Programme Management Specialist
Job Highlight
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.
About The Group
The Infrastructure and Project Management Group (IPMG) provides policy, standards guidance and support in three UNOPS service lines of Project Management, Infrastructure and Financial Management Services (Grant Support and Fund Management). IPMG leads the design and implementation of a project, programme and portfolio management (P3M) system centered around the needs of UNOPS partners, beneficiaries and frontline personnel. IPMG also drives UNOPS efforts to leverage sustainable, resilient and inclusive infrastructure and maximize local capacity through grant support management to achieve sustainable development. Through thought leadership, we aim to position UNOPS with its partners, foster innovative solutions for sustainable and inclusive development, and accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This includes speeding up the implementation of urgent infrastructure and scaling up infrastructure service delivery, particularly in relation to climate action and energy. Our delivery approach to project management, infrastructure and grant support management prioritizes development needs, empowers institutions and communities, builds partners’ capacity, champions gender equality and social inclusion and reduces environmental impact. IPMG translates policy into practice by providing strategic direction, standards and oversight, while facilitating knowledge sharing and capacity-building for UNOPS teams globally.
Role Purpose
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.
Functions / Key Results Expected
Required
Experience Requirements
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.
About The Group
The Infrastructure and Project Management Group (IPMG) provides policy, standards guidance and support in three UNOPS service lines of Project Management, Infrastructure and Financial Management Services (Grant Support and Fund Management). IPMG leads the design and implementation of a project, programme and portfolio management (P3M) system centered around the needs of UNOPS partners, beneficiaries and frontline personnel. IPMG also drives UNOPS efforts to leverage sustainable, resilient and inclusive infrastructure and maximize local capacity through grant support management to achieve sustainable development. Through thought leadership, we aim to position UNOPS with its partners, foster innovative solutions for sustainable and inclusive development, and accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This includes speeding up the implementation of urgent infrastructure and scaling up infrastructure service delivery, particularly in relation to climate action and energy. Our delivery approach to project management, infrastructure and grant support management prioritizes development needs, empowers institutions and communities, builds partners’ capacity, champions gender equality and social inclusion and reduces environmental impact. IPMG translates policy into practice by providing strategic direction, standards and oversight, while facilitating knowledge sharing and capacity-building for UNOPS teams globally.
Role Purpose
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.
Functions / Key Results Expected
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Required
- Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in any relevant discipline or related fields with 7 years of relevant experience OR
- Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any relevant discipline with 5 years of relevant experience is required
- A globally recognized professional certification in Project Management (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2) is required. The successful candidate will be required to obtain the PMP certification within 1 year of hire, if not already certified.
- A globally recognized professional certification in Programme Management (e.g., MSP, PgMP) is required. The successful candidate will be required to obtain the MSP Foundation certification within 6 months of hire, if not already certified.
Experience Requirements
- Relevant experience is work in programme management, project management and in advisory roles.
- Demonstrated experience supporting or working with multiple projects and/or programmes across different operational contexts is required.
- Strong analytical skills and proficiency in collaboration, reporting and productivity tools (e.g. MS Office, G-Suite, web-based management systems) is required.
- Experience designing or delivering training, workshops or capacity-building activities is required.
- Experience working with maturity models or improvement frameworks (e.g. P3M3® or similar) is desired
- Experience of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing country is desired.
- Experience in development or humanitarian contexts is desired.