Programme Management Office (PRMO) - Senior Officer

The PMO - Senior Officer supports the Head of PMO, Head of Programme and Senior Management to exercise governance over the Multi-Country Office portfolio. The role provides oversight, advisory and decision-enabling functions to assigned portfolios, facilitating successful and consistent delivery of projects while ensuring alignment with UNOPS strategic goals and commitments.

Responsibilities

• Provide support to project management teams in facilitating the implementation of appropriate standards and best practices in line with UNOPS policies and procedures.
• Assist in coordinating the development, consolidation and tracking progress of other Units’ plans.
• Support PMs and PMSOs with the establishment, monitoring and delivery of business and programme level strategies, plans, targets, indicators and work plans, verifying budgets against forecasts.
• Ensure projects develop Gender Action Plans and monitor their implementation.
• Develop and establish resource tracking systems complementary to UNOPS' online tools for effective planning, forecasting and tracking of delivery.
• Identify and anticipate potential risks and issues in a timely manner and escalate as necessary.
• Support project setup, implementation and closure activities.
• Establish standards and monitor the use of configuration management systems.
• Monitor project implementation plans, HR plans, procurement plans, quality management plans, stakeholder engagement plans and ensure adherence.
• Ensure regular project and corporate reports are issued according to guidelines and standards.
• Facilitate implementation of corporate standards and initiatives across the Country Office.
• Review project status and monitor progress through output tracking tables, advising PMs on irregularities.
• Assess projects’ health against key performance indicators and escalate issues timely.
• Ensure project documentation is complete and up to date.
• Coordinate preparation and organization of office, portfolio and project level quarterly assurance.
• Assist in organizational risks and issues management and advise management on mitigating actions.
• Provide routine oversight and analysis of delivery and project closure data supporting quarterly and periodic analysis.
• Ensure all projects have result frameworks and dashboards for monitoring outputs and activities.
• Ensure projects submit and regularly update milestones and targets and track progress.
• Monitor HSSE plans and reporting.
• Review project monthly progress reports and identify cross-cutting issues requiring action.
• Ensure projects have dedicated stakeholder management and communication plans.
• Assist PMs in stakeholder profiling and engagement strategy formulation.
• Enable formulation of programme and project communications plans.
• Coordinate stakeholder engagement and communication ensuring effective timing and interdependency management.
• Coordinate internal programme/project communications and monitor effectiveness.
• Work with internal audit and finance to ensure programme compliance with audit requirements.
• Support operations units to ensure alignment with programme and project needs.
• Contribute towards full compliance with UNOPS standards for corporate/programme/project management.
• Coordinate quality reviews of programme/project documents, plans and reports.
• Assist project teams in identifying and improving operational processes relevant to project implementation.
• Assist knowledge management efforts through documentation of best practices and facilitating lessons learnt workshops.
• Implement capacity building activities for project teams on identified gaps.
• Support improvement of local hub working practices in planning, schedule management, performance monitoring, contract and risk assurance.
• Ensure routine capacity building activities to build sustainable capacity of national staff.
• Participate in and advocate PMs' participation in relevant Communities of Practice.
• Interact with PMs and wider PM community to share case studies, lessons learned and best practices.
• Provide feedback to Practice Leads on policy and guidance for continuous improvement.
• Contribute to oversight of lessons learned procedures ensuring timely sharing.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Project Management with 4 years of relevant experience OR Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Project Management with 2 years of relevant experience is required.
• PRINCE2 Practitioner certification is highly desirable.
• Relevant experience is work in project management.
• 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 with data analysis, management reporting and project management tools and information management systems is a strong advantage.
• Experience working in developing countries (especially Africa) is a strong advantage.
• Experience working in an international environment is highly desired.
• Experience dealing with government officials is an advantage.
• Experience working on infrastructure project is an advantage.
• Fluent English language proficiency is required.

Skills

• Project Management
• PRINCE2 Practitioner
• Data Analysis
• Management Reporting
• Project Management Tools
• Management Information Systems
• Multicultural Environment Experience
• Development Context Experience
• Humanitarian Experience
• Infrastructure Project Experience
• Government Relations
• Programme Governance
• Portfolio Oversight
• International Environment Experience

Languages

English