Project Manager [Implementation - Infrastructure Asset Management]

The Project Manager [Implementation - Infrastructure Asset Management] is responsible for planning, organizing, and leading projects from initiation to closure, ensuring effective delivery and oversight while managing stakeholder expectations. The role involves implementing multi-country infrastructure asset management projects, embedding sustainability, and coordinating with donors, partners, and beneficiaries to achieve project goals.

Responsibilities

• Develop, complete and update the project implementation plan.
• Implement the approved plan within tolerances set by the Project Board.
• 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.
• Advocate and promote UNOPS service offerings, identify and report potential growth opportunities for UNOPS.
• 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.
• 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 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.
• Develop stakeholder engagement strategies and plans. 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.
• 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 (e.g. project documents, reports, etc).
• Create a learning environment for the project team, encourage knowledge sharing and training to contribute to longer-term capacity building.
• 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, as needed, 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 as required, 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

• Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent), preferably in engineering, architecture, public administration, international relations, with five (5) years of relevant experience; or First-level university degree (bachelor's degree or equivalent), preferably in engineering, architecture, public administration, international relations, with seven (7) years of relevant experience.
• Project management certification from a globally recognized institute (desired).
• Professional certification from a reputed institute in the technical topic relevant to the job area (desired).
• Professional experience in the implementation of complex multi-country projects related to Infrastructure Asset Management Assessments, working with donors, national and sub-national governments authorities and implementing partners in developing countries.
• Experience in project planning, implementation, and control, including project communication and reporting.
• Knowledge of quality assurance methodologies.
• Experience of managing project risks in a multi-stakeholder context.
• Experience providing technical assistance and capacity building, including the design and delivery of training and workshops.
• Experience in analysing cross-sectoral infrastructure data and conducting national or subnational infrastructure assessments.
• Experience in integrating climate resilience, sustainability and/or inclusion considerations into infrastructure context assessments and capacity building tools.
• Experience of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing country (desired).
• Experience in development or humanitarian contexts (desired).
• Work experience using assessment and prioritization tools (such as Gap Analysis, Best Practices Repository and Benchmarking) (desired).
• Experience developing or adapting tools, methodologies or knowledge products to support government capacity (desired).
• Experience supporting governments to develop national or local plans related to IAM (desired).
• Experience conducting Infrastructure Asset Management Assessments in Africa and/or the Pacific regions (desired).

Skills

• Project Management
• Infrastructure Asset Management
• Project Planning
• Project Implementation
• Project Control
• Project Communication
• Project Reporting
• Quality Assurance Methodologies
• Risk Management
• Technical Assistance
• Capacity Building
• Training Design
• Workshop Delivery
• Cross-sectoral Infrastructure Analysis
• Infrastructure Assessment
• Climate Resilience
• Sustainability Integration
• Inclusion
• Assessment Tools Development
• Prioritization Tools
• Gap Analysis
• Benchmarking
• Multi-country Project Coordination
• Stakeholder Management

Languages

English, Arabic, Chinese, Mandarin, French, Spanish, Russian