Project Manager

Background

UNOPS is a self-financing entity of the United Nations system, with more than a decade of experience in providing operational management services in developing nations and post-conflict/emergency situations. Headquartered in Copenhagen, with regional offices in New York, Johannesburg, Bangkok, and Panama, UNOPS presently operates in over 60 countries providing to UN agencies and developing countries complex project implementations of client operations, loan administration and supervision, and advisory services for operations management.

The Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources in partnership with UNOPS Kenya office has designed a programme aimed at climate change adaptation and sustainable use of natural resources in rural areas of Kenya through the Eco-Village Model. Climate change is one the greatest challenges facing the world today and Kenya is already experiencing the impact of climate change as witnessed in the constant drought occurrences as well as floods, crop failure and environmental degradation through deforestation among others. Eco-Villages are human settlements in which human activities are harmlessly integrated into the natural environment while considering economic, social and environmental principles. The feasibility and prepatory assessment is the 1st phase of this programme. Should funding be secured, a pilot phase on 5 selected villages will be implemented followed by a roll out phase to the 50 foreseen Eco- Villages.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the KEOC Deputy Director , the incumbent will project manage the feasibility study phase of a proposed Kenya eco-village project that will be implemented by the Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources (MEMR) in collaboration with UNOPS. The Project Manager is required to perform the following duties and responsibilities

Planning

• Develop detailed work plans for the project with clearly defined activities and specific resultsbased outputs for the feasibility study and pilot implementation phase. • Prepare budgets to support the implementation of the work plan based on the overall budget for the feasibility study and other resources to be mobilized. • Take the leading role in the identification and hiring of consultant specialists who will contribute to the development of the feasibility study.

Technical and Managerial

• Lead the work of the feasibility study and oversee implementation of specified activities in the work plan. • Implement effective gender controls in the planning and implementation of the project. • Motivate and supervise a technical team of national and international personnel with a focus on efficiency, effectiveness, and job satisfaction. • Identify and begin discussion with potential partner organizations. • Identify five villages to be used in the pilot phase of the project by: • Coordinating mapping of existing climate change adaptation and Eco-village projects in Kenya. • Coordinating development of a set of parameters that will be used to screen suitable villages for the pilot phase of this project. • Coordinating development and implementation of a community-level survey that will be used to identify suitable villages for the project pilot. • Create a database of information collected from surveys to be used for village identification for the pilot and full project phases. • Liaise with local government authorities and community leaders to maintain local stakeholder participation and support. • Assist with liaison with national-level government authorities • Coordinate closely with government authorities, UN agencies, and civil society organizations who are implementing similar projects in order to identify potential synergies and eliminate project overlap. • Latest project management principles are to be implemented so that the feasibility study and subsequent projects are successfully delivered on time, within budget and to the required quality • Draft a detailed proposal describing all aspects of the pilot phase implementation. Project Structure • Establish and maintain effective structures and processes for the delivery of the project. Reporting • Maintain diaries and progress reports as required by UNOPS standard procedures. • Prepare briefings for line manager and the Permanent Secretary when needed. • Lead the preparation of the written feasibility study. Other • Lead liaison with donors and contribute to resource mobilization for the implementation of the feasibility study and subsequent pilot project. • Attend coordination meetings as required. • Arrange and host and donor meetings and visits to potential sites.

Required Selection Criteria

Competencies

• Ability to perform standard administrative activities related to UNOPS project operations • Focuses on result for the client and responds positively to feedback • Ability to interpret, analyze and resolve problems • Highly motivated with a positive attitude and pro-active problem-solving approach. • Familiarity with procedures, reporting requirements and ethical practices of the UN system. • Ability to work in demanding physical and cultural context with transitional government partners, under challenging physical conditions and poor national infrastructure. • Working computer knowledge in MS Office.

Academic Qualifications/Experience/Language

• Masters degree in Public Administration, Environmental Science or Policy. • Additional years of relevant work experience, preferably in combination with a relevant Bachelor’s degree, may substitute for the requirement of a Master’s degree. • At least 5 years (with masters’ degree) or 7 years (with bachelors’ degree) of professional progressively responsible management roles in both development and humanitarian programming in sub-Saharan Africa • Demonstrated management, interpersonal, and team building skills; • Experience of successful project/programme management in Kenya; • Excellent communication skills and fluency both written and oral in English are required. • Track record of successful proposal writing and fund raising

View the original article here