Senior Project Manager (Infrastructure)

The People and Culture Group (PCG) positions UNOPS as a people-centered, high-performing organization by driving the development of HR policies, talent frameworks, and inclusive practices aligned with the strategic plan. Through the Integrated People Strategy, PCG empowers personnel, fosters an engaging and inclusive work culture, and enables the delivery of sustainable development solutions. Partnering closely with UNOPS leadership, PCG delivers on the organization’s People Goals—shaping culture, nurturing leaders, enabling flexibility and fairness, building future-ready teams, and setting people up for success. Core capabilities include strategic HR partnering, policy integration, and process simplification through digitization. PCG prioritizes leadership development, workforce diversity, personnel well-being, and innovation in HR practices. By focusing on culture transformation and talent excellence, PCG ensures that UNOPS remains agile, equitable, and capable of delivering results in complex operational environments.

About the Surge Mechanism

At UNOPS, the Surge Mechanism is the quick mobilization and deployment of highly experienced personnel and specialized experts to reinforce an office's capacity during periods of immediate needs. Surge is characterized by its urgency and short-duration commitment in high-risk situations. In collaboration with other business units, the Surge Team, managed by the Surge Coordinator, is leading the growth of the Surge Mechanism at UNOPS. Today, the Surge Mechanism is focused on providing 5 areas of support:

• Opportunity Shaping: Engaging early with stakeholders and providing technical input to design strong, strategic proposals aligned with UNOPS priorities.
• Timely Kick-Off: Deploying PMs and specialists early to ensure operational readiness, stakeholder engagement, and smooth project initiation from day one.
• Back on Track: Stabilizing underperforming projects through targeted support in project management, HR, procurement, or office setup to realign implementation.
• Gap Filling: Filling urgent capacity gaps to strengthen delivery, maintain compliance, and reduce operational risk.
• Critical Response: Rapid deployment in emergencies or fragile settings to provide immediate technical and operational support where and when it's most needed.

About the Role

The Senior Project Manager (Infrastructure) provides technical guidance and project management support to UNOPS country offices globally as part of the Surge Mechanism. When engaged on surge assignments, they are expected to provide rapid and temporary infrastructure expertise to support offices in delivering on their mandates.

The Senior Project Manager (Infrastructure) serves to address critical situations, either remotely or in-person. Hence, the Senior Project Manager (Infrastructure) is expected to be internationally mobile and willing to travel to different locations around the world, including hardship locations. Missions abroad may last for several weeks or up to a maximum of 4 months. Availability to travel is therefore a prerequisite for this position, even though some of the missions may be conducted remotely.

When deployed, the Senior Project Manager (Infrastructure) is expected to manage or support infrastructure projects of high complexity. This includes driving project excellence through the effective management of the project life cycle, from inception and design to delivery and closure, ensuring projects are delivered within agreed tolerances of time, cost, scope, quality, risk, and benefits. The role ensures consistent application of UNOPS project management policies and standards, often acting as the Office’s Project Lead during critical transitions or gaps.

During non-assignment periods, the Senior Project Manager (Infrastructure) is expected to remain actively engaged by providing peer support to ongoing assignments and contributing to internal capability building. This includes developing training content, consolidating best practices from recent assignments, and conducting knowledge and trend analysis to strengthen the Surge Team's readiness and long-term delivery impact.

When engaged on a surge assignment, the Senior Project Manager (Infrastructure) will report to the supervisor of the position occupied or related position in the unit/office of work. They will also have a secondary reporting line to the Surge Coordinator.

It is important to note that surge assignments vary in nature and context. Hence, this job description is generic and may not always be applicable, nor be comprehensive, for all assignments under this job title. The specific tasks and deliverables for each surge assignment may vary and will be detailed in the terms of reference developed for each assignment by the requesting office/unit.

Please note that this vacancy primarily aims to establish a pool of qualified professionals interested in short-term opportunities on home-based retainer contracts. Successful candidates from this recruitment process may also be considered for full-time open-ended (no end date) contract, should a need arise in future.

The Senior Project Manager (Infrastructure) is responsible for the effective delivery and day-to-day management of infrastructure projects, which may involve the construction of physical assets, technical outputs, or both. These projects span a range of sectors, including (but not limited to) education, health, transportation, irrigation, and port infrastructure. The Senior Project Manager serves as the focal point for coordination with donors, partners and beneficiaries, ensuring alignment with contractual commitments and UNOPS performance standards. Acting on behalf of the Project Board, the Senior Project Manager ensures that project outputs are delivered within agreed tolerances of time, cost, scope, quality, risk, and benefits.

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, including the development of infrastructure designs and coordinating design reviews.
• 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.
• Identify and report potential opportunities for UNOPS to the supervisor.

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.

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.

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.

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)

Knowledge Management and Innovation

• 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.

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

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in civil, water, electrical, mechanical, structural or other applicable engineering disciplines with 9 years of relevant experience OR
• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any of the above with 7 years of relevant experience is required.

Desired

• Project management certification (e.g. PRINCE2, PMI, PEng, CEng, etc) is desired.

Required

• Relevant experience is work in implementing and managing infrastructure projects (e.g. roads, dams, bridges, irrigation, health, windmills, solar power, ports, etc.), all or some in developing countries, post-conflict environments, or emergency contexts.
• Experience in defining technical and design requirements is required..
• Knowledge of infrastructure quality assurance methodologies and tools is required.
• Experience in managing infrastructure project risks in a multi-stakeholder context 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.
• Experience in contract management is desired.
• Experience in supporting the development of procurement strategies is desired.
• Knowledge of FIDIC contracts is desired.
• Experience of planning and applying health and safety procedures 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.
• For more details about the contract types, please click 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.