Reconstruction Site Manager

UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES IN THE NEAR EAST – UNRWA   UNRWA is the United Nations agency responsible for the protection, care and human development of a population of some 4.6 millionPalestinerefugees living in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank,Jordan,Lebanon, and theSyrianArabRepublic. The Agency is committed to assistingPalestinerefugees in maintaining a decent standard of living, acquiring appropriate knowledge and skills, enjoying the fullest possible extent of human rights, and leading a long and healthy life. UNRWA is by far the largest UN operation in theMiddle Eastwith over 29,000 staff. Most of the staff members are refugees themselves, working directly to benefit their communities – as teachers, doctors, nurses or social workers. Reconstruction Site Manager   Location North LebanonArea Type of Appointment Fixed Term – One year (Project Funded) Deadline for Application 24 September 2012 Vacancy Announcement Number 53/2012 Grade 17 Department/Division Office of the Field Director – Northern Management Unit   MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES In accordance with the established Agency policy and procedures, the incumbent:   (A)     Monitors the works of consultants, contractors and antiquities team on site; ensures all contracts signed with UNRWA by external parties are adhered to in terms of quality control, quantity control and timelines; (B)     In close coordination with the consultants, prepares and implements the coordination mechanism to ensure smooth running of all activities on site; ensures coordination and implementation of all planned activities by external parties in contractual arrangements with UNRWA in an integrated fashion through site supervision and verification of work done according to the design, standards, costs and timelines provided in the project contracts; (C)     Evaluates the implementation of all work on site; provides technical and administrative guidance and relevant training to subordinate staff; (D)     Controls and assesses all the activities on site including but not limited to backfilling, construction, infrastructure,  antiquities related works, rubble removal (if any), etc. ; (E)     Reviews and validates interim and final payments to all external parties in contractual arrangements with UNRWA; reviews and validates variation orders recommended by consultant; (F)      Attends site meetings and brings to the attention of Head Housing, infrastructure and planning Unit critical issues; ensures that samples of materials recommended by the consultant and tests conducted by contractors are in accordance with the contracts specifications and Terms of Reference; (G)     Provides technical advice and support to Head of Housing Infrastructure and Planning Unit on all activities on site; (H)     Provides site management support including the preparation of construction briefs and presentations to UNRWA and external visitors; (I)        Reviews schedules of work prepared by consultant/contractors and recommends actions to the Head Housing Infrastructure and Planning Unit; reviews technical, financial or other reports prepared by consultants and advises the Head Reconstruction Unit accordingly; (J)       Reviews the Reconstruction Plan(s) prepared by external parties in contractual arrangement with UNRWA in close coordination with the consultant; (K)     Submits monthly reports on the performance of consultants; oversees reports prepared and submitted by consultants on the status of construction works in the project; (L)      Develops and maintains contacts with local authorities, UN Agencies, NGOs and community representatives; and performs other duties as may be required.   PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES (A)   Academic and Professional qualifications        An advanced university degree in civil, structural engineering or a related discipline from a recognized university;   (B)   Experience At least seven years relevant post-graduate experience in the application of knowledge acquired above, including three years in a supervisory capacity in a large reconstruction project;   (C)   Language Very good command of spoken and written Arabic and English;   (C)   Competencies (i)      Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others in order to build and manage an effective team; (ii)    Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to defuse potential conflicts between different external parties; (iii)   Good knowledge of methods of construction, planning regulations and materials inLebanon; (iv)   Demonstrated ability to work independently on multiple tasks, establish priorities and meet multiple deadlines; (v)    Proficiency in Agency standard PC applications.   ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (i)      Possession of a valid driving license. (ii)    The incumbent will be required to travel extensively in the Agency’s area of operations   CONDITIONS OF SERVICE Salary: Monthly basic salary L.L. 2,383,839 - PLUS 37.04% SOA Contract Duration: Fixed Term – One year (Project Funded) Holidays: 30 days annual leave Dependency allowance: Dependent spouse: L.L 60,000 per month     Dependent child: L.L 33,000 per month Pension:  Provident Fund contribution   EQUIVALENCY When the minimum requirements are not fully met, Field Director for field area staff and Director of Human Resources for head quarters area staff, in consultation with the concerned supervisor may exceptionally substitute part of the unmet requirements with a combination of relevant academic qualifications, additional professional training and progressive relevant work experience. NB: Work experience alone or formal qualifications with no relevant work experience are not considered an acceptable combination.   RECRUITMENT PROCESS The Recruitment process is based on the Agency’s strategy to obtain the best qualified and suitable employees through a competitive recruitment process. After the deadline for receiving applications, all applications will be reviewed by the Human Resources Office and the Hiring Department. Short-listed candidates who fully meet the required criteria shall undergo technical/practical tests and the candidates with the highest passing scores will then be invited to interview (see “Technical and Practical Tests Required” below). The final recommendation for selection is based on the test results, interview assessment, Agency priorities and needs and the candidates’ profiles. For all posts, the weight allocated for the technical/practical tests (listed below) is 60% and for the interview is 40%.    GENERAL INFORMATION UNRWA is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications equally from men and women. It is Agency Policy to give full consideration to qualified disabled candidates whose disability does not impact their ability to perform the duties and responsibilities of the post.   As a member of the United Nations system, UNRWA maintains a close relatives’ policy.  In this regard, if a candidate has a close relative (mother, father, brother, sister, son or daughter) who is already employed by the Agency, he/she can only be employed if the Agency is unable to find another suitable candidate.   UNRWA is a United Nations organization whose staff are expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity, neutrality and impartiality. This includes respect for human rights, for diversity, and for non-violent means of dealing with all kinds of conflict. UNRWA staff are expected to uphold these values at all times, both at work and outside. Only persons who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for UNRWA jobs. UNRWA is a non-smoking working environment. الأونروا هي منظمة تابعة للأمم المتحدة، وهي منظمة تفترض من موظفيها الالتزام بأعلى معايير الاستقامة والحياد والنزاهة. ويشمل ذلك احترام مبادئ حقوق الإنسان واحترام التنوع وتبني الوسائل غير العنيفة في حل كافة أشكال النزاعات.  المتوقع من موظفي الأونروا أن يقوموا بدعم هذه القيم في كافة الأوقات، سواء في أماكن العمل أم خارجه. إن أولئك الأشخاص الذين يتمتعون بالالتزام الكامل وغير المشروط بهذه القيم هم فقط الذين ينبغي أن يتقدموا بطلباتهم للعمل لدى الأونروا. الأنروا هي بيئه عمل لا يسمح فيها بالتدخين.   Where there are two or more equally qualified candidates, selection preference will normally be given to internal candidates, Palestine Refugees and candidates of the under-represented gender. An internal candidate with a temporary-indefinite or fixed-term appointment selected for this post will not retain his/her current contractual status and entitlements in accordance with current letter of appointment and applicable Area Staff Rules. The Agency maintains the discretion to fill future vacancies for this position from the roster without re-advertising the vacancy.   TECHNICAL & PRACTICAL TESTS REQUIRED: Short-listed candidates will sit for one test: Computer based technical test (100%).   The top 5 scoring candidates in the computer based technical test given that none have scored less than 50%, will be invited to interview.    HOW TO APPLY If you have the skills and experience required above, and want to make an active and lasting contribution to improving the lives of Palestinerefugees, then register on http://jobs.unrwa.org by creating a personal profile and completing the UNRWA Personal History Form. Only applications received through this website will be considered. Please note that UNRWA only accepts degrees from accredited educational institutions. Candidates may also be invited to take a technical exam in order further evaluate their qualifications for the post. Due to a high volume of applications received, only short-listed applicants will be contacted. The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process. The United Nations does not concern itself with information on bank accounts. For any queries, please send an email to recruitmentquestions@unrwa.org   Date of issue: 11 September 2012