Project Manager

Background Information - Job-specific

UNOPS South East Asia 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 was established in January 2023 following the merger of the Thailand Multi-Country Office, which covered 20 countries across North East Asia, South East Asia and the Pacific, and the Cambodia Multi-Country Office, which covered 4 countries South East Asia - 3 countries in the Mekong Sub-region (Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam) and the Philippines. 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 nine business units: EAPMCO Thailand, EAPMCO Indonesia, EAPMCO Pacific Operations Cluster, EAPMCO Papua New Guinea, EAPMCO China, EAPMCO Vietnam, EAPMCO Mekong, and EAPMCO Philippines.

In 2024, the UNOPS EAPMCO implemented projects worth more than USD 80 million, in the areas of Energy Transition, Digital Transformations, Sustainable Environmental Management, Climate Change, Waste Management, Rule of Law and Access to Justice, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Post Conflict Reintegration, Emergency Relief, Post COVID19 Economic Transformations, and Health, through HR, procurement, construction, contract management, fund and program management services.

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 entire 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.

Health Enhancement and Resiliency in Tonga (HEART) Project

The World Bank intends to support the Government of Tonga (GoT) to implement a Health Enhancement and Resiliency in Tonga (HEART) Project. The GoT plans to commit part of the HEART Project funds towards the services which will increase the availability of climate-resilient health services at the Prince Wellington Ngu Hospital (PWNH) in Vava’u, A Project Management Unit within the Ministry of Health is being established. The PMU is responsible for the day‐to-day implementation, monitoring, and coordination of the Project. It is intended that the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) will advise the PMU with engineering and infrastructure project management expertise. UNOPS’ primary responsibilities will focus on supporting the implementation of Component 2 (out of other components) of the HEART project as below (it is cost-estimated about USD 1mil for UNOPS’ project component):

Component 2: Strengthen the accessibility of resilient health services focuses on ensuring the delivery of climate-resilient infrastructure, goods, and digitally enhanced equipment; with several sub-components:

Sub-component 2.1: Infrastructure support for a resilient and appropriately designed PWNH hospital; which includes but is not limited to pre-design technical studies that would inform the detailed hospital design and construction needs; providing Technical Assistance (TA) for the detailed functional and architectural design and supervision of the new hospital complex; and construction and related works according to the priorities defined in the detailed design phase.

Sub-component 2.2: Essential Equipment and Supplies for PWNH and Health Facilities; which supports the provision of priority equipment and supplies for effective functioning of the redevelopment of PNWH, as well as for health facilities across the Northern Islands; including upgrading ICT and connectivity that could subsequently enhance the quality of healthcare using digital technology, both for patient management and remote diagnostic services.

Reporting to the UNOPS Pacific SIDS Advisor, the Project Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the project(s) and provides advisory services to the different donors, partners and beneficiaries in the Pacific region. The Project Manager acts on behalf of the Project Board to manage the project on an ongoing basis during the Implementation Stage. The main responsibility of a Project Manager is to ensure that the project outputs are delivered within the specified project tolerances of time, cost, quality, scope, risk and benefits. He/she is expected to meet the organization’s performance and delivery goals.

The Project Manager is responsible to create the Project Implementation Plan (PIP), use the Project Initiation Documents (PID), Legal Agreement and have a thorough understanding of the terms, conditions, and the respective roles and responsibilities of the partners/stakeholders to ensure the project(s) outputs are capable of meeting the business cases for both UNOPS and the partner(s). Success of the project(s) and hence Project Manager will be based on the defined Success Criteria.

The Project Manager for advisory projects will be managing project(s) whose ultimate goal is to provide advisory services that contribute to the achievement of beneficiaries’ needs, stakeholders’ objectives and partners’ goals. The variety of projects is quite diverse and can range from management of grants, development of strategies, managing scope(s), setting up procurement plans, and to delivery of training or providing technical assistance

While the complexity of those projects may vary, maintaining high standards in terms of quality, health, safety and sustainability is always expected.

UNOPS operates in complex contexts where resources might be scarce, local capacity low and where professional judgment and experience in these environments are of uttermost importance.

Summary of functions:

Project Delivery and Performance

Procedures

Monitoring and reporting

Stakeholder engagement

Quality assurance

Knowledge management and innovation

Personnel management
1.Project Delivery and Performance

Develop, complete and update implementation plan(s)

Implement the approved plan (including the establishment of milestones) within tolerances set by the Project Board.

Embed resilience and sustainability dimensions including social and gender inclusion, environmental and economic aspects into project life span.

Manage the production of the required outputs, taking responsibility for overall progress and use of resources and initiating corrective action where necessary.

Ensure that quality of work packages and deliverables complies with the quality requirements defined in the Implementation Plan.

Liaise with any external suppliers or account managers

Manage acceptance and delivery of work packages

Monitor project progress ensuring that work packages are being executed properly

Control project and work packages changes

Identify, and anticipate in a timely manner, potential risks and issues and advises mitigating measures to senior management/ Project Board so that maximum benefit to partner(s) and other stakeholders is achieved

Identify and report to the supervisor potential business opportunities for UNOPS

Comply with all organizational policy and specifically the Project Management Manual

Prepare/adapt all relevant plans for approval by the Project Board.

Manage the reporting obligations defined in the Legal Agreement(s) and in the Implementation Plan(s)

Ensure maintenance of the project files and lessons learned are recorded

Manage budgets, cash flow and obligations to ensure that deliverables are met and payments to contractors and personnel are received on time.

Understand and manage UNOPS overheads, allocable charges, and related corporate charges as they apply to the project

Understand the unique structures of the UN and budget appropriately for personnel

Manage expenditures against the budget (based on accurate financial reports)

Where the Project Manager has no delegation as a committing officer, s/he retains these responsibilities and will monitor and instruct/request others to carry out the relevant commitments and disbursements.

For project closure purposes, provide a formal handover of the project to the closure manager

Support project audit activities, including planning, preparation and coordination during the audits and follow up on audit observations/recommendations
3.Monitoring and reporting

Prepare and issue regular project and/or financial reports in accordance with Partner and UNOPS requirements for reporting.

Regularly review project status, evaluating performance criteria (scope, cost, schedule and quality).

Maintain diaries and progress reports as required by the organization’s standard 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 projects' life span
4.Stakeholder engagement

Develop stakeholder profiles and facilitate the formulation of stakeholder engagement strategies

Establish solid working relationships with the Project Board (Executive, Senior Users and Senior Suppliers), client and key stakeholders

Enable the formulation of project communications plans. Coordinate internal project communications. Monitor the effectiveness of project communications

Coordinate stakeholder engagement and communication, ensuring effective timing and interdependency management of communications. Ensure stakeholders are aware of project activities, progress, exceptions and are in a position to accept handover outputs
5.Quality assurance

Work with internal stakeholders to ensure projects comply with audit requirements

Work with procurement/purchasing staff to ensure effective interface with suppliers' quality systems

Coordinate quality reviews of project documents and deliverables

Provide quality control for management outputs (project documents, reports, etc.)
6.Knowledge management and innovation

Encourage routine and effective capacity building activities are conducted in order to build the long-term and sustainable capacity of staff.

Actively interact with other Project Managers and the wider PM community to share case studies, lessons learned and best practices

Contribute to the oversight of lessons learned procedures, ensuring that lessons learnt are shared in a timely and appropriate manner. Participate in the relevant Communities of Practice

Research and logging of lessons learned throughout the project life span.

Provide feedback to Practice Groups on policy, supporting guidance with an aim towards continuous improvement of UNOPS policies
7.Personnel Management

Lead and motivate the project management team

Ensure that behavioural expectations of team members are established

Ensure that performance reviews are conducted fairly, accurately and timely

Select, recruit and train a project team as required and taking into account gender parity and diversity objectives.

Ensure safety and security for all project personnel and comply with UNDSS standards

Advanced University Degree in a relevant discipline (Project Management, Architecture, Civil Engineering).

A combination of a Bachelor’s degree with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the education requirements outlined above. Experience:

A minimum of 5 years' working experience in managing and providing advisory services on Infrastructure preferably in the services of design and technical supervision of construction and rehabilitation of climate-resilient Health Infrastructures.

Experience in process definition and business requirements documentation is an asset.

Experience in Tonga is an advantage and in the Pacific is an asset.

Experience in developing countries or post-conflict environments is an asset.

Experience working with the UN/UNOPS and World Bank is an advantage

Experience in writing reports, performing data analysis, and writing technical documents is an asset.

Working knowledge of quality control and assurance methodologies is an asset.

Working knowledge of Google Workspace programs (Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc.) and file storage (Google Drive), MS Office programs, MS Project, AutoCAD and telecommunications equipment and systems

Experience in contracts management and developing Procurement strategies is an asset.

Experience in risk management is an asset.

Experience working with multicultural teams is an asset.

Experience in managing teams is an asset.

Strong analytical capabilities with the ability to manage tasks associated with the development of projects.

Strong Problem Solving Skills.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders.

Full working knowledge of English is essential.

Knowledge of another official UNOPS language is an asset.
Certification:

Professional Certification in Project Management (PRINCE2, PMP-PMI, MSP, etc.) is an asset.

Complete the UNOPS PMM, UNOPS PMM Infra perspective and oneUNOPS Projects trainings within (3) months from joining UNOPS.

Professional Engineering certification from an accredited institution ( PE. PEng., CEng. , etc) is an asset

Disclaimer: If the selected candidate is a national of the duty station, a Local Individual Contractor Agreement (LICA) will be issued.

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.

Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority 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.

Tongatapu is a family duty station.

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.