Senior Driver

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.

Based in Nairobi, UNOPS East and Southern Africa supports sustainable development across 14 countries, including Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zanzibar, and Zimbabwe. Since 1995, UNOPS has expanded its footprint in Kenya, delivering services in project management, infrastructure, procurement, and financial management. Across the region, the office implements diverse, partner-funded initiatives that respond to national priorities. In Mozambique, this includes delivering specialized equipment (EU), supporting health services (UNICEF), promoting agro-processing (KOICA), and advancing peacebuilding efforts through a Multi-Donor Fund. UNOPS also supports agricultural input distribution and the Northern Crisis Recovery Project, both funded by the World Bank. In Malawi, efforts include developing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centres in partnership with the EU and the British Council. These initiatives reflect UNOPS’ commitment to strengthening national capacities, enhancing service delivery, and supporting progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the region.

Zambia’s broader energy goals is to increase energy access in rural areas through the Rural Electrification Authority(REA) and is implementing the Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation(ASCENT) project with the World Bank.

To this effect, UNOPS signed a World-Bank funded 24-month project with Zambia rural electrification Agency (REA) which aims at the procurement ,installation, Testing and commissioning ,Operations and Maintenance of solar for public institutions such as schools, hospitals, and government buildings in Zambia.

The Senior Driver will report to the Senior Project Manager, the Head of Office, or a designated supervisor within the UNOPS Zambia office.

The Senior Driver is responsible for providing safe and reliable transportation services to UNOPS personnel, consultants, and experts on mission. In addition, the incumbent assists with clerical tasks and performs messenger services as required.

Driving Services

• Provide safe, reliable and timely transportation of authorized personnel and, where applicable, cargo or hazardous goods.
• Facilitate airport transfers, including assistance with customs and immigration formalities.
• Deliver and collect mail, documents and other items as required.
• Conduct radio checks and maintain communication as instructed.

Vehicle Use and Maintenance

• Ensure proper and cost-effective use of vehicles by maintaining accurate daily logs and contributing to vehicle maintenance planning and reporting.
• Perform routine vehicle checks (e.g. oil, water, battery, brakes, tires, etc), carry out minor repairs, and arrange for major repairs as necessary.
• Keep vehicles clean, roadworthy, and fully equipped at all times.
• Ensure availability and safekeeping of all required documents and supplies, including insurance, logs, maps, office directory, first aid kit, and spare parts.
• Take immediate action in line with organizational rules and regulations in the event of an accident.

Messenger and Clerical Functions

• Ensure timely and accurate delivery of mail, documents and packages to UN agencies, government offices, embassies, NGOs and courier services.
• Manage documents requiring protocol clearance from ministries, embassies and other institutions. Collect documents destined for UNOPS offices.
• Support office administration by binding and preparing documents for filing, maintaining registers, and handling routine clerical tasks.
• Facilitate visa, customs, and other personnel-related formalities as required.

Administrative, Procurement and Logistics Support

• Support the organization of meetings, workshops, field missions and conferences by assisting with logistical arrangements and documentation.
• Assist procurement processes by collecting quotations, making bill payments and collecting procured supplies.
• Facilitate the delivery of procured items, conduct pre-delivery inspections, and ensure handover to relevant offices and partners.
• Manage shipment processes, including customs clearance, inspections, loading/unloading and coordination with government offices.
• Ensure completion and submission of Receiving Inspection Reports (RIRs) and Goods Receiving Notes (GRNs) following partner verification of shipments.

Required

• Secondary school (or equivalent) with 3 years of relevant experience OR
• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 0 years of relevant experience is required.
• Driver’s training with a valid driver’s licence is required.

Required

• Relevant experience is work in safe driving, defensive driving and minor vehicle repair.
• Knowledge of driving rules and regulations is 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.

• 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.
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• 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.