Quantity Surveying Senior Associate

The UNOPS Africa Regional Office, based in Nairobi, Kenya, oversees the delivery of over 250 projects across 40 countries, with a focus on fragile and conflict-affected settings. Supported by more than 1,000 personnel across five multi-country offices—spanning North, West, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Horn of Africa—the office advances national priorities through strategic initiatives in Climate Action, Health, Infrastructure, Peace and Security, Middle-Income Country Support, and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The Regional Office provides strategic leadership, operational support, and oversight in key areas including Partnerships, Communications, Management and Oversight, Infrastructure and Project Management, Health and Safety, and Security. By promoting excellence in project delivery, fostering knowledge sharing, and driving continuous improvement, the office contributes to sustainable infrastructure, transparent resource management, and a better quality of life for communities across the continent.

Based in Nairobi, UNOPS East and Southern Africa supports sustainable development across 14 countries, including Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zanzibar, and Zimbabwe. Since 1995, UNOPS has expanded its footprint in Kenya, delivering services in project management, infrastructure, procurement, and financial management. Across the region, the office implements diverse, partner-funded initiatives that respond to national priorities. In Mozambique, this includes delivering specialized equipment (EU), supporting health services (UNICEF), promoting agro-processing (KOICA), and advancing peacebuilding efforts through a Multi-Donor Fund. UNOPS also supports agricultural input distribution and the Northern Crisis Recovery Project, both funded by the World Bank. In Malawi, efforts include developing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centres in partnership with the EU and the British Council. These initiatives reflect UNOPS’ commitment to strengthening national capacities, enhancing service delivery, and supporting progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the region.

This position operates within the Technical Support Unit (TSU) in a dynamic engineering environment, supporting critical infrastructure projects across various regions. The role is essential for managing and integrating diverse quantity surveying processes, ensuring accuracy and compliance in cost estimation, bid evaluation, contractor payments, and project documentation. The Senior Associate Quantity Surveyor will contribute significantly to efficient resource allocation and project financial integrity, often in challenging operational contexts.

The Senior Associate Quantity Surveyor manages and integrates specialized quantity surveying processes, including detailed quantity take-offs, preparation of Bills of Quantities, cost estimations, and contractor payment valuations. S/he coordinates with procurement teams, leads documentation efforts, and contributes to project financial assessments, ensuring professional standards and compliance to support UNOPS project managers and overall project delivery.

• Taking-off and calculation of quantities from Architectural, Civil & Structural, Mechanical and Electrical drawings and details

•  Prepare detailed Bills of Quantities, to professional and accurate standards

• Prepare valuation of contractors’ payments and variations on behalf of TSU for UNOPS project managers

•  Prepare preliminary cost estimates

• Assist in developing bid and or pre-qualification list as well as responding to and negotiating bids

• When required, work with the procurement team in evaluation of bids and writing tender reports

• Coordinate team efforts in assessments, design, financial tender evaluations and assessment reports

• Work with other Quantity Surveyors in the TSU to collect and maintain construction cost data

• Draft specifications and requirements as required

• Lead TSU efforts on orderly documentation storage and project knowledge management on Google Suite

Required

• Bachelor's Degree in Quantity Surveying, Civil Engineering or any other related field

Desired

• Professional certification in Quantity Surveying.

Required

• Seven years or more of relevant professional experience, or three years or more with a relevant bachelor’s degree or one year or more with a relevant master’s degree.

• Experience of working with UN or other Humanitarian /Development agencies (UNOPS) will be highly regarded.

• Candidates with experience working on International /local projects in conflict / disaster prone areas will be preferred.

• Experience working inbusy Engineering environment will be well regarded

Desired

• Knowledge and capacity to prepare Bills of Quantities for building works in Microsoft excel to professional and accurate standards.

• Familiarity with WinQS, QS Cad and other relevant Quantity Surveying softwares.

• Experience in Google Suite is desirable

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. 
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments. 
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.
  

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here. 
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda. 
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.