Senior Project Manager (Implementation)

The Senior Project Manager (Implementation) is responsible for planning, organizing, and leading projects from initiation to closure, ensuring effective delivery and oversight while meeting agreed tolerances of time, cost, scope, quality, risk, and benefits. The role involves coordination with donors, partners, and beneficiaries, managing stakeholder expectations, and ensuring compliance with contractual commitments and UNOPS standards.

Responsibilities

• Develop, complete and update the project implementation plan.
• Implement the approved plan (including establishment of milestones) within tolerances set by the Project Board.
• Embed sustainability dimensions, including social and gender considerations, and environmental and economic aspects, into the project life span.
• Manage the production of required outputs, taking responsibility for overall progress and use of resources while initiating corrective action where necessary.
• Ensure that quality of work packages and deliverables comply with the quality requirements defined in the implementation plan.
• Liaise with external suppliers or account managers to ensure quality and timely delivery of outputs.
• Manage acceptance and delivery of work packages.
• Monitor project progress, control project variances (if any), and manage changes.
• Identify, anticipate and advise senior management and the project board on mitigating measures against project risks to ensure that benefits to partners and other stakeholders are maximized.
• Advocate and promote UNOPS service offerings, identify and report potential growth opportunities for UNOPS.
• Comply with the organization’s policies and standards, and ensure project information is kept updated in project management systems.
• Be aware of applicable local laws and regulations, and ensure adherence.
• Prepare and adapt all relevant plans for approval by the project board, and manage baselines.
• Manage the reporting obligations defined in the implementation plan and legal agreements.
• Maintain project documentation in an orderly manner for accessibility and audit support when needed.
• Understand and apply the UNOPS financial rules and regulations.
• Provide a formal handover of the project to the closure manager when applicable.
• Support project audit activities, including planning, preparation and coordination during audits and follow-up on audit observations/recommendations.
• Include a results framework and M&E plan in the project implementation plan with clearly defined indicators and agreed targets, ensure regular monitoring and tracking of project results.
• Prepare and issue regular project and financial reports in accordance with partner and UNOPS requirements for reporting.
• Regularly review project status and evaluate performance criteria (scope, cost, schedule, and quality).
• Maintain diaries and progress reports as required by UNOPS standard operating 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 the project life span.
• Develop stakeholder engagement strategies and plans.
• Actively engage stakeholders, take feedback, and adjust as necessary.
• Establish solid working relationships with the project board, clients, and key stakeholders.
• Enable formulation of project communication plans and monitor 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, and exceptions, and are in a position to accept handover output.
• Work with internal stakeholders to ensure projects comply with audit requirements.
• Work with procurement/purchasing personnel to ensure effective interface with suppliers’ quality systems.
• Coordinate quality reviews of project documents and deliverables.
• Provide quality control for management outputs (e.g. project documents, reports, etc).
• Create a learning environment for the project team, encourage knowledge sharing and training to contribute to longer-term capacity building.
• Actively interact with other project managers and the wider project management community, share case studies, lessons learned and best practices.
• Stay abreast with latest updates and good practices of the profession, participate in training and learning activities for self to advance proficiency and competency.
• Ensure lessons learned are shared in a timely and appropriate manner.
• Provide feedback to corporate practice groups on policy and systems, when needed.
• Provide feedback to functional groups on policies and related guidance to support the continuous improvement of UNOPS policy framework.
• Organise and structure the project team, ensure clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
• Provide regular guidance and direction, as needed, and support the team in effectively performing their tasks.
• Lead and motivate the project management team, and manage performance.
• Ensure performance reviews are conducted fairly, accurately, and on time.
• Select, recruit, and train project teams as required, taking gender parity and diversity objectives into account.
• Ensure safety and security for all project personnel in compliance with the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) standard.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 9 years of relevant experience OR Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 7 years of relevant experience is required.
• Project management certification from a globally recognized institute is desired.
• Professional certification from a reputed institute in the technical topic relevant to the job area is desired.
• Relevant experience in the implementation of complex projects/programmes, or related areas.
• Experience in project planning, implementation, and control, including project communication and reporting is required.
• Knowledge of quality assurance methodologies is required.
• Experience of managing project risks in a multi-stakeholder context is required.
• Experience of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing country is desired.
• Experience in development or humanitarian contexts is desired.
• Management consulting experience, involving public-sector advisory, is desired.

Skills

• Project Management
• Project Planning
• Project Implementation
• Project Control
• Project Communication
• Project Reporting
• Quality Assurance Methodologies
• Risk Management
• Stakeholder Coordination
• Contract Compliance
• Donor Coordination
• Stakeholder Management
• Public-sector Advisory
• Management Consulting
• UN System Experience

Languages

English, Filipino