The position is embedded within the Reconstruction of Bridges along the Humanitarian Corridor and the Digitalization of the Bridge Maintenance System project, implemented in Uganda’s climate-vulnerable and refugee-hosting regions of West Nile, Sebei, and Bugisu. The project aims to enhance humanitarian access and restore connectivity for refugee and host communities by rehabilitating critical bridge infrastructure and strengthening institutional capacity for bridge asset management.
The role contributes to the delivery of two core project components: (i) the rehabilitation of three strategic bridges—Ayi, Kochi 2, and Woi—located in Maracha, Koboko, and Yumbe districts in the West Nile sub-region; and (ii) the development and rollout of an Electronic Bridge Management System (eBMS) through technical assistance to the Ministry of Works and Transport and district local governments. The eBMS will modernize existing bridge asset management systems, initially in West Nile, with expansion to the Sebei and Bugisu sub-regions during the project period.
The position operates within a multi-stakeholder environment involving national and local government institutions and supports the operationalization of the Humanitarian–Development–Peace (HDP) Nexus, in line with commitments made by the Government of Japan at the 2023 Global Refugee Forum. The role also contributes to broader objectives related to equitable access to services, regional economic integration under the AfCFTA and EAC frameworks, and social cohesion in fragile, displacement-affected areas.
The position is expected to provide sustained technical and/or operational support throughout the project lifecycle, in close coordination with the Ministry of Works and Transport and district-level counterparts.
The Senior Project Manager is responsible for creating the Implementation Plan, using the Project Initiation Document (PID), Legal Agreement and having a thorough understanding of the terms, conditions, and the respective roles and responsibilities of the partners/stakeholders, to ensure the project outputs are capable of meeting the business cases for both UNOPS and the partner. The success of the project and hence of the Senior Project Manager will be based on the defined Success Criteria.
The SPM will be the senior UNOPS officer in Uganda and will thus be expected to take on certain representational functions for the organisation. S/he may also be assigned to manage other projects in Uganda.
Summary of functions / Key Results Expected
Project Delivery and Performance
Procedures
Monitoring and reporting
Stakeholder engagement
Quality assurance
Knowledge management and innovation
Personnel management
Project Delivery and Performance
Plan the overall project activities (project implementation plan), maintain a detailed project work plan, monitor project performance, and exercise adaptive management as appropriate to ensure delivery of the project outcomes
Embed sustainability dimensions including social and gender inclusion, environmental and economic aspects into project life span
Manage the production of the required outputs, taking responsibility for overall progress and use of resources and initiating corrective action where necessary
Ensure that quality of work packages and deliverables complies with the quality requirements defined in the Implementation Plan
Liaise with any external suppliers or account managers
Manage acceptance and delivery of work packages
Monitor project progress ensuring that work packages are being executed properly
Control project and work packages changes
Accept goods, services or works delivered by suppliers
Lead contract management duties including supplier performance evaluation
Identify and manage in a timely manner, potential risks (including environmental and social safeguard risks) and issues and advises mitigating measures to senior management/ Project Board so that maximum benefit to partner(s) and other stakeholders is achieved; regularly update the project’s Risk Register and ensure that appropriate risk management measures are put in place
Identify and report to the supervisor potential business opportunities for UNOPS
Comply with all organizational policy and specifically the Project Management Manual
Prepare/adapt all relevant plans for approval by the Project Board
Manage the reporting obligations defined in the Legal Agreement(s) and in the Implementation Plan
Ensure maintenance of the project files and lessons learned are recorded
Manage budgets, cash flow and obligations to ensure that deliverables are met and payments to contractors and personnel are received on time
Understand and manage UNOPS overheads, allocable charges, and related corporate charges as they apply to the project
Understand the unique structures of the UN and budget appropriately for personnel
Manage expenditures against the budget (based on accurate financial reports)
Where the senior Project Manager has no delegation as a committing officer, s/he retains these responsibilities and will monitor and instruct/request others to carry out the relevant commitments and disbursements
For project closure purposes, provide a formal handover of the project to the closure manager
Support project audit activities, including planning, preparation and coordination during the audits and follow up on audit observations/recommendations
Prepare and issue regular project and/or financial reports in accordance with Partner and UNOPS requirements for reporting
Regularly review project status, evaluating performance criteria (scope, cost, schedule and quality)
Maintain diaries and progress reports as required by the organization’s standard procedures
Provide routine oversight and analysis of delivery data within the dashboard system
Ensure all project team members track and regularly update milestones and targets for the duration of projects’ life span
Develop stakeholder profiles and facilitate the formulation of stakeholder engagement strategies
Establish solid working relationships with the Project Board (Executive, Senior Users and Senior Suppliers), client and key stakeholders
Enable the formulation of project communications plans. Coordinate internal project communications. Monitor the effectiveness of project communications
Coordinate stakeholder engagement and communication, ensuring effective timing and interdependency management of communications.
Ensure stakeholders are aware of project activities, progress, exceptions and are in a position to accept handover outputs
Work with internal stakeholders to ensure projects comply with audit requirements
Work with procurement/purchasing staff to ensure effective interface with suppliers’ quality systems
Coordinate quality reviews of project documents and deliverables
Provide quality control for management outputs (project documents, reports, etc.)
Encourage routine and effective capacity building activities are conducted in order to build the long-term and sustainable capacity of staff
Actively interact with other Project Managers and the wider PM community to share case studies, lessons learned and best practices
Contribute to the oversight of lessons learned procedures, ensuring that lessons learnt are shared in a timely and appropriate manner. Participate in the relevant Communities of Practice
Research and logging of lessons learned throughout the project life span
Provide feedback to Practice Groups on policy, supporting guidance with an aim towards continuous improvement of UNOPS policies
Lead and motivate the project management team
Ensure that behavioural expectations of team members are established
Ensure that performance reviews are conducted fairly, accurately and timely
Select, recruit and train a team as required and taking into account gender parity and diversity objectives
Ensure safety and security for all project personnel and comply with UNDSS standards
IV. Impact of Results
The Senior Project Manager directly impacts on achievement of project results by adhering to project management methods and strategies, reducing risks, cutting costs and improving success rates. This consequently reinforces the visibility and image of UNOPS as an effective service provider in project services and management and strengthens its competitive position as a partner of choice in sustainable development and project services.
