Environmental Engineer Retainer (Solid Waste Management)

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

Background Information - UNOPS Hub in Amman

The UNOPS Hub in Amman implements projects in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and Yemen, in partnership with bilateral donors, national governments, and other UN agencies.  With an established presence across the region, the office runs operations including large-scale procurement, project development, and technical management, and provides financial, human resources, and infrastructure-related services. The functional objective of UNOPS Hub in Amman is to deliver its projects in an efficient and effective manner and in line with the principles, rules and regulations of UNOPS, in order to support the response to the current needs and national priorities in the region.

The Solid Waste Management Specialist (SWMS) will be responsible for:

a) Performing technical planning, designing, formulation of detailed technical requirements,  implementing and monitoring of Solid Waste management/ Medical Waste Management projects;

b) coordinating with relevant partners and stakeholders working in Solid Waste Management sector and Medical Waste Management;

c) Managing and disseminating knowledge and lessons learned internally and externally.

The functions/duties/key results of the assignment

The SWMS shall work under the direct supervision of the Project Manager or the Head of Program. The SWMS will provide his/her technical expertise in the field of Solid Waste Management/ Medical Waste Management, as required to manage and coordinate any related designs assigned, supervision, commissioning and related documentation works. He/she is responsible for managing staff under his/her supervision (if any) and ensuring high quality design documentation and site works are carried out on time and on or under budget.  The tasks would involve the following, but not limited to:

• Prepare Technical structure of projects;
•  Contribute in the preparation of Terms of References for: Consultancy Services, Individual Technical Assistances or any other services providers, within the field of Solid Waste Management/ Medical Waste Management;
• Prepare designs, General Schematic Drawings, detailed Technical Specifications, Scope of Works, Bills of Quantities, Cost Estimations, Design Calculations for Supply of Goods and Works Contracts;
• Assist Project Managers in the preparation of Tender Documents (Concerned with Consultancies, Supply of Goods, and Works) and evaluation of Proposals;
• Review the design of Solid Waste Management/ Medical Waste Management components of projects;
• Work closely, through the Project Manager, and/or Head of Program with other Project Team members (Architects, Engineers, Draftsperson and Quantity Surveyors, etc..) and assist in the planning of projects, scheduling of tasks and developing an integrated design;
• Assist in monitoring and supervising execution of contracts to ensure adherence with the signed contracts, high international quality standards and UNOPS requirements;
• Monitor and supervise testing, coding and details of Solid Waste Management/ Medical Waste Management aspects of the projects and prepare deliverables; and
• Any other relevant task that might be assigned to the SWMS.
• The SWMS shall perform the functions, tasks and duties in accordance with pertinent Lebanese environmental legislations, laws, and decrees, the directives and guidelines of the Lebanese Ministry of environment as well as the Ministry of Public Health and other pertinent Ministries, municipalities and other governmental administrations and entities.

Specifically, the SWMS will be responsible for the following substantive tasks:

Technical tasks

• Conduct research and needs assessment activities to identify and select beneficiaries of the project;
• Prepare design briefs, design reports, comprehensive design documentation, calculations, drawings, specifications, schedules and other project documents that address the clients and stakeholder particular requirements and specifications along with detailed comparative analysis (Technical, environmental, financial, legislative, administrative, etc..) of various technical options and their potential impacts and recommend the most feasible technologies for the Solid Waste Management/ Medical Waste Management, as and when necessary;
• Utilize research, development, relevant international standards and codes and good engineering practices to identify appropriate technologies/techniques/designs that can be incorporated in the project design and meet to the client’s design requirements;
• Provide guidance to the beneficiaries of the project concerning the process of applying for and obtaining licenses from the pertinent Ministries, Municipalities, Governmental administrations and entities, for the projects to be developed and implemented in their facilities (e.g. provide guidance towards preparation and submission of applications to the Ministry of Environment, preparation of Environmental Social Health Impact Assessment Studies- ESHIA, etc..);
• Perform the tasks in accordance with the applicable Quality Assurance (QA)/Quality Control (QC) protocols and regulations and requirements;
• Carry out the tasks according to the client’s design requirement, international standards and codes of practices, Lebanese pertinent regulations, directives and laws;
• Responsible for timely delivery of the expected outputs and highlight possible late delivery prior to the event;
• Assist in: carrying out technical reviews (of the Consultants’, Suppliers’, or Contractors’ Technical Submittals, Materials catalog sheets, Shop Drawings, As-Built Drawings, reports, deliverables, etc..), site inspections, assessments, quantity surveying and preparing reports as required and providing advice on suitable alterations,  and guiding contractors on all related issues, and ensuring that they meet the high standards expected by UNOPS, while delivering the projects within the set time and budget constraints;
• Assist in preparing daily, weekly, monthly reports;
• Assist in reviewing progress and financial reports (invoices) submitted by consultant/ suppliers/ contractors and recommend to the Project Manager the release of payments after technical assessment;
• Under the supervision and guidance of the Project Manager and/or the Head of Program, the SWMS would assist in coordinating meetings with donors, partners, clients, stakeholders. Ministries, International Organizations and counterparts ensuring necessary integration with the stakeholders;
• Under the supervision and guidance of the Project Manager and/or the Head of Program, the SWMS would liaise with national and international clients and address requirements when required;
• Assist in preparing progress reports/updates and presentations on Solid Waste Management projects;
• Deliver capacity building presentations, educative sessions and/or training activities for stakeholders and beneficiaries of the projects;
• Support the awareness and outreach campaign which will be implemented in coordination with the donor, client, and stakeholders;
• Support the Project Manager in embedding sustainability dimensions including social and gender inclusion, environmental and economic aspects into SWM subprojects; and
• Coordinate the team effort to complete any task as would be required and appropriate if assigned to it.

Administrative tasks

• Assist in archiving and documenting Solid Waste Management/ Medical Waste Management related material;
• Assist in performing scheduling requested tasks related to Solid Waste Management/ Medical Waste Management activities;
• Identify risks and propose risk management strategies to ensure smooth implementation of the projects;
• Assist in ensuring proper engagement with stakeholders (internal and external) for effective planning and implementation of the projects in a coordinated manner; and
• Perform any other tasks relevant to the Solid Waste Management/ Medical Waste Management when required.

Final Product

Deliver tasks delegated by the supervisor on time and as per the required cost and quality parameters. Ensure that projects design and construction are prepared and performed with high quality, while observing the applicable local, international and UN standards and ensure adherence to relevant Health, Safety, Security and Environmental procedures.

Gender Mainstreaming

• Ensure the projects and all its activities pro-actively includes gender considerations and adequately mainstreams them through the implementation of targeted and mainstreaming actions.
• Ensure that the project activities, outputs, and indicators mainstream gender.
• Promotes gender-responsive practices in accordance with UN Values.

• Master’s Degree (or higher) in environmental engineering, engineering, environmental studies/science, or a field related to waste management is required.
• A Bachelor Degree in combination with 2 additional years of relevant professional experience may be accepted in lieu of a Master's Degree.
• Project Management Certificates will be an asset.

• General professional experience: At least 5 (five) years in two or more of the following fields: Environment, Solid Waste Management, Medical Waste Management is required.     
•  Specific professional experience 1: minimum 3 (three) years of professional experience in one or more of the following tasks in the area of solid waste management: feasibility studies, management, implementation and evaluation of projects is required.
• Specific professional experience 2: minimum 2 (two) years of professional experience in developing or executing projects in the field of Medical Waste Management is required.
• Previous working experience in the management of medical waste in Lebanon is required.
• Previous working experience in preparing and reviewing Environmental, Social Health Impact Assessment (ESHIA) studies for Solid Waste Management Projects is an asset.
• Previous experience in the implementation of projects that required coordination at multi stakeholder level is an asset.
• Knowledge about the pertinent Lebanese environmental legislations is required.
• Knowledge about the best international practices and technologies adopted, accredited and applied for Solid Waste Management/ Medical Waste Management projects is an asset.      
•  Work Experience with an international organization and/or UN Agencies will be well regarded.

• Excellent presentation, report writing, fluency and communication skills in English and Arabic are required. Working knowledge of the French Language is an asset.

• Ability to work collaboratively and operate technically across the following thematic areas: Environmental engineering, Community-based Waste Management, Integrated Municipal Solid Waste Management, Recycling & Composting, Medical Waste Management, Waste-to-Energy, the Green Economy, Climate resilient development, gender mainstreaming.
• Ability of promoting constructive dialogue between diverse stakeholders and of communicating clearly and respectfully at the highest levels of government as well as with civil society at community level or as required.

• Contract type : Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA)- Retainer
• Contract level : Local ICA Specialist Level 10
• Contract duration: Ongoing ICA – ‘Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• This is a local position, therefore only Nationals of the duty station or applicants who are legally entitled (i.e. those with valid residence/work permit) to be employed in the duty station will be considered.
• Beirut is designated as non-family duty station.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• 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 (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.