Project Management Support - Senior Officer

Job Posting Organization:
UNOPS (United Nations Office for Project Services) is an operational arm of the United Nations, established to help implement projects and programs in various sectors, including infrastructure, health, and procurement. Founded in 1995, UNOPS has a mission to provide efficient, agile services in support of humanitarian response and development efforts. The organization operates in over 17 countries, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Pacific Islands. UNOPS employs a diverse workforce and is committed to fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities. The organization emphasizes operational excellence and alignment with organizational goals, ensuring high performance across its various projects.

Job Overview:
The Project Management Support - Senior Officer position is a mid-level role within UNOPS, specifically focused on providing comprehensive operational, administrative, and project management support to the Private Sector Resilience Program (PSRP). This program is designed to enhance the resilience and job creation potential of Afghan Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), with a particular emphasis on supporting women, youth, and returnees. The Senior Officer will play a crucial role in ensuring the smooth implementation of project activities, which includes maintaining project documentation, supporting budget tracking, coordinating stakeholder meetings, and ensuring compliance with UNOPS and donor policies. The position requires a proactive approach to facilitate efficient workflows and reporting, contributing to the overall success of the project and its alignment with organizational objectives.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Project Planning & Implementation Support: Advise project management on UNOPS Policies and Procedures, Financial Rules and Regulations (FR&R), and World Bank donor requirements for efficient project implementation. Support the annual project planning process, workplan updates, and operational readiness tracking in line with PSRP objectives. Identify and advise on alternative options and innovative approaches according to activity needs within UNOPS FR&R. Manage work packages within the project as required by project management. Participate in periodic visits to project sites to review compliance with recognized procedures. Establish and monitor an internal control system for all administrative actions and project workflows.
• Financial Management & Budget Tracking: Monitor project financials, track commitments and disbursements, and advise project management on expense obligations and cash flow to ensure deliverables are met. Track overall project expenditure, alert project management to financial shortfalls or over-expenditures, and propose budget realignments, amendments, and revisions when necessary. Ensure accurate data entry and review of financial information and expenditures in the oneUNOPS ERP system. Produce routine financial reports, budget forecasts, and administrative reports according to UNOPS and World Bank reporting frameworks. Ensure full maintenance and organization of supporting project financial and operational documents for audit and review processes in compliance with UNOPS and World Bank guidelines.
• Procurement & Operational Support: Support procurement processes for specialized technical services, including document preparation, submission review for Purchase Orders/Contracts, and tracking through oneUNOPS. Assist in managing the grant-making lifecycle, including proposal evaluations, grantee screening, Call for Proposals support, grantee monitoring, and drafting Grant Support Agreement amendments. Prepare Terms of Reference (ToR) for required project inputs with expert or client support as required. Manage travel for all Project Team personnel in accordance with UN and UNOPS security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security-policies" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">Security Policies. Proactively coordinate with internal support units (Finance, Procurement, HR, ICT, and Cost Recovery) and support UNOPS management information systems for real-time asset and operational tracking.
• Project Monitoring, Data & Reporting: Continuously monitor project quality indicators and undertake monthly assurance tasks on behalf of project management. Maintain project registers (Risk Register, Quality Register, Issue Logs, Decision Logs) and manage information flows to support quality assurance processes. Manage the compilation, consolidation, and analysis of relevant project data. Provide substantive administrative and data inputs to assist project management in preparing World Bank and UNOPS progress reports, weekly activity reviews, and quarterly reports. Support project management in maintaining the Electronic Blue File, Procurement, HR, and Finance files, standard filing structures, and official records to preserve institutional memory.
• Stakeholder Coordination & Knowledge Management: Organize, facilitate, and keep minutes for internal PIU, World Bank task team, and key stakeholder meetings, workshops, and consultations. Liaise with Programme Management Office (PMO) team members to complete project assurance tasks and resolve operational bottlenecks. Support the compilation of lessons learned as per defined reporting formats and contribute to expertise in tools and techniques. Contribute to the dissemination and sharing of best practices and lessons learned for planning and knowledge building across organizational channels.

Required Qualifications:
The position requires an advanced university degree (e.g., Master’s) in fields such as Accounting, Business Administration, Project Management, Finance, Development Studies, Economics, Commerce, or a related discipline. Alternatively, a first-level university degree in the aforementioned areas combined with an additional two years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. Knowledge of UN systems, policies, norms, and the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) for social safeguards is desired.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree (Master’s) in relevant fields such as Accounting, Business Administration, Project Management, Finance, Development Studies, Economics, or Commerce. A first-level university degree in these areas, combined with two additional years of experience, may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. Knowledge of UN systems and the World Bank’s ESF for social safeguards is preferred.

Experience:
A minimum of two years of professional experience in project management, project support, support services, or administration is required for candidates with a Master’s degree. For those with a first-level university degree, four years of relevant experience is necessary. Experience in using computers and office software packages, such as MS Office and Google Suite Applications, is also required. Desired experience includes working with the World Bank, UN agencies, donor agencies, government ministries, and NGOs, as well as experience with private sector partners, grant programs, grievance redress mechanisms, and stakeholder engagement.

Languages:
Fluency in English is required for this position. Proficiency in additional languages may be considered an asset but is not mandatory.

Additional Notes:
The position is classified as mid-level with an ICS Level of 09 and falls under the ICA - LICA - Specialist - Regular contract type. The contract is open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds, and satisfactory performance. The posting start date is September 29, 2026, and the end date for applications is October 13, 202

• UNOPS emphasizes diversity and equal employment opportunities, encouraging applications from women and underrepresented groups. The organization has a zero-tolerance policy for sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct. Background checks are conducted for all final candidates to ensure compliance with these standards.