Project Manager

Project Manager Ashkhabad, Turkmenistan

Job Info

Job Identification 37147

Posting Date 10/12/2026, 06:17 AM

Apply Before 10/26/2026, 11:59 PM

Job Schedule Full time

Locations Ashkhabad, Turkmenistan

Agency UNDP

Grade NPSA-9

Vacancy Type National Personnel Service Agreement

Practice Area Health

Bureau Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS

Contract Duration 6 months

Education & Work Experience Master's Degree - 2 year(s) experience OR Bachelor's Degree - 4 year(s) experience

Required Languages English, Russian and Turkmen

Vacancy Timeline 2 Weeks

Job Description

Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

• Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
• Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
• Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
• Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life, as envisaged by 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We are on the ground in more than 170 countries and territories, working with governments and people on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners that can bring about results.

UNDP Turkmenistan has Health programme that includes projects funded by the Global Fund and by the Government of Turkmenistan (GoT). The Government of Turkmenistan is the principal donor to UNDP in Turkmenistan. During the previous programme cycle (2021–2025), the total volume of UNDP cooperation in the health sector amounted to approximately USD 207 million, of which USD 196 million was provided by the Government of Turkmenistan. For the new programme cycle (2026–2030), health projects totalling more than USD 56 million have already been signed, including USD 54 million in Government funding. Through these joint projects, UNDP supports a range of infectious diseases (TB, HIV, viral hepatitis, blood safety, and reproductive health), non-communicable diseases, maternal and neonatal care, rare diseases, and laboratory services.

In 2023-2025 UNDP implemented a project "Strengthening clinical laboratory services in Turkmenistan" (Lab-1), and upgraded 121 clinical laboratories across Turkmenistan. Those laboratories have been equipped with modern diagnostic equipment and can perform 9 categories of diagnostic testing covering more than 85 clinical laboratory parameters. This ensured that people throughout the country, regardless of their location or remoteness, now have access to timely and reliable diagnostic services. Based on successful implementation of Lab-1 project the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan and UNDP signed a new project "Strengthening clinical laboratory services in Turkmenistan in 2026-2027" (Lab-2). The goal of the Lab-2 project is to strengthen the potential of national healthcare system in clinical laboratory diagnostics of diseases. The project will support healthcare services to ensure the availability, accessibility, reliability and modern laboratory analyses for accurate and timely diagnosis of the most common illnesses, including infectious and noncommunicable diseases, surgery, emergency, maternal and child healthcare and others. The project will focus on laboratory capacity in primary healthcare facilities, but will also support secondary and tertiary care facilities.

UNDP Turkmenistan is seeking the Project Manager (PM) to coordinate the implementation of the project, provide strategic direction for the programme, ensure institutional capacity development and health system strengthening for wider health system issues.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Manager will be in charge of the following:

Ensure overall project management

• Management of the project a daily basis to achieve the performance indicators agreed with the donor and in line with the approved Budgets and Work Plans; Management and supervision of project implementation and evaluation across all components.
• Assess the programmatic impact and oversee the appropriateness and the accuracy of methods used to verify progress and the results.
• Analyse programmatic impact and takes decisions to correct possible deviations from targets.
• Assurance of successful completion of the project in accordance with the stated outcomes and performance indicators summarized in the Project Appraisal Document.
• Regular communication and coordination with the National Partner, members of the Project Board, and all other partners and interested stakeholders, with regard to all project activities. Organization of Project Board meetings at least twice a year.
• Regular communication with senior UNDP management with regard to all project activities. Assurance of coordination with other UNDP projects and broad strategic initiatives.
• Preparation of Annual Work Plans (AWP), including monthly targets and deliverables as well as annual spending targets in accordance with the Project Document. Tracking of work outputs throughout the year in light of these Annual Work Plans.
• Tracking and managing of project spending in accordance with the project budget, as well as UNDP rules and procedures, to ensure transparency, responsibility, and timely fulfilment of both program targets and budget targets.
• Preparation of regular progress reports (programmatic and financial) as per the requirements of UNDP and National Partner.
• Preparation and submission of annual Project Implementation Reviews and other required progress reports to the Project Board and UNDP in accordance with applicable requirements, in all required languages (English, Russian, and/or Turkmen, using outside translation as needed).
• Coordination of the work of international and national consultants engaged in the project.
• Supervision of regular data collection and analysis, as well as reporting and public outreach via the mass media, events, and other means, to disseminate the results of the project.
• Oversight of the overall administration of the project office.
• Travel to the project sites within Turkmenistan if required; possible travel outside the country for participation in directly relevant international meetings.
• Support during the project evaluations, if any.
• Plan the detailed actions according to annual work plans of the project approved by the Project Board and monitor progress against the initial quality criteria.
• Mobilize goods and services to initiate activities, including drafting Terms of References (ToR) and work specifications.
• Performs functions of Project Manager in Quantum (UNDP online system) for approval of requisitions. Manage requests for the provision of financial resources by UNDP, using advance of funds, direct payments, or reimbursement. Monitors financial resources and accounting to ensure accuracy and reliability of financial reports.
• Ensure the project activities are covered by the UNDP communication means regarding the project events, deliverables and key achievements.
• Prepare Final Project Review Reports to be submitted and presented to the Project Board.
• Identify follow-on actions and submit them for consideration to the Project Board.
• Manage the transfer of project deliverables, documents, files, equipment and materials to national beneficiaries.
• Prepare final CDR (Combined Delivery Reports) for signature by UNDP and the National Partner.
• In cooperation with the Head of Portfolio/ Programme Specialist, lead the process of developing and mobilizing resources for new projects in the areas of Project Manager’s expertise.

Ensure project financial resources management

• Act as financial manager and retain the ultimate responsibility for financial resources for accountability purposes.
• Ensure total accuracy and the highest level of transparency in the management of the Project financial resources in accordance with UNDP and national regulations and procedures.
• Ensure timely preparation of all necessary financial reports, including the Annual and Final Donor Reports, Quarterly Combined Delivery