This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to the enhancement of project and programme management practices within UNOPS. The position offers exposure to a wide range of projects and programmes, cross-cultural collaboration, and professional development opportunities in programme management, assurance, and capacity building.
The Programme Management Specialist within the Infrastructure and Project Management Group (IPMG) provides technical, advisory and capacity-building support to programmes and projects implemented across field offices. The role contributes to the strengthening of programme, project and portfolio management practices by supporting governance, assurance, risk management, integration and maturity improvement initiatives in alignment with UNOPS standards and organisational requirements.
The role supports field-based programme and project teams, as well as their PMO functions, by promoting good practices in project and programme management, facilitating alignment across projects and programmes, and strengthening organizational maturity using recognized frameworks, including P3M3. The Programme Management Specialist works closely with project and programme members across multiple locations, providing support and expert advice to select projects and programmes, in addition to designing and delivering training
***This vacancy is looking to fill a full-time open-ended position. However, as the contract modality for this Vacancy Announcement is an International Individual Contractor Agreement, UNOPS may also use the results of this recruitment process to offer a full-time short-term, or a retainer (contract for intermittent work, subject to budget availability and business needs) contract.
***This position may either be office-based in Copenhagen, Denmark or home-based in the successful candidate’s place of residence. The duty station is to be agreed upon finalization of the recruitment process in accordance with business needs and the candidate’s individual circumstances. While this role offers the flexibility of home-based work, the successful candidate will be expected to maintain at least partial overlap with HQ Copenhagen working hours.
The Programme Management Specialist works on strengthening project, programme and portfolio delivery across field operations by enhancing project and programme management capability, maturity and coherence through governance, assurance, training and the development of organisational wide project management systems.
1. Project and Programme Support
Provide remote and in-country advisory support to IPMG and field offices on programme and project management practices, governance frameworks and delivery approaches.
Support the structuring, design and refinement of programmes to ensure alignment between strategy, benefits, outcomes and constituent projects.
Advise on programme-level planning, prioritisation, resourcing and sequencing across multiple projects.
Support recovery of select programmes and projects using the UNOPS back-on-track approach, tailored to context.
Support identification and analysis of risks, interdependencies and constraints, providing recommendations to field and management teams.
Act as a technical interface between IPMG and field-based programme, project and PMO staff to promote consistent interpretation and application of standards.
2. Project and Programme Assurance and Improvement
Support consolidation and analysis of project-level plans, reports and data into integrated programme or portfolio-level views to enhance oversight and decision-making.
Provide delivery assurance by reviewing management products and identifying systemic issues, trends and improvement opportunities.
Advise field teams on performance monitoring across benefits, scope, cost, schedule, quality and risk dimensions, including alignment with SDG targets where applicable.
Support the application of the P3M3® framework and other risk-based assessment approaches to assess project and programme management maturity across field offices.
Assist in documenting assessments, analysing findings and developing prioritised, practical improvement roadmaps tailored to field contexts.
Monitor progress of agreed improvement actions, linking capability development to delivery performance.
Coordinate with HQ, regional oversight advisors and corporate functions to ensure coherent assurance and follow-up.
3. Standards, Quality and Continuous Improvement
Promote compliance with UNOPS programme and project management standards, policies and governance requirements.
Support quality reviews of programme and project documentation and management products to ensure clarity, consistency and alignment with expectations.
Contribute to harmonisation of terminology, templates and practices across field offices.
Collaborate with corporate functions (FG, PG, PCG, RG and others) to ensure alignment with internal control and accountability frameworks.
Contribute to organisational continuous improvement initiatives aimed at strengthening programme, project and portfolio management capability.
Advocate and promote the application of recognised programme and project management best practices, tailored to UNOPS and field operational contexts.
4. Capacity Building and Knowledge
Support the design and delivery of training and learning activities related to programme management, project management, PMOs and maturity models (including P3M3®).
Develop and adapt guidance materials, templates and practical tools to support field implementation.
Provide coaching and advisory support to programme managers, project managers and PMO staff.
Capture and disseminate lessons learned, policies and good practices across offices.
Produce mission reports following local or remote missions, documenting scope of support, findings, recommendations and agreed follow-up actions.
5. Personnel Management (as applicable)
Contribute, as applicable, to supervision, mentoring and performance feedback processes.
Support recruitment and onboarding processes where required.
Promote an inclusive, respectful and safe working environment in line with UNOPS standards.
Ensure compliance with UNDSS safety and security requirements during missions.
United Nations Office for Project Services
