Project Management Support - Associate at UNOPS

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 Nairobi, UNOPS East and Southern Africa supports sustainable development across 14 countries, including Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zanzibar, and Zimbabwe. Since 1995, UNOPS has expanded its footprint in Kenya, delivering services in project management, infrastructure, procurement, and financial management. Across the region, the office implements diverse, partner-funded initiatives that respond to national priorities. In Mozambique, this includes delivering specialized equipment (EU), supporting health services (UNICEF), promoting agro-processing (KOICA), and advancing peacebuilding efforts through a Multi-Donor Fund. UNOPS also supports agricultural input distribution and the Northern Crisis Recovery Project, both funded by the World Bank. In Malawi, efforts include developing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centres in partnership with the EU and the British Council. These initiatives reflect UNOPS’ commitment to strengthening national capacities, enhancing service delivery, and supporting progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the region.

Job Specific Context

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager and the overall guidance of the Head of Support Services, the Project Management Support Associate is responsible for providing support in the coordination, implementation, and monitoring of project activities. The incumbent will assist in managing a variety of processes and transactions related to procurement, logistics, reporting, and stakeholder engagement to ensure the smooth delivery of project outputs. The Project Management Associate will contribute to project planning, progress tracking, risk management, and documentation, ensuring compliance with UNOPS policies and supporting the successful delivery of goods, services, and works for the Business Unit.

Role Purpose

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.

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