Project Manager [Implementation - Infrastructure Asset Management]

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.

UNOPS Development and Special Initiatives team works with UN partners and Member States. This portfolio offers support for various initiatives and priorities of the UN Secretary-General in pursuit of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. Additionally, it helps the UN Secretariat in implementing global programs in areas such as political affairs, climate, counterterrorism and peacebuilding, among others.

The Project Manager [Implementation - Infrastructure Asset Management] may implement different projects within the GPO portfolio. The initial assignment is a project led by UN DESA, through the Financing for Sustainable Development Office (FSDO), and is implemented in partnership with UNOPS as a co-implementing entity. The project supports national and local governments in Kenya, The Gambia, Uganda, Zambia, Senegal, and the Federated States of Micronesia to strengthen how public infrastructure is planned, managed, and sustained so that services are more reliable, inclusive, and climate-resilient. The project addresses persistent constraints in infrastructure governance, including weak institutions, fragmented planning, limited data, and insufficient integration of climate risk, with the aim of improving service delivery, extending asset life, and freeing fiscal space for priority investments. The project will contribute to enhance capacity among central and local government officials in recipient countries to implement toolkits from the UN Handbook on infrastructure asset management (IAM); strengthen their capacity to design and implement national and local policies in support of resilient IAM; and update IAM knowledge products at global and beneficiary country levels.

The incumbent of the position will be personnel of UNOPS under its full responsibility.

*Please note this vacancy primarily aims to establish a pool of qualified Project Manager [Implementation - Infrastructure Asset Management] interested in retainer, lump sum, ongoing, or short term assignments in various locations.

The Project Manager [Implementation - Infrastructure Asset Management] is responsible for planning, organizing, leading the project from Initiation to Closure. The Project Manager ensures effective delivery and oversight of projects, while implementing the services in scope and contributing towards achievement of partners’ goals and objectives. Acting on behalf of the Project Board, the Project Manager ensures that project outputs are delivered within agreed tolerances of time, cost, scope, quality, risk, and benefits. The incumbent possesses and applies a deep understanding of Project planning, implementation, monitoring and control, while managing stakeholder expectations. and ensuring delivery is as per the terms of the Legal Agreement. The Project Manager serves as the focal point for coordination with donors, partners and beneficiaries, ensuring alignment with contractual commitments and UNOPS performance standards.

Under the supervision of UNOPS Project Manager and Senior Portfolio Manager, the incumbent will perform the following functions:

1. Project Delivery and Performance

• Develop, complete and update the project implementation plan.
• Implement the approved plan (including establishment of milestones) within tolerances set by the Project Board.
• Embed sustainability dimensions, including social and gender considerations, and environmental and economic aspects, into the project life span
• Manage the production of required outputs, taking responsibility for overall progress and use of resources while initiating corrective action where necessary.
• Ensure that quality of work packages and deliverables comply with the quality requirements defined in the implementation plan.
• Liaise with external suppliers or account managers to ensure quality and timely delivery of outputs.
• Manage acceptance and delivery of work packages.
• Monitor project progress, control project variances (if any), and manage changes.
• Identify, anticipate and advise senior management and the project board on mitigating measures against project risks to ensure that benefits to partners and other stakeholders are maximized.
• Advocate and promote UNOPS service offerings, identify and report potential growth opportunities for UNOPS.

2. Procedures

• Comply with the organization’s policies and standards, and ensure project information is kept updated in project management systems.
• Be aware of applicable local laws and regulations, and ensure adherence. This includes international regulations and standards, where applicable, as well as technical standards.
• Prepare and adapt all relevant plans for approval by the project board, and manage baselines
• Manage the reporting obligations defined in the implementation plan and legal agreements.
• Maintain project documentation in an orderly manner for accessibility and audit support when needed.
• Understand and apply the UNOPS financial rules and regulations. Be accountable for the use of delegation of authority (where applicable) and ensure compliance with relevant policies and standards of ethics.
• Provide a formal handover of the project to the closure manager when applicable.
• Support project audit activities, including planning, preparation and coordination during audits and follow-up on audit observations/ recommendations.

3. Monitoring and Reporting

• Include a results framework and M&E plan in the project implementation plan with clearly defined indicators and agreed targets, ensure regular monitoring and tracking of project results.
• Prepare and issue regular project and financial reports in accordance with partner and UNOPS requirements for reporting.
• Regularly review project status and evaluate performance criteria (scope, cost, schedule, and quality)
• Maintain diaries and progress reports as required by UNOPS standard operating procedures.
• Provide routine oversight and analysis of delivery data within the dashboard system.
• Ensure all project team members track and regularly update milestones and targets for the duration of the project life span.

4. Stakeholder Engagement

• Develop stakeholder engagement strategies and plans. Actively engage stakeholders, take feedback, and adjust as necessary.
• Establish solid working relationships with the project board (executive, senior users and senior suppliers); clients; and key stakeholders.
• Enable formulation of project communication plans and monitor effectiveness of project communications.
• Coordinate stakeholder engagement and communication, ensuring effective timing and interdependency management of communications. Ensure stakeholders are aware of project activities, progress, and 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 personnel to ensure effective interface with suppliers’ quality systems.
• Coordinate quality reviews of project documents and deliverables.
• Provide quality control for management outputs (e.g. project documents, reports, etc).

6. Knowledge Management and Innovation

• Create a learning environment for the project team, encourage knowledge sharing and training to contribute to longer-term capacity building.
• Actively interact with other project managers and the wider project management (PM) community, share case studies, lessons learned and best practices.
• Stay abreast with latest updates and good practices of the profession, participate in training and learning activities for self to advance proficiency and competency.
• Ensure lessons learned are shared in a timely and appropriate manner.
• Provide feedback to corporate practice groups on policy and systems, when needed.
• Provide feedback to functional groups on policies and related guidance to support the continuous improvement of UNOPS policy framework

7. Personnel Management

• Organise and structure the project team, ensure clearly defined roles and responsibilities. Provide regular guidance and direction, as needed, and support the team in effectively performing their tasks.
• Lead and motivate the project management team, and manage performance.
• Ensure performance reviews are conducted fairly, accurately, and on time.
• Select, recruit, and train project teams as required, taking gender parity and diversity objectives into account.
• Ensure safety and security for all project personnel in compliance with the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) standards.

Required

• Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent), preferably in engineering, architecture, public administration, international relations, with five (5) years of relevant experience; or
• First-level university degree (bachelor's degree or equivalent), preferably in engineering, architecture, public administration, international relations, with seven (7) years of relevant experience.

Desired

• Project management certification from a globally recognized institute.
• Professional certification from a reputed institute in the technical topic relevant to the job area.

Required

• Relevant experience is defined as professional experience in the implementation of complex multi-country projects related to Infrastructure Asset Management Assessments, working with donors, national and sub-national governments authorities and implementing partners in developing countries.
• Experience in project planning, implementation, and control, including project communication and reporting is required.
• Knowledge of quality assurance methodologies.
• Experience of managing project risks in a multi-stakeholder context.
• Experience providing technical assistance and capacity building, including the design and delivery of training and workshops.
• Experience in analysing cross-sectoral infrastructure data and conducting national or subnational infrastructure assessments.
• Experience in integrating climate resilience, sustainability and/or inclusion considerations into infrastructure context assessments and capacity building tools.

Desired

• Experience of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing country.
• Experience in development or humanitarian contexts.
• Work experience using assessment and prioritization tools (such as Gap Analysis, Best Practices Repository and Benchmarking).
• Experience developing or adapting tools, methodologies or knowledge products to support government capacity.
• Experience supporting governments to develop national or local plans related to IAM.
• Experience conducting Infrastructure Asset Management Assessments in Africa and/or the Pacific regions.

• 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.