Project Management Support Associate

Job Highlight

Drive impactful project outcomes through expert planning, coordination, and stakeholder collaboration.

About The Project Office The EU Support to Integrated Territorial Development – EU INTEGRA strengthens governance and fosters balanced socio-economic development in Serbia through an integrated territorial development approach. Funded by the European Union (EU) through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) 2024, the Programme is implemented under the leadership of the Ministry of European Integration (MEI), with two implementing partners: the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM) and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

EU INTEGRA builds on the achievements of the EU PRO Plus Programme (2021–2025), which introduced the Integrated Sustainable Territorial Development (ISTD) model to Serbia, developed 12 territorial strategies, funded 18 integrated projects, and strengthened alignment with EU Cohesion Policy and Chapter 22 of the EU acquis.

Targeting 144 local self-governments (LSGs) and regional development agencies (RDAs) across Šumadija and Western Serbia, Southern and Eastern Serbia, and Vojvodina, the Programme promotes the development and implementation of integrated projects through capacity building, technical assistance, and support for the use of EU territorial instruments such as Integrated Territorial Investments (ITI).

Through its two complementary components, EU INTEGRA aims to modernise public administration, enhance strategic planning, and prepare Serbia’s institutions for efficient use of future EU structural funds. The development of new territorial strategies, in line with EU Cohesion Policy 2021–2027 and Serbia’s Sustainable Urban Development Strategy until 2030, represents a key milestone in this process.

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.

Functions / Key Results Expected 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.

Education Requirements

Required

• Secondary school (or equivalent) with 6 years of relevant experience OR
• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 2 years of relevant experience is required.

Desired

• A globally recognized professional certificate or membership in Project Management is desired.

Required Experience Requirements

• Relevant experience is work in project management or related areas.
• Demonstrable proficiency in the use of collaboration and productivity tools (e.g. MS Office, G-Suite, etc) and web-based management systems is required.

Desired

• Experience of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing country is desired.
• Experience in development or humanitarian contexts is desired.