Project Management Support - Senior Officer

The UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO) brings together diverse expertise to help partners deliver impact worldwide. With hubs in New York, Geneva, and Vienna, and expert teams operating globally, GPO leads multi-regional initiatives that advance sustainable development, climate action, and peacebuilding - including in some of the world’s most challenging environments. By leveraging our collective expertise and global networks, GPO supports UNOPS’ strategic priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals across more than 130 countries. We work closely with major global partners - including governments, international financial institutions, and UN agencies - to deliver a wide range of services, such as project management, fund management, hosting services, and HR support.

Not Required - part of GPO/NYPO

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is the operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian, and development projects worldwide. UNOPS helps its partners build a better future by delivering services that enhance the efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability of peacebuilding, humanitarian, and development initiatives. 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 UN organizations.

The Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC) supports a diverse portfolio of peacebuilding, humanitarian, and development partners. It was established through the integration of the Grant Management Services (GMS), United Nations Technology Support Services (UNTSS), and the Development and Special Initiatives Portfolio (DSIP). The SDC delivers services to partner programmes that are designed, structured, and managed from a global perspective, primarily serving partners headquartered in New York. The SDC has a presence in approximately 125 countries.

UNOPS has signed a Global Agreement with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to provide operational support for the implementation of UNODC's mandate through the delivery of Human Resources services.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), an office under the UN Secretariat, established in 1997 to assist member states in their efforts to combat illicit drugs, crime, and terrorism, is one of the partners under UNTSS.

Headquartered in Vienna, Austria, UNODC operates globally to support the development and implementation of policies and programmes addressing a broad range of issues, including drug trafficking and abuse, organized crime, corruption, trafficking in persons, migrant smuggling, cybercrime, and terrorism prevention. Through research, policy advice, capacity-building, and technical assistance, UNODC works to strengthen criminal justice systems, promote international cooperation, and uphold the rule of law and human rights in addressing transnational threats.

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) supports Member States in strengthening the rule of law, advancing good governance, and enhancing the effectiveness, accountability, and professionalism of criminal justice and security institutions.

UNODC is implementing the Forensics Investigation Enhancement Project which focuses on strengthening national forensic and investigative capacities to support effective criminal investigations and prosecutions. The project supports institutional capacity-building, provision of technical assistance and equipment, and enhancement of forensic processes in line with international best practices.

The incumbent will play a critical role in supporting The Gambia programme office by ensuring accurate smooth day-to-day administrative operations, thereby enabling effective and timely project delivery. The position holder will ensure the quality and accuracy of work in accordance with UN rules and procedures.

The incumbent will work closely with the Programme Coordinators on the respective projects and with colleagues from UNODC Vienna and the UNODC Regional Office for West and Central Africa (ROSEN) in Dakar, Senegal, to ensure efficiency, effectiveness and coherence.

The Project Management Support Senior Officer supports the effective implementation, coordination and monitoring of project activities to ensure successful delivery of results within scope, time, cost and quality parameters. The role provides analytical and operational support in project planning, execution and reporting; contributes to risk and performance management; and ensures timely communication with partners and stakeholders. Through proactive client focus and problem-solving, the Senior Officer helps drive efficient project delivery and achievement of results in line with organizational and donor/ client expectations

1. Project Delivery and Performance

• Contribute to the development, execution and updating of detailed implementation plans, ensuring that all project outputs are delivered on time, within budget, and to quality standards.
• Provide logistical and operational support for missions, workshops, and dialogues, including the preparation of materials and reports.
• Integrate sustainability, social inclusion, and gender equality considerations into all project stages.
• Conduct or participate in field missions to monitor implementation and support local partners.

2. Monitoring, Reporting and Quality Assurance

• Coordinate the timely preparation and submission of narrative and financial reports, ensuring compliance with UNOPS and donor/partner standards.
• Track project progress against scope, schedule, cost and quality indicators, providing early warning on deviations and proposing corrective actions.
• Conduct regular reviews of project data, milestones, and performance indicators to assess delivery status.
• Maintain dashboards and monitoring tools to support evidence-based decision-making.
• Provide quality assurance for project deliverables, reports and documentation submitted by donors/partners.
• Support internal and external audits, ensuring documentation and processes meet compliance standards.

3. Stakeholder Engagement and Coordination

• Build and maintain productive relationships with national and local authorities, donors, partners, grantees, and other key stakeholders.
• Facilitate regular communication and coordination among programme teams and partners.
• Support the organization of steering committee meetings, technical workshops, and stakeholder consultations.
• Ensure stakeholders are informed of project progress, activities and results through timely and accurate information.

4. Knowledge Building and Sharing

• Support the organization, facilitation and delivery of training and learning sessions on project management.
• Participate in knowledge-sharing initiatives and Communities of Practice (CoPs), contributing insights and lessons learned.
• Conduct research on project management-related topics and contribute to the drafting of reports, summaries and briefing notes.

Required

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in law, political science and related disciplines with 2 years of relevant experience OR

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in law, political science and related disciplines with 0 years of relevant experience is required.

Desired

• A globally recognized professional certificate or membership in Project Management is desired.

Required

• Relevant experience is work in project management or related areas.

  Demonstrable proficiency in the use of collaboration and productivity tools (e.g. MS Office, G-Suite, etc) and web-based management systems is required

Desired

• Experience of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing country is desired.

• Experience in development or humanitarian contexts is desired.

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.
  

• 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. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.
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• 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.