Senior Projects Officer

The Senior Projects Officer is responsible for monitoring and ensuring high quality control of Agency-wide reporting to donors, coordinating project implementation monitoring, providing expert advice on projects related technical and financial issues, and supervising project unit team members. The role involves close collaboration with various departments and stakeholders to ensure compliance with project management manuals and donor requirements.

Responsibilities

• Monitors and ensures high quality control of Agency-wide reporting to donors; reviews, edits, and finalizes project documents, progress/final reporting packages drafted by Field Offices and Programme Departments to ensure compliance with UNRWA project management manual, consistency and coherence prior to final submissions to donors.
• Coordinates joint input from the Projects Unit (PU) for organizational performance monitoring, reporting and compliance purposes, when required.
• Performs high level monitoring of Agency-wide project implementation to ensure compliance with approved proposals, agreement stipulations, reports generated from the Agency’s Financial System, financial statements and PU’s database; advises on corrective actions to concerned parties; provides analysis of donor funded projects to the External Relations and Communications Department (ERCD) management as required; performs vetting of existing and new organizations that are making financial or in-kind contributions to UNRWA in line with UNRWA’s Vetting policy; regularly reviews and monitors the financial status of active projects, including income and expenditures; verifies and ensures consistency between the profile of expenditure and contractual stipulations.
• Coordinates the exchange of information between Field Offices, Programme Departments, Finance and ERCD for the timely submission to donors of project proposals, reporting and financial documents; provides guidelines, instructions, suggestions and recommendations to Field Offices regarding the operational and financial situations to ensure their alignment with agreement stipulations and reporting requirements.
• Works closely with ERCD Partnerships team and provides them with expert advice and information on projects related technical and financial issues and in response to donors’ and other stakeholders’ queries and reporting needs; undertakes research, formulates recommendations to his/her direct supervisor and ERCD management to facilitate planning, policy and procedures development and decision making.
• Establishes and maintains close relationships with projects stakeholders Agency-wide through effective communication, consultation and collaboration to manage and troubleshoot, when needed, on projects implementation related issues; provides guidance for the regular update of information on grant agreements, reporting requirements, project chronology and contractual amendments for projects included in the assigned portfolio of responsibilities; represents ERCD in meetings and committees within UNRWA and participates in donor meetings and visits as required.
• Coordinates with the Contributions Unit and Finance Department on the timely completion of tasks as per the project management cycle; provides recommendations to Finance Department on financial actions related to the treatment of remaining balances, interests, exchange rate, etc.; ensures the issuance of closing memos for the completed projects once all donors’ requirements are met.
• Follows up with Field Offices / Programme Departments on the timely receipt of project proposals that are consistent with UNRWA’s Regulatory Framework and the project management manual; liaises with the Department of Finance to seek clearance of proposed budget; manages and monitors the calendar of submissions to donors Agency-wide; maintains and updates information on individual projects under his / her portfolio.
• Provides Agency-wide operational and technical guidance and recommendations to Partnerships Divisions, ERCD management, Field Offices, Programme Departments and Finance Department on projects related issues, including formulation of project proposals and progress/final reports in line with UNRWA’s project management manual; provides input and recommendations on ERCD responses to audit observations and requests issued by the internal and the external Auditors (UNBOA) for projects related issues in consultation with other senior members of ERCD;
• Provides guidance, support, training and supervises the activities of the PU team members under her/his direct supervision to ensure achieving the planned outcomes; participates in recruitment and selection of PU staff members.

Requirements

• An advanced university degree from an accredited educational institution in business administration or other related discipline.
• At least seven years of related professional experience in development and management of projects, administrative functions, financial tracking, monitoring, including experience in bookkeeping and accountancy related to projects and contributions is required.
• Knowledge of programme management cycle and results-based management is required.
• Courses in finance / budget is desirable.
• Knowledge of UNRWA Rules and Directives is desirable.
• Prior experience with a UN organization, NGO, or donor government is desirable.
• Experience using spreadsheets and database packages is desirable.
• Indicate your current involvement in any outside activities, as it is required.
• Are you a registered Palestine refugee? If yes, please provide your Ration Card Number.
• Do you have close relative(s) in UNRWA (mother, father, daughter, son, sister brother)? If yes, please provide full name(s) and relationship.
• Are you currently residing in Duty station. Please specify your current location.
• English and Arabic are required at UN Level III for reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

Skills

• Project Development
• Project Management Cycle
• Result-Based Management
• Financial Tracking
• Project Monitoring
• Bookkeeping
• Accountancy
• Programme Management
• Donor Reporting
• Team Supervision
• UNRWA Rules and Directives
• Spreadsheet Software Knowledge
• Database Management
• Financial Analysis
• Budgeting
• Administrative Functions

Languages

English, Arabic