Senior Project Associate (Engineering)

Vacancy Notice No: SVN#NP/11/24

Open to Internal and External Candidates

Position Title: Senior Project Associate (Engineering)

Duty Station: Jajarkot or West Rukum district, Karnali Province, Nepal

Classification: General Service Staff, Grade-6

Type of Appointment: Special Short Term, 6 months with possibility of extension

Estimated Start Date: As soon as possible

Closing Date: May 9, 2024

Established in 1951, IOM is a Related Organization of the United Nations, and as the leading UN agency in the field of migration, works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners. IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.

Organizational Context and Scope

On 3 November 2023, Nepal’s deadliest earthquake since April 2015 struck Jajarkot District in Karnali Province in the west of the country. The 6.4 magnitude earthquake, which was followed by over 300 aftershocks, killed 154 (84 females and 70 males, including 81 children)2, injured 366, and displaced tens of thousands of people, forcing many to sleep outside in freezing overnight temperatures for fear of aftershocks. According to the National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC), approximately 62,011 households were damaged (completely and partially) and 250,000 people were affected (127,750 females and 122,250 males, including 69,575 children), with Jajarkot and Rukum West districts bearing the brunt of the damage. Despite the earthquake's relatively low magnitude, the high levels of damage and casualties were caused by substandard construction of homes and as it occurred at night when most people were asleep in their homes.

In February 2024, the Joint Recovery Action Plan: Western Nepal Earthquake was launched by the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office Nepal with three pronged objectives 1) Support livelihoods and the continuation of basic service delivery 2) Create enabling environments for long term recovery and reconstruction of affected communities 3) support the current season and build resilience to natural shocks in 2024. Under the Joint Recovery UN Project, IOM is leading the Shelter Recovery interventions planned from May 2024 until January 2025. 

Under the guidance from Chief of Mission and overall supervision of the National Program Officer/Head MECR (Migration, Environment, Climate Change and Risk Reduction) and the direct supervision of the Shelter Expert, the successful candidate will provide specialized assistance in Shelter and Settlements interventions to support the Jajarkot earthquake recovery operation.

Core Functions / Responsibilities

1. Support the Shelter Expert in providing technical support in verifying compliance with building codes, regulations, and standards of local rural/municipalities.
2. Coordinate with local (GoN) architects, designers, and stakeholders from local rural municipalities to integrate permit requirements into housing drawings and project plans, when required.
3. Work in close coordination with Shelter Expert for providing support to local rural municipalities in maintaining accurate records and documentation related to building permits, including applications, approvals, inspections, and correspondence.
4. Participate in project team meetings to coordinate building design options and ideas. 
5. Support Shelter Expert for providing technical assistance to facilitate and coordinate inspections with relevant authorities, ensuring that construction activities comply with approved plans, and addressing any issues or deficiencies identified during inspections.
6. Support and coordinate with Shelter Expert and GoN on possible, affordable and locally accepted drawing of different typologies.
7. Perform any duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Required Qualifications and Experience

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in architecture engineering, structural engineering or a related field from accredited Institute with 4 years of relevant experience, or
• High school diploma with six years of relevant professional experience.

Experience

• Proven experience in technical assistance and quality control within the reconstruction sector, particularly in shelter projects or humanitarian contexts in Nepal.
• Strong knowledge of building permit studio, facilitation skills on reconstruction management, construction information management system, building standards and typology.
• Familiarity with relevant local, national and international quality standards and guidelines in building code & reconstruction.
• Excellent analytical, and problem-solving skills regarding to local & owner driven drawing into socio-technical facilitation.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work collaboratively in multicultural environments.
• Effective communication with interacting with clients, government agencies, architects, contractors, and other project team members.
• Strong problem-solving skills enable them to assess situations, identify viable solutions, and implement appropriate actions to keep the project moving forward.

Skills

• Computer literate (MS office, AutoCAD, SAB, ETABS, and statistical packages, etc.).
• Database management systems (e.g., SQL, Oracle), familiarity of Monitoring and evaluation software is advantage. 
• Familiarity with engineering software for designing and assessing emergency shelters and settlements.
• Knowledge of relevant coding languages for data analysis and system development may be beneficial.
• Environmental sensitive planning, DRRM governance, and coordination in humanitarian settings.

Languages

Fluency in English and Nepali is required (oral and written).

Required Competencies

VALUES - All IOM staff members must abide by and demonstrate these five values:

• Inclusion and respect for diversity: Respects and promotes individual and cultural differences. Encourages diversity and inclusion.
• Integrity and transparency: Maintains high ethical standards and acts in a manner consistent with organizational principles/rules and standards of conduct.
• Professionalism: Demonstrates ability to work in a composed, competent and committed manner and exercises careful judgment in meeting day-to-day challenges.
• Courage: Demonstrates willingness to take a stand on issues of importance.
• Empathy: Shows compassion for others, makes people feel safe, respected and fairly treated.

CORE COMPETENCIES - Behavioural indicators – Level 2

• Teamwork: Develops and promotes effective collaboration within and across units to achieve shared goals and optimize results.
• Delivering results: Produces and delivers quality results in a service-oriented and timely manner. Is action oriented and committed to achieving agreed outcomes.
• Managing and sharing knowledge: Continuously seeks to learn, share knowledge and innovate.
• Accountability: Takes ownership for achieving the Organization’s priorities and assumes responsibility for own actions and delegated work.
• Communication: Encourages and contributes to clear and open communication. Explains complex matters in an informative, inspiring and motivational way.

Other

Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment. Only Nepali Nationals will be considered for this position.

How to apply:

Interested Candidates are requested to submit their application indicating clearly the position applied, VN number and CV with three references to the following address: Human Resource Department, International Organization for Migration, P.O. Box 25503, Lazimpat Road, Panipokhari, Kathmandu or email to iomnepaljobs@iom.int by 9 May 2024. Only short-listed candidates will be called for interview.

Posting period:

From 02.05.2024 to 09.05.2024