Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Background

UNDP’s Rule of Law Programme in Pakistan is working to strengthen the rule of law and to ensure equal access to justice and security services, particularly for women and marginalized groups across Pakistan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) including the merged districts (MDs), Balochistan, and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). In close collaboration with a range of government, rule of law and justice sector institutions, the overall Programme aims to enhance and sustain peace and stability for the longer-term in Pakistan.

The Programme activities and interventions therefore directly correspond with the Government of Pakistan’s strategies and commitments to rule of law and justice reforms, as well as improving the efficiency and effectiveness of institutions to deliver accountable and affordable security and justice services to the public.

The Rule of Law Programme implementation is guided by the following four strategic objectives:

Policy, legal and regulatory frameworks strengthened to warrant people-centred, equitable, timely, affordable justice and security delivery to all people with an emphasis on women, marginalized and vulnerable groups, and digital technologies.
Capacity of justice and security stakeholders (duty bearers) enhanced to deliver inclusive, timely, and accessible services to all people with an emphasis on women and digital technologies.
Capacity of women, and the most vulnerable and marginalized (rights holders) strengthened to access referral pathways to justice and security.
Justice and security sector institutional facilities enhanced to deliver inclusive, timely, and accessible justice and security services, through women-friendly and gender-responsive infrastructure development support with an emphasis on flood resilience and green energy.

Against this backdrop, UNDP actions and interventions are aimed at restoring public confidence and service delivery in the formal justice and rule of law sectors through a range of initiatives, including policy development and reform, fostering justice and security sector governance, as well as oversight and accountability at an institutional level with emphasis on inclusive and gender-responsive programming. The overall engagement strategy, therefore, involves both federal and local levels. The Programme is implemented in partnership with the Judiciary, Police, Prosecution, Prisons, Probation and Reclamation, Bar Associations, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and academia at federal and provincial levels.

The Engineer will provide specialised engineering support for the planning, design, implementation and quality assurance of infrastructure rehabilitation, refurbishment, facility improvement and solarisation interventions under the Rule of Law Programme. S/he will provide technical support for site and energy assessments, engineering designs, technical specifications, bills of quantities, cost estimates, procurement inputs, works supervision, quality assurance, certification, testing, commissioning and handover. The Engineer will liaise with relevant government counterparts, institutional focal points, contractors, consultants and other stakeholders and promote safe, accessible, gender-responsive, energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable infrastructure, ensuring that supported works comply with applicable engineering standards and quality requirements.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the Team Lead – Programme Specialist, the Engineer will provide technical planning, design, supervision and quality assurance for infrastructure rehabilitation, refurbishment, facility-improvement and solarisation works. The Engineer will work closely with programme specialists, provincial teams, government counterparts, the Procurement Analyst, contractors and consultants to ensure that works and renewable-energy installations are technically sound, compliant, accessible, safe, energy-efficient, cost-effective and completed in accordance with approved requirements.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Conduct technical assessments and prepare engineering designs and documentation.

Conduct and/or coordinate site assessments, condition surveys, technical needs assessments and energy/load assessments for proposed rehabilitation, refurbishment, facility-improvement and solarisation interventions.
Translate agreed institutional and programme requirements into technically feasible engineering solutions, taking account of site conditions, intended use, available resources and operational requirements.
Prepare and/or review engineering designs, drawings, technical specifications, bills of quantities, cost estimates, implementation schedules and other technical documentation required for works and related procurement.
Prepare and/or review technical requirements for solar photovoltaic systems and associated electrical, energy-storage, backup-power and installation components, where applicable.
Assess technical options and recommend solutions based on functionality, durability, maintainability, lifecycle costs, energy efficiency and value for money.
Ensure that designs incorporate accessibility, gender-responsive and inclusive infrastructure considerations, occupational health and safety, environmental requirements and applicable engineering and building standards.
Identify technical risks, site constraints, dependencies and approval requirements and recommend appropriate mitigation measures before implementation.

Provide technical inputs to procurement and contracting of works and engineering services.

Prepare and/or review technical components of procurement documentation for civil works, refurbishment, solarisation, engineering services and related infrastructure requirements.
Coordinate with designated team members to ensure that technical specifications, bills of quantities, drawings, evaluation criteria and other engineering requirements are complete, clear and suitable for competitive procurement.
Provide technical clarifications during solicitation processes and support pre-bid meetings and site visits, where required, while ensuring consistency and fairness of technical information.
Participate in technical evaluation of bids and proposals and provide documented engineering assessments and recommendations in accordance with applicable procedures.
Review contractors’ and consultants’ technical submissions, methodologies, work programmes, material specifications and other pre-construction documentation.
Support technical aspects of contract amendments, variations and other contractual actions by providing engineering analysis, cost implications and recommendations, while procurement and contractual processing remain with the designated procurement function.

Supervise implementation and ensure quality of infrastructure works.

Conduct regular site supervision and monitoring of rehabilitation, refurbishment, facility-improvement and solarisation works across programme locations.
Verify that works are implemented in accordance with approved designs, specifications, bills of quantities, contractual requirements, schedules and applicable engineering standards.
Monitor workmanship, materials and construction methods and identify defects, deviations, delays and technical issues requiring corrective action.
Review implementation progress against approved work programmes and provide timely technical recommendations to address bottlenecks, risks and delays.
Coordinate with contractors, supervising consultants, institutional counterparts and designated team members to resolve technical issues and facilitate timely implementation.
Maintain appropriate site records, inspection notes, photographic documentation, measurement records and other engineering evidence required for quality assurance and contract administration.
Ensure appropriate application of health and safety, environmental, accessibility and site-management requirements during implementation.

Verify progress, certify works and support testing, commissioning, handover and ensure knowledge sharing.

Verify quantities and physical progress of completed works and review measurement sheets, progress claims and support technical documentation.
Review and certify completed works and technical deliverables within delegated responsibilities, confirming compliance with approved specifications and contractual requirements before payment processing.
Conduct interim, substantial-completion and final inspections and prepare snag lists, defect notifications and other required technical records.
Oversee testing and commissioning of completed infrastructure and associated installations, where applicable, and verify that identified defects are rectified within required timelines.
Support preparation and review of as-built drawings, completion documentation, warranties, operation and maintenance information and other records required for handover.
Facilitate technical handover of completed facilities to relevant institutional counterparts and support confirmation of acceptance and operational readiness.
Monitor defects-liability obligations and support final certification and closure of works packages, as applicable.
Strengthen coordination, knowledge building and sharing for the project
Keep abreast of relevant developments and innovative approaches in adult learning, institutional capacity development and professional training and assess their potential application within the Programme.

Provide engineering coordination, monitoring, risk management and technical advice.

Maintain an integrated overview of infrastructure interventions, including the status of assessments, designs, procurement actions, implementation progress, certifications, risks and pending decisions.
Prepare periodic engineering progress updates and provide timely advice to programme management on implementation status, technical risks, cost implications, delays and corrective measures.
Coordinate with designated team members on financial, procurement, ICT and operational aspects of infrastructure packages while retaining responsibility for engineering verification and technical quality assurance.
Provide infrastructure-related inputs to workplans, progress reports, donor reports, briefing notes, presentations, audits and other programme documentation.
Review infrastructure-related deliverables prepared by consultants and service providers and advise on their technical quality and acceptability.
Promote cost-effectiveness, durability, accessibility, energy efficiency, maintainability and sustainability of infrastructure investments, including solarization systems.
Provide technical advice to institutional counterparts on operation and preventive maintenance, warranties, system performance and lifecycle considerations.
Keep abreast of relevant engineering standards, building regulations, construction practices, renewable-energy and solar photovoltaic standards, electrical safety requirements, environmental requirements and applicable UNDP procedures.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement

The Engineer will be based in the UNDP Pakistan Country Office in Islamabad, with regular travel to programme implementation locations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan for site and energy assessments, works supervision, inspections, certification, testing, commissioning and handover activities, including solarisation interventions.

Under the supervision of the Team Lead – Programme Specialist, the Engineer will provide specialised engineering expertise, technical oversight and quality assurance for infrastructure rehabilitation, refurbishment, facility-improvement and solarisation interventions.

The Engineer will work closely with relevant programme colleagues, including technical specialists and provincial teams, as well as government counterparts, contractors, consultants and relevant UNDP Country Office units. The Engineer will be responsible for engineering requirements, technical supervision, quality assurance and certification, while procurement and financial processing will remain with the respective designated functions.

Competencies

Core Competencies

Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies

Business Management

Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
Risk Management: Ability to identify, assess and organise action around mitigating technical, construction, environmental, safety and implementation risks.
Working with Evidence and Data: Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making

Business Direction & Strategy

Systems Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system

Procurement

Contract Management: Knowledge of contract management concepts, principles and methods, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations

2030 Agenda: Planet

Nature: Ecosystems and Biodiversity: Socio-environmental impacts of natural resource extraction

2030 Agenda: Peace

Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights: Rule of Law

Required Skills and Experience

Min. Academic Education

Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Construction Engineering, Architectural Engineering or a related engineering field is required OR
A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above, in combination with an additional 2 years of qualifying experience, will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Min. years of relevant Work experience

Minimum 2 years (with master’s degree) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in in civil engineering, infrastructure rehabilitation, construction supervision, refurbishment works or related areas is required.

Required Skills

Experience conducting site assessments and preparing or reviewing engineering designs, drawings, technical specifications, bills of quantities and cost estimates is required.
Experience supervising civil works, rehabilitation, refurbishment or facility-improvement projects and monitoring contractors is required.
Experience in quality assurance, measurement and verification of works, progress certification and final inspection is required.

Desired additional skills and competencies

Experience providing technical inputs to procurement of civil works and participating in technical evaluation of bids or proposals is desired.
Experience in contract administration from an engineering perspective, including review of variations, claims, work programmes and contractor performance, is desirable.
Experience with testing, commissioning, defect correction, as-built documentation and handover of completed works is desirable.
Knowledge of applicable building codes, engineering standards, occupational health and safety and environmental requirements is desired.
Experience in the technical assessment, design, specification, supervision, testing and/or commissioning of solar photovoltaic or renewable-energy systems for institutional or public facilities is highly desirable.
Proven Knowledge of solar PV system sizing, electrical load assessment, inverters, battery/storage systems, electrical protection, energy-efficiency considerations and operation and maintenance requirements would be an advantage.
Experience incorporating accessibility and inclusive-design considerations into public infrastructure would be a strong advantage.
Experience managing multiple works packages across geographically dispersed locations would be an advantage.
Experience with public-sector, justice, security or institutional infrastructure projects would be desirable.
Experience in donor-funded infrastructure programmes or with UNDP, UN agencies or international development organisations would be an advantage.
Proficiency in relevant engineering, drafting, quantity-estimation and project-monitoring software is desirable.
Strong analytical, technical writing, problem-solving, coordination and stakeholder-management skills/experiene are desired.
Proven Ability to undertake frequent field travel and manage concurrent infrastructure assignments under tight implementation schedules is desired.

Required Language(s) (at working level)

Fluency in English and Urdu languages (spoken and written) is required

Professional Certificates

Registration with the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC), where applicable to the engineering discipline, is highly desirable. Relevant professional certification or specialised training in construction management, project management, occupational health and safety, environmental management,, renewable energy, solar photovoltaic systems or related areas would be an added advantage.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

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Project Engineering Analyst (Open to Tier 1 & Tier 2 Applicants)