Website UNOPS
Senior Project Manager (Team Leader)
Job categories: Project Management
Vacancy code: VA/2024/B5516/27278
Level: ICS-11
Department/office: AR, SAMCO, Nepal
Duty station: Kathmandu, Nepal
Contract type: International ICA
Contract level: CA-3
Duration: Open-ended subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and/or satisfactory performance
Application period: 04-Jan-2024 to 19-Jan-2024
Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement.
Please note that UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
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 organizations. 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.
UNOPS Nepal Context:
Since 2015, UNOPS has engaged closely with the Government of Nepal and several development partners in development efforts of the Government of Nepal including the modernization of the Nepal Police and the post-earthquake assessment of damaged buildings and enrollment of beneficiaries into housing grant schemes. UNOPS has helped to improve policing services. It has supported homeowners engaged in the reconstruction process, retrofitting damaged houses, and reconstruction of disability-friendly schools. It has also delivered essential equipment to support COVID-19 response efforts.
The functional objective of UNOPS Nepal is to deliver its projects efficiently and effectively in alignment with government priorities following UNOPS rules and regulations. This is to drive forward the outcomes sought by the clients and funding partners and contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while ensuring gender, diversity, and inclusion are mainstreamed in all its work for the people of Nepal.
Project Information:
FCDO’s Security and Justice Programme (SJP) is a five-year programme (2023-27) with an anticipated budget of up to GBP 35 million. The programme will continue the now completed Integrated Programme for Strengthening Security and Justice (IPSSJ)’s dual focus on tackling criminal violence, in particular gender-based violence (GBV), and supporting respective Government entities, including Nepal Police, to strengthen their services.
Building on the ongoing Launch of the SJP (Inception Phase), the larger SJP will support more representative, accountable, and responsive policing and also help tackle gender-based violence in Nepal. The programme will contribute to the following result areas:
1. Local security and justice providers have improved their capacity to serve the public, particularly women, children, and other marginalized people.
2. Security and justice institutions have effective systems to improve their skills and better manage their resources, including improved police performance management and inspection systems.
3. Relationships between communities and security and justice providers are improved for greater trust between them and increased access to services for those who seek them.
The 2015 constitution of Nepal, envisages the devolution of policing in Nepal into 7 provincial Police Services and a Federal Police Organization (Nepal Police) in the federal sphere. How they combine to provide policing services in Nepal remains a work in progress. It will be highly complex in terms of changes in legislation, policy, administration, and organizational culture, even while standards of coordination and delivery must be maintained across the whole country. The changes will require new ways of working under SJP and create new needs to which UNOPS will seek maximum impact in its project period in at least three target provinces.
In relation to this, UNOPS, as a potential implementing partner for the FCDO, is planning to recruit a Senior Project Manager for the policing component of the SJP programme.
Job Specific
Reporting directly to the Country Manager, the Senior Project Manager is responsible for delivering a new UNOPS project funded by the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) under its security and justice programme (SJP) in Nepal.
He/she will oversee and ensure:
- The elaboration of an evidence-based approach by UNOPS to the results framework of SJP
- The strategic direction and coherence of the project, as well as synergies with other SJP partners
- Oversight of the day-to-day operations of the project(s)
- Management of the UNOPS project team and their performance
- The project’s engagement with key stakeholders in the project and SJP more broadly
- Ensuring high-quality reporting to, and discussions with, the FCDO and, as needed, the SJP’s governance committees on results progress, risks and mitigations
In particular, the Senior Project Manager will oversee and ensure: - The recruitment of highly competent and appropriately skilled individuals to lead each of the main results areas of the UNOPS project within the SJP;
- Build an effective system of collaboration and collective way of working across the whole project team. Within this system, the Senior Project Manager has the authority to task any member of the Team and approve work produced by them.
- Drive the greatest possible coherence between the UNOPS project approach (planning, reporting, and any necessary adaptations) and other elements of the FCDO S & J programme, identifying and pursuing synergies as needed.
- Develop and lead strong relationships with key organizations and significant people within them (at the federal level and in the relevant provincial and local spheres) in order to motivate and influence well-coordinated processes of positive change and avoid duplications
- Monitor performance of project staff and professional advisers in relation to component objectives, as well as the collaboration, coherence and influencing objectives above.
- Participate in SJP’s governance arrangements (Implementation Committee, National Steering Committee, and any other group) and ensure timely reporting to them.
Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the Senior Project Manager to ensure that there is progress on a compelling Theory of Change for the SJP’s high-level results. He/she ensures that the right work is done to contribute to programme outcomes by defining (and adjusting as needed) the optimal project outputs and pushing forward the project team’s delivery of them within the specified project tolerances of time, cost, quality, scope, risk, and benefits.
He/she is also expected to meet the organization’s performance and delivery goals, maintaining the necessary understanding of the terms, conditions, and the respective roles and responsibilities of the partners/stakeholders. He/she will ensure the People’s goals of UNOPS run through all project work, including on Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI).
Functional Responsibilities
Summary of functions:
1. Project Performance
2. Procedures
3. Monitoring and reporting
4. Stakeholder engagement
5. Development and management of project personnel
Project Performance:
- The project’s implementation plan(s) and any subsequent adjustments as guided by evidence and learning, within tolerances set by the Project Board
- The sustainability dimensions of the project include social and gender inclusion, environmental and economic aspects.
- The leadership necessary for the project team to work together to drive results progress
- Representation roles for the Employer within the FIDIC works contracts.
- Effective risk management, identifying in a timely manner potential risks and guiding mitigation measures to minimize negative et impacts on the project, SJP, and its stakeholders, escalating problems to senior UNOPS management/ Project Board and the funder as appropriate.
Procedures:
- Comply with all organizational policies and specifically the Project Management Manual assessing and dealing with suppliers as required
- Prepare/adapt all relevant plans for approval by the Project Board.
- Manage the reporting obligations defined in the Legal Agreement(s) and in the Implementation Plan
- Draft the requirements definitions for procurement processes. Approving requisitions and requests for non-purchase order payments; Evaluating submissions received, if appointed to the evaluation team.
- Ensure maintenance of the project files and lessons learned are recorded
- Ensure the development and implementation of project financial management guidelines and control mechanisms, in conformity with UNOPS rules and regulations.
- Manage budgets, cash flow, and obligations to ensure that deliverables are met and payments to contractors and personnel are received on time.
- Understand and manage UNOPS overheads, allocable charges, and related corporate charges as they apply to the project
- Understand the unique structures of the UN and budget appropriately for personnel
- Manage 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.
- For project closure purposes, provide a formal handover of the project to the closure manager
- Support project audit activities, including planning, preparation, and coordination during the audits and follow up on audit observations/recommendations
Monitoring and reporting:
- The monitoring of progress on (or challenges with) milestones and targets
- Timely delivery of project narrative and financial reports in accordance with Partner and UNOPS requirements
- The regular review of project status, ensuring a skilled assessment of performance criteria (scope, cost, schedule and quality) and deliverables
- Analysis of delivery data within the dashboard system.
- Compliance with audit requirements under the project.
Stakeholder engagement:
- The formulation of stakeholder engagement and delivery of influencing efforts, based on the best possible understanding of interests and incentives, as well as enabling and blocking factors
- The development of effective relationships with the Project Board (Executive, Senior Users, and Senior Suppliers), client and key stakeholders
- The formulation of project communications and what is being achieved. Monitor the effectiveness of project communications.
Development and management of project personnel:
- The establishment of a strong team capable of driving forward the results of the SJP, taking into account the Employer’s gender parity and diversity objectives
- The project team achieves its full potential as individuals and as a collective, including through the development of their skills and effective lessons learning processes;
- Behavioural expectations of all team members are established and sustained, embedding a culture of respect and driving zero tolerance for discrimination, abuse of authority, harassments, sexual harassments and sexual exploitation and abuse.
- Performance reviews are conducted fairly, accurately, and timely
- Staff accountability for their actions and performance of duties in accordance with UNOPS policies and published standards.
- Compliance with UNDSS standards underpins the safety and security of all project personnel
Impact of Results
A Senior Project Manager directly impacts on achievement of project results by adhering to project management methods and strategies, reducing risks, cutting costs, and improving success rates. This consequently reinforces the visibility and image of UNOPS as an effective service provider in project services and management and strengthens its competitive position as a partner of choice in sustainable development and project services
Education/Experience/Language requirements
Education:
- An Advanced University (Master’s) Degree in preferably public administration, public sector reform, political science, political economy, or other relevant discipline is required.
- A Bachelor’s Degree in preferably public administration, public sector reform, political science, political economy, or other relevant discipline with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
- A postgraduate qualification in policing would be a major asset.
Certification:
- Certification in Project Management (PRINCE2 Foundation, PMP, PMI, or any Project Management training) is an asset
Experience:
- A minimum of 7 years (9 years with a Bachelor’s degree) of professional experience leading policing or other complex public service delivery projects will be required.
- At least 2 years of experience in delivering security and justice-related projects for funders of international development assistance, notably the FCDO, would be a significant asset.
- Knowledge of quality assurance methodologies in security sector service delivery would be an added advantage.
- Strong understanding of risk management, notably safeguarding, and experience of multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams must be demonstrated.
- Previous experience working with UNOPS or another international agency in implementing similar projects is an asset.
- Experience in the use of Google Suite applications as well as experience in handling web-based management systems is desirable.
Language:
- Fluency in writing, reading, and spoken English is required.
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.
Terms and Conditions
- 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.