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

The project “Advanced Capacity for Accelerated Delivery Initiative” (ACADI) is implemented in partnership with the Ministry for Public Investment (MPI) with the purpose to increase MPI`s capacity to implement projects funded by loans thus ensuring timely and impactful implementation. Up to now, ACADI project has been provided with specialized expertise in the areas of project management, public procurement, finance, law, technical sciences, and administration to implement loans and blend loans with budgetary funds. MPI needs additional capacity to implement projects funded by loans.

To ensure timely and impactful implementation and to indemnify the Republic of Serbia from the potential interest and charges which would appear in case of slow pace of project implementation, there is a need to establish the Project Implementation Unit.

This position will ensure results oriented, effective, efficient and accountable implementation of the Project activities and achievement of Project results.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Programme Specialist of the UNDP Resilience portfolio, the Project Specialist has the responsibility to manage and oversee infrastructure activities related to the design, supervision, and quality assurance. The Project Specialist should provide high-level technical expertise and ensure that the projects produce the results specified in the Project Documents for the infrastructure components, to the required standard of quality and within the specified constraints of time and cost.

Specific responsibilities will include leading and managing the implementation of activities with the aim of achieving the following project results:

1. Strategic Planning and Overall Project Management:

Ensure effective management and supervision of large infrastructure-related projects by maintaining the delivery of appropriate technical, operational, financial, and administrative outputs.
Develop and manage, in coordination with partners, the overall implementation strategy for activities in the Civil Engineering Infrastructure component.
Manage and coordinate the implementation of activities based on relevant project documents, ensuring full compliance with established project management rules, regulations, and policies.
Ensure timely and good-quality implementation of work plan activities and monitor progress against the approved infrastructure work plan.
Identify changes in the external environment and promptly suggest necessary solutions/actions (e.g., related to the planning and implementation of activities, or the need for new activities).
Collect, analyze, and present background information for the preparation of project annual work plans and progress reports.

2. Expert Engineering Support and Quality Assurance:

Provide technical expertise during the Project’s mobilization stage, including planning and implementation.
Provide expert support and quality assurance to large-scale infrastructure projects.
Provide support in the conceptualization, coordination, and implementation of selected activities/components within large strategic investment projects in construction and infrastructure areas.
Supervise consultants, review and approve technical designs and Bills of Quantities (BoQs), ensure detailed monitoring and supervision of construction works on-site, and provide final engineering clearance for payment under the terms of the contracts.
Generate new ideas and approaches, consolidate best practices from the field, and propose effective ways of executing engineering interventions.
Be responsible for the overall management of project activities that require specific engineering interventions.
Draft correspondence on project engineering issues for the Portfolio Manager, as required.

3. Preparation and Review of Technical Documentation and Procurement:

Serve as the main focal point for the review and fine-tuning of all Terms of Reference (ToRs) and Scopes of Work (SoWs) for engineering services, bringing them in line with UNDP standards while reducing potential implementation risks.
Coordinate, prepare, and review ToRs and SoWs for the design of complex infrastructure initiatives and engineering services.
Support the preparation of tender documentation, as well as the preparation and execution of tender processes for the procurement of goods, materials, equipment, and services.
Lead and oversee the management and procurement of necessary materials and equipment required to support project implementation, adhering to agreed UNDP standards and processes.
Conduct field visits when necessary to improve the development of ToRs.
Obtain partner and beneficiary approval for all stages of technical documentation development (concept design, preliminary design, design for construction, and design for execution).

4. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Risk Management:

Monitor progress and risks in infrastructure projects, ensuring that changes are controlled and problems are addressed promptly.
Analyze new potential risks and define appropriate mitigation measures.
Prepare a monitoring plan and implement it with the support of the project team, as determined by the monitoring schedule.
Provide inputs for the creation of the project monitoring and evaluation framework.

5. Stakeholder Coordination, Team Supervision, and Capacity Building:

Provide technical expert advice and guidance to all stakeholders, including local authorities, target communities, and the project team.
Establish and maintain working relations with national partners, local institutions, and local services in coordination with the Project Manager and the National Project Director.
Liaise with contractors, municipalities, and other partners on project matters, and conduct meetings with them during all stages of technical documentation development.
Supervise the work of engaged advisors, project staff, and consultants; provide guidance, peer review, and approval of their monthly progress reports.
Provide technical support in conducting capacity-building initiatives.

6. Facilitate knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing, and advocacy relevant to the project.

Identify capacity building needs and opportunities. Ensure appropriate training, project workshops and other relevant activities are organized and implemented in a consultative manner, involving technical experts and stakeholders that may include the government, private sector, NGOs, donors, and/or academia.
Ensure project reports capture results, lessons learned and good practices for possible wider application.
Participate in and ensure sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice on development and project related issues. Support establishment of knowledge platforms for the project, facilitate innovative mechanisms for dissemination of knowledge from the project, and develop knowledge resources and products to share with project partners and to support UNDP’s engagement in this area.
Promote advocacy for UNDP’s work and opportunities for collaboration in addressing development trends in coordination with the project partners, stakeholders, and UNDP communications personnel.

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 Project Specialist – Construction Engineering will work under the direct supervision of the Programme Specialist of the UNDP Resilience portfolio and in close cooperation with the Ministry for Public Investments (MPI).

Competencies

Core competencies:

Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact
Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems
Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands
Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

Cross Functional and Technical competencies:

Business Direction and Strategy - System 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.
Business Direction and Strategy - Entrepreneurial Thinking
- Identify and seize opportunities to service and add value to clients, create clarity around UNDP value proposition to beneficiaries and partners, develop clear service offers responding to client needs in line with UNDP’s organizational priorities and mandate.
Business Direction and Strategy - Effective Decision Making
- Take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one's authority, area of expertise and resources and take into consideration potential wider implications.
Business Management - Partnerships Management
- Build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.
Business Manager - Work 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.
Digital - Systems Thinking and Transformation
- Understand that complex problems need a non-reductionistic, holistic approach. Ability to explore challenges from multiple perspectives by zooming in and out, with a focus on relationships and flows rather than individual elements; understand how certain dynamics and conditions are driving and influencing an issue.
- Ability to develop a collective understanding by a mapping systems and their dynamics (e.g. flows or resources, information; power relations); is able to handle ambiguity and can help others navigate it.
- Being able to identify intervention points to leverage change and system transformation by setting out a coherent collection of multiple interventions to probe the system for desirable effects.
- Understand that change is non-linear and unpredictable; being comfortable and able to work with emergence.
2030 Agenda: People – Gender
- Communication and Advocacy for Gender Equality

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Civil Engineering or a related field is required.
A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with additional 2 years of relevant professional experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the master’s degree.

Experience:

Minimum 5 years (with Master’s degree) or 7 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of work experience in areas of construction engineering, infrastructure project management, in particular in development of technical designs, supervision, in the fields of: Civil Engineering, construction project design, management of construction projects, analysis or management advisory services in construction industry.

Required skills:

Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems.

Desired skills:

Work experience in quality assurance of ToRs for development of technical documentation/construction works, tender preparation.
Experience in managing project designing processes
Experience in monitoring and reporting on designing, technical control and supervision of work within international organizations, government institutions, etc.
Experience with Law on Planning and Construction requirements
Work experience in international organization and/or government institution.
Experience in implementing current policies and processes in civil engineering and construction infrastructure development.
Experience in institutional and financing aspects of construction projects;
Experience with one or more of the following would be a strong asset: construction project planning, civil works contract management and execution.

Languages:

Fluency in Serbian and English is required.

Important Information

The online application form must be fully completed. Applicants are required to carefully complete their online application form and reflect all of their work experience history in the application.

Only attaching a CV is not sufficient for applicants to be considered for positions. All applicants have to complete the Experience, Education, Language, and Nationality & Permanent Residence fields fully.

Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.

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.

Use of AI by candidates

Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection

Scam alert

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Project Specialist - Construction Engineering (80% part-time, NPSA-10) [Open to all applicants]