Lead Civil Engineer

Background Information - Ghana Multi Country Office (GMCO)
GMCO is responsible for managing strategic and operational risks associated with a subset of the regional portfolio of engagements, developing and delivering cost effective services contributing to partners’ sustainable results and achievements of UNOPS management results.

• Liaise and develop engagements, and deliver services responding to partner needs.
• Leverage advice and integrate delivery modalities of the three Delivery Practices and the Global Partner Service Office.
• Maintain appropriate arrangements and capacity for direct transactional support for delivery of the sub-regional portfolio.

The Gambia has one of the fastest urbanisation rates in sub-Saharan Africa, with the GBA already accounting for 68% of the total population. This has resulted in several environmental and socio-economic problems including deforestation, soil erosion, pollution and waste generation, as well as stress on health, education and employment services.   These have been exacerbated by the lack of an urban masterplan for  Banjul (which has not been updated for nearly 20 years) and the absence of a planned response to the growing economic activity of the city. Likewise, the absence of an updated cadastral map and insufficient data on taxable properties in the Greater Banjul Area has resulted in the municipalities being able to collect only a small portion of their potential revenue from property taxes. With inadequate funding available from the central government, there is increased pressure on the municipalities to explore innovative revenue generation mechanisms to effectively deliver basic services.

Despite these challenges, the investment climate in The Gambia is growing in attractiveness to investors and is expected to improve with accelerated investments via the next prospective flagship project of the Port Expansion and the current opening of the new trans-Gambian bridge. It is imperative that the city has the proper instruments in place to prepare for increased urbanization, traffic flows and vulnerability to climatic change.

The Gambia Duty Stations are managed by the Gambia Country Office based in Banjul, The Gambia.

The overall objective of the project entitled "Reinforced Access of the Most Vulnerable Populations to Markets and Socio-economic facilities through a Feeder Road Rehabilitation Programme" is to enhance socio-economic development around the road network in the Gambia, West Africa.  The project involved the reconstruction / rehabilitation of about 104km of rural gravel feeder roads using a mix of traditional works contracts and labour based methods through Contractors. The project is financed by the European Union (EU) and is being implemented by UNOPS.

The Lead Civil Engineer will be responsible for coordinating, planning, organizing, monitoring, analyzing, and reporting on the Defects Notification Period (DNP) of the completed Rural Gravel Feeder Roads and any other Infrastructure/Engineering task that will be assigned in response to the Country Office needs.

The Lead Civil Engineer  is responsible to understand the literature for the rural gravel feeder roads in the Gambia, including the Project Initiation Documents (PID), the technical documents including As-Built drawings and data, updated bills of quantity, specification, health and safety, social and environmental and quality documents (eg. test and material approval reports) related to the constructed Feeder roads.

• Plan, coordinate and implement DNP monitoring schedule as per each contract

• Provide supervision for quality of defect rectification works ensuring that construction is as per works drawings, specifications and associated quality criteria and in accordance with the defect categorisation timeline and Bill of Quantity (BoQ)

• Utilise relevant quality tools and templates for checking and reporting on quality, in a manner that tracks nonconformances and manages them efficiently to ensure continuous improvement, with a target towards minimising and eliminating rework

• Utilise relevant Health, Safety, Social and Environmental (HSSE)  tools and templates for checking and reporting on quality, in a manner that tracks nonconformances and manages them efficiently to ensure continuous improvement, with a target towards minimising and eliminating rework

• Take timely action to prevent potential delays and/or cost overruns that can be avoided

• Report and recommend remedial actions regarding potential delays and/or cost overruns to the Engineering Team

• Provide data and information on DNP implementation at the frequency required by the Project Manager,  detailing all project matters including QHSSE and financial, as well as any issues relating to possible delays, cost overruns, variations and any other matter as agreed.

Design Management (as necessary during DNP)

• Coordinate  design changes and associated review in response to defects where applicable.

• Manage the design plan ensuring deliverables are available on time, and to the required quality.

• Prepare revisions or new items for the BoQ for comment and approval by the Project Manager

• Collect requisite input and develop  Final “As built” drawings post DNP

Stakeholder Management

• Establish solid working relationship with the DNP stakeholders as detailed in the DNP Monitoring Plan

• Manage communications and ensure stakeholders are aware of project activities, progress, exceptions and are in a position to accept handover completed products (final handover post DNP)

Delivery and Performance

• Implement approved DNP plans 

• Embed sustainability dimensions including social and gender inclusion, environmental and economic aspects into the DNP stage.

• Manage the production of the required products, taking responsibility for overall progress and use of resources and initiating corrective action where necessary

• Assist in Identification and management of risks so that maximum benefit to client and stakeholders is achieved

• Manage and review product quality and ensure products are accepted

• Monitor and evaluate performance of service providers

Knowledge Management

• Participate in the relevant Communities of Practice (internal UNOPS groups set up for sharing of information)

• Provide feedback to Practice Leads on policy, supporting guidance with an aim towards continuous improvement of UNOPS policies

• Complete lessons learned as per reporting format

• Incorporate lessons learned from others as per planning format

The effective and successful achievement of results by the Lead Civil  Engineer directly impacts on achievement of the projects and consequently reinforces the visibility and image of UNOPS as an effective service provider in project services and management and strengthens its competitive position as a partner of choice in sustainable development and project services.

A.  Education

• Advanced University Degree (masters degree) in Civil  Engineering or other relevant discipline

• University Degree (bachelor’s degree )  in Civil Engineering with a combination of 2 additional years of relevant professional experience will be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree

• A relevant combination of academic credentials and/or industry certifications and qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the education requirements outlined above.

B.  Work Experience

• Minimum five (5)  years work experience in the supervision of infrastructure projects and at least one(1) year in a Road Construction Project

• Minimum five(5)   years work experience in the use of Quality, Health, Safety, Social and Environmental systems and procedures

• Knowledge and experience in use of AutoCAD is required

• Work experience in UN Organisations or International Organisations is desirable

D. Certifications

• Certification with Engineering  Professional Body (added advantage)

Contextual Skills

Civil Engineering Experience

Stakeholder Management 

Multi-site construction projects

Infrastructure skills

Design development and  Management

Construction implementation

Construction Supervision

Contract Administration

Quality Management

Health and Safety Management

Environmental and Social Management 

• Contract type: Local Individual Contract Agreement 
• Contract level: LICA 10/ ICS 10
• Contract duration: Ongoing ICA – ‘Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.’

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• Banjul & Basse are Family Duty Stations
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types.
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

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

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

Africa Region

AFR helps ensure that projects are executed to the highest standards, providing a shared knowledge base and ensuring that best practices and lessons learned are disseminated between projects across the entire region.