Infrastructure Engineer - Hargeisa, with travel to DRC field offices in Somalia
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) has been providing relief and development services in the Horn of Africa since 1997. Using a protection of human rights framework, DRC has mainly focused on Somalis who are displaced by conflict. Program includes protection, livelihoods, food and NFI distribution, water and sanitation, and advocacy amongst others. There are 4 main program offices in Somali region, one in Yemen, one in Kenya and one regional office in Nairobi. There are also non-operational region wide initiatives, focusing on advocacy and capacity building, which are supported from the Nairobi regional office. Currently, there are over 250 DRC staff in the region. In the last two years, there has been significant growth in the size of the CDRD programme that requires support to maintain quality and accountability.
The Community-Driven Recovery and Development (CDRD) project is a collaborative effort between various partners that include, DRC, UNICEF, DANIDA, DFID, EC, SIDA and local Authorities/governments. The objective of CDRD project is to provide services to communities, to empower communities and provide capacity development to local councils. Through the CDRD, communities receive grants to support the implementation of their projects (here referred to as sub-projects). A complementary project to CDRD is The Develop Informed and Accountable Local Governance through User Empowerment (DIALOGUE) project, which addresses the inability of civil society to translate peace building initiatives into state-building interventions and the lack of strong public participation in local governance. The DIALOGUE project complements CDRD interventions through inter-community projects that address the causes of localized conflicts and district-wide projects implemented jointly by communities and local authorities.
OBJECTIVE
The infrastructure Engineer is responsible for overseeing the technical engineering direction of DRC construction projects in Somalia. This will include providing the requisite support to program activities that require engineering support including livelihoods, WASH, Shelter and CDRD projects. The core responsibilities will include project implementation, networking and liaison, communication, capacity building and field staff mentorship, monitoring, reporting & evaluation.
For the CDRD project, the Infrastructure Engineer will review and monitor community sub projects both at proposal and implementation stages to ensure engineering quality and control including adequate safe guards against environmental impact. S/he will provide capacity building for DRC local engineers, community facilitators and local authorities / district engineers, in the use of the various technical templates used in the design and in progress reporting of the community sub projects. He/she will provide engineering technical inputs in support of the CDRD Management Information System (MIS).
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Provide technical engineering support to Somalia program activities related to CDRD construction project activities.
• Develop/establish and maintain accepted infrastructural standards for the sector and ensure that project staff, partner agencies and recipient communities understand, accept and adhere to these standards.
• Design of various technical templates including bill of quantities, bill of materials and reporting formats, based on a pre-determined list of community sub projects identified in the course of the implementation of the CDRD project (e.g. primary schools, health posts, irrigation systems, etc.).
• Provide support to CDRD field engineers in the establishment of a database of market construction unit prices and material prices, updated at least on quarterly basis.
• Review of the technical specifications, engineering designs and work schedules to ensure consistency with the most appropriate technology and existing ministry /sector standards.
• Review of the bill of quantities and bill of materials in the CDRD/DIALOGUE-funded community sub project proposals to ensure the estimated costs are reasonable and comparable to the market rates.
• Review CDRD/DIALOGUE-funded sub projects both at proposal and implementation stages to ensure engineering quality and control including adequate safe guards against environmental impact.
• Where implementation is out-sourced in CDRD/DIALOGUE-funded sub-projects, review and advise on the bidding and tender documents and processes to ensure competitive bidding and conformity with the procurement procedures.
• Ensure the projects are implemented with the set designs, BOQs and BOMs, and project budget lines are expended within approved limit as stipulated by individual donors’ guideline as far as construction work is concern.
• Ensure the construction project activities are well coordinated and implemented in an integral manner so as to ensure effective and efficient utilization of physical and human resource during implementation.
• Regularly review the physical progress reports to ensure accuracy and consistency in reporting.
• Undertake regular field visits to carry –out technical audits during the implementation of the CDRD/DIALOGUE- funded sub-projects
• Representing DRC in Shelter cluster technical issues related to infrastructure with close consultation with the PD/CD and relevant Area Managers.
• Coordinate with Area Managers in requisition, procurement and delivery of project input materials, supplies and labor as far as construction work is concerned.
• Contribute to the creation and compilation of the annual operation plans and project proposals whenever required.
• Document, share and strive to solve difficulties that may be encountered in implementation of the construction projects.
• Regularly conduct training sessions for field engineers and community facilitators (who will in turn train communities and local authorities) in the use of the various technical templates including bill of quantities, bill of materials, and technical reporting templates etc.
• Train field engineer on collecting materials prices and construction unit prices, including data entry and analysis
• Any other reasonable task as may be assigned by his/her supervisor/senior Management.
REPORTING ARRANGEMENTS
The post holder reports to the Engineering/WASH Technical Manager of Somalia and will work in collaboration with Area Managers, CDRD Coordinator and the National CDRD and Engineers.
QUALIFICATIONS
Essential
• Post-graduate degree in Civil/Architectural Engineering or other relevant post-graduate degree.
• A minimum of 2-4 years of field experience in emergency and displacement situations.
• Knowledge of participatory approaches and tools to community planning, monitoring and evaluation
• Proficiency in written and spoken English is required. Extensive experience in report writing and editing is required.
• Good command of computer programs and applications with significant capabilities in computerized database and spreadsheet construction, and their practical application. Practical knowledge of AutoCAD, ArcGIS or other GIS programmes is required.
Preferable
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Self-motivated and able to work with a minimum of guidance
• Willingness and physical ability to perform field missions in rural areas under restricted security conditions
CONDITIONS
Contract: One year renewable contract.
Salary and other conditions in accordance with the Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Field Recruited Expatriates recruited by the Horn of Africa Regional Office.
Availability: September, 2012 or Earlier.
Duty Station: Hargeisa, with travel to DRC field offices in Somalia. This is a non-family duty station.
Other benefits: Housing facility in Hargeisa, R&R as per DRC policy, 25 annual leave days per annual, insurance; and one return flight home.
COMMITMENTS
DRC has a Humanitarian Accountability Framework, outlining its global accountability committments. All staff are required to contribute to the achievement of this framework (http://www.drc.dk/HAF.4265.0.html).
APPLICATION AND CV
Interested candidates who meet the required qualifications and experience are invited to submit updated CV and cover letter explaining their motivation and why they are suited for the post. Only motivated applications that address the stipulated duties and meet the required qualifications will be considered.
CV-only applications will not be considered.
Please forward the application and CV, in English and marked “Infrastructure Engineer Somalia”, todrcjobs@drchoa.org no later than 31. July, 2012.
Candidates who applied previously need not re-apply.
APPLICATION AND CV
Interested candidates who meet the required qualifications and experience are invited to submit updated CV and cover letter explaining their motivation and why they are suited for the post. Only motivated applications that address the stipulated duties and meet the required qualifications will be considered.
CV-only applications will not be considered.
Please forward the application and CV, in English and marked “Infrastructure Engineer Somalia”, todrcjobs@drchoa.org no later than 31. July, 2012.
Candidates who applied previously need not re-apply.
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