Project Management and Infrastructure Advisor - Surge Capacity (re-advertisement)

Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, the UNOPS Integrated Practice Advice and Support (IPAS) serves all the regions and headquarters, primarily with advice and solutions to everyday implementation challenges. IPAS consists of a diverse team of subject matter experts in the six practice areas of HR, Administration, Legal, Finance, Procurement, Project Management and Infrastructure. IPAS has three main roles:

Support to operations in the field offices: IPAS provides timely advice and supports actively finding of solutions to everyday implementation challenges, based on policy and best practices. It also provides operational support in specific areas.

Business efficiency: IPAS recommends changes to policies, processes and operating standards based on the feedback and experience of the field offices. IPAS also ensures transparent and efficient project implementation, in line with policy and business needs. 

Body of knowledge: IPAS contributes to research and coordination within the policy groups and project practitioners. It provides structured knowledge and subject matter expertise which is used across practice areas to provide coherent and tailored advice to the requesting offices.

Faced with recurring demands for such services, IPAS has been given the responsibility to create a Rapid Response team to meet the needs of UNOPS field offices. These needs include but are not limited to providing personnel for quick inception of new projects, supporting emergency responses, as well as covering gaps after unexpected departure of colleagues whose roles are critical to the operations of the office.

IPAS is now hiring committed colleagues to be part of this Surge Capacity team in the areas of HR, Procurement and Project Management / Infrastructure. We are looking for candidates from all around the world who are passionate about our mission and values, and looking forward to making a difference for people in need.
Sneak peak of our working environment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8CyuSqczvI

As a Infrastructure and Project Management Practice Advisor - Surge Capacity Team, you will be providing technical guidance and PM support to UNOPS field offices globally. You will be assigned to surge missions with the objective to support projects and offices that require rapid Project Management and/or Infrastructure support. 

A surge capacity assignment is expected to take from two weeks (for example for an assessment) to a maximum of three months (for example for the start up of a new project until the new PM is in place).  Frequent travel with extended missions to field offices, including to hardship locations is therefore expected. Remote support may also happen, or a combination of remote and field, depending on the nature of the assignment and clients’ preferences, as well as potential limitations to travel due to external factors. 

You will be responsible for providing temporary implementation management and support to projects in the field, in particular infrastructure projects,  always with the aim of increasing quality, professionalism and creating efficiencies.  You’ll be working directly with the teams in the field offices, and your project management skills will be required for new or ongoing projects that are considered as high risk. Your work will focus on identifying challenges and delivering pragmatic and innovative solutions together with the local team in line with UNOPS rules and regulations. As the face of IPAS in the field, your first role will be to provide operational support, but the other two roles of IPAS will be equally relevant to your work - e.g. identify areas where the organisation can become more efficient, and contribute to the body of knowledge. When not supporting a field office, the Infrastructure and Project Management Advisor will work with the IPAS Project Management and Infrastructure (PMI) team based in Copenhagen. 

The functions/responsibilities/key results of this job description are generic and may not always be applicable, nor be comprehensive, for all missions. The specific tasks and deliverables for each assignment may vary and will be detailed in the terms of reference developed for each assignment by the requesting office/unit.

Summary of Key Functions:

1. Primary: PM and Infrastructure hands-on support and implementation to projects and field offices  -with travel and sometimes remotely. 

2. Secondary: Support to IPAS PMI  - PM & infrastructure advice and support  to field offices.

Primary responsibilities: 

Depending on the assignment, you may be expected to take more of an advisory role, or to be in a hands-on role e.g. you act  temporarily  as the project manager for  ongoing or start-up projects. While on assignment in a country office,  you will report to the Head of Programme or another senior position in the country office.  

As an experienced project manager with infrastructure background, you will be able to advise the country office on project management both at operational and strategic level, and identify quality and progress related issues. 

You’ll be expected to come up with appropriate mitigation measures for risks and develop innovative approaches appropriate for the context, and in line with UNOPS rules and regulations. For this, you’ll be working closely with the local team. You’ll be establishing trusted relationships and networks with offices, using the IPAS integrated approach, e.g.  working closely with colleagues and across policy areas. 

The IPAS team will closely support you  in your assignments. Your findings will be addressed in a mission report.  

Specific tasks within the areas of responsibilities of a UNOPS Senior Project Manager will include:

1-Project Delivery and Performance

2-Procedures

3-Monitoring and reporting

4-Stakeholder engagement

5-Quality assurance

6-Personnel management

Secondary responsibilities:

When not on assignment, you will support IPAS PMI, this can include the following:

• Support capacity building efforts working with other IPAS colleagues in the development and delivery of tailored learning sessions;

• Contribute to proactive risk management by identifying and capturing critical risks and support field offices and projects in mitigating such risks and support to field offices and projects;

• Provide consistent advice on the application, interpretation and adoption of corporate policies, methodologies, guidance and processes related to UNOPS infrastructure; and how to embed best practices in infrastructure project and programme management, with an emphasis on risk management;

• Actively support IPAS in the development of and sharing of knowledge by leveraging from the field exposure, capturing case studies and lessons learned and contribute to the identification of appropriate improvements by making recommendations on policy, guidance and tools;

• Actively interact with other Project Managers and the wider PM community to share case studies, lessons learned and best practices;

• Undertake other tasks as deemed necessary by the IPAS PMI Team Leader.

Education:

• An advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent such as MEng, MSc) or professional certification in preferably Civil Engineering (CEng, PE, P. Eng.), Architecture, Construction Management or relevant discipline is required;

• A Bachelor degree combined with 2 years of relevant work experience can be accepted in lieu of the Master’s degree;

Experience:

• A minimum of 7 years of experience in functions related to Project and Programme Management and Operations support (with an advanced university degree);

• Prior experience working in a developing country, conflict and/or post-conflict project management environment is required;

• Proven technical leadership and expertise in project and programme management is required;

• Minimum 3 years managing projects in the international development context is required;

• Certification in PRINCE2® Practitioner and/or other PM certification is required;

• Prior experience in a UN Agency will be a strong asset; 

• Current or prior experience as a UNOPS PM is strongly preferred given the nature of the surge capacity role;

Languages:

• Perfect command of both written and spoken English is a strict requirement.
• Knowledge of another UN language such as French or Spanish is a strong asset.

Others:

The person in this position will be required to frequently travel to different locations around the world, including hardship locations. Missions abroad may last for several weeks/up to a maximum of 3 months. Availability to travel is therefore a prerequisite for this position, even though some of the missions may be conducted remotely.

• Contract type: ICA
• Contract level: I-ICA-3
• Contract duration: Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• 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
• 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 (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• 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.