The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. UNOPS supports partners to build a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of peace building, humanitarian and development projects. Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organizations.
On 24 February 2022, the military of the Russian Federation invaded Ukraine, with strikes across the territory of Ukraine. Since then, Russia’s invasion imposes a severe humanitarian and socio-economic toll, global energy and food crisis, large-scale destruction of the country's infrastructure, and disruptions in the provision of critical services and degradation of social fabrics and communities’ ties, triggering one of the world’s most significant forced displacements.
Severe attacks on energy and critical infrastructure facilities leave millions of people without electricity, water or heating supply, struggling to access water, food, health services, materials to repair homes, among others. The continued attacks cause substantial damage to the country’s economy and agricultural production, and also affect the poorest countries worldwide.
UNOPS support to partners spans the humanitarian-development nexus from emergency response to building back better, across the housing, health, education, transport, energy and mine action sectors, through infrastructure, procurement and technical assistance / project management interventions, with the ultimate aim of supporting the country on its EU accession and in its achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The primary role of Project Management Office (PMO) - Associate is to ensure Countries under the MCO comply with policies, processes and tools defined at Corporate and/or MCO level.
The Project Management Office (PMO) - Associate will ensure that project management policies, processes and methods are consistently applied in accordance with the organization standards, while acting as a member of the PMO Unit that leads the overall Project Assurance capacity within UAMCO.
The Project Management Office (PMO) - Associate will report to the Programme Management Office (PRMO) - Specialist.
The position can be based in one of our three offices — Kyiv, Kharkiv, or Mykolaiv — depending on the selected candidate’s preference/location.The Project Management Office (PMO) - Associate will periodically review projects’ performances and help in identification of gaps in policies and practices; and support the development of corrective actions to improve projects’ performance.
Development and Planning
Support the development of project proposals, ensuring compliance with UNOPS policies and procedures; as well as utilization of the right tools and templates.
Assist in the establishment of Project Boards and ensure their effective functioning.
Provide assistance during identification of engagement risks and appropriate mitigation measures.
Assist project planning ensuring that a realistic timeline is established, covering DNP for Infra projects, with adequate floating time factored in.
Follow up and ensure that handover from Business Development team to Project team is carried out as per the guide.
Set-up and closure
Support project setup in oneUNOPSprojects, including project classification, advancing projects to operational stage, and expenditure forecasts.
Monitor completion of project startup checklist by all new projects; and ensure proper project start ups in accordance with the PMM requirements.
Ensure projects timely develop detailed implementation plans including procurement and procurement plans; and if required GESI plans, HSSE plans…etc.
Monitor timely submission and implementation of closure plans by PMs
Assist in project closure activities, including but not limited to tasks related to disposal of project assets, audits, evaluation…etc.
Support timely operational closure of projects.
Monitoring, Reporting and supporting delivery
Contribute to the development of standard tracking systems and tools to facilitate monitoring of project progress and performance.
Support in tracking projects progress by ensuring that all projects submit status report and regularly update specific milestones and targets for the duration of projects;
Assist periodic analysis of delivery data and share it with the Project team and Management as appropriate.
Support the timely identification of potential risks and issues specific to delivery, and escalate and suggest mitigating measures to the PRMO Specialist.
Monitor timely submission of client reports, exception reports and internal reports
Help with the development of required monitoring and reporting templates and tools to be used by the project team.
Stakeholder engagement
Assist in the management of communications across programmes and projects; and with other functional units, when applicable
Contribute to development of stakeholder profiles and assist in development of external communications products
Assist in timely and effective dissemination of project information to key stakeholders.
Quality Assurance
Monitor compliance with UNOPS defined quality standards and processes across projects.
Assist in coordination of quarterly assurance processes and other quality assurance initiatives.
Monitor projects’ implementation of guidelines, procedures, templates and propose new ways of working based on regular review of practices
Assist internal audit and ensure projects comply with audit requirements.
Knowledge management and innovation
Contribute to design and delivery of capacity building initiatives, while focusing on UNOPS project management standards and requirements
Monitor timely entry of lessons in oUP; best practices and lessons learned are appropriately captured, documented, shared and integrated accordingly .
Ensure complete and up to date documentation are uploaded in oUP by all projects
Support the organization of periodic lessons learnt workshops
The Project Management Office (PMO) - Associate directly impacts on achievement of project results by supporting the PRMO Specialist and the Head of Programme to implement effective project management methods and strategies, reduce risks, cut costs and improve 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.