Project Implementation and Engineering Advisor

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the UN agency dedicated to promoting socially and environmentally sustainable urban development and adequate housing for all. Mandated by the UN General Assembly in 1978, UN-Habitat brings over four decades of expertise in addressing urban growth challenges. It plays a key role in implementing the New Urban Agenda, adopted at Habitat III in 2016, and advancing Sustainable Development Goal 11 to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

Since 2015, UN-Habitat Syria Programme has worked closely with Syrian cities and communities to rebuild urban resilience and recover cities in Syria. UN-Habitat supports national and local authorities and communities to (1) undertake urban damage urban data and conduct urban analysis to reach a common understanding on urban recovery needs; (2) to identify neighborhood and municipal area-based recovery priorities and support government and community to co-develop recovery plans; and (3) support rehabilitation and reconstruction infrastructure and basic services, housing, urban environment, and urban cultural heritage.

UN-Habitat Syria currently has offices in Damascus, Homs, Aleppo, and Deir Ezzor. The UN-Habitat Syria programme operationalizes projects across Syria. UN-Habitat also co-leads the Housing, Land and Property (HLP) Rights Technical Working Group and coordinates the UN Joint Programme on HLP together with UNHCR, IOM, UNDP and NRC.

Reporting to Deputy Country Director under overall supervision of the Country Director and in coordination with relevant colleagues, the International Consultant will support UN-Habitat Syria to strengthen systems, procedures, and technical standards for the operational, administrative, and technical delivery of its projects. This includes improving knowledge of and adherence to procurement systems, standards and procedures; developing standard specifications and documentation; establishing oversight mechanisms for project implementation; and strengthening coordination between programme, operations, and field Hub teams.

• Project implementation systems and oversight

1. Review existing project implementation modalities and identify operational gaps in procurement, contracting, field implementation and monitoring and evaluation.

2. Establish standardized systems for project management oversight, including tracking tools, implementation monitoring processes, and reporting templates.

3. Support programme teams to ensure timely and quality implementation of field projects and contracts with implementing partners.

4. Provide technical guidance to project managers and engineers on implementation modalities and operational compliance.

5. Identify and development improvements for monitoring and evaluation of physical projects

• Procurement systems and standardization
  
  

1. Review existing procurement documentation including Bills of Quantities (BoQs), Bills of Quantities (BoQs), Requests for Quotations (RFQs), Calls for Proposals (CFPs), and other procurement templates in line with UN-Habitat standards to ensure efficient and effective project delivery.

2. Develop standardized project documentation and processes tailored to common urban project types.

3. Support the development of standard technical specifications and procurement standards for construction, rehabilitation, and urban public space projects.

4. Establish guidance notes and internal procedures for procurement planning, evaluation, and contract management.

• Contract Management

1. Ensure all contractor activities comply with the contractual terms, project requirements, technical specifications, and UN-Habitat policies and procedures.

2. Review contractor work plans, schedules, deliverables, and variations to confirm alignment with contractual obligations.

3. Track contract performance indicators (KPIs), timelines, milestones, and financial commitments.

4. Identify non-compliance issues and support timely corrective actions in collaboration with the implementation unit and engineering and procurement teams.

• Long-term agreements and vendor systems

1. Develop systems for Long-Term Agreements (LTAs) and pre-qualified vendor rosters and similar for frequently procured services and works.

2. Support the procurement team in establishing more effective and transparent vendor selection processes and evaluation methodologies, in line with UN-Habitat procurement Manual.

3. Strengthen procedures for managing procurement cases and tracking implementation of awarded contracts.

• Operational coordination and compliance
  1. Support the Head of Operations and procurement unit to strengthen oversight of procurement cases and implementation partner contracts in line with UN-Habitat rules and procedures including the Procurement Manual

2. Contribute to improved coordination between programme teams, field engineers, and operations staff during project design and implementation stages.

3. Identify operational bottlenecks and recommend practical improvements to project delivery processes.

• Capacity building and knowledge transfer
  1. Develop training modules and operational guidance materials for project managers, engineers, and operational staff.

2. Deliver training workshops on procurement procedures, project implementation standards, and contract management.

3. Support knowledge transfer and institutionalization of improved systems within UN-Habitat Syria.

Required:

Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in procurement, operations management, business administration, engineering, architecture, urban planning, or a related field.

A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.

Desired:

Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification from the Project Management Institute (PMI) is strongly preferred.

Required:

• Minimum 7 years of professional experience in in project management, programme management, or project coordination within international development, public sector, engineering, urban planning, infrastructure, or related fields..

• Experience working with UN agencies or international organizations is desirable.

• Demonstrated experience establishing project implementation and procurement-related systems, technical standards, or operational procedures for infrastructure or development projects.

Desired:

• Experience working in Syria or similar contexts is an advantage.

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.
  

• 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. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.
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• 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.