Org. Setting and Reporting
UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and is
mandated to provide assistance and protection to a population of some 5.8 million registered
Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West
Bank and the Gaza Strip to achieve their full potential in human development, pending a just
solution to their plight. UNRWA’s services encompass education, health care, relief and social
services, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance, and emergency assistance.
UNRWA is the largest UN operation in the Middle East with more than 30,000 staff.
UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions.
If you are looking for a rewarding opportunity to make a tangible difference for one of the
most vulnerable communities in the world, UNRWA would like to hear from you.
The incumbent of this post will report to the Chief of Infrastructure and Camp Improvement
Programme, and to the Deputy Director of UNRWA Affairs (Programmes), within the Jordan
Field Office (JFO) in Amman as a second supervisor within the Jordan Field Office (JFO) in
Amman.
Responsibilities
In accordance with established Agency policy and procedures, the incumbent is responsible
for the day-to-day supervision of the different phases of the REPAC Project different phases
ensuring its successful implementation, and the project outputs are delivered within the
specified project tolerances of time, cost, quality, scope, risk, and benefits, in particular:
1- Acquaints him/herself with the Agreements signed between the Donor and UNRWA and
all its integral parts and prepare all the project documentation regarding schedule, budget, and
project set-up; develop the Project Implementation Plan (PIP) and update it regularly ensuring
that UNRWA rules and regulations on technical matters as related to the project are applied.
2- Supervises the REPAC Project Team comprised of approximately 15 national staff,
including Structural Engineers, Urban Engineer, Social Workers, Admin Officer,
Environmental & Social Officer, Quantity surveyor, surveyor, Socio-Economic Specialist,
Community Development Specialist/Community Planner, and any other staff and/or
consultants hired under the REPAC projects.
3- Monitors the implementation of the Projects in accordance with the PIP and reports on its
progress to designated Field Office management and relevant departments as required;
proposes remedial measures to address (potential) deviations from project timeline and
budget; Identify and mitigate the risks of delays and budget overruns in a timely manner.
4- Produces a detailed budget of the project and establishes accurate, timely and effective
budget tracking including the preparation and monthly updating of financial forecasts for the
effective implementation of the project.
5- Prepares high quality reports, presentations, briefings, and other required documentation
using advanced project management tools on project progress and achievements, best
practices, evaluations, and lessons learned, as well as the project final report.
6- Ensures that UNRWA procedures and regulations including those governing human
resources, construction, procurement/contracting and finance, are adhered to in all technical
and financial matters.
7- Supervises technical aspects of the project and oversees the remaining construction works
in the selected camps.
8- Guides and supports the preparation and implementation of Camp Improvement Plans
(CIP). The task will include participatory planning, urban analysis, socio-economic data
analysis, surveys, focus group, and thematic group discussion, preparation of conceptual
project proposals, and working with the community and stakeholders.
9- Coordinates Shelter rehabilitation, from an urban & architectural point of view and decides
on the implementation interventions based on technical and structural assessment.
10- Coordinates tendering and contracting of construction works with HQ-A, Central Support
Services Division, and Field Finance Office (FFO).
11- Oversees the contractors’ performance ensuring that the building and infrastructure works
are executed in accordance with the contract provisions and that progress is maintained in
accordance with the PIP.
12- Develops and maintains effective relationships with internal and external Project
stakeholders, the Jordanian Government throughout its relevant Ministries and local
authorities and the refugee community for the advancement of the Project.
13- Facilitates project detailed design and implementation through cooperation and
coordination with other UNRWA Programme Departments, project—specific implementation
consultant(s), and the Department for Palestinian Affairs (DPA)
14- Where applicable, engages the Jordanian Government at the national and local level in
respect of its commitments to the Project; synchronizes and co-ordinates Government inputs
so that these meet Project deadlines and requirements.
15- In close coordination with the Donor Relations and Project Support Office (DRPSO),
abides by all donor requirements, including in terms of reporting and project visibility.
Supports the planning and oversees arrangements of visits by donor representatives and other
external interlocutors to the Project Area.
16- Maintains regular contacts with camp committees, UN agencies, NGOs, academics, and
relevant interlocutors for the advancement of the project.
17- Performs other duties as may be assigned.
Competencies
UN Core Values of Integrity, Professionalism and Respect for Diversity, and Core
Competencies of Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results apply by
default.
• Strong people management and team building skills
• Proven abilities in stakeholders’ management and partnerships
• Strategic planning and results-based management
• Excellent organizational skills in learning and adaptive management, including timely risk
mitigation.
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to deliver reports according to requirements and
strict deadlines.
Education
• Advanced university degree from an accredited educational institution in Civil Engineering,
Urban Planning, Architecture, or a related discipline.
• Applicants with a bachelor’s degree, and at least 7 years of progressive work experience in
the same fields may be considered on an equivalency basis.
Job Specific Qualifications
You are required to have an Internationally accredited certification in project management or
at least 2 additional years of relevant project management experience.
Excellent working knowledge and experience of project management software (ex: MS
Project or similar) is required.
Experience in managing the construction and/or rehabilitation of infrastructure projects in
complex environments similar to the camps is required.
Work Experience
• You are required to have a minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible and relevant
work experience in programme/project management and monitoring, data/information
analysis and reporting. This should include experience in managing the construction and/or
rehabilitation of infrastructure projects in complex environments similar to the camps.
• You are required to have an advanced university degree from an accredited educational
institution in Civil Engineering, Urban Planning, Architecture, or a related discipline.
• You are required to have an Internationally accredited certification in project management
or at least 2 additional years of relevant project management experience.
• Excellent working knowledge and experience of project management software (ex: MS
Project or similar) is required.
• Experience in managing the construction and/or rehabilitation of infrastructure projects in
complex environments similar to the camps is required.
• You are required to have excellent command of written and spoken English and Arabic
• Are you currently residing in Duty Station. It is required that you specify your current
location.
Languages
• Excellent command of written and spoken English and Arabic.
Please list all languages that you know including your mother tongue and indicate your
proficiency level from the drop-down list provided in the system considering the below:
If you possess a very good to excellent level of proficiency in English language, kindly
indicate this as “Fluent” in your application.
If you possess a good level of proficiency in English language, kindly indicate this as
“Confident” in your application.
If you possess a basic level of proficiency in English language, kindly indicate this as “Basic”
in your application.
Assessment
During the assessment, the applications will be given preference based on the following
desirable qualifications:
• Previous experience in working with refugees, internally displaced persons, and other
vulnerable groups.
• Experienced in the application of participatory methodologies, community, and urban
development.
• General knowledge of UN system policies, rules, regulations, and procedures.
• Previous experience managing a KfW-funded project.
• Experience in the Middle East or familiarity with its culture and environment and
knowledge of the construction industry in the Middle East, preferably low-cost housing
projects.
• Provided very good understanding of the context of Palestine refugees and UNRWA
operations.
The shortlisted candidates will be afterwards evaluated based on:
• Technical Test
• Competency-based Interview
Special Notice
Type of Contract:
Limited Duration Contract (LDC), Band G. The Limited Duration Contract applies to external
candidates and UNRWA internal candidates on LDC.
Duration of Contract: 6 months – with the possibility of further extension, subject to the
availability of funds, satisfactory performance and continuing need.
Grade & Salary: LDC – Band G monthly salary from JD 1,538.40 to JD 3,316.6
Other Benefits: Other benefits include compulsory medical insurance, 30 days of annual leave
pro-rated to the duration of the contract where less than one year, and family allowance (if
applicable).
Additional benefits:
– 2 days of sick leave for each completed month of service.
– Maternity Leave, upon meeting eligibility requirements.
– 2 weeks paternity leave. upon meeting eligibility requirements.
Department/Office: UNRWA – Programme Infrastructure/Engineering – Jordan
Duty Station: Field Locations
Other Information:
• Working conditions: The incumbent is required to travel within the field in the course of
performing his/her duties.
Equivalency:
Equivalency may apply for this post.
•Candidates with a combination of additional relevant academic qualifications and/or
additional years of progressive work experience may also be considered on equivalency.
NB: Work experience alone or formal qualifications with no relevant work experience are not
considered an acceptable combination.
General Information:
•This vacancy notice is open to internal and external candidates. Only candidates residing in
Jordan, and within commuting distance of the duty station with authorization to work in the
duty station at the time of application are eligible to apply.
•The Agency will not assume responsibility or accountability to support or facilitate the
issuance of work permit in Jordan, and without a valid work permit, the appointment may be
rescinded.
•Since the Vacancy is an Area Staff post, the Agency will not provide coverage for relocation
costs.
•Preference will be given to registered Palestine refugees and candidates assisting the Agency
to meet its commitment to gender parity. UNRWA welcomes applications from qualified
candidates with disabilities.
•To ensure efficiency and timeliness of the recruitment process, if a large number of
applicants pass the test, the Agency may decide to invite to the interview only the candidates
with the top scores to ensure a manageable number of candidates to proceed to the personal
interview stage.
•UNRWA encourages applications from qualified and experienced women.
•A roster may be created from the selection exercise, and successful candidates may become
eligible for appointment to the same post or a similar post. In the case of multiple or recurring
posts, that a roster will be created from which the candidates will be selected for appointment;
• Only applications that have been fully completed in UNRWA’s online e-recruitment system
inspira will be considered and no late applications will be accepted. The PHP should be
completed with full relevant work experience under the experience tabs as per the
requirements in the Job Opening. All acquired university degrees must also be stated, if
applicable. Please make sure that your application is filled in properly, correctly, and
completely; any missing or incomplete information may lead to the rejection of the
application by the system. Applicants applying to positions for Grades 12 to 20 or LDC Bands
E to H must submit a cover letter/motivational statement in order to be considered.
Additionally, providing incorrect or misleading information on an application will result in
the immediate disqualification of a candidate.
•Applicants will be disqualified when it becomes apparent that he or she provided incorrect,
incomplete or misleading information on his or her personal history profile or during the
recruitment process. If the applicant is also a staff member, the provision of incorrect,
incomplete or misleading information in the personal history profile may also amount to
misconduct. The Agency may indefinitely refuse to accept applications from an applicant who
has previously provided incorrect, incomplete or misleading information on his or her
personal history profile or during a recruitment process or committed plagiarism.
•For UNRWA internal staff, they are required to specify and include their current UNRWA
grade level. To do so applicants should select under “Category” RLG, scroll down to see all
categories, then select their local grade.
•Please find below the link to a video that guides applicants on how to apply to Job Openings:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MH-IYA6Y8kxA1fgao5qyTV8VwNajgx4u/view?
usp=sharing
•Advertisements published only in English will only accept applications in English, and
Arabic submissions will not be considered.
•The Agency may disqualify applicants whose name appears on the UN Sanctions List or a
UN database of staff separated for reason of misconduct or of staff who separated whilst
misconduct processes were pending.
•UNRWA shares investigation and misconduct information with other UN Agencies, and past
and prospective employers, about staff members who have been separated for misconduct, or
who have separated whilst an investigation and/or disciplinary process for misconduct is
underway; and such persons may be prohibited from employment with the United Nations.
•The Agency will immediately disqualify applicants who are ineligible for any reason in
accordance with the Agency regulatory framework.
•UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member states,
regional bodies, business foundations and individual contributions. The mission of UNRWA
is to help Palestine refugees achieve their full potential in human development under the
difficult circumstances in which they live.
For more details on UNRWA, please visit: https://www.unrwa.org
•Applications from UNRWA staff member who had been demoted with deferred eligibility
for promotion will not be considered.
•Applications from Staff members who were recipients under the Early Voluntary Retirement
or Exceptional Voluntary Separation Schemes will not be considered.
•Applications from Internal candidates serving for less than one year in their current post will
not be considered.
•The Agency reserves the right not to make an appointment, to make an appointment at a
lower grade, or to make an appointment with a modified job description or to change the
contract Modality.
•A candidate is not eligible for consideration if he or she was short-listed and found not
suitable for the same post within the previous 12 months unless the post description has since
been altered by 30% or more, as determined by ODCS.
•UNRWA reserves the right to proceed only with internal candidates or proceed with the
candidates of an under-represented gender for any vacancy announcement when it determines
that the short-list for a single post at any grade level is excessively long.
United Nations Considerations
Staff members are subject to the authority of the Commissioner-General of UNRWA and to
assignment by him or her.
UNRWA is committed to achieving gender parity at all levels of staffing under the current
UN-wide gender agenda and strongly encourages applications from qualified applicants from
under-represented groups.
At UNRWA, 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. UNRWA is committed to creating a diverse and
inclusive environment of mutual respect. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with
disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when
requested and indicated in the application.
UNRWA Considerations
UNRWA staff are expected to uphold the highest standards of efficiency, competence,
neutrality, impartiality and integrity. This includes respect for and commitment to human
rights, diversity and non-violent means of dealing with all kinds of conflict. Only persons who
fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for UNRWA jobs.
Candidates will not be considered for employment with UNRWA 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. Candidates who
have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for
employment. The Agency may disqualify applicants who have separated for reason of
misconduct, who left a UN Agency while misconduct processes were pending, or who appear
on the UN Sanctions List.
UNRWA is a non-smoking work 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 Manual for the
Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side
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 RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY FOR PALESTINE
REFUGEES IN THE NEAR EAST (UNRWA) DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE OR
REQUEST MONEY FROM CANDIDATES AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT
AND ONBOARDING PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING,
PROCESSING, OR TRAINING, ONBOARDING). UNRWA DOES NOT CONCERN
ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.