Before being appointed as the Vice Governor of Irian Jaya, Herman Monim worked in the provincial government as the Head of Village Government Development Bureau[2] and as assistant to the Governor of Irian Jaya for the first territory (Jayapura, Jayawijaya, Paniai, and Merauke).
Monim was tasked to assist the governor in economic affairs and in governing the second territory (Biak-Numfor, Yapen-Waropen and Paniai).
Monim's office was initially located in Jayapura, but later moved to Timika, the de facto capital of the second region.
[6] However, the formation of the province was opposed by Irian Jaya's parliament, and on 16 October they enacted a decree which rejected the law, effectively deposing Monim from his office.
According to Douw, Monim's coastal background made him not accepted by rural highland communities of Central Irian Jaya.