Shelter & WASH Technical Officer Ukraine Shostka

The position operates at a technical implementation level, providing support to program teams in planning, execution, monitoring, and reporting of activities. The Technical Officer works closely with field staff, partners, and local authorities, ensuring quality and compliance of interventions, and contributes technical expertise to improve program outcomes.
Under the supervision of the Shelter & Settlement Project Coordinator, the Shelter & Settlement Technical Officer focuses on technical support on essential services in urban and rural settings (including Shelter first-line response, water supply, sanitation, hygiene, energy-related construction and infrastructure support) and he/she is responsible for overseeing the planning, design and supervision of Shelter & Settlement activities implemented by NRC in those contexts.
The purpose of the Shelter & Settlement Technical Officer position is to ensure that Shelter first-line and non-first response and repair and rehabilitation/refurbishment of buildings (houses and community infrastructures), provision of systems and energy-related efficient solutions are planned, implemented, monitored and reported according to NRC standards and procedures and national regulations.

Generic Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with NRC policies, guidelines and standards
• Ensure compliance with Shelter & Settlement strategy, tools, handbooks, guidelines and standards
• Ensure that all Shelter & Settlement projects (NFI distribution, awareness sessions, community engagement activities, repair, rehabilitation and/or reconstruction) are implemented in a timely manner and according to strategy, proposals, budgets and plans, in line with NRC policies and donor requirements and in compliance with Ukrainian construction code, norms, standards and legislation.
• Shelter & Settlement specific technical responsibility for the quality control and monitoring of project activities
• Shelter & Settlement specific technical responsibility for development and maintenance of design and project documentation of technical activities of Shelter & Settlement project(s)
• Provide specific technical support and capacity building towards project staff
• Assess, promote and document ideas for technical improvement and further program development options
• Contributes to Shelter & Settlement specific protection risks and needs analyses
• Ensure that the project is implemented in adherence with the requirements of the partnership agreement
• Contributes to designing of protection response to identified risks and needs

Specific Responsibilities

• Provide humanitarian needs and structural assessments of buildings and shelter and settlement facilities and propose technical solutions for materials assistance, repair, rehabilitation and/or reconstruction, and provide technical information for development of work plans, technical specifications, technical requirements for design development and repair implementation, bills of quantities (BoQs), cost estimates, structural drawings (CAD) and technical documentation, etc.
• Assess the completion of works, and prepare recommendations for payments, interim and final payment certificates
• Provide technical support to contractors and project participants, supervise construction works, and ensure that quality of materials and workmanship is according to technical specifications
• Promote community participation, involve and inform communities and local authorities about the activities and ensure that all projects are in line with national guidelines and regulations
• Provide support, as required, to municipalities and other public bodies (particularly those lacking proper construction and procurement sections) on project design and engineering
• Ensure that projects target participants most in need, explore and asses new and better ways to assist
• Ensure that distribution of materials and equipment is done in timely manner and according to procedures
• Ensure correct data tracking for all interventions and prepare periodic progress reports and other documents as required
• Assist and support the direct line manager in drafting reports of any kind
• Assist with any other duties assigned by line manager as and when required

Generic professional competencies:

• Experience from working within technical expertise area in a humanitarian / recovery context;
• 3 years’ experience from working as a civil engineer, knowledge of BoQ, norms and standards of construction works, including critical social infrastructures and design development as well as development of technical requirements for design and construction and preparation of drawings;
• University degree in architecture or engineering: civil, structural, electro-mechanical, hydrogeology, environmental, energy or related fields;
• Documented results related to the position’s responsibilities;
• Knowledge of computer programs: MS Word, MS Excel, AutoCAD;
• Excellent time management skills and ability to perform under tight deadlines;
• Excellent organizational skills, ability to prioritize a complex workload and to work autonomously as needed.

Context/ Specific skills, knowledge and experience:

• Previous experience from working in complex and volatile contexts
• Fluency in Ukrainian
• Pre-intermediate / intermediate proficiency in English, both written and verbal, essential
• Willingness to work in demanding, stressful situations with respect for basic security rules with frequent travels.

Behavioural competencies

• Handling insecure environment
• Planning and delivering results
• Working with people
• Analysing
• Communicating with impact and respect
• Coping with change