Background Information - Job-specific
South East Asia and Pacific Multi-Country Office (EAPMCO)
The South East Asia and Pacific Multi Country Office (EAPMCO) supports, develops, and oversees the UNOPS portfolio of projects in South East Asia and the Pacific. EAPMCO currently covers 24 countries across North East Asia, South East Asia and the Pacific. With its head office in Bangkok, the Multi-Country Office comprises eight business units: EAPMCO Thailand, EAPMCO Indonesia, EAPMCO Pacific Operations Cluster, EAPMCO Papua New Guinea, EAPMCO China, EAPMCO Vietnam, EAPMCO Mekong (covering Cambodia and Lao PDR), and EAPMCO Philippines.
The Multi-Country Office head office in Bangkok provides strategic direction, operational support, delivery oversight, and assurance of the excellence of business processes and quality standards across all of the Multi-Country Office locations. It is also responsible for developing, delivering, and managing the portfolio of engagements in the country of the MCO location itself.
UNOPS in Lao PDR
Established in 2017, but with a portfolio tracing back to 2007, UNOPS Lao PDR provides expert support to the Government of Lao PDR to ensure sustainable project management, procurement, and infrastructure activities in projects. With funding from various partners, such as Japan, the US, Korea, Luxembourg, the Russian Federation, the UK, WHO and the Global Fund, UNOPS has implemented projects in the areas of health, rule of law, and sustainable tourism sectors. UNOPS EAPMCO is in the process of expanding its area of engagement in Lao PDR, in partnerships with different development partners, focussing on programs in the area of infrastructure development, fund management, and expert advice, with a focus on health, environment, governance, and digital transformations. For that, UNOPS is looking for qualified and committed experts who can contribute to fulfilling UNOPS mandate in the country and support the Government of Lao PDR in meeting its development aspirations.
Project Background Information
The project consists of the rehabilitation of the Mittaphab Hospital (Hospital 150) in Vientiane, Lao PDR. By providing support to the Government, the project will contribute to enhancing the healthcare system of Lao PDR. With the overarching aim of rehabilitating the Mittaphab Hospital to ensure that quality health care to patients can be provided, the project scope consists of:
Coordination with the Ministry of Health and the hospital to validate the feasibility study completed in 2018 (this activity is completed);
Design, procure and execute the rehabilitation works;
Procure and install medical equipment in the rehabilitated services;
Design and implement a capacity building programme comprising Hospital Management, Hygiene, Waste Management, Infection Prevention and Maintenance Training.
This project is being funded by the Russian Federation, with an overall budget of ~13M USD and a duration of 6 years. The client is the Ministry of Health of the Government of Lao PDR and more specifically the Mittaphab Hospital as final user. The project team includes a Senior Project Manager, a Lead Construction Manager, a team of Biomedical, Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, a Project Management Support Associate, as well as a complete support team from the UNOPS EAPMCO office.
Background Information – Job Specific
Under the direct supervision of the Lead Biomedical Engineer, the Project Management Support - Associate (Capacity Building) will work in close collaboration with the Lead Biomedical Engineer and provide substantive support to the overall design, coordination and delivery of a training programme under the capacity building component of the project.
Functional ResponsibilitiesThe Project Management Support - Associate (Capacity Building) will support the Lead Biomedical Engineer in the following three areas:
Planning and preparation
Training delivery
Monitoring & reporting
Knowledge building & innovation
1. Planning and preparation
Support the Lead Biomedical Engineer in building and maintaining relationships with the relevant stakeholders of the hospital and Ministry of Health who will be involved in the preparation and delivery of the capacity building programme.
Assist in assessing the training needs of the hospital and areas of prioritization.
Provide input in the capacity building programme developed by the Lead Biomedical Engineer.
Assist in preparing the budget for all the training to be conducted.
Where required, support the Lead Biomedical Engineer in the procurement processes to mobilize dedicated service providers:
Support the preparation of the terms of references;
Contribute as member of evaluation committees;
Assist the Lead Biomedical Engineer in contract management.
Support identification of risks to training delivery and sustainability, and assist in implementing mitigation measures such as training records for turnover, translation of materials, and engagement strategies to address resistance.
2. Training delivery
Provide support to the Lead Biomedical Engineer in the development of training materials for the capacity building training.
Coordinate with thematic training specialists, providing logistical support for training sessions, including hospital coordination for attendance, accommodation, venue, materials, catering, pre/post-assessments, and certification.
Liaise with relevant hospital services to support contract and grant agreement implementation, maintaining regular communication on behalf of the Lead Biomedical Engineer for timely information exchange regarding service provision, procurements, and grant agreements.
Facilitate communication between thematic training leads and hospital departments for integrated scheduling and minimal operational disruption.
With the guidance of the Lead Biomedical Engineer, liaise with retainers and service providers to support implementation of the training including gathering data on their engagement, collecting and storing their reports, and communicating directly with retainers in relation to administrative and procedural issues.
Assist in implementing the Training-of-Trainers (ToT) program by coordinating internal trainer selection, scheduling peer mentoring sessions, and maintaining trainer performance records.
Assist in drafting reports and plans.
3. Monitoring & reporting
In consultation with thematic experts, support the development and implementation of tools for internal evaluations and surveys. These assessments will measure the impact of the capacity building program as part of project activities.
Support the Lead Biomedical Engineer in updating training manuals as required.
With guidance from the Lead Biomedical Engineer, and in coordination with the hospital stakeholders, closely monitor implementation of training activities.
Provide assistance in collection, preparation, and archiving of documentation related to training activities.
Support the development of activity progress tracking sheets and regularly update with inputs provided by beneficiaries and services providers.
Maintain archive related to capacity building activities
Assist in monitoring and reporting on the progress of activities against the project plan.
4. Knowledge Building and Innovation
Support the compilation of lessons learned as per the defined reporting format.
Contribute to the dissemination and sharing of best practices and lessons learned for planning and knowledge building.
Maintain records of project files and activity reports in hard and soft copy.
Impact of Results
The Project Management Support - Associate (Capacity Building) directly impacts on achievement of project results by supporting the implementation of the capacity building component of the project. By ensuring that the training activities are relevant, well implemented, reported against and monitored, the Project Management Support - Associate (Capacity Building) consequently reinforces the visibility and image of UNOPS as an effective service provider in health services and management and strengthens its competitive position as a partner of choice in sustainable development and health infrastructure services.
Specific impact includes:
Improved local capacities in Hospital Management, Hygiene, Waste Management, Infection Prevention and Maintenance Training;
Improved access to healthcare, through enhanced capacities.
Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles. Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role). Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries. Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements. Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving. Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground. Education/Experience/Language requirements
Education:
Completion of secondary education is required.
Technical/Professional License or Diploma, First university degree or higher degrees in Healthcare services, Sociology, or other relevant discipline would be an asset and may substitute some of the required years of experience.
Experience:
A minimum of six (6) years of experience in organizational development or capacity building activities or other related fields with a high school diploma is required.
Experience in providing project management support in capacity-building projects is an asset.
Experience working with a variety of health sector stakeholders, particularly the Ministry of health of Lao PDR and development partners is an asset. Language Requirements:
Full working knowledge of English is required.
Fluency in spoken, written and reading Lao is required.
Knowledge of another UN official language is an asset.
Contract type: Local Individual Contract Agreement (LICA) Contract level: ICS-6/LICA-6 Contract duration: Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance. (Up to 18 months)
For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:
https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx
This vacancy is open only to Laos nationals or those who have a valid residence permit in the country of assignment. Additional Information
Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.
UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience requirements outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to considering all candidates in a fair and transparent manner, and we value diverse perspectives and experiences, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals with diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.
Terms and Conditions
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 ( they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.
All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.