Lead Construction Management Engineer

Background Information - UNOPS Kenya Multi Country Office

In East and Southern Africa, UNOPS is represented by a Multi Country Office based in Nairobi, Kenya and operating across 16 countries. The portfolio of engagements managed by the Kenya Multi Country Office includes transactional projects in partnership with the Nairobi based UN Agencies, UN-Habitat and UNEP, and multiple infrastructure, procurement, fund management, and HR management projects in Zimbabwe, Somalia, Mozambique, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia and several island states. In 2023 a country presence will be established in Malawi in order to implement and oversee the new education sector project and build a pipeline of future projects.

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Project Manager, the Lead Construction Management engineer (Advisory) is responsible for supporting the Project Manager in providing sound advice on aspects of the day-to-day construction/contract management and timely delivery of the project and associated outputs in accordance with agreed timelines, standards, and budget of the Government of Zimbabwe contracts.

This list is not representative of all the duties required but indicate typical duties and responsibilities:

• Provide sound advice on the development and management of the existing Contract Management Plan developed by the PCU (Project Coordination Unit) and the DOI (department of Irrigation) including, but not limited to, insurance and goods procured, subcontractor's personnel qualifications, delivery of contractual terms, reports and payments, services delivered against contractual requirements and specifications and standards.

• Provide sound advice to the senior management of the PCU and DOI through the Project Manager on any potential issues and recommend remedial actions or solutions.

• Advise the PCU and DOI on the appropriate existing contract management tools, guidelines, and manuals for standardization and knowledge-sharing purposes.

• Advise the PCU and DOI in monitoring cash flows on regular basis with regards to the ongoing projects and financial agreements.

• Advises the PCU with the evaluation of the contractors’ performance against the agreed performance measurement criteria.  

• Support and advise on reviewing and processing variations. 

• As needed, provide advisory support on contract matters to the PCU project manager and the DOI Director or other operational staff.

• Provides advice and guidance on the maintenance of contractual records and documentation.

• Assist the Project Manager in the preparation of Stage Plans and End Stage Reports;

• Maintain and update issue and risk registers.

• Attend procurement/ Contract related workshops/ discussions.

• Carry out research and identify appropriate technologies/techniques/designs that can be incorporated in the infrastructure projects monitoring systems.

• Actively engage in knowledge sharing and also improve one’s professional skills.

• A Bachelor's Degree in Construction Contract Management, Quantity Surveying, Civil Engineering, Project Management or related field from an accredited university is required.

• A Masters degree in Construction Contract Management,Quantity Surveying, Civil Engineering, Project management or any other related field will be an added advantage and will be accepted in lieu of the respective years of experience.  

• A Minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience with bachelor’s degree, or a minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience with master’s degree in Engineering and/or Construction Management and contract management environment, is required. 

• Experience working in project teams and working in a multi-project environment is required.

• Experience working in remote locations is highly desired. 

• Experience in FIDIC contracts management is highly valued.

• Full working knowledge of English is required.

• Working knowledge of another official UN Language is an asset.

Contract type: Local Individual Contractor Agreement (LICA)
Contract level: Local ICA Specialist-10
Contract duration: Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance

This is a local position, it is therefore open to Zimbabwe Nationals 

• 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 

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 

• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.

• 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.