Senior Programme Manager

Application period 14-Mar-2025 to 27-Mar-2025

Functional Responsibilities:

Under the supervision of the Senior Portfolio Manager, the Senior Programme Manager is responsible for:

Summary of functions:
? Programme Management
? Project Delivery and Performance
? Procedures
? Monitoring and reporting
? Stakeholder engagement
? Quality assurance
? Knowledge management and innovation
? Personnel management
? Project Development and Engagement Addition
? Operational project closure and coordination financial project closure
? Programme Management
? Lead operational management and implementation of the Partnership Facility programme;
? Lead operational liaison and oversight of grant implementation, ensuring compliance with UNOPS rules and procedures;.
? Oversee the development and execution of the program work plan, including budget management, resource allocation, and progress monitoring;
? Facilitate effective communication and collaboration among program partners (RCOs, IFIs, Implementing Agencies etc) and ensure seamless integration of project activities;
? Establish and implement robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks to track program progress, measure impact, and identify areas for improvement;
? Prepare regular program reports and presentations to stakeholders, highlighting key achievements, challenges, and lessons learned.
? Project Delivery and Performance
? Develop, complete and update implementation plan(s) of the Partnership Facility;
? 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;
? Act as the Employer?s Representative within the FIDIC works contracts;
? Identify, and anticipate in a timely manner, potential risks and issues and advises 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.
? 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.
? 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.
? 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.
? 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).
? 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.
? Personnel Management
? Lead and motivate the project management team;
? Ensure that behavioural expectations of team members are established;
? Ensure that performance reviews are conducted fairly, accurately and timely;
? 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.
? Project Development and Engagement Addition
? Identify opportunities for new projects;
? Support project development in all stages, including negotiation with the partners, development of the project document, budget, and legal agreement;
? Support the Senior Portfolio Manager in portfolio growth and partners' diversification.
? Operational project closure and coordination financial project closure
? Lead operational closure of projects and liaise with other stakeholders accordingly;
? Coordinate financial closure of projects with UNOPS Finance.

Impact of Results

The Senior Programme 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.

Monitoring and Progress Controls
? A work plan will be developed based on the UNOPS Performance Evaluation Report (PER) cycle and serve as the overarching document to monitor progress and record performance.
? Regular meetings with the supervisor.

Education/Experience/Language requirements: ? FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY

Education
? Advanced university degree (Master?s degree or equivalent) preferably in Business Administration, Project Management, Engineering, International Relations, Development Studies, Political Science, or in a field related to the post description with seven (7) years of relevant experience is required; OR
? A first level university degree (Bachelor's degree) preferably in Business Administration, Project Management, Engineering, International Relations, Development Studies, Political Science, or in a field related to the post description with nine (9) years of relevant experience is desirable.

Work Experience

Required experience:
? Relevant experience is defined as working experience in project management, project development, or project operational support.
? Minimum of three (3) years of International experience in development or humanitarian support working with an international organization is required.
? Experience managing grants is required.
? Previous experience within or working with the UN Secretariat partners, the Resident Coordination system, or the World Bank operations is required.

Desirable experience (the following experience is optional candidates who do not have it are welcome to apply):
? Previous experience in peacebuilding would be an asset.

Language Requirements
? Fluency in English (write, read, speak) is required.
? Knowledge of other UN Languages would be an asset.

Think big. Meet challenges head-on. Help people build better lives.
UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunities. Our workforce is made up of people from varied nationalities, cultures and races. They speak a range of languages and have different gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities.
We encourage women and candidates from underrepresented groups in UNOPS to apply. These include candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities. Click apply and join us!

Remarks: Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Apply Job!