Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in El Fasher, Engineering and Environmental Protection Section of the African Union/United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). The Water and Sanitation Engineer (Waste Management) reports to Chief Engineer through Chief Water and Environmental Protection Unit.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Water and Sanitation Engineer (Waste Management) will be responsible for the following duties: 

•Participates in planning and management of the operation of the Water and Sanitation Unit, for both current as well as future mission’s requirements for water, environmental and sanitation services.

•Prepares Water and Sanitation Unit budget as part of the overall Engineering Budget; Raises requisitions for the procurement of Water, Environmental and Sanitation goods and services.

•Analyzes and advises on the planning, design, construction and maintenance of water supply systems, including source development, treatment, storage and distribution.

•Analyzes and advises on the planning, design, construction and maintenance of wastewater systems, including collection, treatment, recycling and discharge.

•Analyzes and advises on the planning, design, construction and maintenance of solid waste management systems and infrastructure including collection, segregation, recycling and disposal.

•Implements Department of Peacekeeping Operations’ environmental guidelines and advises on the planning, design, construction and maintenance of environmental systems and services and other environmental engineering activities in the mission. In particular, implementation of the UNAMID Mission Environmental Action Plan in line with the DFS Environmental Strategy as well as the Environmental Policy and the Waste Management Policy.

•Evaluates, reviews and revises project documents, and analyzes design specifications included in project proposals for accuracy, soundness, feasibility and cost.

•Recommends solutions to water, environmental and sanitary engineering problems.
•Develops mission policy and guidelines for general planning, operation and maintenance of the water, environmental and sanitation programs.
•Develops teamwork and close coordination with mission’s engineering units, military engineer officers, battalion engineer officers, risk management unit, finance, and procurement section.
•May act as a head of the Unit in absence of the Unit head.
•Performs other related duties as required by the Unit head and the Chief of the Section. 
Desirable: Due to the specific nature of the Darfur region, specific experience in hydrogeology, particularly groundwater systems and groundwater monitoring is desirable
Also, due to mandated implementation of the DFS Environmental Strategy, experience in design, construction and management of solid waste management systems including segregation and recycling is also desirable.
Work implies frequent interaction with the following:
Chief/Supervisors of other Units, staff of the Section and other technical sections. 
Local and international contractors including the contractor’s technical personnel. 
Other agencies and NGOs operating in the area. 
Civilian and Military UN personnel throughout the Mission. 

Results Expected: 
Effective management and supervision of engineering projects related to water, waste water, sanitation, and environmental and their preventive maintenance programme. Water, sanitation, well construction and maintenance projects progress in accordance with planned schedules.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

Professionalism:
-Demonstrated ability to serve as technically responsible specialist in the field of water, environmental and sanitary engineering related to peacekeeping or other field operations; high degree of personal initiative and willingness to accept wide responsibilities; ability to provide technical and procedural advice in a broad range of environmental areas; ability to develop, maintain and supervise accountability systems for materials and services; ability to deploy to remote locations on short notice; thorough knowledge of water, environmental and sanitation systems. 
-Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations.
-Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

Teamwork:
-Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals
-Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others
-Places team agenda before personal agenda
-Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position
-Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings

Planning & Organizing:
-Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies
-Identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required
-Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work
-Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning
-Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary
-Uses time efficiently

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in civil engineering or related fields. Specialization in water, environmental and sanitation engineering is an advantage. A first level university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications and experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in the field of water, environmental and sanitation engineering or related field. Qualifying years of experience are calculated following the receipt of the first level university degree recognized by the United Nations.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in oral and written is required. Knowledge of other UN official language is desirable

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

Notes:

* The duration of this temporary job opening is for three months (possibility of extension subject to availability of post).

• A current staff member who holds a fixed-term, permanent or continuing appointment may apply for temporary positions no more than one level above his or her current grade. However, a current staff member who holds an appointment at the G-6 or G-7 level may also apply to temporary positions in the Professional category up to and including the P-3 level, subject to meeting all eligibility and other requirements for the position. A staff member holding a temporary appointment shall be regarded as an external candidate when applying for other positions, and may apply for other temporary positions at any level, subject to section 5.7 below and staff rule 4.16 (b) (ii). Therefore, a staff member holding a temporary appointment in the General Service or related categories may only apply to positions within those categories. For full information on eligibility requirements, please refer to section 5 of ST/AI/2010/4Rev.1 on Temporary Appointments. In its resolution 66/234, the General Assembly further “stressed that the Secretary-General should not recur to the practice of temporarily filling posts in the Professional and higher categories with General Service staff members who have not passed the General Service to Professional category examination other than on an exceptional basis, and requests the Secretary-General to ensure that temporary occupation of such posts by the General Service staff shall not exceed a period of one year, effective 1 January 2013…” Consequently, eligible candidates in the General Service or related categories for temporary job openings in the Professional category that have not passed the competitive examination may be selected only on an exceptional basis endorsed by the Office of Human Resources Management where no other suitable candidate could be identified.

• Upon separation from service, including, but not limited to, expiration or termination of, or resignation from, a fixed-term, continuing or permanent appointment, a former staff member will be ineligible for re-employment on the basis of a temporary appointment for a period of 31 days following the separation. In the case of separation from service on retirement, a former staff member will be ineligible for re-employment for a period of three months following the separation. This equally applies, mutatis mutandis, with respect to a former or current staff member who has held or holds an appointment in another entity applying the United Nations Staff Regulations and Rules and who applies for a temporary position with the Secretariat.

• Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as “retirement.” Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.

• Subject to the funding source of the position, this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.

• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post. An external candidate selected for this position is bound by the prevailing condition of the staff selection system under ST/AI/2010/3, as amended, and ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1. A staff member holding a temporary appointment who is recruited in the Professional and above categories on a temporary appointment, and placed on a position authorized for one year or longer may not apply for or be reappointed to his/her current position within six months of the end of his/her current service. This provision does not apply to staff members holding temporary appointments and placed on positions authorized for one year or more in duty stations authorized for peacekeeping operations or special political missions.

• The expression “Internal candidates”, shall mean staff members who have been recruited after a competitive examination under staff rule 4.16 or after the advice of a central review body under staff rule 4.15.

• Please note that candidates will be required to meet the requirements of Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter as well as the requirements of the position. The United Nations is committed to the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity for all its human resources, including but not limited to respect for international human rights and humanitarian law. Candidates may be subject to screening against these standards, including but not limited to whether they have committed, or are alleged to have committed criminal offences and/or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

• For information on special post allowance, please refer to ST/AI/1999/17. For more details on the administration of temporary appointments please refer to ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1.

• The Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and administrative issuances governing staff appointments can be viewed at: http://www.un.org/hr_handbook/English

• Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply.

• Staff members are not eligible to apply for the current temporary job opening if they are unable to serve the specified duration of temporary need before reaching the mandatory age of separation. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity, including but not limited to, respect for international human rights and humanitarian law. Candidates may be subject to screening against these standards, including but not limited to, whether they have committed or are alleged to have committed criminal offences or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law. 

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the At-a-Glance on “The Application Process” and the Instructional Manual for the Applicants, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The screening and evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications, including but not limited to, their education, work experience, and language skills, according to the instructions provided on inspira. Applicants will be disqualified from consideration if they do not demonstrate in their application that they meet the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations. Applicants are solely responsible for providing complete and accurate information at the time of application: no amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to a reference-checking process to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at midnight (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.