Background Information - Job-specific
On 24 February 2022, the military of the Russian Federation invaded Ukraine, with strikes across the territory of Ukraine. Since then, Russiaโs invasion imposes a severe humanitarian and socio-economic toll, global energy and food crisis, large-scale destruction of the country's infrastructure, and disruptions in the provision of critical services and degradation of social fabrics and communitiesโ ties, triggering one of the worldโs most significant forced displacements.
Severe attacks on energy and critical infrastructure facilities leave millions of people without electricity, water or heating supply, struggling to access water, food, health services, materials to repair homes, among others. The continued attacks cause substantial damage to the countryโs economy and agricultural production, and also affect the poorest countries worldwide.
UNOPS support to partners spans the humanitarian-development nexus from emergency response to building back better, across the housing, health, education, transport, energy and mine action sectors, through infrastructure, procurement and technical assistance / project management interventions, with the ultimate aim of supporting the country on its EU accession and in its achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The war in Ukraine has led to the catastrophic failure of functioning communities, an associated loss of lives and displacement of people. Infrastructure which is vital for the functioning and protection of communities has been severely damaged or destroyed resulting in a partial or total loss of services that the infrastructure was previously providing. The effects of this on human lives and livelihoods is self-evident. UNOPS, as the UN agency with a core mandate in infrastructure, is well positioned to support the efforts in Ukraine, not only to minimise immediate impacts but also to consider the longer-term infrastructure development needs of the country. In alignment with UNOPSโ core mandate, the infrastructure portfolio covers development, relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts. UNOPSโ infrastructure delivery spans across multiple sectors such as water and sanitation, health, education, agriculture, transport, other social infrastructure and justice.
Reporting to the Head of Programme (HOP), the Senior Portfolio Manager (Infrastructure) is delegated to be overall responsible for strategic planning, implementation, and closing of all UAMCO infrastructure projects , and provides strategic guidance, partnership support, and technical oversight to the development of further initiatives in the UNOPS Ukraine portfolio.
Functional Responsibilities
The Senior Portfolio Manager (Infrastructure) will be responsible for the following functions in the framework of the infrastructure portfolio:
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Portfolio governance, implementation and monitoring
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Portfolio development, planning, and business development
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Technical (infrastructure) assessments and Stakeholder Management
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Knowledge Management and innovation
Portfolio governance, implementation and monitoring
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Accept accountability and responsibility for the infrastructure portfolio oversight as delegated by the Head of Programme (HoP) through the role of Project Executive Officer in Charge (OiC) on Project Boards.
On behalf of the HoP, establish and execute the programme implementation plans in collaboration with the project teams and partners, including setting objectives, performance measurements, standards and results expected to ensure timely delivery and client-oriented infrastructure services.
Monitor and supervise the timely and cost-effective implementation of the infrastructure portfolio according to UNOPS goals and partner expectations, agreed quality standards, approved budget and full cost recovery, and in line with signed Legal Agreements
Monitor management of project and engagement level risks and issues so that maximum benefit to clients and stakeholders is achieved. On behalf of the HoP, be the Business Unit owner for infrastructure related risks and issues.
Support to procurement of infrastructure related activities, in order to manage risks related to quality, cost and time;
Monitor and evaluate performance of service providers and in particular LTA holders providing specialist technical support to UNOPS.
Guided by the HOP, and in conjunction with the infrastructure Project Managers, monitor project teamsโ compliance with all aspects of engineering in infrastructure engagements and ensure projectsโ products and outcomes meet the expectations and requirements of UNOPS, and the projectsโ client/s and donors;
Support project teams and project managers with overall planning and implementation strategies for projects. Immediately liaise with Project Managers regarding risk and issue management on all infrastructure related projects in Ukraine.
Create, foster and role-model a culture of respect and zero tolerance for discrimination, abuse of authority, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual exploitation and abuse.
Monitor and support Health, Safety, Social, and Environmental aspects in UNOPS projects, in liaison with the UNOPS HQ HSSE team, the Regional Infrastructure Advisor, the Regional HSSE Advisor, and the UAMCO HSSE Specialist team lead.
Portfolio development, planning, and business development
Support the HoP in ensuring the financial sustainability of the infrastructure portfolio (contributing to the overall UAMCO programme viability) and delivery of desired results, compliance with organisational strategies, rules, regulations and standards of performance.
Provide technical input and guidance to ensure all infrastructure proposals for new opportunities are technically robust, aligned with UNOPSโ requirements, meeting stakeholders expectations, and are sufficiently resourced in terms of time, budget, team, scope, and quality management;
Working in collaboration with partnerships colleagues and, where applicable, with the ECR Infrastructure Advisor, provide guidance and strategic direction for further opportunity development in alignment with corporate, regional, and country strategies for infrastructure;
Manage and oversee the preparation of programme documents (including business cases/strategies, policy briefs, programme plans and risk assessments).
Support the HoP in leading the development of a portfolio strategy (e.g. vision, mission, strategic results framework; stakeholder analysis, risk analysis, if applicable) - aligned to the Ukraine office strategy, and portfolio workplan and budget for cost-shared portfolio resources
Identify opportunities to strengthen linkages between key projects within the UNOPS Ukraine portfolio, including mainstreaming SDGs (preferably as prioritized in the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework and / or the Transitional Framework, whichever is applicable) into ongoing projects and those under development, in close coordination with the UAMCO Programme Management Office.
Technical (infrastructure) assessments and Stakeholder Management
Support project teams and project managers in liaising with key stakeholders, including donor and partners
Provide technical interface and coordination for the UNOPS Ukraine Programme with all partners and stakeholders as required.
Provide presentations on technical aspects and assessments, as required.
Provide technical opinions, valuations and analysis to enable senior management and stakeholders to make informed decisions.
Promote and advocate sustainable, resilient, and inclusive principles and approaches into all aspects of UNOPS infrastructure related activities in Ukraine - coordinate with the ECR Senior Infrastructure Advisor and HQ Strategic Initiatives team in this regard.
Representing the HoP or UAMCO Director, participate in international, regional or national meetings and provide programmatic / substantive infrastructure expertise on an issue, or hold programmatic / substantive and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions.
I. Needs Assessment:
In conjunction with the ECR Senior Infrastructure Advisor, support the establishment of a holistic methodology and online data management platform for the operational application of UNOPSโ needs assessment methodology on the ground within Ukraine;
Identify and assess damaged infrastructure and the immediate impact on delivery of essential services, power, water & sanitation, shelter and solid waste;
Develop and implement short term solutions to facilitate humanitarian response actions in order to restore critical services, such as installation of temporary bridges to facilitate logistics and supply chain activities;
Plan, advise and support the procurement and installation of temporary structures to facilitate the delivery of health services, shelter, education and other essential community services.
ii. Infrastructure Assessments:
In the aftermath of any shock or stress that causes damage or destruction of infrastructure, assessment of damage and loss is necessary to establish a โbaselineโ in order to quantify the scale of destruction. Traditionally this focuses on counting damaged or destroyed infrastructure assets and placing a value on them in order to quantify repair / replacement costs. The approach UNOPS advocates, in order to support Building Back Better, is to expand the assessment to look beyond the assets, thereby maximizing the opportunity during the assessment phase to gather key information that should inform the medium- and long-term decisions related to the reconstruction of infrastructure to:
In conjunction with the ECR Senior Infrastructure Advisor, support the establishment of a holistic methodology and online data management platform for the operational application of UNOPSโ infrastructure assessment methodology on the ground within Ukraine. This may include advising government and other stakeholders on and developing โstandardsโ for infrastructure assessment to ensure consistency in approach and data collection;
Assess the enabling environment to ascertain how effectively the assets were managed prior to the hazard occurring;
Identify issues/constraints related to the infrastructure that existed prior to the event occurring;
Identify short-, medium- and long-term infrastructure development plans to ascertain how they align to, and support, the country's development trajectory.
III. Rubble Management
A key aspect of the response and recovery phases will be to deal with the rubble that has been created as a result of the war and associated damage to infrastructure. UNOPS has experience in rubble management and is updating the UNOPS Rubble Management strategy, approach and methodology for dealing with rubble, including disposal, recycling and/or re-use to suit the Ukraine context.
Assess, report and advise on the expanding rubble issue developing across Ukraine, and advise the most appropriate rubble management options, including development of โstandardโ methodologies and processes for dealing with rubble;
Identify issues/constraints related to the removal and / or re-use of rubble and in particular hazardous materials such as asbestos;
Lead the effort to develop robust and effective rubble management plans to best meet priorities and intentions over the short-, medium- and long-terms.
Knowledge Management and Innovation:
Participate in the relevant Communities of Practice;
Actively interact with other Business Units to share case studies, lessons learned and best practices on the Knowledge System;
Strengthen UAMCOโs knowledge and culture of UNOPSโ infrastructure approach through regular knowledge sharing events and platforms in collaboration with the UAMCO Programme Management Office;
Contribute to regional knowledge sharing activities where appropriate;
Provide feedback to Practice Leads on policy, supporting guidance with an aim towards continuous improvement of UNOPS policies;
Contribute to lessons learned processes and Lessons Learnt workshops related to infrastructure and infrastructure projects in Ukraine in collaboration with the UAMCO Programme Management Office.
Keep abreast of and incorporate best practices, approaches and technology to enhance the portfolio delivery and results; continuous review of approaches/methodology to ensure relevance or enact new ones.
Core Values:
Understand and respect national ownership and capacity.
Understand the principles of the Paris Declaration on aid effectiveness and mainstream them into project plans.
Seek opportunities to recruit qualified local staff, in particular qualified females.
Look for ways to build the capacity of local counterparts.
Harmonization within the UN and beyond.
Understand the UN Development Assistance Framework and projectsโ place in the UN system.
Know the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and seek to contribute within the deliverables of projects.
Service to Others - as projects are representative of the United Nations it should be firmly rooted in the principle of service to others (this should be considered carefully in the development of project plans).
Accountability for results and the use of resources.
Advocate for sustainable and resilient infrastructure development approaches and outcomes.
Champion gender, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of the role.
Additional Requirements:
Provide leadership and direction to the respective project teams on substantive and managerial aspects;
In consultation with senior management, participate in business development and stakeholder relationship building;
Undertake regular mission travel in the country when required;
Analyze the efficiency of projects within the portfolio and develop mechanisms to improve performance as required;
Raise awareness among UNOPS Ukraine staff and local counterparts on the principles of social inclusion and environmental management, and support the monitoring, evaluation and reporting on socially inclusive and environmentally responsible practices within the portfolio;
Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organization. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organization.(for levels IICA-2, IICA-3, LICA Specialist- 10, LICA Specialist-11, NOC, NOD, P3, P4 and above) Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.
Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles. Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role). Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries. Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements. Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving. Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground. Education/Experience/Language requirements
Education:
An advanced university degree (e.g. Master's), preferably in Architecture, Engineering, or Construction Management or related disciplines, is required. A first-level university degree (e.g. Bachelor) in the above-mentioned subjects, in combination with two (2) additional years of relevant experience, may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
Experience:
A minimum of 7 years working in an infrastructure context at strategic, advisory and implementation level , either at national or international level, in similar contexts is required. Experience working in emergency, recovery or reconstruction environments and/or with UN missions in infrastructure is a strong asset. Proven experience in working in infrastructure planning and infrastructure management is preferred. Proven experience in Infrastructure Asset Management with knowledge of infrastructure assessments is an asset. Previous experience in Ukraine is an advantage. Knowledge of or experience in rubble management is an asset. Proven understanding of how to plan and develop sustainable, resilient and inclusive infrastructure. Proven understanding of, and support for, gender mainstreaming in infrastructure is an asset.
Certification:
Certification in Project Management (PRINCE2, PMI, etc.) is an asset. Professional certification from an accredited institution ( PEng., CEng. , etc) is an asset
Language Requirements:
Fluency in English is essential. Knowledge of another official UNOPS language is an asset.
Contract type, level and duration
Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA)
Contract level: International Individual Contractor Agreement (IICA3/ICS11)
Contract duration: Open-ended, subject to funds availability and satisfactory performance. For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:
https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx
Additional Information
Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.
Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.
Terms and Conditions
For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses ( they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.
All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.