National Programme Officer - Road Maintenance - NOA (DC)

Introduction

This ILO technical assistance form’s part an integral part of a larger Rural Access and Agriculture Marketing Project (RAAMP)- Scale Up, Nigeria delivered by Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development with 5 States Projects Implementation Unit. Within this framework, the National Road Maintenance Expert will be responsible for Roads Maintenance activities within the scope of the ILO technical assistance especially for Routine Maintenance and Spot Improvements and Decent work component. The National Road Maintenance Engineer/ Expert will be the key resource person responsible for the development and implementation of Routine maintenance and Spot Improvements of selected Road’s infrastructure in the project area.  Advisor for overall management of ILO TA and to support national team in policy planning, promoting decent work, roads and bridge maintenance, OSH and Decent Employment promotion. She/he will be acting as liaison between FPMUs & SPIUS and Government field offices under supervision of Chief Technical Advisor and in coordination with Training and Roads Maintenance Technical Officer.

The position is based in Abuja, Nigeria and will contribute to the overall establishment and monitoring of sustainable routine road maintenance system and Spot Improvement as envisaged in the agreement. To perform his/her duties, the Road Maintenance Engineer will be required to spend about thirty five percent of his/her time in field visits to advising the SPIUs and field teams in the 12 States

Reporting Line:
The National Programme Officer will work under the direct supervision of the Chief Technical Advisor and the overall responsibility of CO-Abuja Director. The incumbent will receive technical guidance and advice from Chief Technical Advisor and will work closely with the project’s technical team, the team of specialists team at the ILO Regional Office for Africa, the ILO Decent Work Team (DWT/CO-Dakar), and relevant technical departments at headquarters in Geneva.

Description of Duties

Within the above context, the National Programme Officer in Road Maintenance will assist in ILO technical assistance planning, programming and implementation of all project activities in line with work plans, projects documents, ILO policies and strategies, and in accordance with country programmes and administrative and financial procedures. 

His /her key responsibilities shall be to support the FPMU and SPIUs project team in the following areas:

1. Ensure timely provision of personnel, consultants, civil works contracts, training, equipment, and other resources in line with work plans and procurement schedules for the project maintenance component.
2. Participate in overall program planning to ensure coordination with other project components such as maintenance and spot improvement activities from planning through to execution and ensure local ownership of the improved MIS practices and reporting.
3. Assist in Assessing the capacity of government agencies to take over technical support services, identifying and addressing capacity gaps. Prepare and conduct technical training for national staff, contractors, and community groups, and develop course materials including translating in local language.
4. Ensure standard conditions of employment reflecting ambitions of the ILO decent work agenda is achieved in the infrastructure works, introducing adequate inclusive measures that secure the full involvement of women, youth, disabled and other groups requiring particular attention.
5. Review existing information and rural roads database systems (including road condition inventories) and provide capacity development inputs, implementation support and technical and conceptual advice regarding the required development, modification and application of such systems including establishing an inventory of the existing Statas Rural Road networks in the project area, how this is managed, key geographical features; main rivers assess current condition, access and constraints.
6. Assist to Introduce and promote appropriate technologies including technical design standards, work methods and organisation, standard bill of quantities, work norms and appropriate unit rates for civil works activities for using employment-intensive work methods in the rehabilitation and maintenance of Rural Roads infrastructure under this project and in related government schemes.
7. Assist in quantity surveys, preparation of designs, cost estimates of maintenance works, preparation of bidding documents and civil works contracts and conduct tenders through national competitive bidding, local market surveys and community contracting.
8. Develop on-site and off-site training modules pictorial leaflets/ brochures and video CDs for capacity building / training for SPIUs maintenance / asset management unit and Road Maintenance Groups, community contractors.
9. Secure and monitor quality assurance measures for compliance with design specifications, payments of work, forecast project expenditure and update budgets and initiate payment requests to implement sustainable maintenance and operational arrangements.      
10. Report, monitor, and evaluate the maintenance works, contributing to progress and ad-hoc reports on project planning and implementation.
11. Promote visibility of the project through high-level communications with stakeholders, including government bodies, RAAMP, and the World Bank. Represent the ILO technical team when needed, ensuring alignment with the guidance of the CTA and ILO Country Director.
12. Perform other duties as may be assigned by the supervisor.

Required qualifications

Education

First level university degree in civil /highway engineering or another relevant technical field.

Experience

• At least two years of experience in managing rural Road’s infrastructure works of which 1 year related to employment intensive rural road rehabilitation and maintenance, project formulation and management.
  
• Proven experience in working and engaging with governments’ agencies, private sector contractors, donor agencies, and a heterogeneous team composed of consultants, specialists, and local collaborators of different educational and cultural background, in remote/difficult settings.

• Technical requirements 
  
• Proven knowledge in the planning and implementation of rural transport infrastructure works,
  
• Extensive experience in the development and implementation of employment-intensive (labour-based) public works and an understanding of the ILO decent work agenda,
  
• Good knowledge of community and project stakeholder consultations and mobilisation,
  
• Skills development and institutional strengthening.

Languages

Excellent command of English and good knowledge of Nigerian local language.

Competencies

Candidates interested in the position should consider that the nine core competencies of the ILO, listed below, may be evaluated during the selection process: Integrity and transparency, Sensitivity to diversity, Orientation to learning and knowledge sharing, Client orientation, Communication, Orientation to change, Takes responsibility for performance, Quality orientation and Collaboration.

Technical Competencies 

• Ability to independently initiate and lead the preparation and management of project activities with a clear focus on reaching defined outputs in a timely manner as agreed in project documents and work plans. 
  
• Proven interpersonal and organisation skills; ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with people in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
  
• Good knowledge about Infrastructure, especially Road’s development trends in the country
  
• Ability to maintain good working relationships with all project stakeholders.
  
• Ability to understand and effectively work with Government, workers’ and employers’ organizations,
   non-government organizations and UN agencies.
  
• Ability to conduct action-oriented research and write analytical technical report in English.
  
• Good communication skills, both written and verbal, 
  
• Clear commitment to mainstream gender and inclusion into project activities.
  
• Ability to lead and work in a team and good interpersonal relations.
  
• Ability to train and guide personnel.
  
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
  
• Ability to work in diversified environments.
  
• Proficient in basic computer software (Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Adobe Reader) and ability to use other software packages required by the Office
  
• Ability to work independently with minimum supervision.
  
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.