Senior Civil Engineer (Retainer, multiple positions)

Contract

This is a IICA-3 contract. This kind of contract is known as International Individual Contractor Agreements. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's an external contract. It usually requires 7 years of experience, depending on education. More about IICA-3 contracts.

Background Information - Job-specific

Background Information - UNOPS 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.

UNOPS Corporate Retainer Pool UNOPS is managing a pool of Corporate Retainers to meet the need for temporary, short-term ad-hoc support to UNOPS business units across the globe in several expertise areas identified by the HQ business units and in consultation with the regional offices. The Corporate Retainer Pool (CRP) covers a wide range of expertise areas. The CRP is coordinated by the Portfolio Support team in the Infrastructure and Project Management Group (IPMG) however the Business Unit leading the expertise area supervises each position as relevant.

** IMPORTANT INFORMATION ** Retainer positions are not full-time positions. They constitute a contract whereby the Retainer may be requested to provide a specific output/deliverable within a specified period of time, on short notice. When holding a retainer contract, individuals may receive ad-hoc requests from the UNOPS project teams or country offices, and the quantity of requests will vary depending on the current needs. UNOPS shall have no obligation to obtain any minimum quantity of services from the Individual Contractor during the duration of the retainer ICA. It is possible to have multiple consultancy contracts with or outside UNOPS, as long as it is declared to the UNOPS Ethics Office. Read more about the ICA retainer modality here.

****

This retainer position falls under the UNOPS Corporate retainer pool, yet the retainer’s services will be primarily used by the Design Review team in Infrastructure and Project Management Group (IPMG). The Design Review team will be responsible for the technical onboarding and supervision of the Senior Civil Engineer (Retainer).

The functions/responsibilities/key results of this job description are generic and may not always be applicable, nor be comprehensive, for all missions under this job title. The specific tasks and deliverables for each retainer assignment may vary and will be detailed in the terms of reference developed for each assignment. Under this contract type, assignments may vary in scope and duration - ranging from short term assignments of a few hours at a time to longer blocks of time (e.g. several weeks or months full time, and up to a year). Work may also vary with regards to the time zone / location. Whilst most assignments can be delivered working from home, some may require presence in HQ and/or international travel on occasion, including to remote or post-conflict environments, subject to the incumbent’s agreement. Whilst the successful incumbent can be based in different time-zones, s/he should be able and willing to ensure a degree of time overlap with the teams ordering the retainer’s services. Assignments for the Design Review team typically range from 16 working hours to 32 working hours and can be performed home-based (no travel required).

All corporate retainers are invited to participate in a one-hour induction session (or two 30 minute sessions) where they are guided through relevant UNOPS tools, the retainer contract modality and their expertise area in the UNOPS context.

While the contract modality for this Vacancy Announcement is an ICA retainer contract on project or assignment basis, UNOPS may offer on a need basis a full-time employment for a specified consecutive period of time (up to one year maximum) - with the possibility to go back and forth between the two contract modalities, pending acceptance of the incumbent of the assignments proposed to him/her.

Functional Responsibilities

The home-based Senior Civil Engineer will be responsible for the provision of engineering services to IPMG work streams, country offices, and project teams. The scope of these services will be defined with each request for services and may include technical review, design, and guidance for infrastructure designs, including designs of high complexity (IICA3).

The Senior Civil Engineer will play a key role in ensuring the safety, functionality and quality of UNOPS infrastructure works. On a request basis from IPMG and country offices, the Senior Civil Engineer will be expected to fulfill the following responsibilities in line with industry standards and applicable national and international codes and guidelines:

1. Technical review of design documentation Review structural design drawings, technical specifications, and BOQs in terms of accuracy and suitability to overall design requirements, identifying aspects where designs do not comply with minimum codes and standards and IPMG policies, and providing practical guidance for design improvement.

2. Support to design development Applying technical expertise and professional experience, the Senior Civil Engineer will support projects by providing guidance in the development of designs to achieve technical objectives.

3. Application of professional judgment To ensure the safety, functionality and fitness of infrastructure while recognizing the circumstances and constraints of the UNOPS operational context, the Senior Civil Engineer will be required to apply professional judgment in the application of relevant codes, standards, and IPMG policies.

4. Independence, integrity, and objectivity In the performance of professional services, the Senior Civil Engineer will act as an independent technical expert, free of conflicts of interests, and must be able to maintain the integrity of his/her technical opinion.

Competencies

Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organization. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organization. Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles. Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role). Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries. Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements. Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving. Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education requirements: - Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering or similar, preferably with specialty in Structural Engineering from an accredited university - Bachelor's Degree or equivalent with two additional years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of Master’s Degree (9 years of experience).

Work Experience:

Required experience: - At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in civil engineering or similar, preferably with experience in structural engineering, rehabilitation and construction of new buildings OR transport infrastructures (bridges, tunnels, etc.).

Desired experience: - Understanding of and experience with structural modeling and calculations of the stability, strength and safety of existing structures, including loads, stresses and safety factors, among others is highly desired. - Understanding of and experience with assessment of blast damaged structures and associated assessment of collapse mechanisms, alternative load paths and overall safety/stability of structures is highly desired. - Understanding of and experience in the development infrastructure sector is desired. - Knowledge of sustainable and resilient approaches to structural engineering and green technologies is an asset. - Knowledge of seismic-resistant design and calculations is an asset.

Languages: - Fluency in English is required. - Fluency in Ukrainian is required. - Fluency either in Spanish OR French OR Russian is an asset.

Certifications - Membership of a Professional Institution at Chartered / Professional Eng / Eur Ing or similar is an asset.

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: International ICA

Contract level: IICA3/ICS11 Contract duration: 1 year with possible extension subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link: https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

Additional Information

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• 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.

Terms and Conditions

• A retainer Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA) is issued for a period of time during which the services of the individual contractor may be required intermittently.
• A retainer ICA will specify a unit price (e.g. amount per day actually worked). For budgetary purposes, a monetary limit will be specified at the time the ICA is awarded and issued.
• UNOPS shall have no obligation to obtain any minimum quantity of Services from the Individual Contractor during the duration of the retainer ICA.
• Payment will be made only after completion of work (if any) or reaching agreed milestones.
• A retainer ICA does not accord any exclusivity to the Individual Contractor with respect to the Services listed in the job description. UNOPS shall have no limitation on its right to obtain Services of the same kind from any other source at any time.
• UNOPS Individual Contractors must comply with the standards of conduct required of a UN civil servant, when carrying out their official UNOPS responsibilities and also all other times. This includes the standards of conduct set forth in the UN Secretary-General’s Bulletin of 9 October 2003 entitled “Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse” (ST/SGB/2003/13) and the UN Secretary-General’s Bulletin of 18 June 2002 entitled "Regulations Governing the Status, Basic Rights and Duties of Officials other than Secretariat Officials, and Experts on Mission" (ST/SGB/2002/9) as they may be amended from time to time.
• UNOPS Individual Contractors must comply with all applicable UNOPS policies and instructions. This includes the obligation to declare any outside activity that could result in an actual or perceived conflict with the interests of the UN; as well as to refrain from using information gained through the UNOPS Individual Contractor Agreement contract for the Individual Contractor’s own purposes or to help a third party (unless the information is already in the public domain), in particular but not only in relation to procurement of works, goods and services.
• UNOPS Individual Contractors must abide by UN safety and security policies, instructions, directives, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.
• The standard terms and conditions of the UNOPS ICA as of the present date can be found at https://content.unops.org/HR-Documents/ICA_contract/Annex-A-ENGLISH.pdf
• 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.