Contract duration: Retainer ICA – Until 31 December 2026 with possibility of extension subject to project needs, satisfactory performance and budget availability.
A retainer contract is issued for a period of time during which the services of the individual contractor are required intermittently. The individual contractor agreement on retainer basis will specify a “unit price” per day worked. For budgetary purposes, a monetary cap will be determined when the contract is awarded and issued. Please note that the retainer contract will not provide for a minimum, and payment will be made only after completion of work.
Even though the level of the position is indicated as IICA 2, depending on the incumbent’s personal situation (candidate with national ID or resident permit in duty station), a local fee scale (LICA-10) might be applied in determining the contractor’s fee.
The incumbent of this position will be personnel of UNOPS under its full responsibility.
The Project Management Support Specialist supports the Senior Portfolio Manager, Programme Management Advisor and Project Managers within UNTSS with existing and potential new partners and project opportunities by supporting negotiations, drafting of proposals, costing scenarios, creating the Implementation Plan(s), using relevant Project Initiation Document(s) (PID), Legal Agreement(s) and having a thorough understanding of the terms, conditions, and the respective roles and responsibilities of the partners/stakeholders, to ensure the project(s) outputs are capable of meeting the business cases for both UNOPS and the partner(s).
Resource Mobilization and Donor Engagement
Support the design and implementation of resource mobilization strategies.
Contribute to the diversification of the donor base through targeted outreach and engagement with governments, multilateral agencies, private-sector entities, philanthropies and foundations.
Leverage funding opportunities within the UN system, including UN-administered trust funds and joint programmes.
Support the development of concept notes, proposals and donor briefs.
Explore and pilot innovative financing mechanisms, such as crowdfunding, impact investment, and blended finance to expand resource channels.
Facilitate strategic engagement with private-sector partners aimed at promoting core and long-term funding as well as in-kind contributions.
Represent UNOPS at resource mobilization events, fora and strategic meetings, articulating the organization’s value proposition effectively.
Support data collection and analysis on financial and in-kind contributions to strengthen reporting and donor visibility.
Partnership Brokering and Relationship Management
Provide brokering and facilitation support throughout the partnership lifecycle - from scoping and building to management, review and sustainability of partnerships.
Strengthen collaboration between UNOPS offices, partners, and external stakeholders, fostering shared ownership and long-term impact.
Encourage and model value-based partnership principles grounded in transparency, mutual benefit, and innovation.
Actively represent UNOPS in inter-agency coordination mechanisms, partnership networks and external fora.
Project Set-Up and Closure
Facilitate the preparation of high-level project and programme plans, consolidating lower-level plans into integrated milestones.
Develop, monitor and maintain project dependencies and interdependencies.
Provide support on project assets, finance and administrative matters throughout the project lifecycle.
Serve as the focal point for project closure activities.
Oversee closure processes, ensuring the proper disposal of assets, final operating, initiation of financial disbursements during Defects Liability Periods and handover of projects to HQ for final financial closure.
Ensure timely updates of project information in UNOPS systems (e.g. oneUNOPS).
Financial and Procurement Management
Support financial planning, monitoring and reporting to ensure effective budget utilization and cost control in line with UNOPS Financial Rules and Regulations.
Manage cash flow, expenditures and financial commitments, ensuring timely disbursements and accurate financial reporting.
Support procurement and grant management processes, including preparation of Terms of Reference (ToRs), evaluation of bids, and contract administration.
Coordinate with finance and procurement teams to ensure compliance, transparency, and proper documentation of transactions.
Prepare and review financial reports and participate in project audits, ensuring implementation of recommendations.
Monitoring, Reporting and Quality Assurance
Monitor project performance against agreed indicators, preparing progress, financial and completion reports in accordance with UNOPS and donor/partner standards.
Conduct data analysis and provide inputs for management decisions and strategic planning.
Ensure quality assurance processes are applied to all deliverables, documents and outputs.
Support compliance with internal audit and quality standards, coordinating corrective action as required
Knowledge Management and Innovation
Implement standards, tools and templates provided by HQ to strengthen partnership and project development within the team, enhancing UNOPS’ effectiveness as a trusted provider of project services for sustainable results.
Contribute to research, development and application of best practices and innovative approaches that maximize performance and ensure long-term impact in project and partnership development.
Build partnership capacity and negotiation skills among Project Managers, enabling stronger engagement with stakeholders.
Facilitate knowledge sharing by contributing to the dissemination of lessons learned and best practices in project and partnership development, supporting organizational learning and planning.
Provide regular feedback on systems, tools and resources to strengthen their effectiveness and ensure continuous improvement.
