Portfolio Senior Manager - Recovery, Preparedness and Mine Action Unit

Job Highlight

Lead a strategic and high-impact portfolio driving recovery, preparedness, and mine action initiatives in Ukraine and Eastern Europe. This role offers the opportunity to shape large-scale programmes, strengthen institutional capacity, and deliver sustainable solutions in a dynamic, post-conflict environment while engaging with key national, international, and donor stakeholders.

About The Group

The UNOPS Ukraine and Eastern Europe MCO (UEMCO) operates in Ukraine, Moldova, and Poland, supporting urgent humanitarian needs while building pathways for recovery and development. In Ukraine, UEMCO delivers large-scale infrastructure, energy, housing, education, and mine action projects in partnership with UN agencies, international financial institutions, the European Union, and bilateral donors. Its agile portfolio responds to fast-evolving needs with strong procurement and implementation capacity. In Moldova, UEMCO supports justice sector reform and is exploring opportunities to expand its role across public sector modernization and infrastructure. In Poland, UEMCO works with government and private sector actors to strengthen ties with UN procurement and contribute to Ukraine’s recovery, leveraging Poland’s EU experience to support Ukraine’s future accession and integration.

Role Purpose

The Portfolio Senior Manager (PSM) – Recovery, Preparedness and Mine Action Unit is an integral member of the Ukraine & East Europe Multi-Country Office (UEMCO) and provides strategic leadership and management of a multidisciplinary portfolio focused on recovery, preparedness, resilience, and institutional strengthening.

Reporting to the Head of Programme (HoP), the PSM is accountable for the overall direction, performance, delivery oversight, and coherence of the Unit’s portfolio of projects and technical workstreams. The role provides leadership to Project Managers and technical personnel, including senior project leadership responsible for major projects within the portfolio, ensuring delivery remains aligned with national priorities, partner requirements, donor expectations, and UEMCO strategic objectives.

The PSM oversees portfolio planning, prioritisation, resource management, performance monitoring, and risk management. The PSM contributes technical and operational inputs to PPSU-led pipeline development processes within the Unit’s delegated thematic areas of responsibility, including mine action and associated technical services supporting systems strengthening, recovery, and preparedness outcomes. The role ensures effective coordination across projects, promotes delivery quality and implementation readiness, and supports the development of practical, scalable, and sustainable interventions.

The position operates within a defined and delegated thematic space for external engagement and technical representation. In delivering these functions, the PSM collaborates closely with relevant UEMCO units, particularly the Partnerships, Programme and Support Unit (PPSU).

The role combines senior portfolio leadership, people management, internal coordination, selected external representation within delegated authority, and cross-functional collaboration to strengthen portfolio coherence, organisational impact, and partner support.

Functions / Key Results Expected

Summary of functions:

• Portfolio Delivery and Performance
• Opportunity Development and Portfolio growth
• Monitoring and Reporting
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Assurance, governance and Performance Management
• Knowledge Management and Innovation
  
  

Personnel Management

Portfolio Delivery and Performance

• Lead the management and performance of the Recovery, Preparedness and Mine Action portfolio in line with UEMCO strategic priorities.
• Translate agreed office priorities into actionable portfolio plans, delivery priorities, and performance targets.
• Provide strategic inputs to the Head of Programme and senior management on opportunities, risks, and portfolio performance issues.
• Oversee projects and programmes supporting national recovery, preparedness, institutional strengthening, and mine action objectives through Project Managers and technical teams.
• Ensure compliance with relevant standards, due diligence requirements, safety measures, and quality controls.
• Ensure appropriate governance, delivery arrangements, and financial oversight are maintained across the portfolio in accordance with project agreements and UNOPS requirements.
• Review portfolio and project performance, assess constraints, and ensure timely corrective action and escalation of risks to UEMCO management and/or Project Boards where required.
  
  

Opportunity Development and Portfolio Growth

• Maintain effective working relationships with government counterparts and relevant stakeholders within the Unit’s delegated thematic space.
• Identify and support opportunities where recovery, preparedness, and mine action interventions can advance recovery outcomes, institutional readiness, and economic activity.
• Provide technical leadership and operational inputs to PPSU-led opportunity identification, programme development and pipeline management processes within the Unit’s delegated thematic responsibilities.
• Provide inputs to concept notes, proposals, briefings, and partner solutions in collaboration with relevant UEMCO teams, including PPSU as appropriate.
• Support early-stage project preparation, feasibility analysis, costing, implementation readiness, and strategic assessment of opportunities.
  
  

Monitoring and Reporting

• Oversee preparation and issuance of portfolio and project reporting in accordance with Partner and UNOPS requirements.
• Review portfolio and project status against agreed performance criteria including scope, cost, schedule, quality, and results.
• Ensure Project Managers maintain required reporting, delivery tracking, and milestone management across the project lifecycle.
• Support audit activities, including planning, coordination, and follow-up on observations and recommendations.
  
  

Stakeholder Engagement

• Maintain effective working relationships with relevant counterparts, donors, UN entities, IFIs, and technical partners under the guidance of senior management and in coordination with PPSU where partnership, donor or programme development issues arise.
• Support strategic engagement and technical representation through effective communication of UNOPS capabilities, delivery performance, and portfolio priorities.
• Represent UNOPS in relevant coordination mechanisms, technical fora and external engagements, as specifically delegated by senior management and in coordination with PPSU and Communications where donor, partnership or institutional messaging issues arise.
• Coordinate with relevant UEMCO units, particularly PPSU, on partnerships, programme development, and external engagement matters.
  
  

Assurance, Governance and Performance Management

• Monitor delivery progress, pipeline actions, financial performance, and results across the portfolio.
• Ensure compliance with UNOPS rules, donor requirements, security protocols, and quality standards.
• Coordinate corrective actions where delivery constraints or bottlenecks arise.
• Promote lessons learned, evidence-based decision-making, continuous improvement, and partner confidence through effective governance and performance oversight.
• Ensure timely reporting, visibility of results, and escalation of material risks and issues where required.
  
  

Knowledge Management and Innovation

• Promote the incorporation of relevant practices, approaches, and technologies to strengthen portfolio delivery and results.
• Oversee lessons learned processes and ensure lessons, good practices, and delivery experience are captured, shared, and reflected in future planning and implementation.
• Ensure Project Managers maintain appropriate knowledge management and lessons learned practices throughout the project lifecycle.
• Encourage effective capacity building, knowledge sharing, and participation in relevant Communities of Practice.
• Provide feedback to Practice Groups on policies and guidance to support continuous improvement.
  
  

Personnel Management

• Manage staffing structures, consultants, budgets, and operational resources across the Unit.
• Lead, supervise, and support Project Managers, technical personnel, and other team members to promote high performance, accountability, and collaboration.
• Foster a positive, inclusive, and respectful working environment and ensure the highest standards of conduct are maintained.
• Promote teamwork, diversity, and effective people management through timely guidance, coaching, and performance oversight.
  
  

Create, foster, and role-model a culture of respect and zero tolerance for discrimination, abuse of authority, harassment, sexual harassment, and sexual exploitation and abuse.

Effective performance of this role contributes to:

• Contribution to growth of a high quality UEMCO portfolio.
• Strong national and local preparedness capacities.
• Strengthened national mine action capabilities and safe land release outcomes.
• Improved recovery readiness and implementation capability.
• Improved support for development of funded programmes.
• High-performing delivery pipelines with strong risk management.
  
  

Education Requirements

Required

• Advanced University Degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in International Development, Public Administration, Economics, Political Science, Urban Planning, Social Sciences, or a related field with a minimum of seven (7) years of relevant experience is required; OR
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in International Development, Public Administration, Economics, Political Science, Urban Planning, Social Sciences, or a related field, with a minimum of nine (9) years of relevant experience, may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
  
  

Desired

• PRINCE 2 Foundation or equivalent is desirable.
  
  

Required

Experience Requirements

• Minimum seven years of progressively responsible experience in programme, portfolio, or project leadership.
• Experience in crisis, post-conflict, or recovery contexts.
• Experience engaging government counterparts, partners, and institutional stakeholders.
  
  

Desired

• Experience in Ukraine, Eastern Europe, or comparable operating contexts.
• Experience in mine action, recovery infrastructure, resilience systems, preparedness, or specialized technical sectors.