Junior Portfolio and Project Management Specialist
WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles
Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis, and we are committed to promoting diversity and gender balance
Job Title: Junior Portfolio and Project Management Specialist
Type of Contract: Junior Consultant
Division: TECR
Duty Station: Rome/HQ
Duration: 11 months
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT:
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian agency, fighting hunger worldwide. WFP Technology Division (TEC, formerly known as IT) is the digital business engine of the World Food Programme, providing the business with multi-pronged and resilient technical capabilities able to respond with the agility required in humanitarian operations, be they manmade or in a natural disaster setting.
Technology and connectivity are rapidly reaching some of the most vulnerable people and places affected by crisis, but they are also increasingly expanding to the services responding to those same crises. As one of the main humanitarian actors, WFP has the opportunity and the obligation to leverage data and technology to better know and serve those in need by digitally transforming the way it works. Such ambition led to a plan aimed at establishing, integrating, and mainstreaming – in the next two years – the core elements of an end-to- end digital business process.
As such, the Technology Division (TEC) has embarked in a transformation journey to become a flexible, customer-centric, digital leader and is currently looking for a Junior Portfolio and Project Management Junior Consultant Specialist to join the Resource Management branch (TECR) and support the way in driving greater discipline and project management standardization across the TEC function.
The incumbent will apply his/her financial, business analysis, and project management skills and techniques to ensure that the TEC project teams have the necessary support and coordination to meet field and other stakeholders’ needs and expectations.
The incumbent will report to the Planning and Control Manager-TECR.
ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:
Within the context described above and in collaboration with relevant colleagues within the branch, the division and externally, the incumbent will be responsible to:
- Monitor and track on a monthly base of the progress of the divisional workplan by highlighting blockages and overall performance to teams and management.
- Collaborate and coordinate proactively with branch Portfolio Focal Points to review the progress of TEC portfolio by assessing their updates, analysing financial data, following up on issues and initiating corrective actions as appropriate.
- Analyse and evaluate the financial data inherent to the divisional portfolio; measuring its value against its progress (e.g. budget allocated versus budget consumed).
- Support with the development of divisional reports/dashboards that reflect the progress of the Portfolio aimed at management decision making with great focus on financial resources status.
- Help with the monthly labour resource assignment reconciliation and financial consumption analysis in collaboration with Talent and Development and Fund Management.
- Contribute to the development and implementation, when necessary, of frameworks and processes aimed at standardizing and streamlining the project management approach within TEC, such as providing support for implementation of the OKR model across the entire division (Objective and Key Results).
- Support as needed on the yearly Divisional Workplan and Management Planning Processes.
- Any other duties as assigned.
DELIVERABLES:
- Monitoring and tracking the progress of projects and ongoing works part of the divisional Portfolio, identifying blockages and performance by analysing defined Objectives, Milestones and Key Results.
- Creation of monthly and quarterly reports reflecting the progress of the divisional portfolio with increased focus on the status of financial resources.
- Implementation of the OKRs model among the division of TEC capable of making the project management lifecycle process smoother and more efficient.
- Delivery of any divisional reports/dashboards aimed at supporting managerial decision making.
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
Education
University degree in Business Administration, project management, finance, or related field.
Experience:
Less than 1 year of experience in project and/or fund management, preferably within an IT or a humanitarian context.
Technical Skills & Knowledge:
- Theoretical and practical project/fund management knowledge
- Proficiency in project management software tools
- Strong analytical and organizational skills
- Highly developed written communication skills
- High proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel and Power Point)
- Strong team player coupled with demonstrated ability to work autonomously
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment
- Creative and committed
- Good communications skills, with customers, team and stakeholders
- Ability to effectively prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment is crucial
Language:
Fluency in oral and written English. An intermediate knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian) or Portuguese (one of WFP’s working languages) is desirable.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
WFP offers a competitive compensation package, which will be determined by the contract type and selected candidate’s qualifications and experience.
Please visit the following websites for detailed information on working with WFP.
http://www.wfp.org Click on: "Our Work" and "Countries" to learn more about WFP's operations.
Deadline for applications: 16 November 2022 at 11:59pm Rome time (CET/CEST)
Qualified female applicants and qualified applicants from developing countries are especially encouraged to apply.
WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.
No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.
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