Project Management Support Senior Officer

Background Information - Job-specific

UNOPS ETMCO is recruiting for this position: Project Management Support Senior Officer based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

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.

This is a local position, and is hence open to Ethiopian nationals only.

Background Information - Job-specific

Established in 2009, the Horn of Africa Multi-country office (HAMCO) sub-region currently consists of an established Operation Centre in Addis Ababa which manages a portfolio of engagements in four (4) Horn of Africa countries (Ethiopia, Djibouti, Sudan, and South Sudan). HAMCO focuses on:

• Infrastructure
• Procurement
• Project Management
• HR and Transactional Services
• Fund Management services

Our goal is to support countries, help people in need, and enable our partners through delivering on our mandate of infrastructure, procurement, and project management in the countries in the Horn of Africa.

The Project Management Support Senior Officer has a functional line of reporting to the Project Management Support Specialist Team Leader and day-to-day reporting to the Project Managers to which s/he is assigned to support. The incumbent is responsible for:

• Supporting the Project Manager(s) with the day-to-day operations of the project
• Coordinating progress and implementation
• Facilitating compliance with policies and procedures
• Ensuring data quality in the ERP and other digital tools

The successful candidate maintains a close eye on operational and financial performance, identifies probable issues that may need attention, supports in problem analysis and solution identification as necessary, coordinates resolution as per action items assigned, drafts required correspondences to stakeholders, and prepares mission reports. S/he must be able to perform their role with a high degree of autonomy, establishing strong collaborative relationships with the Support Services departments and may be required to guide the work of other team members on policy and process-related matters. The role can often require working in complex and challenging environments with limited resources.

Functional Responsibilities

The Project Management Support Senior Officer will be responsible for the following responsibilities:

1. Project Implementation
2. Financial and Procurement Management
3. Project Monitoring and Reporting
4. Coordination and Liaison/Stakeholder Management
5. Knowledge Management and Innovation
6. Operational and Logistics Support

IV. Impact of Results

Project Management Support Senior Officer directly impacts the achievement of project results by:

• Supporting the Project Manager to adhere to policy requirements
• Implementing project management methods and strategies
• Reducing risks and cutting costs
• Improving success rates

This consequently reinforces the visibility and image of UNOPS as an effective service provider in project services and management, strengthening its competitive position as a partner of choice in sustainable development and project services.

Education/Experience/Language Requirements

Education:

• A Master's Degree in a relevant field (e.g., Business Administration, Finance, Project Management, or related fields) is required.
• 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.

Certification:

• PRINCE2 Foundation certification or equivalent is an advantage.

Experience:

• A minimum of two (2) years of relevant and progressive professional experience, specifically in the field of Project Management and Operations Management with a focus on monitoring, reporting, development, and coordination or related field is required.
• At least one (1) year of experience working with Enterprise Resource Management Systems (ERP), other Management Information Systems (MIS), data analytics, and/or reporting is required.
• At least one (1) year of experience implementing procedures in Procurement, Finance, HR Management, or administrative rules and regulations is highly desirable.
• Experience in humanitarian emergency operating contexts, including humanitarian coordination mechanisms, donors, security, and operations management is an asset.
• Previous experience in a UN is highly desirable.
• Proven experience working with an advanced understanding of operational risk management is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with web-based applications and Google Suite products, especially Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms is an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in written, spoken, and reading English is required.
• Knowledge of another UN official language is an asset.

Skills Required:

• Accounting / Finance
• Sales / Marketing / Business / Management
• Social / Science / Project / Management / Development