Consultancy - Project Manager - Multi-Partner Research and Development/Innovation Projects - remote

Logistics & Procurement Innovation

Overview

Lead and coordinate multi-partner research and development projects remotely.

You have:

• You have a university degree in Procurement, Civil Engineering, Supply Chain, Social Sciences, Project Management, Business Administration, International Relations, Public Administration, Law, Economics or other relevant field.
• You have a minimum of 10 years of experience in project development and management, including experience in procurement project management in public organizations.
• Demonstrated experience in managing multiple stakeholders in complex settings is required.
• Experience in planning and managing acquisitions is highly desirable.
• Previous experience in WFP, WHO or the United Nations/INGOs is considered an asset.
• You are fluent in oral and written English and have technical writing skills.
• Intermediate knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, French, Chinese, Russian, Spanish) or Portuguese is desirable.

Consultancy opportunity

Are you a Project Manager and interested in humanitarian work?

If yes, this opportunity is for you!

We are looking for candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles. We select our candidates on a competitive basis, and we are committed to promoting diversity and gender balance.

Currently, we are looking for candidates to support remotely our operations.

WFP AND UNHRD

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the largest humanitarian organization delivering food assistance to over 90 million beneficiaries in 80 countries on a yearly basis. With over 5000 trucks, 50 ships and close to 100 planes on the move every single day, WFP, together with its partners, operates a global network to deliver life-saving food assistance to the most hard-to reach places.

WFP was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2020 for its work, combatting hunger and its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas.

As part of the WFP Supply Chain Division, the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD) operates as a Network of strategically located global hubs that support the humanitarian community in preparing and responding to emergencies. Since its inception over 20 years ago, more than 95 partners have joined UNHRD and in 2021 alone, UNHRD, through its global supply chain structures, supported partners by managing close to 1050 consignments and dispatching a wide variety of cargo to 148 countries and territories.

JOB PURPOSE

UNHRD has an internal Research and Design (R&D) capability, known as the UNHRD Lab, which partners leverage to develop new, innovative solutions for responding more effectively to humanitarian emergencies. Over the years, the UNHRD Lab has developed solutions that are now deployed in the first phases of an emergency operation and that help to respond better to humanitarian crises. Given the increasing need to respond to emergencies in a more unified manner, the need to develop such solutions together with other UN agencies and humanitarian organizations is becoming more crucial.

In this framework, and under the overall supervision of the UNHRD Network Coordinator, an experienced Project Manager will be brought into the team to help manage and coordinate the increasing number of joint initiatives that are under development and that also touch upon a wide range of sectors (logistics, health, energy efficiency, AI, etc).

The incumbent will apply his/her experience and skills in strategy support, portfolio management, budget and financial control expertise, service management and relationship management skills to coordinate the growing portfolio in conformance with WFP Supply Chain and Corporate standards.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

As Project Manager, you must have extensive knowledge of strategy formulation, the ability to think analytically and strategically, the capacity to develop and strengthen relationships with both operational and management-level staff across UNHRD, WFP and with Partners and also manage risks in a way that leverages on opportunities and creates value. You will ensure that all projects are developed and managed within existing UNHRD governance mechanisms and adhere to reporting structures and delegations of authority; the projects must also support overall UNHRD and Supply Chain strategies and account for:

- Collation of time, resource, and budgetary estimates from multiple stakeholders to design plans for complex projects and implementation activities, while ensuring that project support for deliverables are in place;

- Ensure, within existing UNHRD Finance structures and in coordination with the UNHRD finance Officer in Charge, project funds management, cost and risk control, to control the spend, availability and sourcing of project funds;

- Supervise project backstopping for large projects requiring innovative recommendations and approaches, building strong relationships with internal and external partners to align Supply Chain strategies with organizational strategies and requirements;

- Ensure that business and technical risks are managed through the project control process;

- Control Quality Management of planned and systematic activities to determine and ensure achievement of the project’s quality objectives, by assuring the quality of the project deliverables and the quality of the processes used to manage and create the deliverables;

- Continuously analyze changes in the environment and organizational strategy in order to align project portfolios accordingly;

Summary of functions:

• Project Delivery and Performance
• Procedures
• Monitoring and reporting
• Stakeholder engagement
• Quality assurance
• Knowledge management and innovation
• Financial management
• Portfolio management

Project delivery and performance

• Develop, complete and update implementation plan(s) (If applicable)
• Implement the approved plan (including the establishment of milestones) within tolerances set by the Project Board.
• Embed sustainability dimensions including social and gender inclusion, environmental and economic aspects into project life span.

Procedures

• Comply with all organizational policies, rules and regulations, circulars and directives, and adhere to UNHRD governance documents and reporting structures, particularly in Supply Chain and Finance matters.
• Prepare/adapt all relevant plans for approval within Project structures (Project Board, Steering Committee and the like depending on the project).
• Manage the reporting obligations defined in the Legal Agreement(s) and in the Implementation Plan
• Increase project management maturity level, including project management processes across projects standardized, coordination and integration amongst groups implemented, cost and schedule performance improved

Monitoring and reporting

• Prepare and issue regular project and/or financial reports in accordance with donors and partners requirements for reporting and in line with WFP rules and regulations as applicable to UNHRD.
• Regularly review project status, evaluating performance criteria (scope, cost, schedule and quality).

Stakeholder engagement

• Develop stakeholder profiles and facilitate the formulation of stakeholder engagement strategies
• Establish solid working relationships with the Project Board (Executive, Senior Users and Senior Suppliers), client and key stakeholders

Other as required.

STANDARD MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Education

You have an university degree preferable in any of the following disciplines: Procurement, Civil Engineering, Supply Chain, Social Sciences, Project Management, Business Administration, International Relations, Public Administration, Law, Economics or other relevant field.

Experience

You have:

• A minimum of 10 years of experience (or more based on academic merits) of relevant and progressive professional experience in project development and management, including experience in procurement project management in public organizations.
• Demonstrated experience in managing multiple stakeholders in complex settings is required.
• Experience in planning and managing acquisitions is highly desirable.
• It will be a valued experience that combines strategic and managerial leadership in the implementation of projects / programs and complex procurement services in a large international and / or public organization.
• Previous experience in WFP, World Health Organization (WHO) or the United Nations/ International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) will be considered an asset.

Language

• You are fluent in oral and written English and have technical writing skills;
• Intermediate knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, French, Chinese, Russian and Spanish) or Portuguese (one of WFP’s working languages) is desirable.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

WFP offers a competitive compensation package which will be determined by the contract type and selected candidate’s qualifications and experience.

Please visit the following websites for detailed information on working with WFP:

http://www.wfp.org Click on: “Our work” and “Countries” to learn more about WFP’s operations.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

Application deadline: 27 March 2022 (midnight Rome time)

Your CV must be submitted in English

Women applicants and qualified applicants from developing countries are especially encouraged to apply. WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status. No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.

Apply now

Potential interview questions

Added 4 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: wfp.org