Shelter and Infrastructure Advisor

Starting Date / Initial Contract Details

February 2026. Full-time, Open-Ended contract

Role Summary

The Shelter and Infrastructure Advisor helps develop sectoral strategy, policies, guidance and tools to ensure consistent, strong technical quality in Medair’s Shelter activities and contribute other sector teams  with technical infrastructure support. They provide strategic and technical advice to the Global Support Office (GSO) and country programmes and contribute to the development of the sector through engagement with the cluster.

Project Overview

The Quality, Accountability and Compliance team are qualified technical sector advisors who develop, lead, monitor and evaluate technical aspects of Medair’s operations in the country programmes to promote excellence in programme design, implementation and compliance with international and donor standards. They provide technical advice and support to management and project staff, coordinate and network with global clusters and other NGOs, and advise on assessment and survey design for existing and new project areas.

Workplace & Conditions

Global Support Office (GSO) position based in Lausanne, Switzerland, Swiss or eligible EU citizens, or those with a valid work permit for Switzerland. Remote work is possible, conditions apply.

Responsibilities

• Strategy development: Develop, review and implement a strategy for Shelter in Medair in line with Medair’s global strategy. Support the development of sectoral aspects of country strategic plans.

• Best practice: Be up to date with global sectoral best practice and apply this to the development, review and refining of Medair’s policies, guidelines and tools and ensuring the availability and use of these tools.

• Cross-sectoral technical support: Provide advice to staff, provide and review designs and provide support for supervising construction-related activities across the sectors (Shelter, WASH, Health and Nutrition) at GSO, in the country programmes and Global Emergency Response Team (G-ERT).  

• Representation: Represent Medair at global Shelter cluster events, maintain connections with partner organisations and donors. Accompany the Medair Engagement team in fundraising efforts.

• Staff development: Matrix manage S&I and DRR focal points in the country programmes, assist in recruitment and briefing of new technical staff. Provide resources for professional development of staff.

Qualifications, Experience & Technical Competencies

• Masters-level university degree in Civil or Structural Engineering or Architecture.

• Internationally recognised professional accreditation / registration (P.E., C.Eng, RIBA, REG, etc.) is desirable

• Excellent English (spoken and written), Good French is desirable

• 8 years of post-qualification in a relevant field

• 3 years of technical experience in humanitarian contexts.

Behavioural Skills

• Structured and strategic thinking

• Problem solving, analysis and synthesis

• Strong servant leadership skills with a consultative management style in an inter-cultural setting.

• Adapted high-level communication and negotiation

• Ability to teach, motivate and coach technical staff

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Team Spiritual Life

Reflect the values of Medair with team members, local staff, people we serve, and external contacts. Work, live, and pray together in our Christian faith-based teams. Fully contribute to a rich spiritual team life, including team devotion, prayer, and words of encouragement.

Before you apply

Please ensure you are fully aware of the:

1. Medair organisational values.

1. Medair is committed to safeguarding the protection of beneficiaries, volunteers, staff and partners, and particularly children. Therefore, we do not employ staff whose background we understand to be unsuitable for working with children. Medair staff are required to give the utmost respect to, and comply with, Medair’s accountability policies and best practices.

1. Medair Relief & Recovery Orientation Course (ROC) (which forms part of the recruitment selection process for field positions).

Application Process

To apply, go to this vacancy on our Medair page. Please do not make multiple applications. We will not review email applications. Only English-language applications / CVs will be reviewed.

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