Job Description:
Organizational Setting:
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, is the agency for human settlements. It is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities. The UN-Habitat Afghanistan country office is part of the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP). The position is located in Kabul provinces, Afghanistan.
Learning from the experience in the last 30 years and recognizing the realities of the current context in the country, UN-Habitat in Afghanistan designs and implements projects in settlements of all sizes, putting the needs of people first, targeting the most vulnerable and meeting local needs by focusing on area-based and community-driven outputs. The portfolio currently covers projects ranging from humanitarian responses to supporting recovery and meeting basic human needs. UN-Habitat collaborates closely with the UN country team as well as with technical and financial partners in Afghanistan, in alignment with the UN Strategic Framework for Afghanistan (UNSFA) and the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plans (HRNP).
Afghanistan is experiencing a continuous humanitarian crisis, with over half a million people in the need of humanitarian assistance. Many people are displaced due to climate change, internal displacement or massive returns from neighbouring countries, and many have sought refuge in the relative safety of cities, which are growing rapidly. The number of people living in unplanned, underserviced and informal settlements, including in risk prone areas, is increasing and living conditions as well as access to services is inadequate. The unfolding crisis in Afghan cities, which is accelerated by climate change impacts and natural disasters, is occurring in a context of underlying vulnerabilities, including infrastructure deficits, insecure livelihoods and pervasive tenure insecurity. Most at risk are displaced people in informal settlements, with women, disabled and ethnic minorities being particularly vulnerable.
UN-Habitat applies a participatory and community-driven approach, using participatory spatial planning and action planning processes to enable communities to identify and implement priority service and infrastructure investments to support their socioeconomic recovery processes and creating an enabling environment for durable solutions. UN-Habitat's community-cantered “People's Process” is a proven and effective approach to reduce vulnerability at scale in the Afghan context. UN-Habitat builds upon its long tradition of partnering with with communities in informal settlements to create sustainable and safe settlements, improve living conditions and adequate livelihood opportunities to those most in need.
About the Project
Over 6.6 million people need shelter and NFI assistance in Afghanistan (HNRP 2024). In Kapisa, floods have displaced numerous households with 16 deaths, 4 people injured and 74 to 101 homes destroyed (Shelter Needs and Advocacy Dashboard on Floods and Heavy Rainfall Events, January–June 2024). Provision of the much-needed shelters has only reached to 61% of the planned beneficiaries in central region including Kapisa province (Afghanistan shelter cluster regional monthly update). The need for construction of transitional shelters remains with over 150 permanent shelters needed (UNHCR PARR fact sheet August 2024). The situation is exacerbated by the Afghan forced returnees from Pakistan with an additional 400,000 returns expected in 2024 (HNRP 2024). These situations have increased protection and shelter risks in areas of return, IDP and informal settlements
UN-Habitat is proposing a project called “Provision of Emergency Transitional Shelters to People Affected by Floods and Displacement in Nijrab District of Kapisa Province in Afghanistan Project” with the aim of “improving living conditions of households affected by floods and displacement by proving life-saving emergency assistance. UN-Habitat will also provide women hygiene/dignity kits to 20 vulnerable households with most needy females. The conditional cash modality has been reached in consultation with the communities. Overall, 2,050 people (IDP’s, returnees, and host communities) will directly benefit from the project.
Job Requirements:
Reporting Relationships
The Shelter Engineer will assist the provincial team land the program manager in implementing the technical components of the project in Kapisa Province, Nijrab District. This includes developing the technical work plan, preparing project-related technical documentation, and coordinating with the project team. The Shelter Engineer will report directly to the provincial team leaders on a day-to-day basis and will oversee the technical aspects of the AHF-funded project in the designated project areas.
Responsibilities
The engineers shall work under the direct supervision of the Project Officer oversee all construction and retrofitting (shelter) activities to ensure compliance with the approved design and specifications.
Coordination and Beneficiary Involvement
Liaise and coordinate with all relevant project stakeholders and project benefits at the district level in Kapisa province and ensure their feedback/comments are brough to the attention of provincial team leader
Prepare the beneficiary list according to predetermined selection criteria, ensuring a transparent and equitable selection process.
Work closely with communities, local authorities, and stakeholders, fostering collaboration and supporting the shelter-related project activities.
Discuss project activities regularly with local communities and beneficiaries and receive their feedback on the activities.
Shelter Design and Technical Implementation
Work closely with the field team to ensure all project related activities are carried out as per the project requirement and the work is delivered on time within the published workplan.
Provide technical advice for the design and construction of emergency and transitional shelters.
Supervise the construction and repair activities on-site to ensure quality and adherence to agreed standards.
Ensure the use of appropriate construction materials and oversee quality control during procurement and usage.
Collaborate with design teams to provide input on constructability and cost-effective methods on all construction and retrofitting activities
Conduct regular on-site inspections to address technical issues promptly as per the national/international construction standards such as AASHTO, ASTM, ACI or local codes.
Verify that materials used meet the required standards and specifications as per AASHTO, ASTM, ACI or local codes.
Identify and mitigate risks related to construction activities and enforce safety protocols on-site, ensuring workers and community safety.
Identify, recommend and document good practices/lessons learned and bring to the attention of provincial team leader.
Monitoring and Reporting
Monitor the implementation process, ensuring that milestones are achieved in line with work plans and budgets.
Conduct regular field visits, assessments, and documentation of progress, ensuring challenges are addressed promptly.
Conduct regular field surveys and assessments; map information and ensure proper documentation. Prepare and submit regular progress reports (weekly, monthly, mid-term, and final) on shelter-related activities and community feedback.
Maintain accurate daily work logs, site inspection records, and prepare weekly and monthly progress reports detailing milestones, issues, and resolutions.
Community and Capacity Building
Build the capacity of project implementation teams and community members, including training in shelter construction and quality control.
Encourage beneficiary involvement in construction activities where appropriate (e.g., self-help approaches).
Gender and Protection Sensitivity
Ensure the project incorporates gender-sensitive approaches, focusing on the safety and dignity of women and girls.
Support the distribution of women’s hygiene and dignity kits to identified vulnerable households.
Adherence to Organizational Standards
Ensure all project activities comply with UN-Habitat’s operational policies, guidelines, and humanitarian principles. Ensure adherence to standards of conduct.
Identify and address challenges while maintaining professionalism and commitment to the organization’s core values.
Conduct any other task/s, assigned by the provincial team leader or from main office in Kabul.
Results expected.
Ensure the construction of emergency and transitional shelters is completed on time and meets the required quality standards.
Successfully implement the shelter component of the AHF-funded project, ensuring that activities align with donor objectives, project work plans, and UN-Habitat’s operational standards.
Provide adequate and timely assistance as directed by management, with flexibility to adapt to emerging needs and shifting project priorities.
Competency
Professionalism: Ability to identify and resolve budgetary problems and identify sources for data collection. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors’ language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decisions, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect their own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
Qualifications
Education:
University degree in civil engineering, at least 4 years of work experience in implementing shelter projects, including technical design, site supervision, and quality assurance, especially in disaster-affected, IDP, or returnee settings
Experience:
Substantial hands-on experience in construction and shelter development, including procurement, quality control of materials, and compliance with technical and safety standards.
Proven experience in managing community-based informal settlement upgrades and working closely with local communities.
Experience in working with humanitarian funded projects such as AHF, WB and UN and have worked with community in the district level and relevant agencies.
Skills in monitoring and reporting systems, preparing reports (such as weekly, monthly, and final reports), and ensuring accountability to stakeholders.
Demonstrated skills in administration, financial, quality control and procurement of AHF funded project material.
Ability to work in challenging field conditions, with extended hours if necessary, and effectively manage stress and logistical constraints in post-disaster or displacement contexts.
Good knowledge of computer engineering applications.
Knowledge of the local area and community is essential.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
Language:
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English and Local/National Language of the duty station is required.
Other:
Build support with national counterparts, during the project period; Ensure high-quality and timely achievement of relevant activties and targets; Support capacity development efforts with project partners for the required components; Support UN-Habitat's contribution to multi-stakeholder national coordination and advocacy forums; Support 'learning by doing' capacity development efforts throughout the programme period with programme partners for improving local safety and security, especially for women, youth and marginalised urban groups; Support coordination with other partners’ programmes in target cities
Submission Guideline:
Interested Afghan National Candidates should submit the following required documents. 1. A cover letter that shows how your qualifications and experience meet the VA requirement. 2. P11 form for individual contractor (IC) that contains all your information.
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