Project Manager (Transactional)

Job Highlight
Lead impactful projects delivering essential transactional services, ensuring excellence in HR, procurement, and grants management within a dynamic global framework.

About the Region
The UNOPS Africa Regional Office, based in Nairobi, Kenya, oversees the delivery of over 250 projects across 40 countries, with a focus on fragile and conflict-affected settings. Supported by more than 1,000 personnel across five multi-country offices—spanning North, West, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Horn of Africa—the office advances national priorities through strategic initiatives in Climate Action, Health, Infrastructure, Peace and Security, Middle-Income Country Support, and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The Regional Office provides strategic leadership, operational support, and oversight in key areas including Partnerships, Communications, Management and Oversight, Infrastructure and Project Management, Health and Safety, and Security. By promoting excellence in project delivery, fostering knowledge sharing, and driving continuous improvement, the office contributes to sustainable infrastructure, transparent resource management, and a better quality of life for communities across the continent.

About the Country/Multi-Country Office
Based in Dakar, Senegal, the West Africa Multi-Country Office (WAMCO) delivers high-quality project management, infrastructure, and procurement services across 16 countries in West Africa and the Sahel, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Togo. Aligned with UNOPS’ mission, WAMCO supports partners in peacebuilding, humanitarian assistance, and sustainable development. WAMCO’s portfolio spans key sectors such as health, climate change, renewable energy, agriculture, water and sanitation, environment, infrastructure, justice, and peace and security. Notable projects include the construction of pre-preschools for early childhood development in Senegal (in partnership with KOICA and UNICEF), capacity-building for national agencies on disaster risk reduction and resource management, and the development of rural mini-grid electrification systems in Sierra Leone. Through these initiatives, WAMCO contributes to inclusive growth and the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across the region.
 

Job Specific Context
This position involves managing transactional projects related to human resources management, procurement, and grants. More specifically, the role includes, but is not limited to, managing the acquisition of medical equipment and agricultural supplies to support national development strategies (SSEQCU and SWEDD+). The project manager will be responsible for ensuring operational excellence and rigorous procurement monitoring, working closely with the Ministry of Health.

Role Purpose
The Project Manager (Transactional) is responsible for the effective delivery and daily oversight of projects which provide transactional services, such as HR services, procurement, grants or services, to UNOPS partners. The Project Manager serves as the focal point for coordination with donors, partners and beneficiaries, ensuring alignment with contractual commitments and UNOPS performance standards. Acting on behalf of the Project Board, the Project Manager ensures that project outputs are delivered within agreed tolerances of time, cost, scope, quality, risk, and benefits.

Functions / Key Results Expected
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.
Identify and report potential opportunities for UNOPS to the supervisor.

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.

Skills
Project Coordination, Project Implementation, Project Planning, Quality Assurance, Reporting, Risk Management, Stakeholder Management
Competencies
Education Requirements
Required:
Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 4 years of relevant experience OR
Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 2 years of relevant experience is required.

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