Project Management Support Senior Assistant

The UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO) brings together diverse expertise to help partners deliver impact worldwide. With hubs in New York, Geneva, and Vienna, and expert teams operating globally, GPO leads multi-regional initiatives that advance sustainable development, climate action, and peacebuilding - including in some of the world’s most challenging environments. By leveraging our collective expertise and global networks, GPO supports UNOPS’ strategic priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals across more than 130 countries. We work closely with major global partners - including governments, international financial institutions, and UN agencies - to deliver a wide range of services, such as project management, fund management, hosting services, and HR support.

Not Required - part of GPO/NYPO

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) supports Member States in strengthening the rule of law, advancing good governance, and enhancing the effectiveness, accountability, and professionalism of criminal justice and security institutions. In The Gambia, UNODC works in close collaboration with national authorities, development partners, and regional stakeholders to support reforms within the security and justice sectors in line with international norms and standards.

UNODC is currently implementing several projects which require an increased operational demand for dedicated monitoring, evaluation and administrative efforts to support programme and project management procedures. The incumbent will play a critical role in supporting The Gambia programme office by ensuring accurate smooth day-to-day MEL and administrative operations, thereby enabling effective and timely project delivery. The position holder will ensure the quality and accuracy of work in accordance with UN rules and procedures.

The incumbent will also work closely with the Programme Coordinators on the respective projects and with colleagues from UNODC Vienna and the UNODC Regional Office for West and Central Africa (ROSEN) in Dakar, Senegal, to ensure efficiency, effectiveness and coherence.

The Project Management Support Senior Assistant provides administrative, monitoring and evaluation support to ensure effective delivery of projects. S/he supports project planning, monitoring, reporting, logistics, communications and documentation. 

Project Support

• Provide administrative and coordination support for project planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting in compliance with UNODC rules, regulations and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Assist in tracking project progress, deliverables, contracts, travel, workshops, and grants, ensuring timely follow-up and accurate documentation.
• Support the preparation of reports, briefing materials, and internal meeting notes for management and stakeholders.
• Maintain tracking tools and ensure that project and operational data are up to date and properly archived.
• Participate in regular team meetings to report on progress, upcoming priorities, and coordination needs.

Travel, Logistics and Workshop Support

• Coordinate and organize logistics for meetings, workshops, conferences and steering committee events, including travel, accommodation, catering and security arrangements.
• Process travel authorizations, expense claims, and reimbursements for personnel and partners in line with UNODC policies and procedures.
• Prepare and distribute workshop and mission materials, ensuring all logistical and administrative arrangements are completed in advance. 
• Liaise with vendors, venues and participants to ensure smooth execution of events and timely resolution of logistical issues.

Monitoring and Evaluation Support

• Support the monitoring of programme and project implementation against approved workplans, results frameworks, indicators, targets and timelines.
• Assist in the collection, compilation, verification and analysis of programme data and supporting documentation to track progress against planned outputs and outcomes.
• Maintain and regularly update programme monitoring tools, databases, dashboards and tracking systems to ensure accurate and timely information on implementation progress and results.
• Support the preparation of periodic programme, monitoring and evaluation reports, including analysis of achievements, challenges, risks, lessons learned and areas requiring management attention.
• Assist in conducting monitoring visits, consultations and follow-up with implementing partners and programme stakeholders to verify reported results and assess the quality and timeliness of implementation.
• Support the review and quality assurance of programme data and reports submitted by implementing partners, ensuring consistency, completeness and compliance with UNODC reporting and M&E requirements.
• Maintain an organized repository of monitoring, evaluation, reporting and programme performance documentation to support evidence-based decision-making, audits, evaluations and institutional learning.
• Support the tracking of recommendations arising from monitoring exercises, evaluations, reviews and project meetings, and follow up on agreed actions with relevant programme teams and partners.

Administrative and Logistical Support to Senior Management

• Provide administrative and logistical support to senior management, including scheduling, mission planning and preparation of travel documentation.
• Support coordination of senior-level meetings, donor/partner engagements, and high-level visits, including minute-taking and follow-up on action items.
• Process operational advances, minor procurement requests, and other administrative transactions in line with established protocols.

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 diploma (High School or equivalent) is required.

Desired

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in any relevant discipline, with 1 year of relevant experience. 

Required

• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience (combined with a Secondary School diploma), or 1 year of relevant experience (combined with a first university degree). 
• Relevant experience must be in project management or similar fields. 
• Demonstrable proficiency in the use of collaboration and productivity tools (e.g. MS Office, G-Suite, etc) and web-based management systems.

Desired

• Some experience of working in a UN System organization may be an asset.

• 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. 
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• 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.