WASH Civil Design and Construction Consultant

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, deliver

The government of Kiribati in 2016 launched the KIRIBATI 20-YEAR VISION (KV20) to transform Kiribati into a wealthier, healthier, and peaceful country. As part of this vision, the Government aims to extend access to potable water to all households by 2036 and to increase access to suitable sanitation facilities to all households by 2036. As part of the development support towards improving the socio-economic status of the people of Kiribati, the government of Kiribati launched the EU-Kiribati Partnership for sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development. To achieve this partnership the EU is working with the Government of Kiribati and UNICEF to target the Line Islands namely Kiritimati, Tabuaeran and Teraina Islands.

As part of the actions under this partnership UNICEF and Ministry of Line and Phoenix Island Development (MLPID) are working together for the improvement of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services in Communities, Schools and health care facilities (HCFs) in the Line Islands, which is critical for realizing Education and health objectives as well as preventing the spread of COVID-19. Communities, Schools and health care facilities within the Line islands lack basic WASH services, especially in the outer islands of Teraina and Tabuaeran. In responding to this situation in the Line Islands, UNICEF under the Building Resilience through Improved Sanitation (BRIS) program is providing support to bridge existing WASH access gaps in 1712 households, 13 schools and 10 HCFs in the Line Islands, with upgrading and development of WASH Infrastructure.

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF and the MLPID are looking for local contractors to provide WASH Infrastructure designs and Supervision services in project target communities, schools and schools. The contractor will be required to work closely with the respective Island Councils and government advisory and enforcement bodies, e.g. Water and Sanitation Department (WSD), MLPID Building and Engineering Department, Ministry of Education (Island Education Coordinator), and the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (Medical Assistants).

The purpose of this assignment is to provide surge capacity urgently needed to the MHMS, MoE and MLPID, to support the: 1. Support MLPID Civil and WSD teams in the finalization of WASH infrastructure designs and BoQs: The Consultant will support WASH infrastructure assessments in communities, schools and health facilities. Based on assessment support development needed designs and BoQs. 2. Conduct community and institution-based consultations on cultural acceptability of finalized and approved WASH designs: the consultant will support/lead designs presentation and needs assessments in communities to determine cultural acceptability and help contextualize according to outer island needs and availability of services and supplies. 3. Supervision of WASH infrastructure construction: with funding from EU, UNICEF and the Government of Kiribati (MLPID), have hired the services of local contractors to carry out construction work in communities, schools and health care facilities in the Line Islands. The consultant will support UNICEF with the development of appropriate designs, provide orientation to the contractors on the new designs and standards required, and supervise the construction/installation of water, sanitation and handwashing stations, to ensure compliance with standards and approved designs. 4. Document Line WASH Infrastructure improvement: The Consultant is required to collate final designs for future reference and document WASH construction being undertaken under the EU BRIS project to inform ongoing UNICEF WASH programmes Kiribati.

The consultant is expected to provide this support for a period of 11 months, from September 2022 to July 2023. Working through and with the three ministries (Ministry of Line and Phoenix Island Development, Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Ministry of Education,) as well as conducting field visits and consultations. Due to the unexpected demand for this consultancy, ongoing monitoring of the work needed within the existing WASH programme and COVID19 activities will be done to determine if an extension may be required.

Scope of Work:

UNICEF is working with MLPID to address WASH infrastructure needs in schools, HCF and communities in the Line islands in support of the MoE, MHMS and MIA. Due to COVID-19 MLPID engineers and technicians are actively engaged in the expansion of Islands quarantine capacity to meet future commercial flights in support of its tourism-based economy. This work has stretched the engineering capacity of MLPID who are also engaged in other KV20 projects in the Line and Phoenix Islands, this has limited the support they can render to the BRIS project. With the delays in project implementation there is a need bridge this gap for a quick turnaround time on needed engineering support. In view of these constraints UNICEF seeks to contracting a Civil Design and Construction Officer who will work under the guidance of UNICEFs Construction Engineer to finalize and develop WASH designs for use in BRIS project and contribute WASH sector design compendium. The tasks of the consultancy will include:

• The development of quality engineering designs and BoQs. This includes the reviewing of existing designs and in some cases create new water, sanitation, and handwashing station options.

• Conduct consultations with communities and institutions on cultural acceptability and application at island level.

• Collate final designs and document community consultations for future works and knowledge sharing

• Work closely with MLPID quality assurance and design teams to ensure all relevant approvals are obtained for designs, BoQs and infrastructure constructed.

• Support MLPID and UNICEF in training of relevant departments within the three ministries, island councils, water technicians, communities, schools, health facilities and contracted local contractors on the approved designs

• Develop procurement plan and support the drafting and finalization of tendering and contracting documents for WASH system construction in the Line Islands.

• Supervise the actual construction of agreed designs in target Communities, Schools and HCF.

• Support the three ministries in quality assurance activities to ensure that WASH constructions meet agreed standards. • Support Sanitation and Hygiene Manager in monitoring and review of Feacal Sludge consultancy deliverable Work as UNICEFs Construction liaison with MLPID, MoE, MHMS, Island Councils and communities

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• A University Degree in Civil Engineering, Water Supply and Sanitation Engineering or a relevant field
• At least 5 years of experience working in Civil Engineering.
• Experience designing water and sanitation systems.
• Experience working in island-level water and sanitation implementation and construction.
• Demonstrate a high level of communication, facilitation and people management skills.
• Ability to operate at a high level, in a complex, changing environment, anticipate risk and respond flexibly to changing circumstances.
• Experience in monitoring and reporting, particularly the preparation of concise, evidence-based project reports.
• Strong computing skills, including CAD, GIS, Excel, Word and water modelling software.
• Understanding of gender issues in WASH.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

Re-advertisements remark:

This re-advertisement is open to nationals of Kiribati or individuals with valid work permits. Previous applicants need not to reapply.