UNOPS supports the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to serve people in need by expanding the ability of the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, infrastructure and procurement in a sustainable and efficient manner. Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, our vision is to advance sustainable implementation practices, always satisfying or surpassing our partners’ expectations. With over 7,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, wherever they need it. A flexible structure and global reach means that we can quickly respond to our partners’ needs, while offering the benefits of economies of scale.

Based in Geneva, the Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECR) supports UNOPS offices throughout the region through: management, financial and programmatic oversight of global and country-specific portfolios, clusters and operations centres, including hosting services; fund and management advisory services; project implementation; procuring goods and services; and managing human resources.

ECR ensures that projects are executed to the highest standards, providing a shared knowledge base and ensuring that best practices and lessons learned are disseminated between business units and projects across the entire region.

ECR operates global portfolios from offices in Geneva, Brussels and New York, and country-specific programmes from its operations and project centres located in Eastern Europe and Central Asian countries. The Cities Alliance, which is based in Brussels, reports to UNOPS through ECR in Geneva, and implements programmes in Africa and other regions.

Background information – Job specific

The Cities Alliance is now preparing a new project in Jordan with a focus on heritage, women’s empowerment, and inclusive local governance. The programme will be implemented through procurement and HR, applying Cities Alliance’s specific approach to urban planning, gender mainstreaming and heritage preservation. Against this background, the Cities Alliance is seeking a Project Manager based in Amman who will work directly under the supervision of the MENA Programme Manager, to maintain and strengthen relationships with implementing partners and local retainers in Jordan.

• Develop, maintain and update 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.

• 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

• Willingness to travel across the country to visit project sites is required.(The position is based in Amman with frequent travel to Madaba).