Spécialiste en Planification de Projet

Job Posting Organization:
The UNOPS Africa Regional Office, based in Nairobi, Kenya, oversees the delivery of over 250 projects across 40 countries, focusing on fragile and conflict-affected settings. Supported by more than 1,000 personnel across five multi-country offices in North, West, Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa, the office advances national priorities through strategic initiatives in Climate Action, Health, Infrastructure, Peace and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">Security, Middle-Income Country Support, and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The Regional Office provides strategic leadership, operational support, and oversight in key areas including Partnerships, Communications, Management and Oversight, Infrastructure and Project Management, Health and Safety, and Security. By promoting excellence in project delivery, fostering knowledge sharing, and driving continuous improvement, the office contributes to sustainable infrastructure, transparent resource management, and a better quality of life for communities across the continent.

Job Overview:
The position of Spécialiste en Planification de Projet offers a unique opportunity to shape strategic planning and execution of complex infrastructure projects, directly contributing to sustainable development in Madagascar. The incumbent will have a significant impact by optimizing processes, anticipating challenges, and guiding teams towards achieving program objectives while developing cutting-edge expertise in integrated planning within a dynamic international environment. This vacancy announcement will initially recruit a planning specialist on a home-based retainer contract, which could evolve into a regular full-time contract in 2027 in Antananarivo, Madagascar, subject to the signing of a new project. The role is essential for ensuring coherent, realistic, and optimized planning, providing analyses to anticipate risks, identify potential delays, and propose corrective measures to improve overall program performance.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Programme Planning: Develop, maintain, and update the Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) for the Programme. Consolidate schedules from all projects into a single coherent plan. Define planning methodologies, project work breakdown structures (WBS), and planning standards. Develop baseline schedules and manage them effectively. Identify interfaces and dependencies between different projects. Ensure schedule coherence across various teams.
• Project Schedule Development and Management: Create detailed schedules covering the entire project lifecycle. Structure activities according to a coherent technical logic. Define relationships between activities and key milestones. Integrate design, procurement (identify 'Long Lead Items'), manufacturing, delivery, construction, testing, commissioning, and acceptance activities. Regularly update schedules based on actual progress. Maintain baseline schedules and ensure traceability.
• Critical Path Analysis: Conduct critical path method (CPM) analyses. Identify critical and near-critical activities. Analyze float margins and total float. Identify constraints that may impact timelines. Develop recovery plans to mitigate delays. Formulate recommendations to reduce impacts on contractual deadlines.
• Resource Management: Plan human, material, and equipment resource needs. Identify resource conflicts between different projects. Conduct capacity analyses. Anticipate periods of overload or underutilization. Advise project managers on necessary trade-offs.
• Progress Monitoring: Update schedules based on progress data. Compare actual achievements against baseline schedules. Identify schedule deviations and analyze causes. Calculate performance indicators and produce reliable forecasts.
• Risk and Change Analysis: Identify schedule-related risks and participate in risk analyses. Assess the impacts of scope changes and modifications.

Required Qualifications:
Required: Master's degree in Civil Engineering, Project Management, or a relevant discipline with 5 years of experience. Alternatively, a Master's degree or equivalent in Civil Engineering, Project Management, or a relevant discipline with 7 years of relevant experience. Desired: PMP, PMI-SP, or equivalent certification.

Educational Background:
A Master's degree in Civil Engineering, Project Management, or a relevant discipline is required. Candidates with a Master's degree or equivalent in the same fields but with additional years of experience may also be considered. Certification in project management methodologies such as PMP or PMI-SP is desired but not mandatory.

Experience:
A minimum of 5 years of experience in planning and scheduling is required. Significant experience in infrastructure and complex programs is desired, indicating a strong background in managing large-scale projects and understanding the intricacies involved in project execution.

Languages:
Fluency in French is required, while proficiency in English is desirable. Candidates should be able to communicate effectively in both languages, with a strong emphasis on French as the primary working language.

Additional Notes:
The position is a mid-level role under the ICA - LICA - Specialist - Retainer contract type, with a contract duration of one year. The position is home-based, with the potential for relocation to Antananarivo, Madagascar, depending on project developments. UNOPS emphasizes diversity and equal employment opportunities, encouraging applications from underrepresented groups. The recruitment process will not require candidates to make any payments, and background checks will be conducted for final candidates. All personnel are expected to adhere to UNOPS policies and demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).