing resources,Develops and establishes resource tracking systems for use in the project, complementary to UNOPS' online tools, to ensure effective planning, forecasting and tracking of delivery
Identifies, and anticipates in a timely manner, potential HRDDP risks and issues and advises mitigating measures to the Project Manager

2.Set-up and closure

Facilitate the development of high-level project plans, including the collation of lower-level plans into project-level milestones.
Develop, track and maintain dependencies.
Liaise closely and support the Head of Support Services in all project assets and finance related issues.
For project closure purposes, acts as a focal point with donors throughout the process.
Oversee and coordinate all project closure activities, ensuring appropriate disposal of project assets, timely and effective final (operational) reporting, initiation of financial disbursements as appropriate, updating of information on OUp, and effective handover of the project at closure in OUp for financial closure processes.

3.Monitoring and reporting

Prepare and issues regular project reports in accordance with donor guidelines for reporting.
Regularly review project status, evaluating performance criteria (scope, cost, schedule and quality).
Maintain diaries and progress reports as required by UNOPS standard procedures.
Identify and anticipates in a timely manner, potential HRDDP and other risks and issues specific to delivery forecasts, and advises mitigating measures to the project manager
Screen the reports on alleged human rights violation by LAF and ISF, units or individuals in the media and reports by other UN agencies, civil society organizations, NGOs and other relevant stakeholders.
Triangulate information relevant to the certified list of eligible personnel provided by stakeholders together with the payroll, to follow up with the focal points from the project stakeholders on any disparity between the provided lists
Provide routine oversight and analysis of delivery data within the dashboard system, using UNOPS ERP system as required.
Oversight the development of the IT tools needed for controlling and verifying payments to eligible individuals that are certified by the project stakeholders.
Perform routine maintenance and implementation of effective monitoring and evaluation systems of the project activities, in line with logical frameworks.
Within the context of monitoring and evaluation, ensure all projects submit and regularly update specific milestones and targets for the duration of projects' life-cycles, and tracks progress, or otherwise, against such information.
Provide editorial support to programmes and projects, ensuring effective and timely dissemination of reports, in line with project documentation and clients' expectations.
Provide the Head of Support Services with necessary project analysis reports and information to support areas relevant to the project management team (i.e. Locally Managed Direct Costs projections etc.).
Coordinate and oversee the implementation of requests or initiatives relevant to project management from the Regional Office, IPAS, and HQ Teams, as required.

4.Stakeholder engagement

Develop stakeholder profiles and facilitate the formulation of stakeholder engagement strategies.
Enable the formulation of the project communications plans in coordination with UNSCOL.
Coordinate stakeholder engagement and communication, ensuring effective timing and interdependency management of communications for the project in coordination with UNSCOL.
Coordinate internal /project communications.
Monitor the effectiveness of the project communications.

5. Quality assurance

Work with internal audit and finance to ensure the the complies with audit requirements.
Work with procurement/purchasing staff to ensure effective interface with suppliers' quality systems.
Ensure compliance with UNOPS defined standards for project management.
Coordinate quality reviews ofproject documents and deliverables.
Provide quality control for management products (project documents, reports, etc.).
Represent the Senior Project Manager in supporting key stakeholders to continuously identify and improve operational processes relevant to project implementation.

6. Knowledge management and innovation

Ensure routine and effective capacity building activities are conducted in order to build the long-term and sustainable capacity of national staff.
Participate in, and advocate PM’ s participation in, relevant Communities of Practice.
Actively interact with the wider PM community to share case studies, lessons learned and best practices in the Knowledge System.
Provides feedback to Practice Leads on policy and supporting guidance working to achieve continuous improvement of UNOPS policies.
Contributes to the oversight of lessons learned procedures, ensuring that lessons learnt are shared in a timely and appropriate manner.

7. Personnel Management [if managing a team]

Exercise control of all staffing issues within the Project team including recruitment, on-boarding and staff performance reviews.
Directly contributes to the development and maintenance of budget and resource availability tables in conjunction with project managers and relevant project staff.
Promote and support a learning culture by empowering individuals and teams to identify critical learning needs and plan/provide easy access to learning opportunities to maintain personnel competency and flexibility.
Foster a positive work environment, respectful of both men and women, and ensure that the highest standards of conduct are observed.

Competencies

Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organization. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organization.(for levels IICA-2, IICA-3, LICA Specialist- 10, LICA Specialist-11, NOC, NOD, P3, P4 and above)

Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.

Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).

Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.

Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.

Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.

Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education:

A Master’s Degree preferably in Project Management, Business Administration or related field (e.g. International Relations).

A combination of Bachelor’s degree with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of a Master’s degree.

Certification:

PRINCE2 or PMP Practitioner Certification is highly desirable.

Experience:

A minimum of at least 5 years of relevant and progressive professional experience, specifically in the field of Project Management with experience of successful implementation and/or oversight of programmes and projects is required.

At least 2 years experience in a conflict or post conflict/Humanitarian setting is required.

Previous experience of working within a Project Management Specialist environment, including management experience in development or humanitarian projects and in the area of procurement, human resources, finance/administration and project management is an advantage.

Demonstrated experience with data analysis, management reporting and project management tools and information management systems is an asset

Detailed knowledge of UNOPS’ project management tools, UNOPS financial and procurement rules and regulations, and financial management tools, is desired.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in spoken and written English is required; knowledge of Arabic language is an advantage.

Contract type, level and duration

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

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:
https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

Additional Considerations

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.
Beirut is a Non-Family Duty Station.
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.

This vacancy is now closed.
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