Infrastructure Program Coordinator

The Central African Republic (CAR) is a highly fragile country with a history of recurrent conflict, the most recent of which took place in 2013 between multiple armed groups. The violence that followed the 2013 crisis greatly damaged public assets and infrastructure, disrupted service delivery, and further weakened the social fabric, and exacerbated people’s poverty and vulnerability to shocks. As a result, roughly one-quarter of the population was internally displaced or had to flee as refugees to neighboring countries. Forced displacement has disrupted livelihoods, depleted the assets of the poor, and put an additional strain on service delivery in areas of displacement.

Improvements in the security situation have resulted in the voluntary return of displaced populations, primarily in the northwest and southwest of the country. It is estimated that about 15 to 20 percent of the displaced population has returned spontaneously. However, the return of the displaced to the areas of origin remains fragile and dependent on the overall security situation. The reintegration of displaced populations and provision of social safety nets is a short term priority and essential to the stabilization and economic revitalization of the country.

To this end, the World Bank is supporting the Government of CAR to implement a project to increase access to basic services, infrastructure and social safety needs by communities affected by forced displacement. Among several deliverables in this implementation phase, the project through UNOPS will construct or rehabilitate several infrastructure’s project in the following areas: Kaga-bandoro, Batafongo, Bria, Bambari and Bangui.

1. support to enhance the delivery of local services and availability of local infrastructure to benefit communities impacted by displacement;
2. financial support to the most vulnerable households among displaced populations and local communities; 
3. working with local communities and displaced populations to enhance their capacity to address the impact of displacement and promote peaceful coexistence of different groups;
4. to enable local authorities (territorial administration and communes) to participate in planning and overseeing the execution of all activities executed under this project

Located in Kinshasa, DRC the UNOPS office in Central Africa covers the DRC, CAR, RC, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. The office has developed strong working relations with the international partners, UN agencies including UN Missions and Governments of Central Africa over the years. It provides technical support and capacity building in strategic development areas including infrastructure rehabilitation and development across health, education, public works, governance/public administration sectors; procurement, project management and sectoral advisory services; peace and security, environmental preservation and protection among others

The Infrastructure Program Coordinator will have the overall responsibility of the five sites (Kaga-bandoro, Batafongo, Bria, Bambari and Bangui) to ensure the day-to-day implementation and coordination by supervising the implementation’s team (Site Manager and site Engineer/supervisor) assigned to each site. The day to day operations of the infrastructure implementation on site will stay with the implementation’s team reporting to the incumbent. He/she will ensure the infrastructures results are delivered on time and to a high standard. He/she will be directly supervised by the Project Manager, under the overall direction of the CAR Head of Program/Head of Office (HoO) based in Bangui. 

1. Purpose and Scope of Assignment

The Infrastructure Program  Coordinator will be responsible for the overall successful implementation of the construction & rehabilitation works including oversight management and coordination of all technical aspects of the assigned project in compliance with UNOPS policies and procedures. He/she will be the sole responsible for the control and supervision of the five implementation’s team and will report directly to the Project Manager.

Via supervising the site implementation’s team, he/she will be responsible for the achievement of the project objectives. He/she will thus:

• Supervise the overall implementation of all field activities
• Liaise in Bangui with beneficiaries’ representatives, and support the site implementation’s team in liaising with contractors and beneficiaries,
• Oversee the overall planning and monitoring of activities, and up-date regularly the project planning according to project progress,
• Immediately inform the UNOPS Project Manager of any distortion of the overall activities in the field,
• Conduct the overall quality control of works and assure it complies with UNOPS high quality standards
• Supervise provisional and final acceptance of the overall works,
• Supervise the overall interim and final reports,
• Counter-sign all statements of works advancement issued by companies implementing the work and undersigned by the site manager/engineer/supervisors.

2. Core Values and Principles:

• Understand and Respect National ownership and capacity
• Understand the principles of the Paris Declaration on aid effectiveness and mainstream them into the project plans
• Seek opportunities to recruit qualified local staff
• Look for ways to build capacity of local counterparts
• Harmonization within the UN and beyond

• Understand the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and UNOPS; the project’s place in the UN system
• Know the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and seek to contribute within the deliverables of the project
• Accountability for results and the use of resources

• The project management processes are designed to deliver maximum accountability, transparency and results. If a project or processes is not in line with this, it is the responsibility of the PM to raise the issue to a supervisor
• Operational Excellence

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

3. Monitoring and Progress Controls

The Infrastructure Program Coordinator will report directly to the UNOPS Project manager on a weekly basis consolidating the reports from each site implementation’s team on project progress and expenditures. Each report will:

• Provide detailed technical and financial reports on a weekly basis
• Provide a detailed evaluation report including lessons learned

• Advanced University degree in Civil Engineering or any other related field is required.
• University degree (Bachelor’s degree/first level) with a combination of 2 additional years of relevant experience  may be accepted in lieu of the advance university degree.

• A minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in infrastructure development or in the construction sector is required
• Experience as a Team Leader/Project Manager with previous exposure in developing countries involving high risk environments and/or conflict/post-conflict environments is an asset
• Experience in the planning and building of roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, etc. is an advantage,
• Knowledge of UN/UNOPS policies and procedures will be a definite advantage,
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office programs, MS Project and AUTOCAD is required
• Certification of Prince2 (Projects in a Controlled Environment) Methodology or Project is an asset
• Management Professional PMP is a strong asset

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

UNOPS supports the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to serve people in need by expanding the ability of the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, infrastructure and procurement in a sustainable and efficient manner.

Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, our vision is to advance sustainable implementation practices, always satisfying or surpassing our partners’ expectations.

With over 7,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, wherever they need it.

A flexible structure and global reach means that we can quickly respond to our partners' needs, while offering the benefits of economies of scale.