Project Manager (Infrastructure)

The Project Manager (Infrastructure) is responsible for the effective delivery and day-to-day management of infrastructure projects across sectors such as education, health, transportation, irrigation, and port infrastructure. The role involves coordination with donors, partners, and beneficiaries to ensure project outputs are delivered within agreed time, cost, scope, quality, risk, and benefits tolerances.

Responsibilities

• Develop, complete and update the project implementation plan.
• Implement the approved plan including establishment of milestones within tolerances set by the Project Board, including development of infrastructure designs and coordinating design reviews.
• Embed sustainability dimensions including social and gender considerations, and environmental and economic aspects into the project life span.
• Manage production of required outputs, taking responsibility for overall progress and use of resources while initiating corrective action where necessary.
• Ensure quality of work packages and deliverables comply with 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, and manage changes.
• Identify, anticipate and advise senior management and the project board on mitigating measures against project risks to maximize benefits to partners and stakeholders.
• Identify and report potential opportunities for UNOPS to the supervisor.
• Comply with 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 including international regulations and standards.
• Prepare and adapt all relevant plans for approval by the project board and manage baselines.
• Manage reporting obligations defined in the implementation plan and legal agreements.
• Maintain project documentation in an orderly manner for accessibility and audit support.
• Understand and apply UNOPS financial rules and regulations and ensure compliance with relevant policies and ethics standards.
• Provide formal handover of the project to the closure manager when applicable.
• Support project audit activities including planning, preparation, 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.
• Regularly review project status and evaluate performance criteria (scope, cost, schedule, 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 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, exceptions, and are in a position to accept handover outputs.
• 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 such as project documents and reports.
• 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 continuous improvement of UNOPS policy framework.
• Organise and structure the project team, ensure clearly defined roles and responsibilities, provide regular guidance and direction 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 UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) standards.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in civil, water, electrical, mechanical, structural or other applicable engineering disciplines with 7 years of relevant experience OR Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any of the above with 5 years of relevant experience is required.
• Project management certification (e.g. PRINCE2, PMI, PEng, CEng, etc) is desired.
• Relevant experience in implementing and managing infrastructure projects (e.g. roads, dams, bridges, irrigation, health, windmills, solar power, ports, etc.), all or some in developing countries, post-conflict environments, or emergency contexts.
• Experience in defining technical and design requirements is required.
• Knowledge of infrastructure quality assurance methodologies and tools is required.
• Experience in managing infrastructure 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.
• Experience in contract management is desired.
• Experience in supporting the development of procurement strategies is desired.
• Knowledge of FIDIC contracts is desired.
• Experience of planning and applying health and safety procedures is desired.
• Fluent proficiency in English is required.
• Fluent proficiency in French is required.

Skills

• Civil Engineering
• Water Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Structural Engineering
• Project Management
• Infrastructure Project Implementation
• Technical Design Requirements
• Infrastructure Quality Control
• Risk Management
• Contract Management
• Procurement Strategies
• FIDIC Conditions of Contract
• Health and Safety Procedures
• Multicultural Environment Experience
• Post-Conflict Infrastructure
• Emergency Context Infrastructure
• Donor Coordination
• Stakeholder Management

Languages

English, French