Chief of Section, Engineering

This position is located in the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS), Mogadishu, Somalia. The Chief of Section, Engineering is responsible for providing expert technical advice on technical documents and overall policies, procedures and guidelines pertinent to the mission's engineering activities, taking into account quality management, project management processes, risk management best practices. She/he establishes work requirements and priorities, based on the mission's deployment status and mandate. The Chief of Section, Engineering reports directly to the Chief, Service Delivery Pillar.

Within the delegated authority, the Chief of Section, Engineering will be responsible for the following duties: Administration: • Works closely with the Chief, Service Delivery in the development of guidance and procedures for Engineering support. • Prepares the communication management plan, and associated means for the transmittal of engineering-related information, for progress reporting, and special reports for quality, cost or schedule variances, etc. • Responds to both internal and external audit observations and interface with auditors for enhancing and improving the overall management of Engineering tasks and activities in the mission. Planning: • Establishes work requirements and priorities, based on the mission's deployment status and mandate. • Plans, develops and implements the construction of complex and secure construction projects throughout the mission area. • Develops short and long-range plans for the design, procurement of goods/services, construction/commissioning, and operation/maintenance of mission facilities and infrastructure, taking into consideration that missions are typically established in areas with a risk-environment of medium to high threat, and in areas with minimal power, communications, transport and service infrastructure. Mission facilities typically include modularized camps for troops and civilian staff, logistics bases and airbases with all required utility infrastructure for electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems. Design, construction and maintenance of road infrastructure, for the movement of personnel and goods amongst the mission facilities, are also commonly performed. • Develops annual engineering budgets and associated work schedules, based on engineering resource planning, taking into account all required engineering material needs and selected enabling capacities (e.g. military engineering units, commercial contractors, mission support teams, or mission engineering staffing) for most effective and efficient execution of the engineering work plans. Monitor actual costs and schedule performance against the approved budget and baseline schedules. • Prepares the mission's engineering staffing management plan, and acquire, develop and manage all engineering staff members in support of engineering work plans. Implementation: • Provides expert technical advice on technical documents and overall policies, procedures and guidelines pertinent to the mission's engineering activities, taking into account quality management and risk management best practices. • Monitors progress, follows up and reports on key activities such as construction/reconstruction/replacement/maintenance of facilities and infrastructure projects and briefs the DMS and senior mission staff on a regular basis. • Fully supports with limited staffing during the mission start-up and liquidation phases, the site selection/assessment process and asset disposal process, respectively. •Performs other related duties as assigned by the Chief, Service Delivery.

Professionalism: 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. Planning and organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies. Identifies priority activities and assignments. Adjusts priorities as required. Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work. Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning. Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary. Uses time efficiently. Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honors commitments. Delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards. Operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules. Supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments. Takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable. Managing performance: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority. Makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member. Accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills. Monitors progress against milestones and deadlines. Regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff. Encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative. Actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff. Appraises performance fairly. Building trust: Provides an environment in which others can talk and act without fear or repercussion. Manages in a deliberate and predictable way. Operates with transparency, has no hidden agenda. Places confidence in colleagues, staff members and clients. Gives proper credit to others. Follows through on agreed upon actions. Treats sensitive or confidential information appropriately.

Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in Architecture, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related fields. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Not available.

A minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience with facilities and infrastructure, or similar, in the areas of planning, designing and supervising engineering-related construction/commissioning projects, and managing routine and non-routine maintenance and repairs is required. Seven years of supervisory experience at the international level in project management and contract management for large design/construction projects and facilities maintenance programs is required. Engineering experience working in a United Nations Common System field operation (inclusive of peacekeeping missions, Agencies, Funds and Programmes) or similar international organizations or non-governmental organization in a conflict or post-conflict setting is desirable. Engineering and facility management experience with any UN supported AU mission, UN-AU hybrid mission or related experience at the international level in a conflict/post conflict is desirable.

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

• This position is temporarily available initially through 30 June 2026. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment. • While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post. • Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station. • This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15. • Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply.Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation. • Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as "retirement." Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service. • Please note that nationals of the country in which the Temporary Job Opening is posted are not eligible to apply for this position. Please note that pursuant to the Staff selection system policy (ST/AI/2025/2): (1) Applicants for positions in the Field Service category cannot be of the nationality of the country where the position is located, and (2) Applicants for positions in the Professional and higher categories in a mission, field operation, or resident coordinator’s office cannot be of the nationality of the country where the position is located. For currently serving staff of a United Nations Common System organization, only the UN-recognized nationality will be considered for the purposes of these restrictions.

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section ‎2.2 (a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2. (c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.