Principal Structural Engineer - Retainer( Senior Structural Engineer)

Background Information - Ghana Multi Country Office (GMCO)

Background Information – Country Specific

The Nigeria Duty Stations are managed by the Nigeria Country Office based in Abuja, Nigeria.

Nigeria is considered a key player in the West African region, with an estimated population of 200 million and accounts for about 47% of the total population of West Africa. Nigeria is considered a High Priority Country for UNOPS GMCO; being a fragile country with a complex development profile and possessing a high risk of humanitarian emergencies and disasters. Likewise with high donor interest and demand for implementation support, Nigeria is viewed as a country in which UNOPS can add value and scale-up efforts by its partners to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly the Government of Nigeria.

The last donor-funded project implemented by UNOPS ended in June 2018. The office was reopened in April 2019 and high-level efforts are ongoing to secure donor funded projects. Our objective for 2020 is to consolidate the implementation of our Strategy 2018-2021 - to become Known, Recognized and viewed as a Resource for our development partners on the ground, delivering on our mandate of infrastructure, procurement and project management. A healthy pipeline of engagements are at various stages of discussion with our priority partners  including international financial institutions, UN agencies, bilateral and multilateral donors.  

The Senior Structural Engineer is part of the Infrastructure/ Engineering Team, with Primary Supervisor based in GMCO and direct reporting line to the Country/Project Manager in Nigeria on the day-to-day operations.  The Principal Structural Engineer is required to have extensive design and construction experience. He/she is expected to meet and exceed the organization's performance and delivery goals.

Specifically, the Senior  Structural Engineer will be responsible for the following substantive tasks involving the following but not limited to:

Technical - Design and Construction

• Working closely with Project team in the planning of projects, scheduling of tasks and developing an integrated project design

• Preparation of comprehensive Structural Assessment of various types of Infrastructure and Engineering design in accordance with UNOPS, local and international standards

• Adopting context appropriate technology/techniques and embedding sustainable solutions as well as whole life-costing in the design development process

• Use of Engineering drawing and Structural Analysis software such as AutoCAD, Revit, MathCAD, PLS-CDD, StaadPro or similar in design development 

• Review designs and modification in terms of accuracy and ensure suitability to overall design requirements, including identifying improvements in the designs and be able to propose practical solutions

• Development of  Drawings, Technical specifications, BoQs etc to support the Design Review Package and subsequently Tender Dossier

• Contribute to Design Review process to address feedback from Independent Design Reviewers until receipt of Certificate of Design review compliance

• Collaborate with the Procurement Team in the preparation and evaluation of tender documents 

• Periodic site supervision and monitoring to ensure that the work is done according to the Works Contract (ie drawings and technical specifications etc), as well as to the required quality standards and in adherence to Health, Safety, Social and Environmental requirements

• Assist with  testing and commissioning for handover and acceptance of deliverable to Client

• Contribute to the production of As-built drawings 

• Archive files for all design documentation, memos and instructions in correct format  and in line with UNOPS archiving procedures

• Timely delivery of the expected output and identification of risk of delay and development of mitigation measures

• The Senior Structural Engineer will also be required to respond to other related tasks that will be assigned in response to the Country Office needs.

Reporting

• Actively support the Project Team and all relevant stakeholders with the supply of data and information including, but not limited to, Structural Engineering designs and drawings, project implementation and completion reports and and other related documents

• Ensure accurate and timely reporting of implementation plan progress 

• Prepare and submit to the Country/Project Manager a weekly or monthly (or as requested) report, summarizing progress of task, risk, issues and any other pertinent facts as required

• Produce any appropriate documentation identified by the Technical Team Leader in a professional and accurate manner

Knowledge sharing

• Ensure highest standards of knowledge management, ensuring quality and complete archiving of project Infrastructure products 

• Contribute to the project evaluation process; highlight challenges associated with the project and feedback into a continuous improvement cycle.

• Provide training and knowledge transfer to national/contractor personnel

• Contribute to the dissemination and sharing of best practices and lessons learned for development planning and knowledge building.

A.  Education

• Advanced university degree (master or equivalent) in Structural Engineering

• University Degree (bachelor’s degree / first level) in Structural Engineering with two (2) additional years of relevant work experience will be accepted in lieu of Master’s Degree requirement.                              

B. Work Experience 

• A minimum of seven (7) years past experience in Building  Infrastructure development and management with focus on Quality, Health, Safety, Social and Environmental management  is required

• Past experience working with Government institutions and/or donor funded projects is an advantage

• Knowledge of the UN system and familiarity with UNOPS procedures is an advantage

C. Language Requirement

● Full working knowledge of English is required

● Knowledge of another official UNOPS language is an asset 

Contextual Skills

• Multi-disciplinary planning
• Work experience in Sub Saharan Africa 

Infrastructure Management skills

• Design development and  Management
• Construction implementation
• Construction Supervision
• Contract Administration
• Quality Management
• Health and Safety Management
• Environmental and Social Management 

 E. Certification

• Professional certification with an a Recognized Engineering Professional Body with a valid license to practice .

• Contract type: Local Individual Contract Agreement (LICA)
• Contract level: LICA 11/ ICS 11
• 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
• 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.