Vacancy code: VA/2013/B5106/1775
Position title: Programme Management Office (PMO) Team
Leader
Level: ICS-10
Department/office: EMO, Jerusalem
Duty station: Jerusalem, Palestine (State of)
Contract type: International ICA
Contract level: IICA-2
Duration: One year
Application period: 25-Jan-2013 to 08-Feb-2013
Background Information - UNOPS
“UNOPS plays a critical role in providing management services for our life-saving, peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations. I have seen many examples of how these activities help suffering people in troubled parts of the world.”
-Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General
UNOPS mission is to expand the capacity of the UN system and its partners to implement peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations that matter for people in need.
Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, UNOPS vision is to always satisfy partners with management services that meet world-class standards of quality, speed and cost effectiveness.
By assisting UN organizations, international financial institutions, governments and other development partners, UNOPS makes significant, tangible contributions to results on the ground.
UNOPS employs more than 6000 personnel and on behalf of its partners creates thousands more work opportunities in local communities. With its headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark, a network of five regional offices and a further 20 operations and project centres, UNOPS oversees activities in more than 80 countries.
UNOPS is committed to achieving a truly diverse workforce.
Background Information - Jerusalem
Jerusalem
The UNOPS Jerusalem office opened in 2006 and now has sub-offices in East Jerusalem, Ramallah and Jericho. The portfolio includes infrastructure, procurement, human resources, capacity building, access coordination and security projects for partners and beneficiaries throughout the occupied Palestinian territory.
Background Information - Job-specific
A Programme Management Office (PMO) is required to be established at the Jerusalem Project Centre (JMPC) to support the achievement of project level results that contribute to programme level success. The PMO is to provide a decision-enabling and delivery-support structure for JMPC. The PMO Team is made up of a Team Leader as well as a number of Project Associates and Project Assistants.
Reporting to the Project Center Director of the Jerusalem Office, and working closely with other PMO Team members, JMPC Project Managers and personnel across JMPC and UNOPS; The PMO Team Leader will work on defining project support needs and ensure joint planning between Programme and Support in addition to ensuring the highest possible quality of delivery and devise strategies for increased program delivery and quality programming. S/he will also be working closely with the UNOPS Project Management Practice to introduce best practices and corporate compliance for project management under the JMPC programme.
Functional Responsibilities
The PMO Team Leader will further be required to assume the following specific tasks:
Resource Management and Integration:
- Oversee the collective work of the PMO team and development of team plans;
- Manage competency, availability and performance of PMO team;
- Work with the various JMPC Project Managers to define their project support needs;
- Provide temporary capacity and resources for surge purposes in selected projects;
- In collaboration with the JMPC Development Group and other working groups, specify competencies needed by the PMO team and JMPC staff in general, identify current competencies, develop training and education programs to achieve competency objectives;
- Act as assigned or temporary Project Manager for any other projects as directed by the JMPC Director;
Technical Support:
- Coach, mentor, train and otherwise support PMO Team members in the fulfillment of their project support functions;
- Act as an advisory resource for other PMO Team personnel who are supervised daily by JMPC Project Managers;
- Work closely with the UNOPS Project Management Practice to introduce best practices and corporate compliance for project management under the JMPC programme, ensure common approach and frame of reference to project management process and practices as well as relevant project management tools;
- Ensures that PMO Team members have an up to date understanding of the UNOPS Legislative Framework and JMPC procedures, as it pertains to their roles as PMO Team members;
- Standardize and introduce economies of repetition in the execution of projects;
- Ensure risk registers and issue logs are maintained within all projects; all projects go through a quarterly end stage review, or equivalent; All projects report on time and in accordance with legal agreements; Projects document Centre (PDCs) and Leads are regularly updated and maintained as appropriate;
- Other Services / Delivery Support may include providing expertise for start-up of programmes or projects, planning and closing projects, conducting regular health checks;
Business Performance Management:
- Examine current state of projects, introduce oversight mechanism needed to achieve organizational competency and maturity goals and control of project progress against planned;
- Identify and respond to weak or troubled project performance;
- Support and facilitate management decision-making by assessments on alignment with the JMPC as well as UNOPS strategy, tracking of benefits, preparation of management dashboards/reports and recommendations;
- Establish a preferred, standard approach to project planning across JMPC;
- Provide, or ensure the provision of, support to all JMPC Project Boards as they undertake their assurance roles, including but not necessarily limited to assurance related to Project and Programme success criteria, as defined by the JMPC Director and/or the UNOPS Project Management Practice.
- Participate in business development and stakeholder relationship building;
- Maintain close contact with the client to identify and pursue business opportunities within UNOPS’ geographic and thematic scope; initiate the necessary associated arrangements;
- In consultation with the PC Director, negotiate the most cost effective and mutually beneficial terms for UNOPS services with prospective clients and partners;
Other:
- Acts for the Project Centre Director when requested to do so by her/him;
- Participates in the collective work of the JMPC management team;
- Regularly review and decide on the PMO structure and objectives as necessary to drive successful project delivery.
Competencies
General competencies:
- Professionalism
- Integrity
- Enthusiasm
- Commitment
- Planning and Organizing
- Communication
- Judgment and Decision Making
- High proficiency with computers in particular MS Word, MS Excel, MS Outlook, and the Internet
- High organizational skills
- Able to work efficiently with minimal direction
Managerial Competencies:
- Demonstrates ability to coordinating, communicating and managing tasks to a tight schedule;
- Demonstrated understanding of the risk factors associated with project delivery and an ability to mitigate against these;
- Ability to delegate, empower, support and inspire team members;
- Ability to establish priorities, to plan, and be able to deliver to timelines;
- Ability to work long hours in fast-paced, often stressful environment;
- Ability to work in demanding cultural context with transitional government partners, under challenging physical conditions and poor national infrastructure;
- Highly motivated with a positive attitude and problem-solving approach;
- Demonstrated ability to mentor staff;
Other:
- Demonstrated ability to manage the production of all project documentation to a professional and accurate standard;
- High proficiency with computers in particular MS Word, MS Excel, MS Outlook, and the Internet
- Attention to Detail;
- Good communication skills including ability to write policy and prepare and present concise reports in English;
- Inter-personal and communication skills;
- High organizational skills;
- Able to work efficiently with minimal direction;
Education/Experience/Language requirements
a. Education
Qualifications Required:
- Master’s degree in project management, business administration, construction management, international relations or another relevant degree;
- Additional years of relevant work experience, preferably in combination with a relevant bachelor’s degree, may substitute for the requirement for a master’s degree field
b. Work Experience
- 5 years of relevant project management experience;
- Experience in dealing with customers and clients and providing a high degree of customer support, education, and service;
- Experience in team management and skills development;
- Experience in all aspects of project management including, financial management, budget management, contract management, risk management, staff management, quality and safety management, program management and reporting;
- Ability to travel between Jerusalem and the West Bank essential;
- A PRINCE2 or equivalent project management qualification is highly desired;
- Experience using Atlas or a similar enterprise resource planning system is highly desired;
- Risk management experience is highly desired;
- Quality management experience is highly desired;
- Results based management experience is essential;
- Experience operating in an ISO: 9001 compliant environment is highly desired
Languages:
- Fluency in English is required, both oral and written.
Contract type, level and duration
Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement
Contract level: International ICA Level 2
Contract duration: One Year
For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:
http://www.unops.org/ENGLISH/WHOWENEED/CONTRACT-TYPES/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements-ICAs.aspx
Additional Considerations
- Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time (CET)
- Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
- Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
- Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
- For staff positions UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
- The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.
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