Project Management Support - Associate

In Serbia, where UNOPS has been active since 2000, and North Macedonia and Montenegro where UNOPS works since 2017, the organisation provides support in conduct of demanding socio-economic reforms and facilitating accession to the European Union. The projects focus on sustainable socio-economic development, good governance, rule of law, social cohesion, environment and emergency response. The projects are implemented with the funding from the European Union (EU), Kingdom of Norway, Governments of Switzerland, Sweden, North Macedonia, and Serbia. UNOPS Serbia Multi-Country Office (RSMCO) also covers Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the need for support and potential engagements are being assessed. The work of UNOPS and the projects it implements is contextualised within the broader Sustainable Development Goals frameworks and objectives of the countries of its operations.

UNOPS has been a reliable partner primarily of the Government of Serbia, and later of the Governments of North Macedonia and Montenegro, in providing support for demanding socio-economic reforms and facilitating accession to the European Union.

As part of its UNOPS Republic of Serbia Multi-Country Office (RSMCO) operations, and in partnership with the Ministry of Education in Montenegro, UNOPS is initiating a “Functional analysis of education infrastructure” Project (Project) in Montenegro, which will contribute to improved quality of pre-school, primary and secondary education in Montenegro, by enhancing the capacity of national and local stakeholders, primarily MoE, to better plan, deliver and manage school infrastructure. Therefore, there are two results that the Project will achieve:

• Enhanced MoE capacity for assessment and planning of school infrastructure 

• Enhanced functionality of Montenegro Education Information System (MEIS)  

This Project is part of the broader vision focused on further comprehensive education reforms, and key beneficiaries of the Project are the Ministry of Education and schools in Montenegro.

The Project Management Support - Associate works under supervision and guidance of the Project Manager (PM) to contribute to efficient and effective implementation of the Project. She or he will be responsible for delivery of work packages and products, as per PM’s delegation. 

In performing her/his work, the incumbent promotes a client, quality and results-oriented approach, and works closely with the Support Services and other Projects’ personnel to exchange information and ensure consistent service delivery. 

The Project Management Support Associate will undertake the following activities/responsibilities:

• With PM’s direction, support implementation of activities in the area of responsibility and ensures consistent progress against the set milestones
• Develop inputs to Project plans for implementation of activities falling under her/his responsibility, and contribute to overall planning process 
• Ensure delivery of outputs that are fit for purpose and meet the set targets for time, cost, quality, and benefits
• Establish and maintain professional relations with the Project stakeholders
• Contribute to the engagement with the beneficiary institutions and other Project’s stakeholders, while ensuring that the PM is consistently and timely consulted and informed
• With guidelines from PM and responsible Support Services colleagues, ensure respect of UNOPS financial, procurement, and other  rules and regulations in conduct of activities
• Contribute to UNOPS inputs provided to the UN Country Team through different task groups 
• Where relevant and appropriate, contribute to development of ToRs, human resources or procurement related, needed in support of work package/product delivery falling under the candidate’s responsibility
• Take a lead in organisation of training, workshops, information sessions, other capacity building or other functions falling under the candidate’s responsibility
• Participate in evaluation processes, HR or procurement related, as per request from the PM
• Coordinate work of retainers and service providers
• Support grant management related activities, as per the Project need and PM’s request
• Provide updates on external developments relevant for the Project, and in particular for activities that fall under the Project Associate’s responsibility 
• Contribute to identification and assessment of risks and implement mitigation measures in accordance with the Risk Management Strategy and agreed Risk Responses 
• Contribute to design and implementation of the Project Gender Action and Social Inclusion Plan
• Monitor progress against milestones and targets set in the Plans, including those related to outcomes
• Contribute to preparation of Project reports, as envisaged by the Project Agreement, while in particular considering progress against the indicators in the Results Framework Matrix
• Contribute to identification and sharing of the Project’s lessons learned and best practices
• Contribute to efficient and effective use of Project and UNOPS tools for monitoring of the Project’s performance, outputs and benefits 
• Support the Project’s communication and visibility activities, including but not limited to preparation of inputs for briefings, press releases and visibility materials.
• Prepare minutes from project meetings
• Establish and maintain archives Project’s archive 
• Perform other duties as may be reasonably required and in line with the incumbent’s scope of services above

• Secondary school diploma is required. 
• Bachelor’s degree preferably in Economics, Business Administration, Project Management, Social Science or related field will be considered as an asset

• Minimum six years of experience in project management support activities is required. BA degree may substitute for some years of experience 
• Direct experience in working with Governmental and local institutions is an asset
• Experience with international organisations (preferably in the UN/EU context) will be considered as an asset

• Fluency in Montenegrin and English language is required

• Driving licence is an asset

This is a local position, it is therefore open to nationals of Montenegro and to individuals who have a valid residence/work permit.

Contract type: ICA
Contract level: Local ICA Support - ICS 6
Contract duration: Ongoing ICA – Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 
• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions 

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

The UNOPS Republic of Serbia Multi Country Office (RSMCO) is implementing 16 projects in Serbia, North Macedonia and Montenegro.

In Serbia, where UNOPS has been active since 2000, and North Macedonia and Montenegro where UNOPS works since 2017, the organisation provides support in demanding socio-economic reforms and facilitating accession to the European Union. The projects focus on sustainable socio-economic development, good governance, social cohesion, environment and emergency response. The projects are implemented with the funding from the European Union (EU), Kingdom of Norway, Governments of Switzerland, Sweden and North Macedonia.

All projects have gender equality as a transversal theme, and have been contextualised within the broader Sustainable Development Goals frameworks and objectives.