Overview
The Senior Operations Associate will serve as the primary operational focal point at field level for the UNOPS Integration Project and the CMS Phase II construction project in Tapachula. The incumbent will be responsible for coordinating and monitoring all operational, financial, administrative and reporting aspects of these projects.
Tasks Summary
- Act as the field-level operational focal point for the UNOPS Integration Project and CMS Phase II.
- Coordinate and monitor the full project lifecycle, including planning, implementation, monitoring, and closure phases.
- Ensure that construction and operational activities progress in line with approved scopes, timelines, budgets, and quality standards.
- Support the alignment of CMS Phase II infrastructure works with operational and service-delivery requirements.
- Closely monitor project expenditures, commitments and burn rates in coordination with UNHCR and UNOPS finance teams.
- Ensure accurate and timely financial and narrative reporting to UNHCR and UNOPS.
- Identify financial risks, implementation bottlenecks and variances, and propose corrective actions.
- Serve as the primary operational interlocutor with COMAR and other government counterparts regarding CMS Phase II and Integration activities.
- Facilitate coordination between construction works and operational actors to ensure uninterrupted service delivery.
- Support high-level meetings, technical discussions and field visits with authorities and donors.
- Ensure compliance with UNHCR, UNOPS and donor policies, procedures and accountability frameworks.
- Contribute to risk identification, mitigation planning and monitoring related to construction, operations and institutional coordination.
- Support internal reviews, audits and assurance processes as required.
- Contribute to operational planning, workplans and implementation strategies related to CMS Phase II and Integration.
- Provide analytical inputs, briefing notes and operational updates to senior management.
- Support transition and sustainability planning, including handover and capacity-transfer elements to government counterparts.
- Perform other related duties as required to support UNHCR-UNOPS operations in Tapachula.
Experience Requirements
- Minimum 4 years of relevant professional experience (or 2 years with a Bachelor’s degree) in operations, programme management, infrastructure projects or similar roles.
- Demonstrated experience supporting or managing complex projects, preferably involving construction or large-scale service delivery.
- Proven experience in financial monitoring, reporting and coordination in humanitarian or development contexts.
- Prior experience with UNOPS, UNHCR or other UN agencies (desirable).
- Exposure to construction or infrastructure-related projects (desirable).
- Experience working with government counterparts in sensitive operational contexts (desirable).
- Training in programme design, monitoring & evaluation (desirable).
- Completion of UNHCR learning programmes relevant to the functions (e.g. OMLP) (desirable).
- Knowledge of UNHCR's operational rules and procedures (desirable).
- Experience as Programme or Operations Associate and in COMPASS development training (desirable).
Qualification Requirements
For G7 - High School Diploma; or Bachelor or equivalent or higher, preferably in Business Administration, Economics, Political Science, Law, Engineering, Architecture or a related field is an asset.
