Project Management Support Specialist

Background Information – Job-specific

The Project will fall under the purview of the UNOPS KEMC (Kenya Multi Country Office) Located in Nairobi, Kenya, the Kenya Multi Country Office manages a growing portfolio of engagements, including associated strategic and operational risks. The KEMC sub-region currently consists of an established Operation Centre in Nairobi/Kenya which manages a portfolio of engagements in multiple countries in East and Southern Africa. This includes a large portfolio of Infrastructure, procurement and project management service projects in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Eritrea, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and several Island states.

This specific position will be based in Mozambique.

Mozambique is recovering very slowly from the effects of Cyclone Idai and Kenneth which struck in quick succession in 2019. The country is in pursuit of peace between the Government and RENAMO – a process supported by UNOPS. At the same time, the North of Mozambique is experiencing an insurgency that has made thousands homeless and is already spilling into Tanzania.

UNOPS is currently in discussions for a partnership with the government and the World bank that will require us to mobilize quickly to support the massive displacement that is taking place in the north of Mozambique. Multiple positions are being advertised to enable rapid deployment and response to this emergency.

Functional Responsibilities

Summary of functions

• Project Implementation;
• Financial and procurement management;
• Stakeholder management, coordination and liaison;
• Knowledge management and innovation;
• Development and Planning.

Project Implementation

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

Financial and procurement management

• Maintain all supporting project financial documents for audit and review processes.
• Ensure accurate data entry into UNOPS ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system.
• Monitor project budget and financial expenditure and all administrative procedures in line with the work-plan.
• Process direct payments and advance requests and prepare project budget revisions.
• Produce financial reports; including developing financial monitoring and reporting formats as per UNOPS requirements.
• Support the Project Manager by monitoring budgets, cash flow and reporting on expense obligations to ensure that deliverables are met.
• Alert the Project Manager or any financial shortfalls and over-expenditures.
• Propose budget revision and initiate corrective action when necessary.
• Coordinate vendor communications, meetings, and reports as necessary
• Supervise the Project Office procurement/call for proposal processes, including tendering processes and evaluation and supplier/implementing partners (IPs) selection, to ensure viable procurement solutions that meet operational needs and compliance with UNOPS procurement procedures, regulations and standard of accountability, ethics, integrity and performance.
• Establish a shortlist of suitable contractors/suppliers/IPs, and the preparation and issue of local tenders/calls for proposal. Evaluation of bids or proposals received and of recommendations for contract awards.
• In consultation with relevant colleagues, review, administer and issue contracts, grants agreements, agreements/amendments.

Project monitoring and reporting

• Provide substantive inputs to assist the Project Manager in the preparation of project reports and documents.
• Maintain records of project files and other supporting documents.
• Maintain the following records: Quality Register, Configuration Item Records and all other registers/logs delegated by the Project Manager

Support the Project Manager in maintaining the following:

Electronic Blue File,

Procurement, HR and Finance files as required by Organizational Directive (OD) 12.

• Manage the compilation, consolidation and analysis of relevant data of the mission.
• Assist the Project Manager in the preparation of project completion reports and ensure compliance with contractual obligations.

Stakeholder management, coordination and liaison

• Support the coordination and management of communications.
• Liaise and build relationships with other United Nations (UN) agencies and international non-governmental organizations (I/NGOs) for the purposes of facilitating activities and improving the quality and relevance of information analysis.
• Participate in meetings with UN agencies, NGO’s and other Stakeholders as required.

Knowledge management and innovation

• Support the compilation of lessons learned as per defined reporting format.
• Ensure that Local capacities are built at every level and opportunity for Project Support.
• Contribute to the dissemination and sharing of best practices and lessons learned for planning and knowledge building.
• Contribute to expertise in tools and techniques.

Development and Planning

• In conjunction with the Project team, provides appropriate levels of programmatic management and administrative support to the Project Manager regarding all ongoing project activities, while maintaining and implementing appropriate standards and best practices in line with UNOPS policies and procedures.
• Directly contribute to strategic oversight, advice and direction on programme and project management activities in line with service agreements and project documents.
• Ensure proper development, implementation and, as and when appropriate, amendments, of project budgets and staffing resources, ensuring synergies across the different implementing partners.
• Develops and establishes resource tracking systems for use within the Project, complementary to UNOPS’ online tools, to ensure effective planning, forecasting and tracking of delivery across the Programme.
• Identifies, and anticipates in timely manner, potential risks and issues and advises mitigating measures to the Project Manager.

 Education/Experience/Language requirements

• A Master’s Degree in Project Management, Finance, Business Administration or related field (e.g. International Relations) is required;
• A combination of a Bachelor’s degree with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the education requirements outlined above.
• A minimum of at least 5 years of relevant and progressive professional experience, specifically in the field of Project Management with experience of successful implementation and/or oversight of programmes and projects is required;
• Previous experience of working within a Complex programme environment will be an asset;
• Experience in capacity building of Grantees/implementing partners and business plan evaluations/value chain analyses will be an asset.
• Strong experience with data analysis, management reporting and project management tools and information management systems is an asset;
• Some experience in UN system organizations is desirable;
• PRINCE2 Practitioner Certification is highly desirable;
• MSP certification (Foundation and/or Practitioner) will be an asset;;
• Experience in Google Suite applications will be an asset.
• Excellent command of English language (oral and written) is required;
• Knowledge of Portuguese language(oral and written) is required.

Source: https://jobs.unops.org/Pages/ViewVacancy/VADetails.aspx?id=29373