Background Information - Job-specific

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world.  Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organisations.  With over 6,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, where they need it.  By implementing around 1,000 projects for our partners at any given time, UNOPS makes significant contributions to results on the ground, often in the most challenging environments.

Austria Multi-Country Office (AUMCO)

The Austria Multi-Country Office (AUMCO) is part of the UNOPS Europe and Central Asia Region (ECR). Specifically, AUMCO aims to enable achievement of Agenda 2030 and the Paris Agreement through global programmes and tailored interventions in the Balkans, South Caucasus, and Central Asia, focused on:

  • Infrastructure
  • Procurement 
  • Project Management (full service, back on track)
  • HR and Transactional Services
  • Grants Management 
  • Technical and Advisory Services
  • Project Information

Under the supervision of the AUMCO Head of Programme, the primary role of Head of Programme Management Office (PMO) is to provide facilitation, guidance, advice and oversight to ensure the effective portfolio management, including towards the development, delivery and closure of projects in line with UNOPS standards and contribution goals, as well as the respective legal agreements and stakeholder expectations. This includes the rollout of the respective structures, tools and techniques to facilitate project implementation, governance, monitoring and quality assurance.

The functions and services of the Head of PMO include:

  • Strategic Planning/Portfolio Support: Ensuring UNOPS’s portfolio is developed and delivered effectively, in line with UNOPS’ regulations and rules, standards and contribution goals.

  • Delivery Support: Ensuring that AUMCO’s management and respective teams are provided with the appropriate support and facilitation, as well as tools and data, to ensure their success.

  • Best Practices: Facilitating the development and mainstreaming of the appropriate standards, best practices and lessons learned across UNOPS’ portfolio, in particular when it comes to planning, forecasting, quality management, stakeholder satisfaction, as well as issue and risk management. 

The Head of PMO shall ensure that project management policies, processes and methods are followed and practiced according to the organization standards, while acting as the overall Project/Quality Assurance capacity within the business unit on behalf of the AUMCO Head of Programme and management, with the overall focus on facilitating effective project planning, delivery and closure.

Overall, the Head of PMO strongly contributes to moving the UNOPS AUMCO toward achieving its mission-focused goals and objectives, and leads the MCO PMO team (as applicable).

Functional Responsibilities

Summary of functions:

  • Programme planning and oversight
  • Set-up and closure
  • Monitoring and reporting
  • Stakeholder engagement
  • Quality assurance
  • Knowledge management

1. Programme Planning & Oversight

  • Provide appropriate levels of programme management support to the MCO Head of Programme regarding all ongoing project activities, while maintaining and implementing appropriate standards and best practices in line with UNOPS policies and procedures.

  • Provide support to potential and current engagement, in particular in cases of high value and/or risk, helping Head of Programme in strengthening project governance structures and processes to enable achievement of high standards and consistency in line with UNOPS success criteria.

  • As assigned and required, take the lead in project development and planning activities on behalf of the Head of Programme.

  • Directly contribute to strategic oversight, advice and direction on programme and project management activities in line with service agreements and project documents. Ensure programmes and projects contribute to strategic objectives and targets.

  • Develop and establish management systems for use within AUMCO, complementary to UNOPS' online tools, to ensure effective planning, monitoring, forecasting and tracking of delivery across UNOPS AUMCO, including with focus on substantive matters and contributions of the portfolio/projects.

  • Identify, and anticipate in a timely manner, potential risks and issues ,and advise mitigating measures to the AUMCO Head of Programme.

  • Serve as the Officer in Charge for the Head of Programme, as required.

2. Set-up and Closure

  • Co-lead the development of programme/project plans.

  • Develop, track and maintain dependencies and provide advice to management to ensure quality of delivery throughout the project lifecycle.

  • Work with the Head of Support Services on project operational issues, including project budgets, assets, finances, and other as required.

  • For project closure purposes, act as (or nominates and supervises) a focal point, working in close collaboration with Project Manager, Head of Support Services and donors, throughout the process.

  • Oversee and coordinate all project closure activities, working in close collaboration with Project Managers, Head of Support Services and Head of Programme, ensuring appropriate disposal of project assets, timely and effective final (operational) reporting, updating of information on the UNOPS ERP, and effective handover of closed projects to UNOPS HQ for financial closure processes.

3. Monitoring and Reporting

  • Support the Head of Programme in establishing and maintaining management and monitoring systems to ensure the regular review of portfolio and project’s status, evaluating performance criteria (scope, cost, schedule and quality) and contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals as per the respective results/M&E frameworks.

  • Maintain progress reports as required by UNOPS standard procedures, and produce regular updates and presentations on behalf of the Head of Programme.

  • Identify and anticipate, in a timely manner, potential risks and issues specific to delivery forecasts, and propose mitigating measures to the Head of Programme.

  • Perform routine maintenance and implementation of effective monitoring and evaluation systems of programme and project activities, in line with donor and UNOPS internal requirements, and provide advice and support to Project Executives and Managers to facilitate quality delivery.

  • 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 track progress, or otherwise, against such information as per UNOPS and donor requirements.

  • Provide editorial support to programmes and projects, ensuring effective and timely dissemination of reports, in line with project documentation and clients' expectations.

  • 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

  • Facilitate the development of stakeholder profiles and support the formulation of stakeholder engagement strategies under the respective projects.

  • Support the formulation of UNOPS AUMCO communication plans, and overall partnerships initiatives and efforts, including through the provision of data and inputs.

  • Help coordinate stakeholder engagement and communication under the projects, ensuring effective timing and interdependency management of communications across programmes and projects.

  • Monitor the effectiveness of programme/project communications, and advise the Head of Programme on potential improvements, including on evidence based reporting.

5. Quality Assurance

  • Support the Head of Programme so that the monthly and quarterly review of projects is carried out as per organizational requirements in order to ensure accomplishment of set targets and results for projects/portfolios, delivery of services as per the agreed terms and conditions and in a timely manner. 

  • Support the Head of Programme to ensure there is adequate risk-based internal control system and mechanisms in place which are exercised on a regular basis as per the appropriate guidelines and tools of UNOPS AUMCO and of UNOPS corporate policies and procedures.

  • Develop and implement adequate quality management procedures are applied across projects/portfolios of UNOPS AUMCO programme.

  • Ensure assurance procedures are embedded into the programme management of UNOPS AUMCO and are applied consistently across all projects/portfolios as per UNOPS corporate guidelines, procedures and policies. 

  • Identify threats and opportunities, and evaluate implications at the portfolio level.

  • Provide facilitation and support for the programme and projects boards.

  • Forecast and track benefits (outcomes) to be realized.

  • Ensure compliance with UNOPS defined standards for programme/project management by advising the Head of Programme, Project Executives and Project Managers/Support Officers.

  • Coordinate quality reviews of programme/project documents and deliverables.

  • Provide quality control for management products (project documents, reports, etc.) and facilitate the delivery of substantive elements and contributions of projects with focus on the Sustainable Development Goals.

  • Support key stakeholders to continuously identify and improve operational processes relevant to project implementation.

6. Knowledge Management 

  • Act as a focal point for the UNOPS AUMCO portfolio management maturity enhancement initiatives.

  • Make recommendations on policy and tools and contribute to the development of guidance material and tools that advance AUMCO’s strategic portfolio and project management goals.

  • Disseminate and provide guidance on corporate policies, guidance and best practices that impact AUMCOs portfolio, programme and project management practitioners.

  • Participate in, and advocate PMs' engagement in the relevant Communities of Practice. 

  • Actively interact with PMs and the wider PM community to share case studies, lessons learned and best practices in the Knowledge System. 

  • Provide feedback on policy and supporting guidance to achieve continuous improvement of UNOPS policies. 

  • Contribute to the oversight of lessons learned procedures, ensuring that lessons learnt are shared in a timely and appropriate manner.

7. Training & Capacity Building

  • Provide advice and support to project management practitioners on how to embed best practices of project and programme governance, risk management, and overall project and programme management.

  • Support and provide training and internal consulting in project and programme management, and offer project and programme development advice and assistance across AUMCO. 

  • Strengthen the knowledge, skills and career development of project management practitioners.

  • Identify skills and competence shortages to deliver the portfolio of changes and recommend suitable development. 

  • Extend project management advice and support to hosted entities and other relevant partners to promote high quality project development, delivery and closure

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education
  • An advanced university degree (e.g. Masters) in Project Management, Business Administration, Development Studies, International Relations or related field is required. A first-level university with an additional 2 years of work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. 
Certifications
  • PRINCE2 or MSP Foundation and Practitioner Certifications are highly desirable.
Experience
  • A minimum of 7 years of relevant and progressive professional experience in the development and implementation of projects is required. 
  • Experience with M&E and reporting is highly desired.
  • Experience with portfolio and/or programme management, including focus on providing hands-on facilitation and capacity development to facilitate the oversight and quality assurance of a variety of projects and activities simultaneously, will be considered an important asset.
  • Knowledge of UN/UNOPS’ project management rules, regulations, standards, requirements and systems, including MS Projects and oneUNOPS, is strongly desired.
  • Experience working in the ECR region and/or with projects with a global/inter-regional focus will be considered an advantage
Language
  • Fluency in English is required.
  • Fluency in one or more additional official UN languages is an advantage

Contract type, level and duration

  1. Contract type: IICA 
  2. Contract level: IICA-3/ICS-11 
  3. Contract duration: Ongoing ICA – ‘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 

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.
At Impactpool we do our best to provide you the most accurate info, but closing dates may be wrong on our site. Please check on the recruiting organization's page for the exact info. Candidates are responsible for complying with deadlines and are encouraged to submit applications well ahead.
Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify. Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.