1. Development and planning

2. Set-up and closure

3. Monitoring and reporting

4. Oversight, advice, and quality assurance

5. Knowledge management and innovation

 Duties and Responsibilities

1. Development and planning

• Provide appropriate levels of programmatic management and administrative support to the Head of PMO regarding all ongoing project activities in PNG, while maintaining and implementing appropriate standards and best practices in line with UNOPS policies and procedures.
• Directly contribute to strategic oversight, advice, and direction on programme and project management activities in line with service agreements and project documents.
• Ensure proper development, implementation, and amendments of project budgets and staffing resources, ensuring synergies across the EAPMCO.
• Develop, establish, and contribute to tracking systems for use within the PMO, complementary to UNOPS’ online tools, to ensure effective planning, forecasting, and tracking of delivery across the EAPMCO.

2. Set-up and closure

• Review new engagements and amendments including advising on the feasibility of new projects proposed, budget development and reporting, pricing, and signing of legal agreements.
• Oversee and advise engagement and project set-up in oneUNOPS projects and provide on-going guidance.
• Facilitate the development of high-level programme/project plans, including the collation of lower-level plans into programme/project-level milestones. 
• Develops, tracks, and maintains dependencies and provides advice to management to ensure quality of delivery throughout the project lifecycle.
• For project closure purposes, acts as (or nominates and supervises) a focal point between the EAPMCO and donors throughout the process.
• Oversee and coordinate all project closure activities, ensuring appropriate disposal of project assets, timely and effective final (operational) reporting, initiation of financial disbursements as appropriate during Defects Liability Periods, updating of information and effective handover of closed projects to UNOPS HQ for financial closure processes.

3. Monitoring and reporting

• Perform routine maintenance and implementation of effective monitoring and evaluation systems of programme and project activities.
• Within the context of monitoring and evaluation, ensure all projects submit and regularly update specific milestones and targets for the duration of projects’ life-cycles, and track progress, or otherwise, against such information.
• Maintain progress reports as required by UNOPS standard procedures.
• Provide editorial support to programmes and projects, ensuring effective and timely dissemination of reports, in line with project documentation and clients’ expectations.
• Support the Head of the PMO (and relevant Country Managers) with necessary project analysis reports and information to support areas relevant to the project management team in the UNOPS PNG portfolio
• Coordinate and complete internal UNOPS reporting (MCO, Regional Office, Corporate) and external UN reporting (UNINFO, UNCT, etc.)
• Support with development, tracking, and reporting of country strategies 
• Develop, track, and report against key performance indicators for projects, PMO, and countries 
• Support and coordinate the implementation of requests or initiatives relevant to project management from the Regional Office, IPAS, and HQ Teams, as required.

4. Oversight, advice, and quality assurance

• Complete regular quality assurance activities on all projects in the UNOPS PNG portfolio including ensuring compliance with UNOPS defined standards for programme/project management.
• Coordinate quality reviews of programme/project documents and financial and programmatic deliverables.
• Provide quality control for management products (project documents, reports, etc.).
• Provide routine oversight and analysis of delivery data within the dashboard system, using the UNOPS ERP system as required.
• Identify, and anticipate potential risks and issues and advise mitigating measures to the Head of PMO in a timely manner.
• Support the development of stakeholder profiles, stakeholder engagement strategies, and project communications plans.
• Advise projects and programs on various implementation challenges and project management best practices; guide users on UNOPS tools, templates, and systems as required.
• Support key stakeholders (including Country Managers, Project Executives, Head of Program, Head of PMO) to continuously identify and improve operational processes relevant to project implementation.

Knowledge management and innovation

• Ensure routine and effective capacity building activities are conducted to build the long-term and sustainable capacity of staff.
• Participate in, and advocate PMs’ participation in, relevant Communities of Practice.
• Actively interact with PMs and the wider PM community to share case studies, lessons learned, and best practices in the Knowledge System.
• Contribute to the oversight of lessons learned procedures, ensuring that lessons learned are shared in a timely and appropriate manner.

Impact of Results

The incumbent directly impacts the achievement of project results by assisting the Head of PMO to implement effective project management methods and strategies, reduce risks, cut costs, and improve success rates. The incumbent, on behalf of the PMO, will improve the maturity of project management within the MCO. This consequently reinforces the visibility and image of the UNOPS as an effective service provider in project services and management and strengthens its competitive position as a partner of choice in sustainable development and project services.

Education

• An advanced university degree (Master’s Degree or equivalent) in Project Management, Business Administration, International Development, Engineering – civil & infrastructure or related fields

• A first university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in above-mentioned fields with an additional two (2) years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Certifications:

• PRINCE2 Practitioner Certification is desirable.

• MSP certification (Foundation and/or Practitioner) is an advantage.

Experience :

• Minimum five (5) years of relevant and progressive professional experience, specifically in the field of Project Management with experience in successful implementation and/or oversight of programmes and projects.

• Previous experience of working within a PMO environment or handling PMO functions is an asset.

• Previous experience working in an Engineering and/or Construction Management role is an asset OR experience working in the field of Infrastructure Project Management  in a developing country is an asset

• Experience in project assurance is an advantage

• Experience working on energy programmes (especially solar power), health infrastructure, water & sanitation, and waste to energy is an asset 

• Previous experience with the United Nations (and related organizations), or knowledge of UN project management tools, UN financial and procurement rules and regulations, and financial management tools, is an asset

• Proven experience with data analysis, management reporting, project management tools, and information management systems is an asset.

• Previous experience in the Pacific would be an advantage

Language Requirements:

• Full working knowledge of English is required.

• Fluency in one or more additional official UN languages is an advantage.