Chief of Unit, Engineering

Contract

This is a P-4 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 7 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 137,183 USD and 176,869 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

Org. Setting and Reporting This position is located in the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia (UNVMC) in Bogota. The Chief, Engineering reports to the Chief Service Delivery Section. The Chief, Engineering is responsible to provide expert technical advice on technical documents and overall policies, procedures and guidelines pertinent to the mission’s engineering activities, taking into account quality management and risk management best practices. S/he establishes work requirements and priorities, based on the mission’s deployment status and mandate. Develop short and long-range plans for the design, procurement of goods/services, construction/commissioning, and operation/maintenance of the field mission’s facilities and infrastructure.

Responsibilities Within delegated authority, the Chief, Engineering will apply professional engineering knowledge and expertise in performing the following duties:

1. Administration - Develops short and long-range plans for the design, procurement of goods/services, construction/commissioning, and operation/maintenance of mission facilities and infrastructure, taking into consideration that missions are typically established in areas with a risk-environment of medium to high threat, and in areas with minimal power, communications, transport and service infrastructure. Mission facilities typically include modularized camps for troops and civilian staff, logistics bases and airbases with all required utility infrastructure for electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems and security works. Design, construction and maintenance of road infrastructure, for the movement of personnel and goods amongst the mission facilities, are also commonly performed. - Prepares reports and other associated engineering-related information, for progress reporting, and special reports for quality, cost or schedule variances. - Drafts responses to both internal and external audit observations on engineering tasks and activities in the mission.

2. Planning - Contributes to the development of annual engineering budgets and associated work schedules, based on engineering resource planning, taking into account all required engineering material needs and selected enabling capacities (e.g. commercial contractors, mission support teams, or mission engineering staffing) for the most effective and efficient execution of the engineering work plans. Monitor actual costs and schedule performance against the approved budget and baseline schedules. - Keeps abreast, through relevant engineering literature, of significant trends and the development of improved methods and equipment. - Prepares the mission’s engineering staffing management plan, and acquires, develops, and manages all engineering staff members in support of engineering work plans. - Conducts preliminary site investigations to obtain field data such as soil characteristics, drainage and other data required for building site selection. Develops technical data regarding materials, sizes, dimensions, and quantities and costs to be incorporated in formal specifications.

3. Implementation - Provides expert technical advice on technical documents and overall policies, procedures and guidelines pertinent to the mission's engineering activities, taking into account quality management and risk management best practices. Recommends solutions to unusual engineering problems. - If applicable, fully supports with limited staffing during the mission start-up and liquidation phases, the site selection/assessment process and asset disposal process, respectively. - Performs duties related to asset and material management including daily notifications in dedicated software for issuance of inventory in close coordination with the Central/Integrated Warehouses. - Supervises contractor(s) in implementation of facility maintenance works in wide range, inspects and verifies routine and scheduled maintenance in offices/camps.

4. Performs other related duties as assigned by the Chief Service Delivery and/or the Chief Mission Support.

Competencies Professionalism: Ability to manage diverse Engineering operations. Knowledge of institutional mandates, policies and guidelines pertaining to engineering operations and related matters. Demonstrates ability to complete in-depth analysis and to formulate conclusions/recommendations. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines, and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

Leadership: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow; Empowers others to translate vision into results; Is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; Establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; Anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; Drives for change and improvement, does not accept the status quo; Shows the courage to take unpopular stands.

Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; Places team agenda before personal agenda; Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients ” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; Identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; Keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; Meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Education Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in Architecture, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related fields. A first level university degree in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job - Specific Qualification Certification in Project /Programme Management methodology by an accredited body (i.e., PMP, PGMP, PRINCE 2 Foundation Project Management certification or practitioner level) is desirable.

Certification as Chartered Structural/Civil Engineer/Architects is desirable.

Work Experience A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience with facilities and infrastructure, or similar, in the areas of planning, designing and supervising engineering-related construction/commissioning projects, and managing routine and non-routine maintenance and repairs is required.

Seven (7) years of supervisory experience at the international level in project management and contract management for large design/construction projects and facilities maintenance programs is required.

Experience in the field of Engineering and Contract Management in a field operation of the United Nations Common System or similar international organization or non-governmental organization in a conflict or post-conflict environment is desirable

Experience in establishing Scope of Work (SOW), technical evaluations for third party contacts, Low Value Acquisition (LVA), Purchase Orders (PO) and invoicing procedures is desirable.

Experience in management of sustainable environment design techniques is desirable.

Experience using Umoja or similar ERP systems is desirable.

Experience in Performance Management, data management, performance reporting (i.e. Power BI) is desirable.

Experience in using AutoCAD software for design and layouts is desirable.

Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English (both oral and written) is required. Knowledge of Spanish is desirable.

Assessment Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice This post is funded for an initial period of one year and may be subject to extension.

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff, as per the Secretary General´s Gender Parity Strategy. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. #United_for_Gender_Parity

Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.

Candidates interested to work for the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia may wish to check out our Realistic Job Preview videos to get an idea of the living and working conditions in different duty stations in Colombia.: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-8SCkVjg-e3073SwTDG1VQf1oLTWfUQ4

The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat as of 28 February 2021, are strongly encouraged to apply: Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, China, Comoros, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Djibouti, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Norway, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Suriname, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

United Nations Considerations According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.