Back WASH Engineer

Background Information - Job-specific

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects worldwide. UNOPS supports partners in building a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability of peace building and humanitarian and development projects. Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organizations.

Project Information

The development objective of the NORTHERN MOZAMBIQUE RURAL RESILIENCE PROJECT (MozNorte) is to improve access to livelihood opportunities for vulnerable communities and management of natural resources in selected rural areas of Northern Mozambique. The project aims to improve the resilience of vulnerable communities in selected landscapes of Northern Mozambique. More specifically, the project will address the following drivers:

exclusion of local communities and IDP (particularly women and youth) from access to sources of livelihoods depending on renewable natural resources;

environmental degradation, climate variability and limited capacity of formal institutions to manage natural resources sustainably and inclusively; and

exclusion of local communities and IDP from managing and deciding over the use of natural resources.

Given the high vulnerability of Northern Mozambique to climate and geophysical hazards, as highlighted in the Climate and Disaster Risk Screening Report carried out for the project, the design takes an overall climate-sensitive approach to help mitigate risks and enhance the adaptive capacity of project beneficiaries. This will translate into promoting climate-smart solutions across all activities and sectors of intervention, from infrastructure to agriculture, fishery, forestry and community-driven activities. The project has four components:

Improving access to livelihoods and community infrastructure;

Improved management of natural resources;

Multi-stakeholder Coordination and Project Management; and

Contingency emergency response (CERC).

MozNorte Project provides bridge financing to stabilise rural livelihoods and to improve the management of natural resources on which most rural livelihoods depend in 18 districts of three provinces (Cabo Delgado, Nampula, Niassa). The target districts of the intervention include:

In Niassa the districts of Lago, Chimbonila, Mecula, Sanga, Maua, Muembe;

In the province of Cabo Delgado the districts of Montepuez, Mecufi, Metuge, Ancuabe;

In the province of Nampula the districts of Memba, Erati, Mecuburi, Ribaue, Moma, Larde, Angoche and Mossuril.

One of the key approaches of the MozNorte project is the Community-Driven Development Fund (CDDF), which aims to generate sustainable livelihoods, promote inclusive and participatory development and strengthen social integration. The CDDF has two windows: the district window and the community window. The target groups are communities. While district authorities implement the district window, the community window will be implemented by community and/or local organizations/consortia/Lead Service Providers.

UNOPS will support FNDS in managing the community window that will support 300 communities across the target 18 districts with a budget allocation of a minimum of one project per community up to USD 120,000, with an average budget allocation per community of USD 90,000 (equaling a total allocation of US$ 27 Million in community grants); variations in allocations and number of projects can be made depending on the needs and the readiness of the community.

Examples of activities that can be funded under the Community window include, but are not limited to:

Climate-smart agriculture systems, including small irrigation systems

Community agro-processing, aquaculture, storage facilities

Social and WASH projects at the community level

Community agroforestry and restoration projects

Non-timber forest product value chains

Alternative livelihood strategies

Sustainable use of energy

Sustainable fisheries and fishery value chain

Community tourism and culture value chains

Integrated agriculture and forestry management

Initiatives of youth and women economic empowerment

Social cohesion activities

The projects will focus on livelihoods but also include small community infrastructure. The infrastructure components under community grants must follow UNOPS design and quality management guidelines.

The projects in each community will be selected and implemented in a participatory manner, applying the Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) methodology.

Advise the Implementing Partners in the design of the infrastructure interventions

Develop conceptual designs and prepare design briefs related to water and sanitation works centered on the end user’s needs, which meet stakeholders' requirements, UNOPS quality standards for design and construction, the project’s objectives, and budget constraints.

Take into account users' specific needs based on gender, age, disabilities, socio-cultural norms, etc.

Consider all stages of an infrastructure life cycle (design and planning, raw material acquisition, materials processing, construction, community training for operation, maintenance, renovation, decommissioning, and recycling) and optimize the proposed infrastructure's value for money.

Review the budgets of the proposed WASH interventions. Development of WASH capacity-building interventions

Contribute to setting up and managing remote supervision systems, including but not limited to the setup of remote monitoring systems based on the “UNOPS Collect” application, the design of implementation dashboards (in collaboration with Data Analysts and ICT Specialists), and the review and acceptance/rejection of completed WASH interventions).

Conduct regular field visits of WASH interventions implemented by Implementing Partners, assess the quality of the interventions and coordinate with the IPs to address any potential issue.

Perform quality assurance and quality control for all WASH interventions.

Report timely and qualitatively on the progress of the WASH interventions, with a focus on impact, quality, risks and issues and lessons learned.

Review and approve all test results related to WASH Infrastructure.

Ensure accurate and timely reporting of progress and conditions on-site through daily site records.

Prepare and submit to the Construction Management Engineer (CME) a monthly (or as requested) report within 5 days of month-end, summarizing the progress of IP / contractor activities, quality control issues, resourcing and scheduling issues, and any other pertinent facts as required.

Produce any appropriate documentation identified by the CME / Senior Project Manager professionally and accurately.
Liaison and relationship building with WASH stakeholders

Represent UNOPS in relevant WASH meetings and events, including UN coordination mechanisms;

Liaise with WASH government, community and Implementing Partners;

Advise the Project Manager and the Implementing Partners on strategic direction and government priorities in the WASH sector.
Knowledge building and Knowledge Sharing

Organize, facilitate, and/or deliver training and capacity-building initiatives for IPs, consultants, and Contractors on design and construction-related topics if and when required.

Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice by synthesizing lessons learnt and dissemination of best practices in design of building infrastructure.

Collect feedback, ideas, and internal knowledge about processes and best practices and utilize productively.

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:
https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

Additional Information

Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.

Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions

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.

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.