VAC-11812 Project Engineer

Organizational context:

• Our client supports the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian & development projects around the world. Their mission is to serve people in need by expanding the ability of the United Nations (UN), governments & other partners to manage projects, infrastructure & procurement in a sustainable & efficient manner. Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, their vision is to advance sustainable implementation practices, always satisfying or surpassing its partners’ expectations. 

• With over 7,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, our client offers its partners the logistical, technical & management knowledge they need, wherever they need it. A flexible structure & global reach means that the organization can quickly respond to partners’ needs, while offering the benefits of economies of scale. Our client in Somalia is a good example of where they are increasingly involved in complex implementation in areas of peace & security with multi million dollar projects to support police development & justice involving countless stakeholders in a hugely complex & politically charged environment.

Somalia Country Office (SCO):

• Somalia is amid major new political & security developments that will offer a greater possibility for peace & security than the country has seen in over 20 years. The Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), established in 2012 & international community have driven a process of rebuilding of functioning government institutions & processes through Somalia’s peacebuilding & state building priorities under the Somali compact (2013 – 2016), based on the Busan “new deal for engagement in fragile states” agreement. The Somalia National Development Plan (NDP) 2017 – 2019, builds on this foundation laid by the compact & sets the priorities for national recovery & development in full collaboration with national & regional governments.  A landmark electoral process in late 2016 & early 2017 resulted in a peaceful transfer of power to a new President & government, in place since February & March 2017 respectively. The government has set out an ambitious agenda for its term (the period to 2021). At the London Somalia conference in May 2017, a security pact was agreed by Somalia & the international community, which will allow for sustainable, long term security based on mutual accountability.

• Our clients Somalia Country Office (SOCO) is largely focused on assisting partners with the implementation of physical infrastructure projects including construction & rehabilitation of rule of law infrastructure, transport infrastructure (roads, airports) &d public administration infrastructure. They also plays a leading role in supporting the FGS in the implementation of various donor funded projects & programs.

Job specific information – Technical Assistance to Somalia Crisis Recovery Project (TA – SCRP): 

• Our client will implement sub component 3.1 building emergency response capacity at hospitals of the additional financing for the Somalia COVID – 19 emergency vaccination project funded by the World Bank (WB). Our client will rehabilitate six regional hospitals, one in each Federal Member State (FMS) of Somalia as well as in Banadir. The effort will include developing capacity for blood transfusions, respiratory therapy, triage response, solar powered oxygen & isolation centers’. Further, it will help upgrade the infrastructure & develop the capacity to manage climate emergencies, including preparedness & response plans, creating a climate emergency hospital response team & upgrading medical capacity to handle the impacts of climate shocks (such as malnutrition, injuries, drowning & climate sensitive diseases).

The Project Engineer provides technical assistance & expertise with reference to the design & construction works as well as field coordination, ensuring high quality & consistency of work, for the a / m construction works. S / He promotes a collaborative, client focused, quality & results oriented approach in the project team. S / He will report to the Senior Project Manager (SPM). The Project Engineer will complete the below activities whenever requested on area covered by his / her duty station:

Feasibility study / needs assessment:

• Complete needs assessment, organize preliminary studies & monitor / supervise consultants.

• Support the review of requests for new construction & rehabilitation works.

• Carry out assessments & prepare reports with recommendations for follow up actions.

• Assist the SPM in redacting the tender dossier, with particular focus to the technical documents (drawings, BoQ, technical specification & standards).

Design management:

• Assist the SPM to outline design requirements (e.g. timeline) to procure design services, including concept, preliminary & final stages where applicable.

• Review & verify the proposed design changes submitted by the design.

• Assist the procurement team with technical assistance in preparation of tender documentation & bid analysis where required.

• Monitor the performance of all internal & external architectural & engineering work related to the project, emphasizing on time & on budget performance & monitoring compliance with design guidelines & contract terms.

• Monitor the development of the overall design process from conceptual design through schematic & detailed / contract documents.

• Assist in the process of the design reviews throughout the design process from conceptual design through schematic & detailed / contract documents.

• Ensure the design is reviewed for constructability reviews to successfully meet the schedules & project budgets.

• Monitor submittals by the design consultants to obtain approvals & permits necessary by all regulatory agencies & local authorities having jurisdiction.

• Implement design to budget requirements in all appropriate RFP’s & contracts for design services.

• Monitor compliance with design to budget standards.

• Promptly inform in writing of any event or situation that the likely effect of which would be to vary the scope of the project & or change its quality, content or function.

• Schedule the submission of the design, in stages if appropriate, to the design review, the client & request approval thereto.

• Schedule the design activities in the master schedule to include reasonable periods client approvals.

• Monitor the dissemination of design information among the project team in a timely manner such that abortive work is avoided or minimized as much as practicable.

• Monitor the performance of the design consultant & other consultants in respect of the deliverables associated with the agreed design program & provide immediate advice to the SPM in the event their progress may affect the project overall completion date or milestone objectives together with recommended remedial action.

• Monitor statutory authority approval processes.

• Prepare a standard NOC (No Objection Certificates) register to be prepared & updated by all consultants & contractors.

• Schedule the design to allow reasonable periods for client approvals, any municipality permits, NOC & other statutory approvals.

Engineering & construction supervision:

• Oversee surveying works, engineering control of the works etc.

• Verification & checking of setting outs as per the construction drawings for the start of the construction of new structure.

• Interacting daily with the Site Engineers to follow up the contractor presence, the site work & supervise the Site Engineers & with clients to interpret their needs & requirements, participate in supporting construction approval & inspection activities & report to the SPM.

• Liaise closely with engineering personnel, ensuring accuracy of construction activities including the administration of the contracts as it relates to claims.

• Understand the technical specification & scope of work of each contractor & where required to assist the contractor to manage, plan & coordinate monthly, weekly & daily construction activities including monitoring site safety & construction quality.

• Liaise closely with engineering personnel to identify & solve construction issues in a timely fashion, consulting & keeping the Project Manager (PM) informed.

• As tasked by the SPM, supervise construction works & administer works execution as per the contractual provisions & the design specifications.

• Ensure quantity / quality control & time schedule consistency.

• Verify that works are consistent with the project technical specifications & inform promptly of eventual deviations.

• Support the overall management of works implementation & timely report to the SPM to ensure construction works are completed on time, within budget & to quality standards.

• Report & recommend remedial actions regarding potential delays & / or cost overruns to the PM.

• Provide data & information about project work to the PM for reporting purposes.

• Provide regular supervision of the project work progress & quality for on time delivery. 

• Assist the SPM in the preparation of project / contracts related documentations such as project plan, periodic progress reports, site monitoring reports, stakeholder meeting minutes, engineer’s instructions & variation orders, contractor’s bills review reports, certifications, client hand over documents & contracts close out reports.

• Liaise with & provide support to, other offices within the country as required.

Reporting:

• Actively support the Senior Project Engineer (SPE) & all relevant stakeholders with the supply of data & information including, but not limited to project implementation & completion reports & other related documents.

• Ensure accurate & timely reporting of implementation plan progress as well as conditions on site through daily / weekly site records.

• Prepare & submit to the SPM a weekly or monthly (or as requested) detailing all project matters including resourcing &d scheduling, quality, health & safety, environmental & financial as well as any issues relating to possible delays, cost overruns, variations & any other matter as agreed with the PM.

• Produce any appropriate documentation identified by the SPE in a professional & accurate manner.

Work package performance & delivery:

• Understand the full scope of infrastructure works, activities & resources required to deliver them to the available timeline & budget.

• Assist the SPM to develop & monitor work package implementation plans including overall infrastructure work delivery plans, stage plans within tolerances set by the project board & in line with overall project plan.

• Quality, Health & Safety & Social & Environment (QHS&SE) plans

Risk & issues plans:

• Infrastructure human resource plans & budgets.

• Support the PM to manage communications & ensure stakeholders are aware of work package activities, progress, exceptions & are in a position to accept handover products.

• Liaise with any external suppliers or other managers.

• Support the PM to manage the production of the required products, overall progress & use of resources & suggesting corrective action where necessary.

Knowledge management:

• Ensure highest standards of knowledge management, ensuring quality & complete archiving of project infrastructure products.

• Contribute to the project evaluation process, highlight challenges associated with the project & feedback into a continuous improvement cycle.

• Provide training & knowledge transfer to national personnel & contractor’s personnel including advice on good construction practices, environmental management practices & appropriate health & safety standards during construction.

• Contribute to the dissemination & sharing of best practices & lessons learned for development planning & knowledge building.

Personnel management:

• Support & motivate the technical team.

• Ensure that behavioral expectations of team members are established.

• Ensure safety & security for all personnel & comply with UNDSS standards.

Core values & principles:

• Understand & respect our clients sustainability principles.

• Look for ways to embed our clients sustainability principles in day to day project management.

• Seek opportunities to champion gender equality at workplace.

• Champion & communicate project’s sustainability aspects with key stakeholders.

• Understand & respect national ownership & capacity.

• Understand the principles of the Paris declaration on aid effectiveness & mainstream them into the project plans.

• Seek opportunities to recruit qualified local staff.

• Look for ways to build capacity of local counterparts.

• Strive to build strong partnerships & effective coordination among relevant project actors (e.g. UN, governments & Non Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) or other relevant partners).

Accountability for results & the use of resources:

• The project management processes are designed to deliver maximum accountability, transparency & results.

• If a project or process is not in line with this, it is the responsibility of the SPE to raise the issue with a supervisor.

Excellence:

• Contribute to innovation & the adaptation of best practice standards of sustainability & quality.

Monitoring & progress controls:

• Ensure that the project(s) produce(s) the required products within the specified tolerance of time, cost, quality, scope, risk & benefits.

• The Civil Engineer is also responsible for the project producing a result capable of achieving the benefits defined in the business case(s).

• Contribute to the overall business targets & needs.

• Accuracy of infrastructure work package planning & delivery (according to approved plans).

• Timeliness & accuracy of reporting on work package performance.

• Full compliance (& evidence) with Health, Safety, Security & Environment (HSSE) & Quality Management System (QMS) for infrastructure work package, demonstrated through completeness of records according to the document management guidance.

• Identification & implementation of continuous process improvement.

• Close out of all defects rectifications on infrastructure work package & final completion certificates / handovers.

The Project Engineer will be based in the office as well as conduct missions to the sites & will work under the direct supervision of the Senior Project Manager (SPM).

• Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or related field is required a master’s degree or equivalent in Civil Engineering or related field is an advantage.

• Project management certification (e.g. Prince2 Foundation) is desirable.   

• A minimum of four years experience working in construction management is required.

• Experience working in infrastructure & project management is an asset.

• Experience in health & safety management is desired.

• Experience in design management & supervision of construction activities is an asset.

• Work experience in post conflict / fragile environments & hardship is desirable.

• Competence in the use of all commonly used computer software, spreadsheet, scheduling tools, Microsoft Office Project, Google Suite, AutoCad & other computer programs is an added advantage.

• Some experience in the UN system organizations & / or a developing country is desirable.

• Fluency in written & oral English required. 

• Treats all individuals with respect, responds sensitively to differences & encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational & ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity & inclusion.

• Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates & supports the development of others. Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs & inspires others to succeed, utilising appropriate leadership styles.

• Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners & always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds & maintains strong external relationships & is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).

• Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self & / or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities & takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.

• Open to change & flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences & modifies own behaviour. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.

• Evaluates data & courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation & creativity to problem solving.

• Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise & open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings & needs of others. Actively listens & proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion & finding common ground.

This role has no team management responsibility.

Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply for this role.