Deputy Project Manager

Job Highlight

Lead projects that drive partner goals, ensuring successful delivery within set tolerances and fostering strong stakeholder relationships.

About The Project Office

Since 1995, UNOPS has maintained an active presence in Afghanistan, delivering efficient, agile services in support of both humanitarian response and development efforts. Prior to August 2021, the Afghanistan Country Office (AFCO) implemented projects across a broad range of sectors, including infrastructure, procurement, capacity building, and environmental protection. In response to evolving humanitarian needs, AFCO has shifted its focus to supporting life-saving initiatives and basic human needs. Current priorities include managing large-scale cash-for-work programmes, procuring emergency supplies, and providing inter-agency coordination, communication, and accountability support.

Role Purpose

Under the direct supervision of the Senior Project Manager (SPM), the Deputy Project Manager (DPM) is responsible for supporting the overall execution of the project, acting as second-in-command, and ensuring the smooth delivery of all project components. Key responsibilities include supporting infrastructure delivery and procurement processes, coordinating the project team, facilitating stakeholder communication, and overseeing the implementation of assigned project activities.

The DPM plays a key role in planning, organizing, and leading the project through all stages—from initiation to closure. The incumbent ensures effective delivery and oversight of project activities within the defined scope, contributing to the achievement of partners’ goals and objectives.

The incumbent is expected to demonstrate a strong understanding of project planning, implementation, monitoring, and control, while effectively managing stakeholder expectations and ensuring delivery in line with the terms of the Legal Agreement. When delegated by the Senior Project Manager, the Deputy Project Manager serves as the focal point for coordination with donors, partners and beneficiaries, ensuring alignment with contractual commitments and UNOPS performance standards.

Functions / Key Results Expected

Under the direct supervision, guidance and direction of the SPM, the DPM shall:

• Project Delivery and Performance
• Develop, complete and update the project implementation plan.
• Implement the approved plan (including establishment of milestones) within tolerances set by the Project Board.
• Embed sustainability dimensions, including social and gender considerations, and environmental and economic aspects, into the project life span
• Manage the production of required outputs, taking responsibility for overall progress and use of resources while initiating corrective action where necessary.
• Ensure that quality of work packages and deliverables comply with the quality requirements defined in the implementation plan.
• Liaise with external suppliers or account managers to ensure quality and timely delivery of outputs.
• Manage acceptance and delivery of work packages.
• Monitor project progress, control project variances (if any), and manage changes.
• Identify, anticipate and advise senior management and the project board on mitigating measures against project risks to ensure that benefits to partners and other stakeholders are maximized.
• Advocate and promote UNOPS service offerings, identify and report potential growth opportunities for UNOPS.
• Procedures
• Comply with the organization’s policies and standards, and ensure project information is kept updated in project management systems.
• Be aware of applicable local laws and regulations, and ensure adherence. This includes international regulations and standards, where applicable, as well as technical standards.
• Prepare and adapt all relevant plans for approval by the project board, and manage baselines
• Manage the reporting obligations defined in the implementation plan and legal agreements.
• Maintain project documentation in an orderly manner for accessibility and audit support when needed.
• Understand and apply the UNOPS financial rules and regulations. Be accountable for the use of delegation of authority (where applicable) and ensure compliance with relevant policies and standards of ethics.
• Provide a formal handover of the project to the closure manager when applicable.
• Support project audit activities, including planning, preparation and coordination during audits and follow-up on audit observations/ recommendations.
• Monitoring and Reporting
• Include a results framework and M&E plan in the project implementation plan with clearly defined indicators and agreed targets, ensure regular monitoring and tracking of project results.
• Prepare and issue regular project and financial reports in accordance with partner and UNOPS requirements for reporting.
• Regularly review project status and evaluate performance criteria (scope, cost, schedule, and quality)
• Maintain diaries and progress reports as required by UNOPS standard operating 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 the project life span.
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Develop stakeholder engagement strategies and plans. Actively engage stakeholders, take feedback, and adjust as necessary.
• Establish solid working relationships with the project board (executive, senior users and senior suppliers); clients; and key stakeholders.
• Enable formulation of project communication plans and monitor 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, and exceptions, and are in a position to accept handover outputs.
• Quality Assurance
• Work with internal stakeholders to ensure projects comply with audit requirements.
• Work with procurement/ purchasing personnel to ensure effective interface with suppliers’ quality systems.
• Coordinate quality reviews of project documents and deliverables.
• Provide quality control for management outputs (e.g. project documents, reports, etc).
• Knowledge Management and Innovation
• Create a learning environment for the project team, encourage knowledge sharing and training to contribute to longer-term capacity building.
• Actively interact with other project managers and the wider project management (PM) community, share case studies, lessons learned and best practices.
• Stay abreast with latest updates and good practices of the profession, participate in training and learning activities for self to advance proficiency and competency.
• Ensure lessons learned are shared in a timely and appropriate manner.
• Provide feedback to corporate practice groups on policy and systems, when needed.
• Provide feedback to functional groups on policies and related guidance to support the continuous improvement of UNOPS policy framework
• Personnel Management
• Organise and structure the project team, ensure clearly defined roles and responsibilities. Provide regular guidance and direction, as needed, and support the team in effectively performing their tasks.
• Lead and motivate the project management team, and manage performance.
• Ensure performance reviews are conducted fairly, accurately, and on time.
• Select, recruit, and train project teams as required, taking gender parity and diversity objectives into account.
• Ensure safety and security for all project personnel in compliance with the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) standards.
  
  

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 7 years of relevant experience OR
• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 5 years of relevant experience is required.
  
  

• Relevant experience is work in the implementation of complex projects/ programmes, or related areas.
• Experience in project planning, implementation, and control, including project communication and reporting is required.
• Knowledge of quality assurance methodologies is required.
• Experience of managing project risks in a multi-stakeholder context is required.
  
  

• Experience of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing country is desired.
• Experience in development or humanitarian contexts is desired.
• Experience in Government of Japan/JICA funded projects is desired.
• Experience in infrastructure projects is desired.
• Experience in procurement projects is desired.