The UNOPS Africa Regional Office, based in Nairobi, Kenya, oversees the delivery of over 250 projects across 40 countries, with a focus on fragile and conflict-affected settings. Supported by more than 1,000 personnel across five multi-country offices—spanning North, West, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Horn of Africa—the office advances national priorities through strategic initiatives in Climate Action, Health, Infrastructure, Peace and Security, Middle-Income Country Support, and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The Regional Office provides strategic leadership, operational support, and oversight in key areas including Partnerships, Communications, Management and Oversight, Infrastructure and Project Management, Health and Safety, and Security. By promoting excellence in project delivery, fostering knowledge sharing, and driving continuous improvement, the office contributes to sustainable infrastructure, transparent resource management, and a better quality of life for communities across the continent.

Based in Nairobi, UNOPS East and Southern Africa supports sustainable development across 14 countries, including Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zanzibar, and Zimbabwe. Since 1995, UNOPS has expanded its footprint in Kenya, delivering services in project management, infrastructure, procurement, and financial management. Across the region, the office implements diverse, partner-funded initiatives that respond to national priorities. In Mozambique, this includes delivering specialized equipment (EU), supporting health services (UNICEF), promoting agro-processing (KOICA), and advancing peacebuilding efforts through a Multi-Donor Fund. UNOPS also supports agricultural input distribution and the Northern Crisis Recovery Project, both funded by the World Bank. In Malawi, efforts include developing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centres in partnership with the EU and the British Council. These initiatives reflect UNOPS’ commitment to strengthening national capacities, enhancing service delivery, and supporting progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the region.

The Technical Services Unit (TSU) engages in multidisciplinary design and design review, assessments and advisory work for infrastructure related UNOPS projects. The team currently comprises approximately 17 permanent and 90+ retainer (consultant) personnel including architects, civil engineers, structural engineers, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, quantity surveyors, GIS and specialist infrastructure practitioners (for dams, ICT, safeguards, biomedical works inter alia) and CAD technicians in addition to support personnel.

Current / recent projects are based in Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Morocco, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Mali, Haiti, Papua New Guinea and Madagascar. These projects comprise a range of types of infrastructure and consulting work.

The Unit is based in Nairobi, but works extensively in other locations, via travel and by using the network of retainer (consultant) personnel based elsewhere in Africa and beyond. The team has been increasingly tasked with advising on wider issues within the built environment, such as peer reviewing designs, mapping, data analytics, safeguards and infrastructure carbon. The TSU is a business unit for the Multi-Country office and comes under the direction of the Director for East and Southern Africa office (ESAMCO).

The Senior Associate Construction Management Engineer supports the implementation and oversight of infrastructure projects through the provision of technical expertise, quality assurance, and effective site management. The incumbent ensures that construction activities are executed according to design specifications, schedule, safety and environmental standards. The role involves close coordination with contractors, design consultants and internal stakeholders to facilitate on-time, on-budget and high-quality delivery of infrastructure works.

Construction Management and Site Supervision

• Assist in overseeing day-to-day site operations, ensuring adherence to project specifications, timelines and quality standards.
• Monitor work progress against approved plans and Bills of Quantity (BoQs), reporting potential risks, delays or cost deviations to the supervisor.
• Verify that works comply with contract documents, technical drawings, and applicable safety and environmental standards.
• Conduct regular site inspections and prepare detailed progress, quality and health, safety, social and environment (HSSE) reports.
• Supervise contractors’ work, assess completed quantities and recommend interim and final payments.
• Review and verify variation orders, ensuring justification, accuracy and compliance with design and budget parameters.
• Support the preparation and implementation of risk assessments, method statements, and HSSE plans, enforcing compliance on-site.
• Lead or participate in site meetings with contractors and relevant stakeholders, maintaining accurate records of discussions, issues and actions.
• Identify and address construction issues proactively, ensuring minimal disruption to project timelines.

Technical Documentation and Quality Assurance

• Assist in coordinating technical documentation, drawings and specifications to meet project and UNOPS standards.
• Contribute to developing and updating work plans and schedules to ensure alignment with time, cost and quality requirements.
• Maintain comprehensive project documentation, including registers for drawings, payments, variations, safety inspections and materials testing.
• Prepare and review technical reports, inspection checklists, site diaries, and contractor correspondence.
• Draft and review Interim Payment Certificates (IPCs) based on verified progress and quality benchmarks.
• Support quality management activities by developing inspection and test plans, conducting material checks, and verifying contractor quality control procedures.
• Review and maintain records related to design modifications, variation justifications, and lessons learned.

Monitoring, Reporting and Risk Management

• Prepare regular (weekly and monthly) project progress reports detailing physical and financial performance, safety compliance and risks.
• Maintain updated risk and issue registers, and propose mitigation measures where applicable.
• Track contractor performance against milestones and assist in preparing management summaries for project reviews.
• Support the project manager and procurement team in bid evaluations and preparation of tender documentation when required.
• Provide input for project close-out reports and lessons-learned documentation.

Stakeholder and Team Coordination

• Maintain effective communication with contractors, suppliers, local authorities, and implementing partners to ensure coordinated project delivery.
• Assist the project manager in guiding and mentoring junior engineers, architects and site personnel.
• Participate in coordination meetings, ensuring timely follow-up on action points.
• Establish and maintain positive working relationships with community representatives and site visitors, ensuring transparent communication on project activities.

Knowledge Building and Sharing

• Support the organization, facilitation and delivery of training and learning sessions on project management and construction management.
• Participate in knowledge-sharing initiatives and Communities of Practice (CoPs), contributing insights and lessons learned.
• Conduct research on infrastructure- and project management-related topics and contribute to the drafting of reports, summaries and briefing notes.

Required

• Secondary school (or equivalent) with 7 years of relevant experience OR
• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Civil Engineering, Construction Management or related disciplines with 3 years of relevant experience is required.

Desired

• A recognized professional certification or membership in a civil, structural or construction engineering association, at the national or international level, is desirable.

Required

• Relevant experience is work in building construction, site supervision or infrastructure project management or similar fields.
• Experience in quality control, monitoring and reporting within construction projects is required.
• Demonstrable proficiency in the use of collaboration and productivity tools (e.g. MS Office, G-Suite, etc) and web-based management systems are required.

Desired

• Experience of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing country is desired.
• Experience in development or humanitarian contexts is desired.
• Experience in project documentation, report writing and technical communication is desired.

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• Please note that UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. 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.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience requirements outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to considering all candidates in a fair and transparent manner, and we value diverse perspectives and experiences, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals with diverse 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.

• 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. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.
• For more details about the contract types, please click 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.