UNOPS: Project Manager-Colombo
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Location:
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Salary:negotiable / YEAR
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Job type:FULL_TIME
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Posted:11 hours ago
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Category:Management and Strategy, Programme and Project Management
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Deadline:18/12/2024
JOB DESCRIPTION
This vacancy is designed to specifically recruit professionals who are nationals of Sri Lanka or possess a valid residency permit enabling them to legally work within the country.
South Asia Multi County Office:
The South Asia Multi-Country Office (SAMCO) oversees the development and implementation of projects in 7 countries in South Asia: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. SAMCO offers expertise in infrastructure, procurement, human resource management, and fund management. All the project offices have local technical experts and strong partnerships with the governments in each country.
UNOP Sri Lanka Country Office
UNOPS in Sri Lanka is based in Colombo and is responsible for helping the Government of Sri Lanka and partner organizations deliver social and economic rehabilitation in areas affected by the 2004 tsunami and decades of armed conflict. UNOPS in Sri Lanka helps partners achieve their project goals in sectors including physical infrastructure, the environment and poverty mitigation.
UNOPS has supported Sri Lanka’s development since 1998, expanding operations in 2005 to support the post-tsunami response and reconstruction process. Within the organization’s mandate in project management, infrastructure, and procurement, UNOPS Sri Lanka implements customized socio-economic development projects that benefit vulnerable people and develop national capacities. Achievements in Sri Lanka include the development of sustainable and climate-resilient infrastructure, procurement services & capacity building, and project management in education, fisheries, roads, health, water supply systems; flood control and sanitation, and integrated solid waste management sectors. UNOPS works closely with Government counterparts and communities to ensure increased ownership, sustainability, and accountability of Projects.
UNOPS Sri Lanka facilitated over $22 million worth of procurement of COVID-19 protection equipment and services in partnership with the World Bank, the Government of Japan, and the United Nations Multi-Partner Trust Fund. Currently, UNOPS completed the procurement of US$5 million in essential pharmaceuticals to strengthen the Sri Lanka health system during the medicine shortage crisis. Currently, UNOPS is implementing a digital health transformation project along with the Ministry of Health under funding from the Global Fund.
Local Context:
UNOPS has a long-standing presence in Sri Lanka and is a strategic partner of the Ministry of Health, delivering procurement and infrastructure projects in both emergency and sustainable development contexts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, UNOPS played a critical role by procuring and delivering PPE, medical equipment, micro-enterprise startup assistance, and cash grants across the country through various projects.
UNOPS’s footprint in Sri Lanka encompasses large-scale infrastructure projects, civil society support, and project management in climate action initiatives. Moving forward, UNOPS aims to continue supporting the Government of Sri Lanka’s reform policies by improving the efficiency of public administration and enhancing accountability through the digitization of key ministries, including the Ministry of Health.
Project Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the project(s) and provides services to the different donors, partners and beneficiaries. Project Manager acts on behalf of the Project Board to manage the project on an ongoing basis during the Implementation Stage. The main responsibility of a Project Manager is to ensure that the project outputs are delivered within the specified project tolerances of time, cost, quality, scope, risk and benefits. He/she is expected to meet the organization’s performance and delivery goals.
Project Manager has the authority to assign, as per the Project Plan, work packages to Team Managers and approve deliverables produced by them.
Project Manager is responsible for creating the Implementation Plan, using the Project Initiation Document (PID), Legal Agreement and having a thorough understanding of the terms, conditions, and the respective roles and responsibilities of the partners/stakeholders, to ensure the project(s) outputs are capable of meeting the business cases for both UNOPS and the partner(s). Success of the project(s) and hence of the Project Manager will be based on the defined Success Criteria.
Project Information:
These projects aim to procure goods and services for a variety of partners including UNODC under its Global Maritime Crime Prevention program, development of new projects and monitoring and management of new projects that include substantial procurement including high tech and complex procurement, logistics and operations. . This role also includes logistics, procurement and project management for other relevant projects and programmes.
Summary of functions:
- Project Delivery and Performance
- Procedures
- Monitoring and reporting
- Stakeholder engagement
- Quality assurance
- Knowledge management and innovation
- Personnel management
1. Project Delivery and Performance
- Develop, complete and update implementation plan(s).
- Implement the approved plan (including the establishment of milestones) within tolerances set by the Project Board.
- Embed sustainability dimensions including social and gender inclusion, environmental and economic aspects into project life span.
- 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.
- Lead contract management duties including supplier performance evaluation.
- Identify, and anticipate in a timely manner, potential risks and issues and advise mitigating measures to senior management/ Project Board 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.
- Manage the reporting obligations defined in the Legal Agreement(s) and in the Implementation Plan.
- Draft the requirements definitions for procurement processes. Approving requisitions and requests for non-purchase order payments; Evaluating submissions received, if appointed to the evaluation team.
- 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.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Select, recruit and train 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.
| Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organization. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organization.(for levels IICA-2, IICA-3, LICA Specialist- 10, LICA Specialist-11, NOC, NOD, P3, P4 and above) |
| Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion. |
| Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles. |
| Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role). |
| Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries. |
| Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements. |
| Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving. |
| Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground. |
Education
- A Master’s Degree or equivalent in Purchasing and Supply Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, Procurement, or related fields is required.
- A Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in Purchasing and Supply Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, Procurement, or related fields in combination with two (2) additional years of experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree requirement.
Experience
- A minimum of five (5) years (for Master’s Degree holders) OR seven (7) years (for Bachelor’s Degree holders) of combined progressive experience at the national or international level in Procurement and supply chain management is required.
- Knowledge of quality assurance methodologies is an asset.
- Experience in risk management is an asset.
- Experience working in multicultural teams is an asset.
- Experience in managing teams is an asset.
- Strong analytical capabilities with the ability to manage tasks associated with the development of projects.
- Strong Problem Solving Skills are desirable.
Certifications
- CIPS and/or other Procurement Practitioner Certifications would be considered an asset.
Language requirements
- Fluency in English is required.
- Knowledge of the local language is an asset.
Contract type: ICA (Individual Contractor Agreement)
Contract level: Local ICA Specialist 10
Contract duration: Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.
This vacancy is designed to specifically recruit professionals who are nationals of Sri Lanka or possess a valid residency permit enabling them to legally work within the country.
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
This vacancy is designed to specifically recruit professionals who are nationals of Sri Lanka or possess a valid residency permit enabling them to legally work within the country.
- 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.
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. 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.
- 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.
Level of Education: Bachelor Degree
Work Hours: 8
Experience in Months: No requirements
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