Project Manager

Job categories: Project Management

Vacancy code: VA/2023/B5104/25971

Level: ICS-10

Department/office: MR, AMMMCO, Amman

Duty station: Baghdad, Iraq

Contract type: International ICA

Contract level: IICA-2

Duration: Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance

Application period: 02-May-2023 to 16-May-2023

Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement.

Please note that UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.

 Background Information – Job-specific

The Project has the three following specific objectives:

Water Management – Increase water availability and irrigation efficiency to sustain water supply for agricultural production in the selected governorates

Climate Change – Mitigate the impact of climate change, namely the reduction in precipitation and increasing water scarcity, by supporting irrigated agricultural production

Agriculture – Enhance the profitability of the supported small farms/agri-businesses in order to contribute to the improvement of the income of the rural vulnerable farmers

UNOPS will be responsible for the design and rehabilitation works of the irrigation infrastructure schemes, such as the lining of dried-up water canals, supply and layout of closed irrigation systems and rehabilitation of pumping stations.

The project team is planned to be around 5 personnel, and the budget is planned to be around $12 million dollars. 

 Functional Responsibilities

Summary of functions:

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 Delivery and Performance 

• Develop, maintain and update the project implementation plan and relevant sub-plans such as Procurement Plan, HSSE Plan, Gender Action Plan etc.
• Implement the approved plan (including the establishment of milestones) within tolerances set by the Project Implementation Documents.
• Embed sustainability dimensions including social and gender inclusion, environmental and economic aspects into project life span. 
• Monitor any possible deviations from the plan and possible corrective action.
• Manage the production of the required outputs, taking responsibility for overall progress and use of resources and initiating corrective action where necessary.
• Ensure that quality of work packages and deliverables complies with the quality requirements defined in the Implementation Plan.
• Liaise with any external suppliers or account managers.
• Manage acceptance and delivery of work packages.
• Monitor project progress ensuring that work packages are being executed properly.
• Control project and work packages changes.
• Accept goods, services or works delivered by suppliers.
• Identify continuous improvement and lessons learned.
• Identify, and anticipate in a timely manner, potential risks and issues and advises mitigating measures to senior management/ supervisor  so that maximum benefit to partner(s) and other stakeholders is achieved.
• Identify and report to the supervisor potential business opportunities for UNOPS.

2. Procedures 

• Comply with all organizational policy and specifically the Project Management Manual.
• Prepare/adapt all relevant plans for approval by the Project Board.
• Support in managing the reporting obligations defined in the Legal Agreement(s) and in the Implementation Plan.
• Ensure maintenance of the project files and lessons learned are recorded.
• Ensure the development and implementation of project financial management guidelines and control mechanisms, in conformity with UNOPS rules and regulations. 
• Manage 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 the project.
• Understand the unique structures of the UN and budget appropriately for personnel.
• Manage expenditures against the 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 project closure purposes, 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 project and/or financial reports in accordance with Partner and UNOPS requirements for reporting.
• Regularly review project status, evaluating performance criteria (scope, cost, schedule and quality).
• Maintain diaries and progress reports as required by the organization’s standard 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 projects’ life span.
•  The Project Manager is also responsible for the project producing a result capable of achieving the benefits defined in the Business Case.

4. Stakeholder engagement

• Develop stakeholder profiles and facilitate the formulation of stakeholder engagement strategies.
• Establish solid working relationships with the Project Board (Executive, Senior Users and Senior Suppliers), client and key stakeholders,providing advice and guidance on specific and general project management issues and where appropriate, institutional reform, rule of law and police related project support.
• Enable the formulation of project communications plans. Coordinate internal project communications. Monitor the 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, 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.
• Work in accordance with all HSSE requirements, contribute to the continuous improvement of HSSE management at UNOPS and take action to address unsafe acts and conditions.
• Coordinate quality reviews of project documents and deliverables.
• Provide quality control for management outputs (project documents, reports, etc.)

6. Knowledge management and innovation

• Encourage routine and effective capacity building activities are conducted in order to build the long-term and sustainable capacity of staff.
• Actively interact with other Project Managers and the wider PM community to share case studies, lessons learned and best practices. 
• 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.
• Research and logging of lessons learned throughout the project life span.
• 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 team.
• Ensure that behavioral expectations of team members are established. 
• Ensure that performance reviews are conducted fairly, accurately and timely.
•  Have a thorough understanding of UNOPS personnel contract modalities.
• Prepare Terms of Reference (ToR) for required inputs in the project’s personnel and operational arrangements such as staff, individual and institutional consultancy services, procurement of goods and services, organization of training, seminars.
• The Project Manager shall select, recruit and train a team 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.

Impact of Results

The Project Manager directly impacts on achievement of project results by adhering to project management methods and strategies, reducing risks, cutting costs and improving success rates.  This consequently reinforces the visibility and image of  UNOPS as an effective service provider in project services and management and strengthens its competitive position as a partner of choice in sustainable development and project services.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education:

• An advanced university degree (e.g. Masters) in Civil Engineering, Water Engineering or related field is required. 
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in the above mentioned fields in combination with an additional 2 years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree

Certification:

• PRINCE2® Foundation is an asset;
• PRINCE2® Practitioner an asset and completion within 12 months of onboarding;
• PMP Certification is an asset

Expereince:

• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in project management and in the implementation and/or monitoring of programs/projects is required
• Within the five (5) years, Two (2) years experience in working with irrigation projects is requried.
• Demonstrated experience in preparing feasibility studies is required
• Knowledge of internationally accepted methods, regulations and tools for managing projects is required
• Experience working with UN and/or international organizations is desired
• Experience working with various aspects of climate change; including mitigation, adaptation, resilience, and climate risk assessments is desired.
• Experience with FIDIC infrastructure contracts is an asset.
• Experience in data analysis, management reports and management tools and systems information is an asset.

Language:

• Fluency in the English language is required.
• Fluency in Arabic  will be an asset

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: International ICA contratual modality
Contract level: IICA-2
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.
• Baghdad is classified as a non-family duty station.

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.