Project Manager at UNOPS

Vacancy code: VA/2023/B5316/25444

Project Information

• The decade long insurgency in North East Nigeria has affected many local government areas (LGAs) in Yobe State. This has resulted in destruction of healthcare infrastructure, hospital equipment (e.g. x-ray machines, laboratory equipment, theater equipment, hospital furniture/beddings), ambulances etc. Recent attacks in June 2022 included burning of ambulances, vandalization of medical equipment and theft of essential drugs and medical equipment.
• The attacks in June 2022 led to disruptions in maternal and emergency healthcare services and hospital delivery has dropped to near zero in some communities with its attendant’s consequences of increased maternal, neonatal and perinatal mortality. Routine care for other diseases such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, heart diseases, kidney diseases, routine surgeries etc. are also disrupted.
• The Yobe State Government has already provided the infrastructure through reconstruction of the destroyed buildings, enhanced security arrangements to prevent future attacks on health facilities, and continuous routine integrated supervision of all healthcare facilities.
• Therefore urgent equipping of these facilities would help in restoring health care service delivery within the six local government areas.
• With funding from the Government of Japan, UNOPS is supporting the Yobe State Ministry of Health to equip these facilities. Restoring Emergency, Maternal and Child Health Services in Yobe State Project seeks to restore emergency, maternal and child healthcare services in affected communities which were disrupted by insurgency activities. Specifically, this project will achieve the following objectives:
  • Equip primary healthcare facilities with medical equipment to deliver effective maternal, neonatal and child health (MNCH) services
  • Equip General Hospitals with medical equipment to improve emergency services and routine care for patients with diseases including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, heart diseases, kidney diseases etc.
• Using UNOPS rules and procedures, the scope of the project will include the procurement, delivery and installation of medical equipment including related infrastructure works.
• The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is looking for an experienced Project Manager to work with our team in our Nigeria Country Office to deliver this project to restore emergency, maternal and child healthcare services in Yobe State.  
• If you have experience leading teams, are excited to expand our sustainable project management initiatives, are great at facilitating technical teams to develop specifications, are always ready to get hands on with the work and can lead partners through best practice in Project Management with Prince 2 certification, then this is your opportunity. 
• The project will be implemented over a 12-month duration.

Job Specific

• Project Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the project(s) and manages relationships with the donor, 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. 
• 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.
• He/she is expected to meet the organization’s performance and delivery goals.

Functional Responsibilities
Summary of functions:

• Project Delivery and Performance
• Procedures
• Monitoring and reporting
• Stakeholder engagement
• Quality assurance
• Knowledge management and innovation
• Personnel management

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.
• 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 the 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, harrasment, 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.

Impact of Results:

• Project 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.

Education / Experience / Language Requirements
Education:

• Advanced University Degree (Masters Degree) in Project Management, Business Administration, International Relations, Political/Security/Development Studies, or other relevant disciplines is required.
• A combination of a Bachelor's Degree with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the education requirements outlined above

Work Experience:

• A minimum of five (5) years progressive demonstrated experience in a Project Management role in the delivery of development projects is required;
• Demonstrated experience managing multidisciplinary teams is an asset;
• Demonstrated experience with procurement and distribution of medical equipment and medical devices is an asset;
• Demonstrated experience with infrastructure projects is an asset.
• Past experience with procurement of goods/services/ works is a distinct advantage;
• Previous experience working in Northeast Nigeria will be considered an advantage;
• Past experience in health sector projects is an asset;
• Knowledge of the UN system and familiarity with UNOPS procedures is an advantage;
• Demonstrated experience working with Government MDAs on donor funded projects is an asset;

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in written, reading and spoken English Language is required.

Certification:

• Prince 2 Foundation or equivalent is an advantage
• Prince 2 Practitioner or equivalent is an advantage
• Other Project Management certification is an advantage.