National Consultancy: Civil Works & WASH Engineer (150 working days)

UNICEF GCO is looking to recruit a national civil works engineer consultant in order to provide quality assurance and technical oversight of construction project management carried out by the respective University, and support UNICEF GCO to deliver durable WASH solutions for 10 Roma Settlements.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, PROTECTION

UNICEF Greece Country Office and the Ministry of Health (MoH) - specifically the General Secretariat of Public Health - have signed in August 2024, a programmatic agreement for the implementation of a national program to promote Family and Child health in the country. The national program is being implemented within the framework of prevention programs in Greece, as described in the National Action Plan for Public Health 2021 – 2025 (Strategy Axis 1: Primary Prevention) and the national prevention program "Spyros Doxiadis" Strategic Objective Area: Primary Prevention – Operational Objective – Prevention of psychosocial problems in children and promotion of mental health, and in close cooperation with the UNICEF office in Greece, as a technical and operational partner.

In this framework, UNICEF GCO in partnership with the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, will design and establish a Community Based Mental Health Center for young people 17-24, in order to address the issue of non-suicidal self-harm. The community center should be operational in Q1 of 2025, and in order for the services to be provided, renovation works need to take place for the identified spaces in Athens city centre.

At the same time, UNICEF is also supporting the General Secretariat of Social Solidarity and Fight Against Poverty, in the context of the National Strategy for the Inclusion of Roma communities 2021-2030. The Consultant will provide support in the framework of the UNICEF funded project Enabling access to water & environmental justice for marginalized communities in Greece. This will include support for the assessment, implementation, monitoring of WASH related interventions, including at community level, aimed to improve access to water and enable environmental justice for Roma communities, both from the WASH conditions perspective, as well as identifying feasible and durable solutions based on proper Water, Sanitation and Hygiene standards.

How can you make a difference? 

The main responsibilities of the civil works engineer will be clustered as follows:

A) Community Based Mental Health Center

Collaboration with UNICEF Programmes/Operations and coordination with University counterparts

• Provide technical support in matter of renovation project management to Programme/Operations sections; provide information to Programme/Operations on construction related activities and timeline.
• Attend technical cooperation meetings; prepare PPT presentations on construction and renovation projects' progress; undertake follow-up actions in relation to project implementation and monitoring.

Preparation of design and review technical documents & Monitoring of renovation works.

• Apply UNICEF norms and standards (child-friendly, accessibility, MOSS, MORSS, etc.) to construction projects, taking into consideration the local environment and available materials.
• Check technical documents related to renovation (design drawings, technical specifications, and bills of quantities); verify whether they are clear, complete and compliant to programmatic and construction needs, eco-efficiency and accessibility requirements; undertake the actions required to endorse these technical documents by relevant authorities.
• Participate in the kick-off meeting of renovation works with the construction company, the engineering firm and relevant state counterparts.
• Provide close monitoring on construction activities by undertaking regular site visits and conducting regular technical meetings including joint monitoring with relevant Government technical services; follow up progress for each activity per milestones and review site supervision reports to ensure work compliance with norms, standards, and timeline; verify quality and precautions on health and safety standards on ground.
• Use effective monitoring and supervision tools to easily ensure assessment of works quality, progress, and performance of engineering firms and construction companies during the entire duration of the project.
• Certify payments/variations and compile supporting documents; monitor construction expenditures and progress certificates; prepare and maintain relevant table for each construction activity.
• Participate in the partial, substantial, and final reception of works after verifying the correction of all defects during the DLP; prepare and issue relevant certificates.
• Prepare Contract Performance Evaluation; provide assistance to UNICEF Contract Administrator on contract close-out in VISION; draft the final completion report with the lessons learned.

B) WASH related interventions.

Enabling safe & running water to 10 Roma settlements of type I (shacks) & type II (mixed) at communal level

• Field Assessment of the 10 Roma settlements, by identifying the current status of access to water at community level, in cooperation with General Secretariat SSFAP personnel, local Roma branches of Municipalities and the local Water Companies.
• Provide 2 technical recommendations for each settlement, so as to ensure permanent and safe access to water points at community level (either suggesting new water solution or rehabilitating the existing one).

Developing pilot innovative WASH intervention at household level, with sustainability considerations

• Besides the aforementioned communal WASH solution, the Consultant will be tasked with assessing and identifying Water solutions at Household level, especially for type I settlements. The recommended solution should take into consideration the particular shelter conditions, the needs of population at risk of poverty and social exclusion, in correlation with all available and sustainable water management sources (e.g. connection with groundwater development, elevated water points, rainwater harvesting solution, and maintenance of it)

Responsibilities of the Consultant:

1. The consultant will communicate as frequently as needed via Teams calls with UNICEF GCO team to make sure that all work and procedures have been completed with the highest rigorous standards.
2. The consultant will use their own equipment; laptops, software and other accessories that may be required for this task.
3. The consultant will not give the content/material or any part thereof, to any third party without the written permission of UNICEF. All components will be the property of UNICEF, and the consultant will not share the same with anyone else.
4. The consultant will not put their own name or logo/emblem on the content / final product. The only organization branding will be UNICEF, if required.

Work Assignments Overview

1. Detailed workplan for the assignment with clear timelines risk management- identification of potential risks and risk mitigation measures 
   Deliverable: Consultancy workplan
   
   
2. Update on construction progress supported with photos, key milestones achieved, quality of executed works and compliance with contractual technical documents, risks and challenges, cost control measures, and any potential variation to the project plan.
   Deliverables: 3 Progress Reports for December, January, February
   
3. Field Assessment of the WASH conditions of 5 Roma settlements, and Provide 2 technical recommendations for each settlement.
   
   
4. Field Assessment of the WASH conditions of 5 Roma settlements, and Provide 2 technical recommendations for each settlement.
   
   
5. Developing pilot innovative Water management interventions at household level, with sustainability considerations.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

• An University degree in Civil Engineering or equivalent in civil engineering
• A minimum of 5 years of hands-on experience in on-site supervision of construction works and/or WASH engineering
• Valid certificate for engineering services or equivalent
• Fluency in Greek is required, and a good knowledge in English is an asset.
• UN Regulations knowledge is an asset.

Applicants are invited to:
a. Update e-Recruitment profile.
b. Attach relevant academic degrees, latest CV.
c. Indicate a lump-sum amount quoted in Euro for the whole assignment. The amount should be provided per deliverable by completing the consultancy financial proposal table.

 Consultancy Financial Offer Civil Works&WASH Engineer.xlsx

PLEASE NOTE THAT APPLICATIONS FROM CANDIDATES WHO DO NOT SUBMIT A FINANCIAL PROPOSAL TABLE WILL BE CONSIDERED INCOMPLETE AND WILL NOT BE FURTHER REVIEWED.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.