Lead Architect, Multiple positions

Austria MultiCountry Office (AUMCO)

The Austria MultiCountry Office (AUMCO) is part of the UNOPS Europe and Central Asia Region (ECR). Specifically, AUMCO aims to enable the achievement of Agenda 2030 and the Paris Agreement through global programmes and tailored interventions in the Balkans, South Caucasus, and Central Asia, focused on Infrastructure, Procurement, Project Management (full service, back on track), HR and Transactional Services, Grants Management and Technical and Advisory Services. 

Uzbekistan Office

Under the purview of AUMCO, the UNOPS Uzbekistan Office, established in Tashkent in October 2022 supports the Government of Uzbekistan’s development efforts in the country, through the provision of effective project management, infrastructure and procurement services. At present, the office has signed and has been implementing three engagements contributing to SGD3 (Good Health and Wellbeing), while actively working with the Government of Uzbekistan and development partners in diversifying its portfolio in line with the country’s development priorities including education.

Project Information

The UNOPS Uzbekistan Project Office currently has two ongoing projects both of which are major contributions to SDG3 (Good Health and Wellbeing). 

The first project, “Support to Development of Oncology Services in Uzbekistan” is funded through a major loan from the Islamic Development Bank. UNOPS will support the Government of Uzbekistan in strengthening the preparedness of its national healthcare system and preventing and treating oncological cases in an effective and timely manner. By identifying, procuring, delivering, and operationalizing urgently needed medical, laboratory, radiological, and ICT equipment, the project will significantly contribute to improved access and quality healthcare services for local communities in 14 regional locations including Tashkent and throughout the country.

The second project is the “Uzbekistan COVID-19 Emergency Response Project” with the Republic of Uzbekistan's Sanitary and Epidemiological Welfare and Public Health Service (SES). Funded through two major loans from the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. In this project UNOPS will support the Government of Uzbekistan to upgrade up to 54 existing laboratory and treatment facilities across the country, procuring diagnostic equipment and supplies, and establishing an ICT system for monitoring the epidemiological situation to strengthen preparedness and resilience to the COVID-19 pandemic and other epidemics.

*** Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply***

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Infrastructure Service Delivery and in close collaboration with the project team, the Lead Architect will support the design, development and implementation of infrastructure components under the portfolio, in full accordance with UNOPS Design Management Policy, guidelines such as The Design Planning Manual for Buildings and other procedures and other applicable national and international standards. 

This includes but is not limited to, supporting the development and review of infrastructure designs, liaison with internal and external stakeholders in assuring the quality of designs, monitoring and assuring of infrastructure quality during the construction phase providing independent technical evaluation and recommendations to uphold the integrity of infrastructure implementation, participating in business development efforts as necessary and knowledge management. More specifically, the Lead Architect will be accountable for the following:

1. Technical Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance of design documentation with UNOPS regulations, as well as Uzbekistan national codes and standards, as necessary, and oversee this process.

• Check  drawings, specifications and other design and construction documentation and instruct on aspects of interventions.

• Conduct comprehensive risk assessments on design documents, identify potential issues, and collaborate closely with project teams to formulate mitigation strategies that ensure project success.

• Implement and enforce quality control and quality assurance protocols to uphold adherence to UNOPS Design Planning Manual, established technical codes and standards, and industry best practices, thus championing the delivery of high-quality project outcomes.

• Oversee and manage the quality of project products and their constructability, guaranteeing their acceptance by the relevant stakeholders.

• Foster effective communication and collaboration among diverse design disciplines, such as architecture, structural engineering, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering, to ensure a harmonious and integrated design approach.

• Play a pivotal role in coordinating with design consultants and their performance during the design development phase, particularly in the domain of architectural, spatial sustainability and energy building efficiency disciplines, operation and maintenance and health and safety considerations.

• Contribute to producing the requisite project deliverables, and proactively addressing any shortcomings.

• Support the Design Review unit in coordinating technical design review approvals.

• Provide technical expertise to the team in monitoring quality assurance in both the design development and implementation/construction phase.

• Review technical specifications of equipment and materials for adherence to quality standards.

• Explore and assess cost-effective design alternatives and opportunities for value engineering, aiming to optimize project outcomes in terms of cost, performance, resilience and sustainability.

• Continuously evaluate and enhance the design review process, streamlining workflows, and preventing potential delays during design development, design reviews, and/or cost overruns that can be avoided, identifying potential areas for efficiency improvements to enhance the overall efficacy of the design review function.

• Provide impartial technical evaluations and recommendations, devoid of any conflicts of interest, and uphold the integrity of technical opinions in the face of project pressures.

• Actively participating in progress reviews and project coordination meetings, and subsequently creating meeting minutes.

• When necessary, collaborate with the procurement team to assess technical bids for design, and construction and contribute to evaluation reports.

• Participate and provide advice on business development efforts as necessary, including liaison with potential clients, preparation of preliminary cost estimates, concept design documentation, and other tasks as necessary.

• Advise the contractor and site engineers of both UNOPS and the contractor on appropriate fit  for all the design elements.

• Establish system for maintaining design and construction records and contribute in the production of As-Built drawings and details for all design documentation, memos, and instructions in the correct format;

• Engage with government partners and project stakeholders to collect the relevant input to the architectural concept development and planning;

• Manage the production of the final document package including design drawings, specifications, bill of quantities, cost estimates, etc. for the client hand-over for tendering purposes;

• Execute any other responsibilities as assigned by the Supervisor.

2. Technical Documentation and Reporting

• Developing technical documentation and guiding projects in developing their designs.

• Collaborating in the oversight of design delivery, ensuring strict adherence to all relevant codes of practice and industry standards.

• Generating comprehensive and accurate bills of quantity, while keeping estimating rates up to date.

• Gathering data and preparing monthly and quarterly progress reports.

• Cooperating with fellow Infrastructure practitioners to collect and maintain construction data.

• Contributing to knowledge management within the unit and reporting on capacity-building activities in the field.

• Assists in preparing the presentation to national authorities for follow up presentations and information.

• Carrying out site inspections, assessments and monitoring to ensure that the work is done according to instructions, drawings and technical specifications as per contractual agreement and give the same support to site teams liaising with the Project Managers and Project Engineers preparing subsequent reports.

• Assisting the with the architectural input for project planning, scheduling of tasks and resources allocation;

3. Knowledge sharing and management

• Engage in the project evaluation process by identifying and highlighting project-related challenges, actively participating in a continuous improvement cycle.

• Collaborate in delivering training and knowledge transfer to national/contractor personnel, offering guidance on sound design, construction, and engineering practices, as well as promoting environmental management practices, sustainability and resilience measures and appropriate health and safety standards.

• Contribute to the dissemination and exchange of best practices and lessons learned to enhance development planning and knowledge development.

• Participate in relevant Communities of Practice, fostering interaction with fellow Infrastructure practitioners and the broader community to share case studies, lessons learned, and best practices through the Knowledge System.

• Provide constructive feedback to Practice Leads on policies and supporting guidelines, with the goal of continuously enhancing UNOPS policies.

Impact of results

The Lead Architect's capacity to efficiently produce outcomes plays a pivotal role in ensuring the project is completed punctually, within budget, and with exceptional quality, surpassing the expectations of all parties involved. This, in consequence, elevates UNOPS' standing as a proficient provider of project services and management, reinforcing its competitive position as the favored collaborator for sustainable development and project services.

a. Education

• Masters degree with 5 years of relevant experience. In lieu of a Master's degree, a Bachelor's degree with additional 2 years of relevant experience may be accepted.

b. Work experience 

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in infrastructure of which 4 years in technical infrastructure engineering/design review is required;

• Experience in development infrastructure is essential to the role

• Knowledge of construction norms and standards of The Republic of Uzbekistan is desired 

• Knowledge of CAD software (AutoCAD or an alternative) is mandatory.

• Experience in the UN system organizations is desirable.

c. Languages

• Working knowledge of English is required.

• Working knowledge of Uzbek and/or Russian is an asset.

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: ICA
Contract level: IICA-2/ICSC-10
Contract duration: Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds, satisfactory performance, and project duration. 

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 

• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions 

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 

• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.

• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.