Alessandra Menezes Rodrigues

lead a team responsible for the development, planning, implementation and monitoring of the portfolio of projects and programs at the UNOPS’ Country Office in Guatemala. The portfolio amounted to US$ 1.4 billion of highly complex projects in the areas of public health (medical supplies and equipment acquisition), institutional strengthening, infrastructure (design and construction of hospitals, roads, airports, schools and community-based facilities), technological modernization and livelihoods assistance.

The projects under my leadership actively contributed to the following Sustainable Development Goals:

• 3 (helping address health challenges, through resilient infrastructure and public procurement, ensuring greater efficiency, transparency, and effectiveness in public spending);
• 5 (promoting gender equality in infrastructure projects and other development initiatives);
• 6 (providing expertise and support in designing, building, and managing water and sanitation infrastructure);
• 7 (promoting access to clean and affordable energy sources, including renewable energy technologies);
• 9 (building resilient infrastructure, promoting sustainable industrialization, and fostering innovation in infrastructure development);
• 11 (supporting the development of inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities and human settlements);
• 13 (addressing the interconnected challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation).

My role also implies:

• Representation and strategic positioning of UNOPS mandate and external stakeholder engagement for the development of new partnerships, and fundraising;
• Relationship with senior government officials as well as multi-lateral organizations, development agencies, donors and NGOs;
• Participation in intergovernmental forums and key events, and development/management of communication and public information strategies;
• Serve as a member of the UN PMT (Programme Management Team) and as a Deputy at the UN Country Team (UNCT), collaborating with UN Results Groups and respective joint workplans;
• Straight collaboration with UNOPS´ Regional Office in Panama and HQ in Copenhagen, to guarantee alignment with global strategies and ensure organization-wide coherence and effectiveness in implementation and continuous improvement.

Key Results and Achievements:

• Leadership, strategic direction, guidance and best practice promotion to a highly complex portfolio of projects, which adds up to $1.4 billion dollars, with 150 personnel throughout the country.
• Establishment of a strategic Programme Management Office (PMO) with the following services lines:

- Collection and analysis of data to identify trends or patterns for data-driven planning, risk management and decision-making.

- New projects proposals development and internal approval follow up;

- Projects/Programs setup and kick-off;

- Onboarding and project management specialized induction to personnel;

- Projects governance and implementation troubleshooting;

- Portfolio monitoring and centralized reporting through customized dashboards;

• Human Rights Results-Based Management incorporation (specially gender perspectives) from the development of proposals to the evaluation of projects results and impacts.

Summary of duties:

• I overseed, provided direction, guidance and technical support to the implementation of USD550 million project, through which +920 million doses/units of medication and medical supplies were acquired and delivered into 120 medical units of the Guatemala’s Social Security Institute, beneficiating 3.2 million people and saving + 280M USD trough the introduction of the necessary modifications within the entity in order to strengthen its capacities, ensure greater efficiency, transparency and effectiveness in public spending.
• Another important component of this project was the Introduction to innovative technologies and establishment of higher standards for kidney treatments quality in Guatemala, serving more than 5,000 patients; alongside with service decentralization to improve patient access, increasing the number of regionalized treatment centers to 29 clinics, bringing medical attention closer to patients.

Key Results and Achievements:

• AMEDIGSS project has been awarded as a good example of a Fair and Equitable Public Management project, due to its contribution to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of public spending, while reducing opportunities for corruption;
• The project supported the coronavirus pandemic response acquiring more than 1.5 million units of priority Medical Material and 50,000 items of COVID-19 tests and related supplies;
• Introduction to innovative technologies and establishment of higher standards of kidney treatments quality in Guatemala, alongside with service decentralization to improve patient access to life-saving health services;
• I personally have been awarded a regional recognition as Project Manager for demonstrating example of collaborative leadership, ensuring quality standards, empowerment and commitment of the project team; and promotion of ethical values, equality and inclusion.

I served the Panama Operational Hub, which was constituted by 12 countries. During such assignment, I provided managerial direction and guidance to the Country offices operational teams.

Summary of duties:

• Preparing the Operations Centre financial plan and manage the budget process/cycle to ensure timely revisions and reallocation of funds;
• Monitoring, tracking and controlling expenditure, to ensure optimum and appropriate use of resources;
• Overseeing all human resource services/processes, including recruitment, salary administration and compensation, performance review, training and development;
• Managing the timely and efficient delivery of all administrative services, (e.g. premises, asset management, organizational and personnel security, travel and IT);
• Troubleshooting any issues related to the support services;
• Ensuring a respectful, inclusive safe and healthy work environment for personnel.

Key Results and Achievements:

• Development of RACIs and SOPs for the relationship between country-offices operational teams and Regional Office;
• Contributed to the formulation of strategies for the Operational Hub, suggesting innovative approach to its management and funding model;
• Establishment of network of operational practices to facilitate and increase knowledge-sharing and career development.

I joined UNOPS when its Brazilian Country Office was being settled, so being a small office and with a low budget. I was in charge of projects coordination across all disciplines, monitoring and evaluation, collaborating with CO´s Financial Sustainability.

• Besides contributing with an efficient and effective portfolio planning, management, and expansion, I ended up also establishing and managing the country office´s operations/support services (workforce planning and recruitment, procurement, finance, performance management, logistics and general administration).
• My role also implied relationship building with government, partners and stakeholders to ensure active collaboration, cooperation and alliances on programme development and implementation; in addition to significant knowledge building and sharing inside UNOPS (at local, Regional and HQ Levels) and towards UN system (BOS implementation).

Key Results and Achievements:

• I contributed to the country office settlement and with the deployment of its strategic objectives into an efficient and harmonic operation; in addition to the project’s outputs delivery to our partners.
• I implemented a culture of continuous improvement of the quality, timeliness and efficiency of country office's operations, by innovating and perfecting its processes and fostering the adoption of sustainable practices;
• I worked in close collaboration with the Ministry of Planning in the implementation of initiatives such as the Interministerial Commission on Sustainability in Public Administration.
• I also led the signature of a Memorandum of Collaboration with the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA) aimed at strengthening Intergovernmental articulation with Latin American and Caribbean countries to improve their regulatory frameworks.

Summary of duties:

I've joined the Taskforce for the 3rd International Conference about Small Island Developing States, held in Apia, from 1 to 4 September 2014.

• I provided strategic management advisory for the event; with special dedication to the logistical set up of the UN System Chief Executive Board (CEB) semi-annual meeting, which took place in Apia, during the conference.

Key Results and Achievements:

• 115 States and the European Union were represented at the event.
• The Conference was opened by the Secretary-General of the United Nations and eight plenary meetings, plus six multi-stakeholder partnership dialogues were held.
• The Conference drew over 3,000 delegates, which included representatives from 180 countries and various international and regional organizations, and civil society.
• The event ended up successfully executed as formally acknowledged in a letter sent by the United Nations CEB Secretariat Director, Mrs. Simona Petrova.

I planned, hired, and monitored the operations of a variety of ancillary structures and services to serve specific operational and commercial needs of the FIFA World Cup 2014 and the Confederations Cup 2013, including its opening ceremony.

Summary of duties:

• Analysis of FIFA's Requirements Booklet, including its architectural projects, technical descriptive and conceptual memorials; Articulation with FIFA logistical team and the Brazilian World Cup Organizing Committee, to integrate the different needs;
• Resource dimensioning (quantitative, budget, schedule) for procurement and HR;
• Field visits and meetings with suppliers and public authorities for detailing services;
• Technical advisory for the event/project planning, procurement processes and for human resources selection processes;
• Training and coordination of + 6,000 staff/volunteer, greeters/handlers.
• Monitoring of project's budget and schedule, alongside with preparation of high-level progress reports;
• Coordination of suppliers, ensuring proper quality and timeliness of the services.

Key Results and Achievements:

• The tournament took place in twelve Brazilian host cities with an overall attendance of 3,429,873 people.
• The event costed an estimated $11.6 billion. The biggest costs were the stadiums and the Urban Mobility Projects, which included improvement to the road and transport networks as well as integrated monitoring systems for all host cities. The Estádio Nacional in the capital, Brasilia, was demolished and completely rebuilt.
• Management of a complex project with numerous stakeholders, in which time was a huge constraint;
• Successful set up and operation of the temporary facilities in Brasilia/DF;
• Event successfully executed which can be verified by an Acknowledgement Letter issued by the Brazilian World Cup Organizing Committee.

As a member of the National Organizing Committee for the Rio+20: UN Conference on Sustainable Development, I have been involved in the project planning and management of the logistical set up of the event.

Summary of duties:

• Direct interaction with the UN Department for General Assembly and Conference Management (DGACM) and with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to define the logistical scope needed for the project;
• Market research and analysis of the operational capacity of potential suppliers at local and global levels;
• Budgeting of the entire project (of all acquisition required for the logistics infrastructure of the event estimated in US$ 30M);
• Technical advisory on project management and procurement processes (from the technical specifications development until the evaluation of proposals);
• Monitoring of the execution of the project plan, focusing on the services provided by contracted suppliers, ensuring timely delivery and quality.

Key Results and Achievements:

• Management of a complex project with numerous stakeholders, in which time was a huge constraint;
• The Conference was attended by 192 foreign delegations, 79 Heads of State and/or Government, and 54,000 participants;
• Successful set up and operation of the temporary facilities;
• Project successfully executed as stated by a Certificate of Appreciation issued by the Conference's Secretary General, Mr. Sha Zukang.

Within the framework of a partnership between UNESCO and the Brazilian National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN), I was assigned as the focal point of the Coordination and Promotion Department for planning and coordination of projects held by the institution.

Summary of duties:

• Detailing of all necessary contracts and conduction of market search to have an overview of available suppliers and average prices;
• Elaboration and monitoring of budgets; Preparation of Terms of References for procurement of services and for personnel selection processes;
• Analysis of the offers presented by bidders and elaboration of Evaluation Reports;
• Training and supervision of people;
• Follow up of the execution of contracted services.

Key Results and Achievements:

• Process mapping and redesign and development of Manuals and SOPs;
• Proposal of workflow for carrying out the technical cooperation activities;
• Planning and coordination of the execution of the 34th Session of the World Heritage Committee, held in Brasília, Brazil, from 25 July - 3 August 2010.
• The event was attended by 800 delegates from 187 member states of the United Nations.
• They discussed 40 declared items of 35 member states and reviewed the current situation of 31 items of world heritages in danger.