Senior Project Manager (Waste Management Infrastructure)

The Senior Project Manager (Infrastructure) is responsible for the effective delivery and day-to-day management of a hazardous waste management infrastructure project in Central Asia, ensuring alignment with contractual commitments and UNOPS standards. The role involves managing construction, procurement, stakeholder engagement, quality assurance, and project reporting to deliver outputs within agreed time, cost, and quality parameters.

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 the 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 the production of required outputs, taking responsibility for overall progress and use of resources while initiating corrective action where necessary
• Ensure that quality of work packages and deliverables comply with the 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 ensure that benefits to partners and other stakeholders are maximized
• Identify and report potential opportunities for UNOPS to the supervisor
• Comply with the 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, as well as technical standards
• Prepare and adapt all relevant plans for approval by the project board, and manage baselines
• Manage the reporting obligations defined in the implementation plan and legal agreements
• Maintain project documentation in an orderly manner for accessibility and audit support when needed
• Understand and apply the UNOPS financial rules and regulations and be accountable for the use of delegation of authority and ensure compliance with relevant policies and standards of ethics
• Provide a formal handover of the project to the closure manager when applicable
• Support project audit activities including planning, preparation and 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 for reporting
• Regularly review project status and evaluate performance criteria (scope, cost, schedule, and 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 duration of the project life span
• Ensure full traceability and chain of custody for all contaminated soil, debris, and pure pesticide waste from the site of origin to the final disposal cell at Vakhsh and Suzak A Landfills including all necessary weighing and documentation certificates
• Develop stakeholder engagement strategies and plans and 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
• Coordinate and oversee the implementation of the Ambient Environmental Monitoring framework including air quality and odor monitoring and manage structured engagement with nearby communities
• Serve as the principal UNOPS representative to the GEF 9421 Project Steering Committee
• 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
• 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 the 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 taking gender parity and diversity objectives into account
• Ensure safety and security for all project personnel in compliance with the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) standards

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) preferably in civil, water, electrical, mechanical, structural or other applicable engineering disciplines with 9 years of relevant experience OR Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any of the above or related fields with 7 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 delivered by Design and Build Contract, preferably for the development of toxic / hazardous waste management sites including site wide infrastructure such as roads, fencing power, water etc., all or some in developing countries, post-conflict environments, or emergency contexts
• Relevant experience of minimum of 7 years implementing and managing large-scale infrastructure in environmental remediation projects specifically involving Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) or highly hazardous waste, in compliance with the Basel and Stockholm Conventions
• Experience in defining technical and design requirements and Employers Requirements is required
• Experience in drafting the technical specifications and design parameters for hazardous waste containment facilities is required
• Knowledge of infrastructure quality assurance methodologies and tools is required
• Experience in the provision of critical quality control for specialized environmental construction is required
• Experience in managing infrastructure project risks in a multi-stakeholder context is required
• Experience in managing hazardous material risk including stakeholder alignment 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 e.g. managing contracts for specialized, high-value, and technical construction works or remediation services is desired
• Experience in supporting the development of procurement strategies is desired
• Knowledge of FIDIC contracts is desired
• Experience of planning and applying high-risk health and safety procedures in contaminated sites is desired
• Previous UNOPS experience in project management is desired
• Fluent English is required
• Fluent Russian is desirable

Skills

• Project Management
• Design and Build Contract
• Infrastructure Project Management
• Hazardous Waste Management
• Environmental Remediation
• Technical Specifications Drafting
• Design Requirements Definition
• Quality Assurance Methodologies
• Quality Control
• Risk Management
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Contract Management
• Procurement Strategies
• FIDIC Conditions of Contract
• Health and Safety Procedures
• Construction Management
• Persistent Organic Pollutants Compliance
• Basel Convention Implementation
• Stockholm Convention Compliance
• Multicultural Environment Experience
• UN System Experience

Languages

English, Russian