Job Title: Regional Infrastructure Lead
Vacancy code: VA/2013/B0010/1880
Duty station: Abuja, Nigeria
Organisation: United Nations Office for Project Services – UNOPS Nigeria
Level: ICS-11
Department/office: Sustainable Infrastructure
Contract type: International ICA
Contract level: IICA-3
Duration: 1 year
Application period: 03-Apr-2013 to 28-Apr-2013
Background Information – Job-specific:
• A key objective for UNOPS is to be recognized as delivering world-class infrastructure that is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable, even in the most challenging environments.
• To achieve this goal, UNOPS has established a Sustainable Infrastructure practice to ensure UNOPS leadership position in sustainable infrastructure, embedding sustainability across the organization to provide infrastructure that benefits the wider community and environment.
• UNOPS is currently recruiting for mutiple positions to work as Regional Infrastructure Leads, covering UNOPS work in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
• We are seeking experienced infrastructure professionals, with a broad experience in managing sustainable infrastructure projects as well as in business development.
• We will expect an indepth understanding of the specific regional context as well as a demonstrated experience working in the development sector.
• These roles will provide regional support in business development, quality control and implementation of infrastructure projects.
• The incumbents will support the business development agenda in their region through their expertise, regional contacts and ability to demonstrate a depth of experience in their field.
• The Regional Infrastructure Leads represent the Sustainable Infrastructure Practice regionally and, as such, are a critical link between the Practice and operations in the field.
• The roles will report to the Regional Director with a secondary reporting line to the Director of Sustainable Infrastructure.
• The incumbent will be expected to work with a productive and collaborative approach, with colleagues at all levels and across all offices of the organization, especially with the Regional Infrastructure Leads in other regions.
• The roles will be based in Amman Jordan (for the Middle East and Asia region) and in Johannesburg, South Africa or one of UNOPS other operational centres in Africa (for the Africa region).
• Fluency in English is required for both roles, and fluency in French is also required for the Africa role.
Functional Responsibilities:
The regional infrastructure lead will be responsible for representing all aspects of the sustainable infrastructure practice within the region. Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
• Business Development Support
• The incumbent will support the infrastructure business development agenda in the region through his/her expertise, regional contacts and ability to demonstrate a depth of experience in his/her field. He/She will be responsible for reviewing all proposals for infrastructure projects in the region, via the corporate LEAD system and providing advice to the relevant authority. He/she will provide advice and support on new initiatives, with a focus on quality assurance and quality control of project documents, costing and cost implications, implementation plans, milestones and benchmark indicators etc. He/She will assist with technical input to proposals, including proposal writing and project planning and will represent UNOPS in negotiations, business development meetings and conferences, as and when infrastructure expertise is required.
• Technical Advice and Quality Control
• The incumbent will be responsible for providing technical advice and a quality assurance framework within the region in relation to infrastructure projects. He/she will be expected to advice in detail on technical
• specifications, Bills of Quantities, bidding documentation, engineering drawings, construction methodologies, construction planning and programming and assessment of contractors' technical capacity to deliver. UNOPS is fully committed to the Paris Agenda on national capacity building and the Regional Infrastructure Lead will play a crucial role in advising UNOPS Project Managers on measures to strengthen national capacity building with a focus on implementation capacity. He/She will play a key role within the Sustainable Infrastructure practice in assessment of the quality of design and construction, ensuring compliance with UNOPS Health and Safety and Environmental Management System and facilitating a culture of continuous improvement.
• Implementation Support
• The incumbent will provide substantive support to Programme Managers /Project Managers / Team Managers in the implementation of infrastructure projects. He/she will advise infrastructure practitioners on the application, interpretation and adoption of corporate policy, guidance and best practice. He/She will be responsible for coordinating design and design reviews and will need to be aware of the capacity and capabilities of different in-house units within the region (and across regions) to provide these services. This will also include the identification, engagement and management of local and regional consultancy firms providing these services.
• Representing the Sustainable Infrastructure Practice
• The incumbent will be responsible for the dissemination of and training for corporate guidance and instructions that impact on infrastructure practitioners, and ensure that best practice guidance is disseminated and communicated throughout the region. He/she will also contribute to the practice knowledge management by capturing case studies and best practice examples from the region, making recommendations on policy
• and tools to the Infrastructure Practice and contributing to development of guidance material and tools. The Regional Infrastructure Lead will support the corporate objective of professionalization of the infrastructure practice, by assisting with recruitment of personnel, training and professional development and knowledge management.
• The Regional Infrastructure Lead may be required to undertake missions to project sites to report on progress and identify and solve operational problems, both within and beyond the region. He/She will provide expertise and support in implementation of standards and frameworks, procurement and contract modality selection and management, Quality Control, OH&S, Environmental Management Systems etc.;
Competencies:
• Demonstrated experience in the construction industry in the management of both large and small scale infrastructure projects
• Demonstrated experience of business development, preferably in a development context and related to infrastructure projects
• Expert knowledge of international infrastructure sector; specifically in the at least two of the following fields of infrastructure: design, design review, planning, construction works contracts, supervision of construction and implementation of infrastructure projects.
• Ability to innovate and provide solutions to infrastructure challenges in the development context
• Demonstrated experience of sustainable infrastructure approaches and ability to articulate UNOPS position on sustainability
• Established networking skills demonstrated through existing international links to industry professionals in the infrastructure and development sectors
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships with strategic partners
• Ability to create a knowledge-sharing environment; ability to ensure effective team work, collaborative behavior and team spirit.
• Results focused, with the energy and ability to manage multiple competing priorities
• Able to add value and act as partner with other practices and across regional structures to ensure optimal resource mobilization within the organisation
• Excellent mentoring and people management skills – able to coach and develop personnel, with a demonstrated capacity to lead change, nurture talent and ensure capacity development for practice membership
• Global mind-set with sensitivity to diverse culture/workforce and high level of energy and enthusiasm
• Demonstrated experience of managing vendors and external suppliers
• Good communication and writing skills
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Working experience in a second UN language is a distinct asset
Education/Experience/Language requirements:
• Advanced university degree in a relevant discipline or an internationally recognized professional certification in engineering, architecture or construction management (e.g. C.Eng, PE or equivalent). A combination of first-level university degree with additional work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• Certification in a recognized project management methodology, preferably in Prince2 or PMP and a knowledge of programme management methodology (e.g. MSP) is desirable.
• At least 11 years progressively responsible experience in infrastructure design, project management and implementation, together with a relevant advanced university degree or an internationally recognised professional certification in engineering or similar.
• Demonstrated experience implementing projects and support in developing or conflict/post-conflict countries
• Prior experience with international organisations and the development sector is an asset
Contract type, level and duration:
• Contract type: International Contractor Agreement (I-ICA)
• Contract level: I-ICA3
• Contract duration: Initially 12 months, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and funding availability
For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link: http://www.unops.org/ENGLISH/WHOWENEED/CONTRACT-TYPES/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements-ICAs.aspx
Additional Considerations:
• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time (CET)
• 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 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.
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