Project Manager

UNOPS office for the English and Dutch Caribbean currently oversees several infrastructure projects (both implementation and technical assistance) in Belize, Dominica, St Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago, Grenada, and Curacao.

UNOPS in Trinidad & Tobago supports the Ministry of Health through PAHO in the Project: “CARPHA – NPHL – NBTS Offices and Laboratories Complete Design and Procurement”

This project is funded by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago through the Ministry of Health. The executing agencies are the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO-WHO) together with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

The new office and laboratory facility will co-locate three agencies on a common site, which will provide the opportunity to identify work spaces and systems that will benefit the operation of all three laboratories: CARPHA – Caribbean Public Health Agency; NPHL – National Public Health Agency (Ministry of Health of Trinidad and Tobago);       NBTS – National Blood Transfusion Services.

This position relates to the project in Trinidad with the objective of expanding UNOPS’ support. The position also relates to supporting other infrastructure projects within the Caribbean sub-region.

The Project Manager ensures that the project produce the required products within the specified tolerance of time, cost, quality, scope, risk and benefits. The Project Manager is also responsible for the project producing a result capable of achieving the benefits defined in the Business Case(s). He/She will contribute to the overall business targets and needs.

1.     Success criteria

The project manager is responsible for all aspects of the project life cycle. S/he must be able to apply, with some degree of autonomy, the below duties and responsibilities of the project success criteria:

Stakeholder Management:

• Establish solid working relationship with the project board (Executive, Senior Users and Senior Suppliers), client and key stakeholders
• Manage communications and ensure stakeholders are aware of project activities, progress, exceptions and are in a position to accept handover products
• Advise the client on issues that may impact the achievement of their outcomes (including issues of sustainability and post project requirements such as maintenance)
• Manage the information flows between the Project Board/OC Director and the project(s)

Delivery and Performance:

• Develop and maintain project plans
• Implement approved project plans (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 cycle.
• Manage the production of the required products, taking responsibility for overall progress and use of resources and initiating corrective action where necessary
• Liaise with any external suppliers or account managers
• Authorize Work Packages
• Advise the Project Board and OC Manager of any deviations from the plan
• Identify and manage risks so that maximum benefit to client and stakeholders is achieved
• Manage and review product quality and ensure products are accepted
• Monitor and evaluate performance of service providers
• Identify and report potential business opportunities for UNOPS to supervisor
• Identify and report threats to UNOPS internal business case to supervisor

Procedures:

• Follow the Project Management Cycle Instructions and ensure that all organizational policy is complied with (Organizational Directives and Administrative Instructions)
• Prepare/adapt the following plans for approval by the Project Board: I. Project Initiation Documentation; II. Stage/Exception Plans and relevant Product Descriptions
• Prepare the following reports:
• Highlight Reports
• End Stage Reports
• Operational Closure Checklist
• End Project Report
• Handover Report
• Maintain the following: i. Electronic Blue File; ii. Procurement, HR and Finance files as required by those practices as per OD12.
• Ensure that all expenditures comply with UNOPS Financial Rules and Regulations (FRR).
• 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 and remain accountable for 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.

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement 
Contract level: ICA 2

Contract duration: 6 months with possibility of extension subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and/or to satisfactory performance.

Work life harmonization: UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options.

The position is in a family duty station

UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time. 18:00 hours Port Spain
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.