Project Management Support Associate

The Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECR), based in Geneva, is responsible for the effective management, coordination and oversight of UNOPS operations across the region. The ECR region spans the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, South Caucasus, and Türkiye, where UNOPS works with partners to achieve sustainable impact in health, education, environmental management, housing, rule of law, good governance, economic development, and social inclusion. With a wealth of experience in procurement, infrastructure, project and grant management, UNOPS in the region directly implements projects, provides technical advisory services and capacity building to advance the Sustainable Development Goals in support of national governments.

The UNOPS South East Europe Multi-Country Office (SEEMCO) supports sustainable development in Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Based in Belgrade with strong field teams, SEEMCO delivers project management, procurement, infrastructure, HR, and technical assistance to governments, donors, and international financial institutions. Partnering with national institutions, local authorities, civil society, and media, it contributes to sectors such as infrastructure, socio-economic development, social cohesion, rule of law, environment, healthcare, education, digitalisation, energy transition, and governance. Since 2000, SEEMCO has advanced the EU integration agenda, national priorities, and the Sustainable Development Goals. It also provides emergency response, recovery support, and capacity building for institutions. Funders include the EU, European Investment Bank, governments of Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Serbia, North Macedonia, and Montenegro, as well as UN agencies such as UNHCR and UNEP.

The EU Support to Integrated Territorial Development – EU INTEGRA strengthens governance and fosters balanced socio-economic development in Serbia through an integrated territorial development approach. Funded by the European Union (EU) through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) 2024, the Programme is implemented under the leadership of the Ministry of European Integration (MEI), with two implementing partners: the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM) and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

EU INTEGRA builds on the achievements of the EU PRO Plus Programme (2021–2025), which introduced the Integrated Sustainable Territorial Development (ISTD) model to Serbia, developed 12 territorial strategies, funded 18 integrated projects, and strengthened alignment with EU Cohesion Policy and Chapter 22 of the EU acquis.

Targeting 144 local self-governments (LSGs) and regional development agencies (RDAs) across Šumadija and Western Serbia, Southern and Eastern Serbia, and Vojvodina, the Programme promotes the development and implementation of integrated projects through capacity building, technical assistance, and support for the use of EU territorial instruments such as Integrated Territorial Investments (ITI).

Through its two complementary components, EU INTEGRA aims to modernise public administration, enhance strategic planning, and prepare Serbia’s institutions for efficient use of future EU structural funds. The development of new territorial strategies, in line with EU Cohesion Policy 2021–2027 and Serbia’s Sustainable Urban Development Strategy until 2030, represents a key milestone in this process.

Under the supervision of the Project Manager, the Project Management Support Associate supports the effective and timely implementation of project activities in line with approved work plans and organizational standards. 

The Project Management Support Associate provides substantive support to the planning, coordination and delivery of project activities. The role collaborates closely with project stakeholders to maintain effective coordination, facilitate operations and ensure activities are delivered efficiently in line with the project’s results framework and internal processes.

Planning and Preparation

• Support senior technical leads (e.g. lead engineers) or project managers in stakeholder engagement, training needs assessment, and development of capacity-building programmes.
• Contribute to budget preparation, procurement processes, and identification of risks with mitigation measures. 
• Assist in drafting project agreements, amendments, and budget revisions in consultation with relevant stakeholders.

Training and Implementation Support

• Coordinate logistics for training sessions, workshops, and meetings (venues, materials, accommodation, catering, assessments, certification)
• Support the development of training materials and the integration of thematic inputs into delivery.
• Liaise with service providers, retainers and project stakeholders to ensure effective project implementation.
• Facilitate internal and external communications to minimize operational disruption and maintain consistent project delivery.

Monitoring, Reporting and Compliance

• Develop and update monitoring tools, progress tracking sheets, and risk/ issue registers.
• Collect, prepare and archive documentation related to training and project activities.
• Contribute to drafting and quality assurance of reports, meeting minutes, and donor/partner submissions.
• Track project milestones and alert managers on deadlines and reporting requirements.
• Ensure compliance with UNOPS policies, procedures and donor requirements.

Operational and Logistical Support

• Coordinate procurement, travel, transport and inventory management in support of project operations.
• Support HR-related project requirements (e.g. drafting terms of reference for positions, monitoring deliverables, recruitment activities, etc).
• Manage project files, shared drives, and document management systems to ensure real-time tracking and accessibility.

Knowledge Building and Sharing

• Support the organization, facilitation and delivery of training and learning sessions on project management.
• Participate in knowledge-sharing initiatives and Communities of Practice (CoPs), contributing insights and lessons learned.
• Conduct research on project management-related topics and contribute to the drafting of reports, summaries and briefing notes.

Required

• Secondary school (or equivalent) with 6 years of relevant experience OR
• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 2 years of relevant experience is required.

Desired

• A globally recognized professional certificate or membership in Project Management is desired.

Required

• Relevant experience is work in project management or related areas.  
• Demonstrable proficiency in the use of collaboration and productivity tools (e.g. MS Office, G-Suite, etc) and web-based management systems is required.

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.

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. 
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments. 
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.
  

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here. 
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda. 
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.