Job: Project Manager

Location: Kabul 
Deadline: Sunday, 29 September 2013 

Description

UNOPS mission is to expand the capacity of the UN system and its partners to implement peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations that matter for people in need. Working in some of the world's most challenging environments, our vision is to always satisfy partners with management services that meet world-class standards of quality, speed and cost effectiveness.

UNOPS provides services in sustainable infrastructure, sustainable procurement and sustainable project management, with projects ranging from building schools, roads, bridges and hospitals to procuring goods and services and training local personnel.

By assisting UN organizations, international financial institutions, governments and other development partners, UNOPS makes significant, tangible contributions to results on the ground.

We employ more than 6,000 personnel annually and on behalf of our partners create thousands more work opportunities in local communities. Through our headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark and a network of regional and country offices, we oversee activities in more than 80 countries.

UNOPS is committed to achieving a truly diverse workforce.

Background Information - Afghanistan

With more than 10 years of experience in the country, the UNOPS Afghanistan office supports national reconstruction and development efforts by providing projects with goods and services - from stand-alone, one-off solutions to long-term management and capacity development support. Based in Kabul, UNOPS in Afghanistan has sub-offices in every region of the country. The team implements projects in support of the Afghanistan National Development Strategy, in a wide range of sectors including infrastructure, education, environment and agriculture, and governance and rule of law.

Project Background

In 2009 and 2010, UNDP's Enhancing Legal and Electoral Capacity for Tomorrow (ELECT) project supported Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission (IEC) to organize and deliver the Afghan-led presidential and parliamentary elections across 35 constituencies throughout the country. The project also supported the Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC), an independent complaints adjudication mechanism.

In June 2013, UNDP Afghanistan representatives formally approached UNOPS Afghanistan to support the 2014-15 electoral process through provision of operational support to the Electoral Dispute Resolution (EDR) mechanism of Afghanistan, which needs to be defined, legalized, and established by the President and the Legislature. It is expected that the previous formation of the Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) will be retained.

Purpose and Scope of AssignmentThe Project Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the project and provides services to the different donors, partners and beneficiaries. He/she is expected to meet and exceed the organization's performance and delivery goals. Directly responsible to the Head of Programmes, the Project Manager will be supported by the UNOPS Programme Management Office and will be ultimately responsible for delivering the project, and reporting accordingly to the Project Board. The Project Manager is responsible to produce/read the project initiation documents (PID), Legal Agreement and have a thorough understanding of the terms, conditions, and the respective roles and responsibilities of the partners/stakeholders to ensure the project products are capable of meeting the business cases for both UNOPS and the client. Success of the Project and hence Project Manager will be based on the Success Criteria of UNOPS engagements which are linked to the below responsibilities. The duties and responsibilities of the Project Manager Level 2 are similar to that of the Project Manager Level 3, with the difference in grades being determined by the project level, complexity and level of responsibility of the specific position. A Project Manager at this level would normally be responsible for a UNOPS Level 2 project. A Project Manager at this level would likely be expected to manage a mid-sized project with mid-level risk or complexity. The project would rely on a number of external suppliers for its successful delivery and works on a tight timeline. The Project Manager is responsible for all aspects of the project life cycle. S/he must be able to apply, independently, the below duties and responsibilities of the project success criteria: Stakeholder Management:

• Establish solid working relationship with the project board (Executive, Senior Users and Senior Suppliers), client and key stakeholders
• Manage communications and ensure stakeholders are aware of project activities, progress, exceptions and are in a position to accept handover products
• Advise the client on issues that may impact the achievement of their outcomes (including issues of sustainability and post project requirements such as maintenance)
• Manage the information flows between the Project Board/Head of Programmes and the project

Delivery and Performance:

• Implement approved project plans (including the establishment of milestones) within tolerances set by the project board
• Manage the production of the required products, taking responsibility for overall progress and use of resources and initiating corrective action where necessary
• Liaise with any external suppliers or account managers
• Authorize Work Packages
• Advise the Project Board and the Head of Programmes of any deviations from the plan
• Identify and manage risks so that maximum benefit to client and stakeholders is achieved
• Manage and review product quality and ensure products are accepted
• Monitor and evaluate performance of service providers
• Identify and report potential business opportunities for UNOPS to the Head of Programmes
• Identify and report threats to UNOPS internal business case to the supervisor

Procedures:

• Follow the Project Management Cycle instructions and ensure that all organizational policy is complied with (Organizational Directives and Administrative Instructions)
• Prepare/adapt the following plans for approval by the Project Board: I. Project Initiation Documentation; II. Stage/Exception Plans and relevant Product Descriptions
• Prepare the following reports: i. Highlight Reports ii. End Stage Reports iii. Operational Closure Checklist iv. End Project Report v. Handover Report
• Maintain the following: i. Electronic Blue File; ii. Procurement, HR and Finance files as required by those practices as per OD12.
• Ensure that all expenditure comply with UNOPS Financial Rules and Regulations (FRR).
• 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 and remain accountable for 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.

Knowledge Management:

• Participate in the relevant Communities of Practice
• Actively interact with other PMs and the PM community to share case studies, lessons learned and best practice on the Knowledge System.
• Provide feedback to Practice Leads on policy, supporting guidance with an aim towards continuous improvement of UNOPS policies
• Complete lessons learned as per reporting format
• Incorporate lessons learned from others as per planning format

Personnel Management:

• Lead and motivate the project management team
• Ensure that behavioural expectations of team members are established
• Ensure that performance reviews are conducted
• Identify outstanding staff/personnel and bring them to the attention of the Head of Programmes/HR Manager
• Have a thorough understanding of UNOPS personnel contract modalities (including ICA and Staff)
• Select, recruit and train team as required by project plans
• Perform the Team Manager role, unless appointed to another person(s)
• Perform Project Support role, unless appointed to another person or corporate/programme function
• Ensure safety and security for all personnel and comply with UNDSS standards

Others:

• Ensure implementation of all project components, progress reporting, and oversight over human and financial resources
• Responsible for the overall leadership and management of the technical assistance team and coordination of technical advice to ECC and other partners as required
• Perform any other tasks as may be assigned

Education/Experience/Language requirements

• Advanced University Degree in Project Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, International Relations, Political/Security/Development Studies, or other relevant discipline. A First-Level University Degree in a similar/relevant discipline with an additional 2 years of directly relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the Advanced University Degree requirement. A technical degree/certificate with an additional 6 years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree.
• PRINCE2 Practitioner Certification – Preferred.
• Complete the UNOPS Project Management Foundation course (within one year after signing this TOR).
• At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in project development and management, with focus on monitoring, reporting, development and coordination in either public or private sector organizations.
• Relevant work experience in managing and implementing electoral assistance activities at a senior level is essential.
• Experience in donor coordination and transitional democracies in a conflict/post-conflict environment is essential.
• Extensive experience in management systems, computer applications and project management tools.

Competencies

• Demonstrates the United Nation's values of Integrity, Professionalism, and Respect for Diversity when carrying out duties and in interaction with colleagues, clients and stakeholders;
• Demonstrates understanding and commitment to gender awareness and sensitivity, and an ability to integrate a gender perspective into task and duties;
• Accountability: takes ownership of all responsibilities and commitments; delivers outputs within prescribed timeframes, cost and quality standards; operate in compliance with organizational regulations and rules;
• Leadership: empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually-agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements;
• Judgment/Decision-Making: takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; makes tough decisions when necessary;
• Managing Performance: delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear and monitors progress against milestones and deadlines;
• Planning and Organizing: develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; high level of self-organization and provision of meticulous, accurate and timely results;
• Communication: correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; demonstrated openness in sharing information and keeping people informed; maturity and confidence in dealing with senior and high ranking members of national and international institutions, government and non-government;
• Teamwork: works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings; excellent interpersonal skills, ability to work in a multi-cultural team environment;
• Excellent written communication skills, with analytic capacity and ability to synthesize project outputs and relevant findings for the preparation of quality reports.

Additional Considerations

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time (CET)
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• For staff positions UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

Contract type, level and durationContract type: Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA) Contract level: International ICA, Level 3 (Project Manager Level 2) Contract duration: 12 months, with possibility of extension For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link: http://www.unops.org/ENGLISH/WHOWENEED/CONTRACT-TYPES/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements-ICAs.aspx

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