Construction Management Associate Engineer

The UNOPS Africa Regional Office, based in Nairobi, Kenya, oversees the delivery of over 250 projects across 40 countries, with a focus on fragile and conflict-affected settings. Supported by more than 1,000 personnel across five multi-country offices—spanning North, West, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Horn of Africa—the office advances national priorities through strategic initiatives in Climate Action, Health, Infrastructure, Peace and Security, Middle-Income Country Support, and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The Regional Office provides strategic leadership, operational support, and oversight in key areas including Partnerships, Communications, Management and Oversight, Infrastructure and Project Management, Health and Safety, and Security. By promoting excellence in project delivery, fostering knowledge sharing, and driving continuous improvement, the office contributes to sustainable infrastructure, transparent resource management, and a better quality of life for communities across the continent.

Since 1999, the Central Africa Multi-Country Office (CAMCO), headquartered in Kinshasa, DRC, has partnered with UN agencies, international organizations, and governments in 15 Central African nations. CAMCO provides fund management, technical assistance, and capacity-building across critical sectors—infrastructure, health, education, governance, procurement, and environmental protection—while working with national and local authorities to secure local ownership and sustainable impact. The diverse portfolio spans rural-community empowerment, road rehabilitation, and peace consolidation in the DRC and CAR through Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) programmes, alongside wide-ranging procurement and human-resource services. Recent initiatives include drinking-water systems in Cameroon, mining-sector capacity-building, health-system support in the DRC, and infrastructure development in Madagascar, funded by a broad array of international partners. Together, these projects advance regional stability, resilient infrastructure, and improved livelihoods throughout Central Africa.

Since 1999, UNOPS has been a committed partner in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), delivering fund management, technical support, capacity building, and project management services. In collaboration with the Government, UN agencies, and international partners, UNOPS advances sustainable development across key sectors, including infrastructure, health, education, governance, procurement, and environmental protection. A strong focus on local ownership ensures that projects are implemented in a way that builds national capacity and empowers communities. UNOPS supports peace and security through technical assistance to MONUSCO and contributes to environmental preservation by managing regional initiatives such as CAFI and FONAREDD, working closely with Indigenous communities. In the health sector, efforts include the construction of health centers in Kwango (KOICA) and national health system support through the RSS3 initiative (GAVI). UNOPS also leads agricultural infrastructure development and food security efforts through the PNDA project (World Bank) and supports governance and stabilization through the multi-donor Coherence Fund, alongside humanitarian HR services for UNHCR.

UNOPS has been selected as the main implementing partner on an ongoing peace project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The bilateral programme "Fund for Peacebuilding - FCP " (Fond de Consolidation pour la Paix), which has been supported by the German Government through the KfW (German Devoleppement Bank) Development Bank since 2007, is intended to continue to help promote lasting peace, particularly in Kinshasa with PVJ (Prévention contre la Violence Juvénile) activities and in the eastern DR with FCP. The project rationale is centered around supporting the peace efforts and initiatives in Eastern DRC through social infrastructures to: 1. Facilitate access to social services and economic opportunities for the beneficiaries, and 2. Use the infrastructure as a way to build and/or reinforce peace and social cohesion within communities and regions, which will ultimately provide further economic and social opportunities for the targeted regions. For the Prevention of Juvenile Violence component in Kinshasa, the focus is on preventing youth violence and strengthening social cohesion through improved youth infrastructure, vocational training, support for entrepreneurship, and access to social services and community activities.

The Associate Construction Management Engineer supports the planning, implementation, and monitoring of infrastructure projects. The role assists in ensuring that construction activities are executed in accordance with design specifications, quality standards, timelines and safety requirements. The incumbent also supports provision of on-site technical oversight, contractor management, stakeholder coordination, and effective reporting, documentation and compliance with UNOPS and donor/partner standards.

Technical Assistance and Construction Oversight

• Provide inputs on project work plans, drawings and specifications during design and procurement stages.
• Monitor on-site construction activities to ensure compliance with design standards, technical specifications and contractual obligations.
• Conduct quality inspections, verify material compliance, and monitor safety and environmental standards in line with UNOPS health, safety, social and environment (HSSE) requirements.
• Support the resolution of technical and operational issues in coordination with contractors and the project manager.
• Verify contractor progress, prepare and review Interim Payment Certificates (IPCs), and ensure accurate documentation for disbursement.
• Review variation orders and cost claims, ensuring technical accuracy and value for money.
• Support the timely delivery of site progress reports, updates and documentation of construction milestones.

Stakeholder Coordination and Communication

• Maintain regular coordination with end-users, contractors, consultants and local authorities to ensure smooth project implementation.
• Organize and participate in project meetings, prepare minutes, track action items and follow up on progress.
• Support the project manager in facilitating effective communication among all project stakeholders.
• Assist in maintaining good relationships with project neighbours and communities to promote smooth project execution.

Monitoring, Quality Assurance and Reporting

• Monitor progress and report deviations against approved schedules and work plans.
• Work with contractors to provide regular updates on inspection and testing plans.
• Assist in inspecting and reporting on works in progress, ensuring adherence to quality benchmarks and specifications.
• Assist in preparing technical and progress reports highlighting key achievements, delays, risks and financial updates.
• Conduct site visits and prepare inspection or field visit reports for review by the project manager.

Operational and Logistical Support

• Support project administration, procurement and logistics.
• Contribute to contact and asset management, payment tracking, and procurement documentation.
• Assist in organizing meetings, site visits, and workshops.
• Maintain accurate records of project documents, financial data, and correspondence in accordance with UNOPS document management standards.
• Identify administrative or operational bottlenecks and recommend appropriate remedial actions.

Knowledge Building and Sharing

• Support the organization, facilitation and delivery of training and learning sessions on project management and construction management.
• Participate in knowledge-sharing initiatives and Communities of Practice (CoPs), contributing insights and lessons learned.
• Conduct research on infrastructure- and project management-related topics and contribute to the drafting of reports, summaries and briefing notes.

Required

• Secondary school (or equivalent) with 6 years of relevant experience OR
• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Civil Engineering, Construction Management or related disciplines with 2 years of relevant experience is required.

Desired

• A recognized professional certification or membership in a civil, structural or construction engineering association, at the national or international level, is desirable.

Required

• Relevant experience is work in building construction, site supervision or infrastructure project management or similar fields.
• Experience in quality control, monitoring and reporting within construction projects is required.
• Demonstrable proficiency in the use of collaboration and productivity tools (e.g. MS Office, G-Suite, etc) and web-based management systems are required.

Desired

• Experience of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing country is desired.
• Experience in development or humanitarian contexts is desired.
• Experience in project documentation, report writing and technical communication is desired.

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