Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) is the United Nations headquarters in Africa and the representative office of the Secretary-General. UNON supports programme implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Resident Coordinator System (RCS) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) globally, as well as other United Nations offices in Kenya, by providing administrative, conference and information services (www.unon.org). This Post is located within the Facilities Management and Transport Section (FMTS). Within delegated authority and under the overall supervision of the Chief of Unit, Office Space and Assets, the incumbent will carry out the following duties:

Responsibilities

• Coordinates construction, repair, maintenance and installation of conventional buildings, temporary buildings, infrastructure and sites and premises. • Coordinates maintenance services of installations, systems and equipment throughout the buildings. • Plans construction and renovation projects, including conceptual design, identification of design parameters, analysis of functional/special needs and recommendations on alternative solutions. • Reviews contractors’ invoices and assists with cost recovery as required. • Prepares scopes of work and technical specifications including engineering drawings, bill of quantity and cost estimates for construction/modification/alteration works taking into consideration the interpretation of building codes for construction, health and fire safety. • Carries-out technical evaluation of offers and, after contract has been awarded to successful contractor, supervises coordinates and monitors implementation of contract and progress of work to ensure compliance with drawings and specifications and determines justification for technical changes to the contract and prepare progress reports. • Assists in developing standards for existing and future facilities and guidelines for the on-going management of buildings. • Liaises with Safety and Security for safety inspections of premises; reports and investigates accidents and recommends correction of safety or fire hazards. • Assists in identifying common issues and best practices, making strategic recommendations and developing a plan to achieve objectives and increase efficiency. • Drafts responses to the board of auditors, OIOS and Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) on audit-related issues and additional information requests on construction and common service subjects/studies in the JIU work programmes as required. Monitors the implementation of internal and external audit recommendations. • Drafts status reports, briefing papers, updates and ad-hoc reports on status of the various stages of the planning, design, construction, environment, safety-related projects and common-service aspects of the programme as required, communicating findings, recommendations, analysis and concepts to the Chief of Unit/Section as appropriate. • Reviews proposals for rental/lease or construction of new facilities to ensure conformity with approved space standards, building construction guidelines and legislative policies/recommendations and draft comments/recommendations. • Assists in the implementation of work plan of the Unit/Section and in managing the resources and participates in the preparation of biennial budget and spending plan of the Unit/Section. • Supervises general service staff of the Unit/Section. • Coordinates specialized needs for special events or special construction and operational issues. • Assists with the collection and analysis of data as well as preparation of data presentations and reports for information sharing, responding to queries, knowledge management, planning and decision making. • Assists with visualizations and updating information material such as web pages or brochures. • Performs other duties as required.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of the Organization’s rules and regulations as they pertain to building management and of industry codes and standards. Knowledge of the Organization’s financial rules and regulations, as well as budgetary, administrative procedures, policies and directives. Ability to read and interpret architectural floor plans. Ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. 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. Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work. TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals and solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise. Is willing to learn from others and 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. TECHNOLOGICAL AWARENESS: Keeps abreast of available technology. Understands the applicability and limitation of technology to the work of the office. Actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks. Shows willingness to learn new technology.

Education

Completion of secondary education/ high school diploma is required. Additional qualifications in architectural, electrical, mechanical and/or civil engineering or related field is desirable.

Job – Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten (10) years of progressive work experience in architectural, electrical, mechanical and/or civil engineering is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced by two (2) years for candidates who possess a first-level University degree. Experience in undertaking building construction and renovation projects greater than 5000 meters squared (m2) is required. Experience in office building projects involving multi-disciplines including architectural, electrical, mechanical, civil, site, finishes and specialty systems work is desirable. Experience in using AutoCAD and/or Revit or similar 3D software is desirable. One (1) year or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Working knowledge of another UN language is desirable. NOTE: “fluency equals a rating of “fluent” in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and ” Knowledge of” equals a rating of ” confident” in two of the four areas.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

This is a temporary job opening. Appointment against this position is for a duration of 364 days, a limited duration and does not carry any expectancy, legal or otherwise, of renewal. The position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. All staff in the General Service and related categories shall be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of each office, irrespective of their nationality and of the length of time they may have been in the country. A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits applicable to international recruitment. External candidates will be considered only when no suitable internal candidate from the country is identified. The candidate is responsible for any travel expenses incurred to take-up the appointment. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. Internal Applicants: When completing the PHP, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience and contact information are completed and up to date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. On-line applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira “Need Help?” link.

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. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. 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. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The 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 according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. 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 reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (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.