Background Information - UNOPS

UNOPS – an operational arm of the United Nations – supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by successfully implementing its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian, and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management, and human resources.

Working with us

We are proud of our people. With a wealth of knowledge and skills in various disciplines – engineering, finance, human resources, ICT, leadership, project management, procurement, and more – they help tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time. Their work around the world supports progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).


At UNOPS, we offer a range of short- and long-term opportunities in various environments and duty stations – from Denmark and Kenya to Mexico, Switzerland, Myanmar, Senegal, Uganda, and many more.

Diversity

With over 5,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,400 personnel recruited on behalf of our partners, spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced and diverse labor force — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs. We continually strive to maintain our gender-balanced workplace. We encourage qualified underrepresented groups as per UNOPS Gender, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy to apply for our vacancies.

Background Information - Afghanistan

Country-Specific Information

With more than 20 years of experience in the country, UNOPS Afghanistan focuses on providing maximum support to the people of Afghanistan through the delivery of projects and services that improve the lives of people in need. The UNOPS Afghanistan Country Office (AFCO) serves as an organizational mechanism to deliver a range of projects for which UNOPS has been designated as the implementation agency. At present, UNOPS AFCO activities cover a range of sectors including humanitarian, basic human needs, cash for work, infrastructure, development, procurement and HR services.

The functional objective of UNOPS AFCO is to contribute to improving the lives of girls, boys, men and women living in Afghanistan. The aim of UNOPS AFCO is to provide efficient and cost-effective implementation services on behalf of all our partners to support the humanitarian response and development of the country. UNOPS AFCO’s mission is to exceed the expectations of all stakeholders in the delivery of AFCO services, at all times, in all places, in all circumstances, in order to improve the lives of Afghans in need.

Background Information - Job-specific

The Infrastructure for Basic Human Needs in Afghanistan (IBN) project is an initiative aimed at promoting social and economic development at the local level within Herat province, an area significantly affected by a series of earthquakes in October 2023. This project is committed to the construction and rehabilitation of critical community infrastructure, prioritizing aspects such as safety, earthquake resilience, and adherence to the “building back better” philosophy, all while maintaining respect for the local cultural context. Additionally, the project contemplates employing the “Cash for Work” implementation modality as a strategic measure to revitalize livelihoods and stimulate economic activity in the region.

Functional Responsibilities

• Leading a team of national engineers, architects and quantity surveyors to ensure effective participation of the team in the delivery of overall strategy for the post disaster (or development assessment, design and building construction and refurbishment projects, form assessment to handover inclusion design management and support to the procurement team in the procurement phase.

• Lead the technical component of the strategy and approach to reconstruction or development initiatives, in participation with the team members, other projects colleagues, UN agencies and other stakeholders

• Delivering on-site building construction and refurbishment works under the project ensuring quality of work exceeding specification requirements, meeting time and cost targets specified and maintaining high level of satisfaction of all stakeholders concerned.

• Checking drawings, specifications and other design and construction documentation to ensure accuracy and constructability, identify potential design and construction issues at early stages well before they occur, and provide advice to the team on effectively resolving them.

• Working with the contractors and their staff on a daily basis to ensure delivery is maintained at the required level to meet project quality, time and cost targets.

• Working with the Health, Safety, Social and Environmental (HSSE) Officer and other team members, ensure the HSSE aspects are effectively managed to meet project HSSE targets.

• Organise regular site meetings, chair the meetings, discuss the issues, provide efficient and effective solutions to issues, prepare minutes of meetings and submit to the PM for approval.

• Oversee the site progress reports prepared by team members, guide them on better reporting, ensure useful reports are produced meeting AFOC report quality requirements, and submit them on a regular basis to the PM.

• Taking into consideration the difficulties encountered in working in an environment such as Kabul, Afghanistan, ensure effective relationships are maintained with all stakeholders at all times. 

• Working with the QA/QC Engineer, ensure the site works are delivered to the highest possible quality standards, setting a good example for other UNOPS projects.  Ensure high level of satisfaction of stakeholders on quality of work.

• Manage the process of design changes where required, obtain necessary approvals and implement them to ensure minimum disturbance to site work.

• Proactively manage contractor variations following acceptable procedures, negotiate with the contractor to ensure value for money for the Client, implement variations and systematically record them.

• Manage and certify contractor payments and submit them to the PM for approval.  Maintain accurate payment records for all contracts at all times.

• Resolve on-site and off-site contractual disputes with contractors amicably to minimize the need for escalating issues to higher management.

• Provide regular updates and communication with contractors, the PM, Government stakeholders, other team members and UNOPS Procurement, Human Resources, QA/QC and Project Management Office (PMO).

• Ensure that the contractors fully understand and implement the provisions of UNOPS policies and requirements in all aspects including HSSE and Gender.

• Capacity building of UNOPS local project staff, interns and Contractor’s staff where necessary to ensure knowledge and skills are imparted to them to deliver the project more effectively and efficiently and to help them build their careers in the future.

• Thoroughly understand and apply instructions and guidance from applicable norms and standards including the UNOPS Design Planning Manual, International Building Code (IBC) and applicable international and national codes, standards and specifications. 

 Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education

• An advanced university degree (e.g. Master) in Civil Engineering, Construction, or Architecture or other related field is required. A first-level university degree (e.g. Bachelor) in the abovementioned fields in combination with two (2) additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.

• PRINCE2® Foundation is desirable. 

Experience

• Experience delivering vertical and horizontal infrastructure construction projects in a development or post-conflict or post-disaster environment is essential.

• Minimum 7 years leading, managing and overseeing horizontal and or vertical infrastructure project design and implementation teams and construction contractors.

• Experience in multiple cultures/locations (capacity to adapt to other cultures) is necessary.

• Within the required 7 years:

• - A minimum 4 years managing team of engineering and or construction related employees is required

• - A minimum 4 years of similar experience in developing countries especially central Asia is desirable

• - Two years’ experience liaising with donors, local counterparts and beneficiaries, working in international aid funded projects is an desirable

• Close familiarity with construction industry standard forms of contract such as FIDIC and design standards is required.

• Previous experience managing building construction projects in Afghanistan is desirable.

Language Skills

• Fluency in English is required.

Please click on the below link for actual vacancy announcement to see the complete details and submission guideline as this is only an attempt for attracting female applicants for gender parity in organization. Please make sure you fill your profile/application properly with all relevant details in order to be considered for the next stage of recruitment/selection.

https://jobs.unops.org/pages/viewvacancy/VADetails.aspx?id=28709