Senior Project Manager

Contract

This is a IICA-3 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 7 years of experience, depending on education. More about IICA-3 contracts.

Background Information - Job-specific

From 2002 to date, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through its Ministry of Health has been benefiting from the GAVI fund. This support has entered its third funding phase, with a funding cycle from 2020-2025 with a value of USD 99,999,999. This multi-year support from the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) has been used to support the implementation of National Health Development and the Global Immunization plans. These two plans aim to improve immunization services with equity in the vision of Universal Health Coverage “National Health Development Plan” in the world and particularly in the DRC.

The third phase of funding, like the previous phases, will contribute to the implementation of immunization for children aged 0 to 12 months and to Strengthening the Health System (National Health Development Plan: (PNDS) for five years (2020-2025).

Additionally, the third phase of the GAVI fund supported the DRC Ministry of Health, but with the focus of RSS3.

The key five objectives of this funding phases include:

1. Vaccine Management (Effective vaccines management from 71% in 2019 to at least 80% in 2025.
2. Ensure increased efficiency of the supply chain at all levels by increasing the composite score of effective delivery of vaccination services, vaccine preventable diseases and adverse events following immunization surveillance in 100% of health areas by 2024.
3. Improve the management of immunization data and surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases with a reduction in the gap between administrative data and those of surveys to less than 15 points.
4. Improve the administrative and financial governance of the health system, including capacity building of human resources, by 2025.
5. Strengthen the role of 90%of community participation bodies supported, to fight the brakes on demand for vaccination for target children and pregnant women, by 2024.

UNOPS has been requested to support the implementation of objectives: 1 and 3. Therefore, UNOPS will be the contracting authority for the following activities:

For objective 1 of the RSS3 Program: “Increase the efficiency of the supply chain at all levels by increasing the composite score of the Effective Management of Vaccines (EVM) from 71% in 2019 to at least 80% in 2024”.

For objective 3 of the RSS3 Program: “Improve the management of vaccination data and surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases with the reduction of the gap between administrative data and those of surveys to less than 15 points”.

Through Gavi’s Equity Accelerator Fund Project, the objective is to help reduce the number of zero-dose children – who receive no basic vaccines – by 35% by 2025. 2 Warehouse Management sites are also planned for better management and transport logistics of vaccines.

As part of GAVI’s RSS3 project, UNOPS CDMCO has been entrusted with technical and logistical support to the Ministry of Health through the Extended Program for Vaccination in the DRC (EPI). For this, UNOPS will need to recruit a Senior Project Manager Expert for managing these multidisciplinary projects in logistics, vaccine, management of cold chain equipment, infrastructure, green energy, fund management, warehouse management.

The Senior Project Manager would also manage multi-donor support to the vaccination programme: The last Mile funding by the Japanese Government with procurement, logistics, green energy installations etc.

Senior Project Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the project(s) and provides services to the different donors, partners and beneficiaries.Senior Project Manager acts on behalf of the Project Board to manage the project on an ongoing basis during the Implementation Stage. The main responsibility of a Senior Project Manager is to ensure that the project outputs are delivered within the specified project tolerances of time, cost, quality, scope, risk and benefits. He/she is expected to meet the organization’s performance and delivery goals.

Senior Project Manager has the authority to assign, as per the Project Plan, work packages to Team Managers and approve deliverables produced by them.

Senior Project Manager is responsible for creating the Implementation Plan, using the Project Initiation Document (PID), Legal Agreement and having a thorough understanding of the terms, conditions, and the respective roles and responsibilities of the partners/stakeholders, to ensure the project(s) outputs are capable of meeting the business cases for both UNOPS and the partner(s). Success of the project(s) and hence of the Senior Project Manager will be based on the defined Success Criteria.

The Senior Project Manager will report directly to the Head of Programme.

Functional Responsibilities

1. Project Delivery and Performance
2. Procedures
3. Monitoring and reporting
4. Stakeholder engagement
5. Quality assurance
6. Knowledge management and innovation

7. Personnel management

   1. Project Deliveries and Performance

• Develop, complete and update implementation plan(s) (where applicable).
• Implement the approved plans (including the establishment of milestones) with tolerances set by the project boards.
• Embed sustainability dimension including social and gender inclusion, environmental and economic aspects into the project life spans.
• Manage the production of the required outputs, taking responsibility for overall progress and use of resources and initiating corrective action for each project where necessary.
• Ensure that the quality of work packages and deliverables complies with the quality requirements defined in the implementation plans.
• Liaise with any external suppliers or account managers.
• Manage, accept and deliver work packages for each project.
• Monitor projects and progress ensuring that work packages are being executed efficiently.
• Control projects and work package changes.
• Accept goods, services and works delivered by suppliers.
• Lead all contract management duties including supplier performance evaluation.
• Identify, and anticipate in a timely manner, potential risks and issues and advise mitigating measures to senior management/ project Boards so that maximum benefit to partners and other stakeholders is achieved.
• Management of sub beneficiaries in fund management.
• Harmonize project activities to optimize the outcome of benefits.
• Management of multiple projects with multi-donor funds.

• Control health, safety, security and environmental (HSSE) matters to ensure they are integrated into all aspects of the project operations and that related risks are managed effectively.

  2. Procedures

• Comply with all organizational policies and specifically the Project Management Manual.

• Prepare.adapt all relevant plans for approval by the Project Board.
• Manage the reporting obligations defined in the Legal Agreements and in the implementation Plans.
• Draft the requirement definitions for procurement processes. Approving requisitions and requests for the non-purchase order payments; evaluating submissions received, when appointed to the evaluation team.
• Ensure maintenance of each project file and lessons learned are recorded.
• Ensure the development and implementation of each project's financial management guidelines and control mechanisms, in conformity with UNOPS rules and regulations.
• Manage multiple 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 each project.
• Understand the unique structures of the UN and budget appropriately for personnel.
• Manage expenditures against each 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 each project closure purpose, 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.

3. Monitoring and reporting

• Prepare and issue regular reports and/or financial reports in accordance with each partner and UNOPS requirements for reporting.
• Regularly review project status reports, evaluating performance criteria (scope, cost schedule, quality and quantity).
• Maintain diaries and progress reports as required by the organization’s standard procedures.
• Provide routine oversight and analysis of delivery data with the dashboard system.
• Ensure each project’s team members track and regularly update milestones and targets for the duration of each projects’ life span.
• Monitor activities of the sub-recipients and ensure reports, justifications are received and funds provided as prescribed in the General Service Agreement (GSA).
• Monitor and evaluate the warehouse performances to optimize operations.

4. Stakeholder engagement

• Develop stakeholder profiles and facilitate the formulation of stakeholder engagement strategies.
• Establish solid working relationships with all the Project boards (executives, Senior Users and Senior Suppliers), client and key stakeholders.
• Enable the formulation of each project's communications plans. Coordinate internal project communications. Monitor the effectiveness of project communications.
• Coordinate each project’s stakeholder engagement and communication, ensuring effective timing and interdependency management of communications. Ensure stakeholders are aware of their project activities, progress, exceptions and are in a position to accept handover outputs

5. Quality Assurance

• Work with internal stakeholders to ensure projects comply with audit requirements.
• Work with procurement/purchasing staff to ensure effective interface with suppliers’ quality systems.
• Coordinate quality reviews of project documents and deliverables.
• Provide quality control form management outputs (each project's documents, reports etc.)
• Ensure HSSE requirements are updated as per standard operating procedures.

6. Knowledge management and innovation

1. Encourage routine and effective capacity building activities are conducted in order to build the long term and sustainable capacity of staff.
2. Actively interact with other Project Managers and the wider PM community to share case studies, lessons learned and best practices.
3. 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.
4. Research and logging of lessons learned throughout the project life span.
5. Provide feedback to Practice Groups on policy, supporting guidance with an aim towards continuous improvement of UNOPS policies.

7. Personnel Management

• Lead and motivate the project management teams.
• Ensure that behavioral expectations of team members are established early in the projects.
• Ensure that performance reviews are conducted fairly, accurately and timely.
• Select, recruit and train teams as required and take into account gender parity and diversity objectives.
• Ensure safety and security for all project personnel and comply with UNDSS standards.
• 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 - Advanced University degree (Master’s or equivalent) in business management, pharmacy, engineering, supply chain management, health, logistics or related fields is required. - First level University degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in business management, pharmacy, engineering, supply chain management, health, logistics or related fields in combination with two (2) additional years of relevant professional experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. - Prince 2 Practitioner Certification is desired. - MSP Certification is desired within 6 months of hire. - Health, safety, security and environmental understanding (HSSE) is desired.

EXPERIENCE - A minimum of seven (7) years of donor project management experience in the area of immunization management, cold chain maintenance, supply chain management, primary health care, infrastructure, solar energy, performance based budgets or related areas is required. - Experience in monitoring and evaluation with knowledge of the expanded Immunization/ vaccination program, in particular aspects related to Immunization supply chain and logistics is mandatory. - Experience in developing countries is an asset. - Experience in UN system organizations preferably in a developing country is desirable.

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS - Fluency in French is required. - Fluency in English is required.

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. 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 Contract Agreement (IICA)
2. Contract level **: IICA3 ( ICS11)**
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 - DR Congo

Located in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) the Congo Democratic Multi Countries Office (CDMCO) covers 15 countries: Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Comores, Congo Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Madagascar, Mauritius, Rwanda, Sao Tome & Principe, and Seychelles. CDMCO has close to a $400million portfolio, comprising over 42 projects close to 250 personnel. Growth and geographical expansion are key priorities for CDMCO, with special attention to the African SIDS: Cape Verde, Comoros, Mauritius, Sao Tome & Principe, Seychelles as well as on growth and consolidation of those lagging in portfolio development such as Angola, Cameroon, Burundi, and Rwanda.