Construction Management Engineer

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 Addis Ababa, the Horn of Africa Multi-Country Office (HAMCO) delivers project management, procurement, and infrastructure services across Djibouti, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Sudan, with a primary focus on health, agriculture, and economic development. Established in 2009, HAMCO partners with governments and development stakeholders to implement impactful, results-driven initiatives that contribute to sustainable development. Since 2024, new projects have been aimed at expanding access to healthcare, education, energy, and livelihoods, particularly in underserved and conflict-affected regions. HAMCO also provides human resource management services, supporting the effective implementation of development initiatives. Key efforts include equipping research facilities, strengthening education and health systems, building vaccine research capacity, and enhancing resilience in communities affected by crisis. Through these interventions, HAMCO contributes to inclusive growth, regional stability, and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across the Horn of Africa.

HAMCO is implementing a number of funded projects which include infrastructure objectives in Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan. The selected candidate will work closely with the Project teams, international consultants and the local authorities to support the implementation of activities relating to the infrastructure objectives.

The  Construction Engineer will provide technical support to the Project Manager in the planning, design, implementation, and monitoring of infrastructure projects, ensuring quality, efficiency, and compliance with UNOPS standards and project objectives.

Under the supervision of the Project Manager or the Deputy Project Manager, the Construction Engineer may perform all or some of the following tasks aimed at delivering infrastructures:

1.Support assessments set up for the project objectives

Assessment preparation

• Conduct data research and analysis 
• Collaborate structuring the assessment and setting up the required tools  

Conduct assessment:

• Support the Project Manager with the coordination of the work of Data Collectors in the field. 
• Ensure UNOPS policy requirements 
• Collect and organise assessment data 
• Validate gathered data 

Analyze data:

• Perform data analysis by applying analytical and statistical techniques.
• Develop dashboards, tables, graphs, maps for data representation. 
• Perform quality control to ensure high accuracy during data analysis.

Report on findings:

• Draft comprehensive reports on assessments findings.
• Suggest possible courses of action for infrastructure interventions.
• Contribute to risk analysis.
• Outline prioritized needs and intervention options (immediate, medium-term, long-term).
• Document lessons learned to refine future assessments.

2. Support Planning of the infrastructure interventions 

 Conceptualize interventions:

• Support the development of feasibility studies, concept designs, draft Bill of Quantities (BoQs) draft schedules to support the planning of the interventions and decision making. 
• Provide input on long-term operation, maintenance, and community management requirements during assessment and/or planning phase.

Provide input into the applicable regulatory framework:

• Research and inform about the national legal and regulatory framework applicable to the planned interventions (on water and sanitation, environment, construction, etc.). 
• Flag relevant global standards and guidelines that should complement national regulations.

3. Development of infrastructure designs and issuing of design certificate

• Support technical site visits to validate design assumptions, collect measurements, and confirm constructability.
• Contribute and support to developing structural designs, prepare design briefs and BoQs ensuring stakeholders requirements, UNOPS quality and requirement standards, project’s objectives. 
• Support the design review process and the integration of the modifications needed to the revised design package.

4. Development of capacity building interventions

• Support the preparation of tailored capacity building plans based on the gaps and needs analysis. 
• Support and contribute to the development of capacity building training and material (courses, seminars, workshops, etc.).

5. Development of community engagement interventions

• Contribute to developing tailored community engagement plans based on the gaps identified in the needs assessment. 
• report  the community practices and dynamics in managing, maintaining and using the infrastructures and contribute to delivering management/operation and maintenance manuals and training to enhance efficiency, durability and sustainability.  
• Report  about community concerns, and issues throughout implementation.

6. Participation in construction procurement processes

• Support the preparation of construction works tender documents from a technical perspective.
• Support the tender processes, including but not limited to conducting pre-bid meetings, providing clarifications to bidders, leading site visits, participating in bids opening, etc. (acting in full compliance with the provision of the Procurement Manual).
• Participate in the evaluation of bids, conducting detailed and substantiated technical evaluations and verification/assessment of the references submitted by the bidders  (acting in full compliance with the provision of the Procurement Manual).
• Participate in due diligence processes on contractors/suppliers, including verification of technical capacity, past performance, certifications, and legal compliance for construction related services.

7. Monitoring, quality assurance and reporting on WASH interventions

• Contribute to the development of log frames of infrastructure interventions (inputs, outputs, outcomes, impact).
• Support the Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) with the definition of assessment indicators aligned with project objectives and global construction standards
• Contribute to set up and manage remote supervision systems (in collaboration with Data Analysts and ICT Specialists)
• Perform quality assurance and quality control for construction interventions. 
• Report timely and qualitatively on the progress of the constructions, with a focus on impact, quality, risks and issues, best practices and lessons learned.
• Conduct regular field monitoring visits to verify compliance with technical specifications, HSSE requirements, environmental and social safeguards, and contractual obligations.
• Support the verification and approval of contractors’ deliverables, including work completion certificates, test results, as-built documents, Operation & Maintenance manuals, and training reports.
• Ensure testing

8. Ensure supervision of construction sites, as assigned

• Implement Health Safety Security Environmental (HSSE) requirements
• Keep the construction schedule 
• Monitor quality of delivery
• Track progress
• Implement Environmental Social Master Plan (ESM) guidances 
• Identify and report technical issues
• Maintain documentation of site activities
• Monitor compliance  with contract requirements
• Report on progress, risks, delays, or changes to the project plan.
• Check Interim Payment Check’s (IPC) correctness

Required

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering  or equivalent plus 2 years of relevant experiene .

  
  

Desired

• Master Degree in Civil Engineering or equivalent may qualify with one year relevant professional experience 

Required

• A minimum of two years  relevant and progressive professional experience in construction and/or design of building infrastructures.
• Demonstrated experience in infrastructures rehabilitation, infrastructure design, conduction of assessments and post processing of assessed data, capacity building to communities on operation and maintenance programmes.

Desired

• Experience with UNOPS in the infrastructure sector

• Experience in Horn of Africa
  
  

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• Please note that 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. 
• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments. 
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 
• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities. 
• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

• 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.