Project Management Support - Senior Officer

Job Highlight

This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to critical infrastructure projects in Afghanistan, working within a dynamic team to foster collaboration with key government stakeholders. The position offers a unique opportunity to leverage your expertise in stakeholder management and government relations to facilitate project success and contribute to the long-term development of Afghanistan.

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 Project Management Support Senior Officer (Liaison) focuses on providing support in stakeholder mapping, liaison, project planning, strategy, risk management, team management, and internal facilitation to ensure effective project implementation.

Functions / Key Results Expected

• Stakeholder Mapping, Data Collection, and Analysis
• Assess, analyze, and map the DFA relevant offices (all central, provincial, and district levels) and representatives, as well as other relevant stakeholders.
• Share such knowledge with the SPM and the project team to enable them to understand what information can be found and where, and what level of accuracy should be expected.
• Navigate the DFA organizational structure to collect necessary information (documentation, records, and any other source of information) and share it with the rest of the team.
• Support in the interpretation of data collected to contextualize them and avoid misunderstanding.
• Stakeholder Liaison and External Coordination
• Advise the project team on how to build collaborative connections with DFA representatives that will facilitate and support the project implementation.
• Monitor the progress of any interaction and communication between UNOPS and stakeholders and across stakeholders, including the DFA.
• Proactively follow up with DFA and other project stakeholders if/when any blockage materializes in the process of communications and or exchange of data and information.
• When necessary, lead and or assist in the interactions between technical teams and relevant DFA stakeholders to act as a facilitator and drive smooth interaction.
• Contribute to the design and implementation of a communication strategy (advise on how to properly explain the project aim, challenges, and positive impact) to create a collaborative environment with the various stakeholders.
• Project Planning, Strategy, and Risk Management
• Work with the SPM, advising and sharing experience (in coordination with stakeholders) to produce appropriate plans and strategies necessary for the implementation of the project.
• Advise the project team about risks that might affect the project implementation.
• Collaborate with the project team in the crafting of reasonable and sensible implementation scenarios.
• Team Management and Internal Facilitation
• When agreed with the SPM, manage, supervise, and delegate the tasks to the other project team personnel, such as community mobilizers, to carry out coordination and facilitation activities (especially when coordination with local community members is needed).
  
  

• Bachelor’s degree preferably in political science, economics, law, engineering, international development, or other relevant fields with 4 years of relevant experience.
  
  

• Master’s degree in a relevant field.
  
  

• Minimum of 4 years relevant experience in stakeholders management, government relations, planning or project/programme management involving government counterparts, management of partnerships, negotiation or conflict resolution, interacting with DFA structures, government structures formally and informally, management and or general knowledge of functioning systems, procedures and informal practices of the Afghanistan government/DFA.
  
  

• Experience in the management of government projects/programmes in infrastructure and procurement.
• Experience within the international development and/or humanitarian sector.
• Experience in preparing and delivering presentations.
• Project management of infrastructure and/or procurement projects experience.
• Experience in roles that required analytical skills, resourcefulness, initiative, and maturity of judgment.