Project Management Support Officer (Reporting)

Sanaa

Organization: UNOPS - United Nations Office for Project Services
Location: Sanaa
Grade: Junior level - LICA-8, Local Individual Contractors Agreement
Occupational Groups:
- Administrative support
- Communication and Public Information
- Project and Programme Management
- Documentation and Information Management
Closing Date: Closed

Background Information - Job-specific

General Background of Projects

The ongoing conflict in Yemen has caused significant disruptions to the supply chain and to the overall availability of services. In light of the reduced or even absent provision of public services, communities have adopted various coping strategies, including using alternate water and energy sources, relying on alternate service providers and community-based service delivery initiatives to address the shortfall.

Physical damage to infrastructure and the lack of functionality in one sector often spills over into other sectors with significant consequences on both the access to, and quality of services, that are often interrelated. For example, in some cities, the lack of functionality in the water sector is tied most directly to the lack of electricity rather than to physical damage to water infrastructure. As a result, wastewater continues to overflow into streets, which in turn has significant implications for the health and transport sectors. Similarly, the absence of electricity across many cities in Yemen is not solely tied to infrastructure damage of energy facilities but rather to the lack of fuel, amongst others due to severe transport limitations and access constraints. These cross-sectoral linkages demonstrate the need for an integrated, multi-sectoral approach that provides synergies and responds to the multi-faceted needs on the ground.

Project Information

The Yemen Integrated Urban Services Emergency Project (YIUSEP) is a World Bank-funded project that seeks to restore access to critical urban services and strengthen resilience to shocks in selected cities within the Republic of Yemen.

The project is structured around the following three components:

Component 1: Service Restoration

Sub-Component 1.1: Tertiary Municipal Services and Solid Waste Management

Sub-Component 1.2: Urban Water and Sanitation

Sub-Component 1.3: Urban Roads

Sub-Component 1.4: Energy for Critical Services

Component 2: Implementation Support and Capacity Development

The Yemen Emergency Human Capital Project is a World Bank-funded project that will contribute to efforts by the international community to maintain and enhance health and nutrition services in line with Yemen’s Minimum Service Package (MSP) and respond to health and nutrition crises, and contribute to the provision of safe water and improving the water and sanitation system capacity. The project will target the whole country, with some interventions focused on specific governorates or districts as per the priorities and needs, The project is structured around the following three components:

Component 1. Improving Access to Healthcare, Nutrition, and Public Health Services (Implemented by UNICEF and WHO)

Component 2. Improving Access to Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) and Strengthening Local Systems (Implemented by UNOPS)

Component 3. Project Support, Management, Evaluation and Administration (Implemented by UNICEF, WHO, and UNOPS)

Functional Responsibilities

The Project Management Support Officer will work under direct supervision of the Programme Manager ensuring smooth coordination between the Technical Assistance Team and the Project Team. He/she will be responsible for keeping track of activities, procurement requests, Reporting as well as managing the day-to-day ad hoc concerns that may arise. He/she is expected to support in ensuring internal UNOPS assurance procedures and compliances

Summary of functions:

Project Implementation
Financial and procurement management
Project monitoring and reporting (Delivery and Performance):
Stakeholder management, coordination and liaison
Knowledge management and innovation

1. Project Implementation

Preparation and maintenance of project files, including internal and external project reports.
Coordinate information flows and oversee change controls, risk registers and issue management by establishing document control procedures
Coordinate assigned delivery of work packages and take responsibility for progress.
Coordinate and liaise with the Programme Manager on the implementation progress.
Identify and escalate to the Programme Manager of any deviations from the plan and update plans.
Work with the Programme manager to identify and manage risks.
Maintain and update implementation plans
Identify continuous improvement and lessons learned

2. Financial and procurement management

Maintain all supporting project financial documents for audit and review processes.
Support the Programme Manager to ensure accurate data entry into UNOPS ERP system (OneUNOPS) and OneUNOPS Projects – as appropriate.
Monitor project budget and financial expenditure and all administrative procedures in line with the work-plan.
Facilitating processing of direct payments and advance requests and prepare project budget revisions.
Manage the preparation of financial reports; including developing financial monitoring and reporting formats as per UNOPS requirements.
Monitor budgets, cash flow and reporting on expense obligations to ensure that deliverables are met.
Conduct financial analysis to manage and calculate financial shortfalls and over-expenditures.
Conduct budget revisions and initiate corrective actions when necessary.
Coordinate vendor communications, meetings, and reports as necessary

3. Project monitoring and reporting (Delivery and Performance)

Support implementation of approved project plans (including the establishment of milestones) under the guidance of the Programme Manager.
Provide substantive inputs for the development of project strategies and schedules and manage work packages.
Managing information flow by keeping, circulating and archiving detailed project notes and records.
Support the - Programme Manager in maintaining the following:
- Electronic Blue File,
- Procurement, HR and Finance files as required by UNOPS policies
Maintain the following records: Quality Register, Configuration Item Records and all other registers/logs delegated by the - Programme Manager
Supervise, monitor and evaluate performance of service providers delivering to project priorities.
Work with projects to establish a reporting schedule, and ensure its regularly updated, monitored, and compliance ensured for all projects and units under the hub.
Ensure all internal and external reports for the projects are completed and submitted on time as per the reporting schedules and templates. This includes:
- The completion and submission of progress and monthly highlight, quarterly, and bi-annual reports in coordination with the project team, the Programme and Partnership teams;
- Ensure timely and quality submission of reports as identified in the project agreement as per the agreed template, through coordinating inputs and drafting reports related to project activities;
- Ensuring all external reports are reviewed by the Project Management Office in MR, AMMMCO, Amman before submission
- Coordinating responses to the feedback and questions received from the donors after reports are submitted
- Act as a focal point for the collection, analysis and dissemination of data/information relevant to verification, monitoring and inspection activities in coordination with the project team;
- Gather and prepare lessons learnt, including gender related lessons learnt, and hand over documentation;
- Set-up and maintain a beneficiary database and project dashboard, and compile GIS mapping data.

Provide communications and administrative support to projects in preparation of formal Project Board meetings, including helping project personnel in production of effective PowerPoint presentations as requested.
Provide content quality assurance, thorough editing, and data verification of all information products produced under the projects.
Facilitate development of information flow and file maintenance procedures to achieve maximum clarity and efficiently in information access and use among all eligible stakeholders.
Manage and monitor the content and quality of all data collected from UNOPS Collect on HSSE and coordinate with field teams.
In close collaboration with internal stakeholders, ensure effective follow up on project logical frameworks (or equivalent information thereof) and make sure these are used as the basis for objective and effective reporting to clients and donors.
In coordination with internal stakeholders, provide analytical and administrative support by contributing to building effective relationships with clients and donors on a continuous basis, attending meetings, drafting minutes, contributing to new project proposals with compilation of relevant lessons learnt, interfaces with other engagements (operational, legal or other), and analysis of relevant information.
Assist project and relevant programmatic personnel in drafting communication strategies and plans when required.
Coordinate with the communications officer and relevant internal stakeholders to assure proper visibility of projects in the media, through print and electronic publications, videos, and other means of communications to enhance the country's public profile and effectively communicate project achievements.
For project closure purposes, work in close coordination with the programme personnel to ensure comprehensive closure reporting is completed throughout the closure process.
Identify and anticipate in a timely manner any potential issues which may impact adversely organization’s reputation as a service provider of choice, and alert relevant personnel to ensure mitigation.
Contribute to stakeholder mapping and analysis and to the development and maintenance of stakeholder profiles for UNOPS engagements in close coordination with the Programme manager and programmatic personnel ensuring synergies and alignment.
Contribute to programme’s risks and issues register and lessons log, on the matters of reporting, communication and stakeholder engagement.
In collaboration with programmatic personnel, contribute to the development of management information systems, project problem tree analysis, capturing interdependencies among projects, tracking related benefits and indicators.
Conduct project site visits as needed

4. Stakeholder management, coordination and liaison

Establish a solid working relationship with the project board (Executive, Senior Users and Senior Suppliers), client and key stakeholders.
Supports the Programme Manager in communication between the project and the donor.
Manage communications with stakeholders and ensure stakeholders are aware of project activities, progress, exceptions and are in a position to accept handover products.
Supports the Programme Manager to advise the client on issues that may impact the achievement of their outcomes (including issues of sustainability and post project requirements such as maintenance)

5. Knowledge management and innovation

Encourage routine and effective capacity building activities are conducted in order to build the long term and sustainable capacity of staff.
Actively interact with other Programme Managers and the wider PM community to share case studies, lessons learned and best practices
Contribute to the oversight of lessons learned procedures, ensuring that lessons learnt are shared in a timely and appropriate manner.
Participate in the relevant Communities of Practice
Research and logging of lessons learned throughout the project life span.
Provide feedback to Practice Groups on policy, supporting guidance with an aim towards continuous improvement of UNOPS policies

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education:

Bachelor’s Degree preferably in Public Administration, Business Administration, communications, International Relations, literacy, linguistics or other relevant discipline is required.
Master’s Degree preferably in Public Administration, Business Administration, communications, International Relations, literacy, linguistics or other relevant discipline will be an asset.

Work experience:

A minimum of two (2) years relevant experience, specifically in the field of Project/Programme Management, and or Operations Management with focus on monitoring, reporting, development and coordination is required.
Experience in collecting and processing data to produce high level statistics and charts is an asset;
Experience and demonstrated skills in generating and compiling high quality reports is an added advantage.
Ability to draft research, analysis, and reports documents for diverse audiences is required.
A proven track record with at least 2 years experience in coordination is an asset.
Experience in the use of Google Suite applications as well as experience in handling web-based management systems is desirable.
Experience and proven knowledge of UNOPS/UN rules and regulations in HR Management, Procurement, Finance and Administration is an asset.
Relevant experience working in developing/post-conflict countries is an asset.

Languages:

Fluency in both English and Arabic is required

Competencies

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.

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: ICA
Contract level: ICA Specialist-8
Contract duration: One year possibility of extension

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 Information

Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.
Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.
This position is based in Sana'a which is the family duty station.

Terms and Conditions

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 (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.
All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.