Shelter Engineer
Afghanistan
- Organization: IFRC - International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
- Location: Afghanistan
- Grade: Mid level - National Staff - Mid Level
-
Occupational Groups:
- Engineering
- Protection Officer (Refugee)
- Human Settlements (Shelter, Housing, Land, Property)
- Closing Date: 2025-10-14
Organizational Context
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with a network of 192 member National Societies. The overall aim of the IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by National Societies with a view to preventing and alleviating human suffering and thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and peace in the world.” The IFRC works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises.
The IFRC is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (Movement), together with its member National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The work of the IFRC is guided by the following fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.
The IFRC is led by its Secretary General, and has its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The Headquarters are organized into three main divisions: (i) National Society Development and Operations Coordination; (ii) Global Relations, Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalization; and (iii) Management Policy, Strategy and Corporate Services.
The IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The IFRC also has country cluster delegations and country delegations throughout the world. Together, the Geneva Headquarters and the field structure (regional, cluster and country) comprise the IFRC Secretariat.
As part of the Asia Pacific Region, the Afghanistan country delegation supports Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) through capacity strengthening and program implementation guided by the ARCS’s established strategic plan in the areas of health, disaster risk management, food security and livelihoods, social outreach, and organizational development.
A 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck Kunar, Nangarhar, and Laghman provinces on 31 August, affecting more than one million people and leaving thousands without shelter as winter approaches. This earthquake adds to multiple overlapping crises in Afghanistan, including mass returns from Pakistan, a nationwide humanitarian emergency affecting 23 million people, and operational constraints limiting humanitarian access and staffing. To effectively accompany the ARCS in responding to these crises, the IFRC Country Delegation in Afghanistan seeks a Shelter Engineer to be based in Jalalabad.
Job Purpose
The Shelter Engineer is responsible for supporting ARCS in implementation of shelter interventions outlined under the Northeastern Earthquake Operation. The Shelter Engineer reports to the Field Coordinator, with a technical reporting line to the Senior Shelter officer. The Shelter Engineer will be responsible for the assessment of the buildings impacted by the earthquake and subsequent aftershocks, as well as responsible for technical guidance and supervision to the technicians/masons, social mobilizers, volunteers as well as community people and beneficiaries. In addition, the Shelter Engineer will plan and take the lead in safe shelter awareness campaigns and support the mobilization of other technical and social staff. The Shelter Engineer will also ensure that all shelter interventions comply with international and national standards, provide technical leadership for quality assurance, strengthen the capacities of ARCS staff and volunteers, coordinate with internal and external stakeholders, and contribute to monitoring, documentation, and reporting of shelter activities to achieve the objectives of the operation.
Job Duties and Responsibilities
- Assess the HHs whose shelter is damaged due to the earthquake, using the Emergency Shelter and NFI Cluster standard tools and in line with applicable government guidelines.
- Conduct damage assessments and needs assessments related to Shelter.
- Facilitate the preparation and signing of beneficiary agreements for shelter construction.
- Design/amend community appropriate shelters and provide technical supervision and guidance throughout the construction.
- Assist the community in the preparation of bill of quantities and calculating associated costs.
- Ensure all shelter construction follows approved standards, procedures, and guidelines. Supervise and monitor the construction of shelters and provide necessary feedback to beneficiaries for the quality construction.
- Facilitate timely disbursement of cash assistance to beneficiaries, linked to verified progress of shelter construction.
- Conduct market assessments related to shelter and NFI’s items to inform programming and procurement.
- Ensure safety measures are implemented and maintained at all construction sites, in line with occupational health and safety standards. Ensure that activities are planned successfully according to relevant quality standards and work in close collaboration with the Emergency Shelter and NFI Cluster, local stakeholders and government counterparts.
- Attend and actively participate in field-level Emergency Shelter and NFI Cluster coordination meetings, sharing updates and technical inputs on behalf of ARCS/IFRC.
- Provide relevant technical expertise/guidance to ensure that technical quality and standards are maintained during project implementation.
- Ensure age, gender and diversity approach to Shelter & Settlement is consistently applied through community and rights based participatory methods.
- Work proactively to ensure that the projects are responsive and relevant to community needs.
- Ensure projects remain responsive and relevant to community needs, integrating sustainable, climate-resilient, and environmentally friendly approaches to shelter.
- Provide direct support to ARCS in relation to shelter interventions, including technical backstopping and capacity strengthening of staff, volunteers, and local masons/technicians.
- Providing monthly and progress reports of the intervention to the Field Coordinator.
- Mobilizing the mason/technician and social mobilizer for the Shelter construction.
- Assist in tender processes and contract administration for construction services (evaluation, design, engineering, site supervision and/or management, construction works) in accordance with IFRC / National Society standard procedures and existing regulations in country.
- Support integration of shelter activities with other sectors (e.g., WASH, health, livelihoods) to promote holistic community recovery.
- Carry out any other tasks or provide additional support as required or assigned by the line manager.
Education
Required:
- Bachelor’s Degree, in shelter-related sciences (E.g., Civil or Architecture Engineering).
Experience
Required:
- Minimum 3-5 years of relevant experiences.
- Experience in international organization – UN Agencies, INGOs, IOs, Donors, Red Cross Red Crescent.
Preferred:
- Experience in working in humanitarian interventions including large complex operations and/or development programmes.
- Experience in working with External Stakeholders.
Knowledge, Skills and Languages
Required:
- Strong knowledge of MS office and Engineering software- at least Auto CAD.
- Effective IT skills including word processing and spreadsheet.
- Good capacity building and management skills, including human resource and financial management, communications, and intercultural cooperation skills.
- Strong capacity-building, technical, supervisory, and problem-solving skills, and proven ability to work in shelter project management.
- Strong project planning, monitoring and evaluation, analytical interpersonal, and communication skills.
- Strong budget management and reporting, skills; and an ability to oversee multiple awards from a variety of donors.
- Good interpersonal skills with ability to travel field based on need.
- Proficient in spoken and written English
Preferred:
- Knowledge of local language i.e., Dari and Pashto.
Competencies, Values and Comments
Values: Respect for Diversity, Integrity, Professionalism, Accountability.
Core competencies: Communications, Collaboration & Teamwork, Judgement & Decision, National Society & Customer Relations, Creativity & Innovation, Building Trust.
Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.