Project Management Office (PMO) - Senior Officer - Open to both nationals and internationals

Contract

This is a IICA-1 contract. This kind of contract is known as International Individual Contractor Agreements. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's an external contract. It usually requires 2 years of experience, depending on education. More about IICA-1 contracts.

Background Information - Job-specific

The primary role of the Project Management Office (PMO) is to provide the Haiti Country Office with the structures, tools and techniques needed to ensure that it has the right programmes and projects in place, that operational and change priorities are balanced, that the governance and decision making is facilitated and that it has the resources and capability to deliver them consistently well.

The functions and services of the PMO include:

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

The primary role of the Project Management Office (PMO) - Senior Officer 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. The incumbent strongly contributes to moving the Country Office toward achieving its mission-focused goals and objectives.

Functional Responsibilities

1. Development and planning
2. Set-up and closure
3. Monitoring and reporting
4. Stakeholder engagement
5. Quality assurance
6. Knowledge management and innovation
7. Personnel management

1. Development and planning

• Support the Head of Programme in providing appropriate levels of programmatic management and administrative support to allt all ongoing project activities.
• Contribute to the maintenance and implementation of appropriate standards and best practices in line with UNOPS policies and procedures.
• Maintain oversight and make substantive contributions to ensure that project management activities are in line with service agreements and project documents.
• Ensure proper development, implementation and, as and when appropriate, amendments, of project budgets and staffing resources.
• Ensure effective planning, forecasting and tracking of delivery across the Country Office though appropriate tracking systems used within the PMO.
• Identify, and anticipate in a timely manner, potential risks and issues and propose mitigating measures to the Head of Programme.

2. Set-up and closure

• Facilitate the development of programme/project plans, including the collation of lower-level plans into programme/project-level milestones.
• Liaise closely and support the Head of Support Services in all project assets and finance related issues.
• For project closure purposes, act as (or nominates and supervises) a focal point between the Country Office and donors throughout the process.
• Coordinate all project closure activities, ensuring appropriate disposal of project assets, timely and effective final (operational) reporting, initiation of financial disbursements as appropriate during Defects Liability Periods, updating of information on the UNOPS Management Workspace (MWS), and effective handover of closed projects to UNOPS HQ for financial closure processes.

3. Monitoring and reporting

• Prepare and issue 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.
• Provide routine oversight and analysis of delivery data within the dashboard system, using UNOPS ERP system as required.
• Perform routine maintenance and implementation of effective monitoring and evaluation systems of programme and 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 track 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.).
• Oversee the implementation of requests or initiatives relevant to project management from the Regional Office and HQ Teams, as required.

4. Stakeholder engagement

• Develop stakeholder profiles and contribute to the formulation of stakeholder engagement strategies.
• Provide support to the formulation of programme and project communications plans.
• Coordinate stakeholder engagement and communication, ensuring effective timing and interdependency management of communications across programmes and projects.
• Coordinate internal programme/project communications.
• Monitor the effectiveness of programme/project communications.

5. Quality assurance

• Work with internal audit and finance to ensure the programme complies with audit requirements.
• Work with procurement/purchasing staff to ensure effective interface with suppliers' quality systems.
• Ensure compliance with UNOPS defined standards for programme/project management.
• Coordinate quality reviews of programme/project documents and deliverables.
• Provide quality control for management products (project documents, reports, etc.).

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 Project Managers' participation in, relevant Communities of Practice.
• Actively interact with Project Managers and the wider Project Manager community to share case studies, lessons learned and best practices in the Knowledge System.
• Contribute to the oversight of lessons learned procedures, ensuring that lessons learnt are shared in a timely and appropriate manner.

7. Personnel Management

• Maintain budget and resource availability tables in conjunction with project managers and relevant project staff.
• Continuous assessment of the performance and effectiveness of Supervisees.
• Ensure principles of human rights, gender equity, peace, voice and accountability, ‘doing no harm’ and aid effectiveness in all activities.
• Create, foster and role model a culture of respect and zero tolerance for discrimination, abuse of authority, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual exploitation and abuse. Ensure accountability for actions and perform duties in accordance with protection mechanisms and action plans, as expected by UNOPS policies, standards and commitments.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education

• An advanced university degree (e.g. Masters) in project management, business administration or other relevant field is required.
• A first-level university degree (e.g. Bachelor) in project management, business administration or other relevant field in combination with two (2) additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.

Certification

• PRINCE2 Practitioner, PMI Project Management Professional, or other internationally recognized certification is an asset.

Work Experience

• A minimum of 2 years' of progressively responsible experience in project management is required.

• Experience in the successful implementation and/or oversight of programmes and projects is required.

• Experience with data analysis, management reporting and project management tools and information management systems is desirable.

Languages

• Fluency in French is required.
• Intermediate level of English 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

1. Contract type: International Individual Contractor Agreement (IICA) or Local Individual Contractor Agreement (LICA)
2. Contract level: ICS-9 / IICA-1 / LICA-9
3. 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 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

• 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.

Background Information - Haiti

UNOPS has been working in Haiti for 18 years with the Haitian Government, other United Nations agencies and international organizations to support them in project management, procurement and logistics services. UNOPS also provides communication and governance support, as well as technical expertise in engineering and infrastructure for the implementation of projects that have a positive impact on the lives of Haitians. Over the past few years, the operation centre in Haiti has mainly implemented major infrastructure projects (roads, schools, energy), health-related procurement such as medical equipment and ambulances, and management support to the government.

Haiti is a non-family duty station, facing increasing security issues in its capital Port-au-Prince. Projects are implemented primarily outside the capital, with more conducive security conditions. UNOPS Haiti management can be described as one led by a collaborative leadership, with strong support provided to each Project Manager and personnel. Most national and international personnel have worked long-term in-country for UNOPS.

Additional information