Civil Engineer At UNOPS

Background Information- UNOPS

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) has been active in Serbia since 2000, and the operations of UNOPS Serbia Project Office (RSPO) have since 2017 expanded to North Macedonia and Montenegro.

UNOPS has been a reliable partner primarily of the Government of Serbia, and later of the Governments of North Macedonia and Montenegro, in providing support for demanding socio-economic reforms and facilitating accession to the European Union.

Currently, the RSMCO is implementing 14 projects focussed on sustainable socio-economic development, social cohesion, creating environment for employability, business and infrastructure growth, increased security, improved education, enhanced social inclusion either via enabling durable housing solutions or providing access to health, education and jobs for the most vulnerable population. All projects have good governance and gender equality as transversal themes. UNOPS projects are contextualised within the broader Sustainable Development Goals framework and objectives.

Project background

The European Union for Local Development Programme – EU PRO Plus will contribute to more balanced socio-economic development in Serbia by enhancing territorial development management, supporting economic growth, and improving social infrastructure and social cohesion of 99 local self-governments in two regions: Šumadija and Western Serbia and South and Eastern Serbia. The European Union (EU) has allocated 30 million Euros through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) 2020 to fund the Programme which will be led by the Ministry of European Integration and implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) over a period of 36 months.

There are three results that the Programme will achieve in targeted municipalities:

Result 1: Improved development planning and introduction of the Integrated Territorial Investments (ITI) concept
Result 2: Enhanced economic growth
Result 3: Improved social infrastructure and social cohesion

While building on the momentum created by its three predecessors, the Programme also focuses on four cross cutting aspects: good governance, digitalisation and innovations, environmental and climate change aspects and gender equality. In addition, EU PRO Plus will, through its activities, where relevant and feasible, strive to remedy some of the negative COVID-19 effects.

The direct beneficiaries of the EU PRO Plus are the Ministry of European Integration, 99 local self-governments, local administration structures, regional development agencies, other business support organisations, local SMEs, and civil society organisations (CSOs). The final beneficiaries are the inhabitants of 99 municipalities.

All programme activities will be undertaken in partnership with the Government of Serbia, while respecting the national policies and priorities, in order to ensure national ownership and help develop national capacities. The EU PRO Plus is based on the National Priorities for International Assistance in the Republic of Serbia until 2025 (NAD), crucial for economic and social development and the EU integration process, while particularly contributing to preparation for the fulfilment of the requirements under Chapter 22 of the EU acquis – Regional Policy and Coordination of Structural Instruments.

Functional responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Project Management Support – Senior Officer for Infrastructure, the Civil Engineer will be responsible for the development and implementation of infrastructure and Integrated sustainable territorial development (ISTD) projects. S/he will strongly contribute to the development of grant schemes for projects related to infrastructure and ISTD, provide technical assistance to the beneficiaries of these activities, and ensure efficient and effective monitoring of supported projects.

Civil Engineer will undertake the following specific activities/responsibilities:

Provide specialised knowledge needed for the development of the Calls for Proposals (CFPs) and participate in evaluation of project proposals
Contribute to presentation of Infrastructure and ISTD activities through trainings, information sessions, and other events related to promotion of the CFPs
Provide technical assistance to the beneficiaries and contribute to capacity building of the Grant implementation teams
Support the Senior Officer in establishing the framework for engagement of external and internal stakeholders and implementation of the stakeholder engagement plan
Maintain professional relationship with the local self-governments (LSGs), national and local organisations and development programmes/projects working in areas related to ISTD
Provide inputs to the Programme work plan, financial planning, procurement plans in parts related to infrastructure and ISTD
With guidelines from the Support Services team and the Senior Officer, contribute to development of documentation and provision of inputs needed for implementation of the Sector activities
Under the overall supervision of the Senior Officer, contribute to management of Assistants within the Sector for infrastructure
Coordinate work of retainers and service providers needed for implementation development activities
Contribute to development of the Programme’s reports and analysis within the scope of assignment
Identify and assess the risks and implement mitigation measures in accordance with the Risk Management Strategy
Provide consultations to the LSGs on Health and Safety procedures on the site and report any irregularity
Contribute to identification and sharing of the Programme’s lessons learned and the best practices
Provide support to the Programme’s communication and visibility activities

Perform other duties as may be reasonably required and in line with the incumbent’s scope of services above.

Required selection criteria

Education

Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering is required.

Certification

Licence for design and/or construction (310 or 311 or 317 or 410, or 411 or 411 or 419) issued by Serbian Chamber of Engineers is required
Projects IN Controlled Environments 2 (PRINCE2) Foundation and (PRINCE2) Practitioner Certification will be considered as an asset

Work Experience

Minimum two years of experience in implementation of infrastructure projects through grant modality is required.
In depth knowledge of Serbian Planning and Construction Law, Serbian Building Code and other related laws is asset
Knowledge of FIDIC contracts is an asset

Language Requirements

Fluency in Serbian and English is required

Driving license

Driving license and ability to travel independently is required

Core Competencies

Strategic Perspective – Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organization. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organization. (for levels IICA-2, IICA-3, LICA Specialist- 10, LICA Specialist-11, NOC, NOD, P3, P4 and above)
Integrity & Inclusion – Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.
Leading Self and Others – Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.
Partnering – Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).
Results Orientation – Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.
Agility – Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behaviour. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.
Solution Focused – Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.
Effective Communication – Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

ALL CANDIDATES ARE REQUESTED TO SUBMIT A CV AND COVER LETTER ALONG WITH THEIR APPLICATION

Contract type, level and duration

This is a local position, it is therefore open to nationals of the Republic of Serbia and to individuals who have a valid residence/work permit.

Contract type: Ongoing ICA
Contract level: Local ICA 8
Contract duration: Open-ended subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and/or to satisfactory performance
For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:
https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-of…

Additional Considerations

Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
Work life harmonization – UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.

Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

For more information on UNOPS, please visit the UNOPS website at www.unops.org**