Lead Engineer - Infrastructure Specialist

Overview

Lead demand-driven technical assistance assignments for climate-resilient infrastructure implementation in Eastern Caribbean SIDS, ensuring high-quality delivery and fostering regional partnerships. The role provides technical leadership across all stages of infrastructure delivery.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the planning and technical implementation of infrastructure activities.
• Conduct and oversee site investigations, including topographic surveys, geotechnical assessments and feasibility studies.
• Review and validate design documentation, drawings, technical specifications and tender dossiers.
• Provide expert technical advice on engineering-related matters.
• Contribute to developing detailed project work plans, identifying dependencies, and defining clear milestones, deliverables and risk mitigation strategies.
• Lead and coordinate supervision of contractors and consultants.
• Implement and monitor Quality Assurance/ Quality Control (QA/QC) systems and procedures.
• Conduct inspections and verify construction outputs.
• Ensure consistent application of applicable health, safety, social and environment (HSSE) standards.
• Oversee the preparation and execution of site safety plans, method statements and risk assessments.
• Monitor progress against construction schedules and budgets.
• Support the project manager in the administration of contracts.
• Facilitate stakeholder and contractor coordination meetings.
• Track project implementation against approved work plans, performance targets, and contractual obligations.
• Conduct regular site visits to verify progress and quality.
• Ensure timely certification of work completed.
• Maintain comprehensive project documentation.
• Support the preparation and verification of Interim Payment Certificates (IPCs), variation orders, extensions of time, and claims.
• Report any deviations from plans and specifications, and propose technical and operational solutions.
• Ensure all contract obligations are documented, monitored and met by contractors, consultants and implementing partners.
• Prepare detailed and timely site progress reports.
• Submit monthly and ad-hoc progress reports to the project manager.
• Contribute to project close-out documentation.
• Support HSSE reporting and investigations.
• Compile incident reports and provide recommendations for preventive actions.
• Facilitate learning and capacity-building activities for partners personnel, contractors and local authorities.
• Foster adherence to the UNOPS Code of Conduct on-site.
• Support the organization, facilitation and delivery of training and learning sessions on project management and construction management.
• Participate in knowledge-sharing initiatives and Communities of Practice (CoPs).
• Conduct research on infrastructure- related topics and contribute to the drafting of reports, summaries and briefing notes.
• Deliver response and advisory inputs using the standardized RIISE Helpdesk Report Template for short-term assignments.
• Submit a comprehensive report within 10 working days of assignment's end for "Surge Deployments" and "Embedded Advisory" assignments.
• Document specific skills, methodologies, or capabilities shared with and transferred to government counterpart staff.
• Document how Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) and Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) considerations were integrated.
• Provide clear recommendations accompanied by prioritized action items, and note limitations and assumptions.
• Complete RIISE CCA (Climate Change Adaptation) Integration Checklist for assignments involving engineering design reviews or technical specifications.
• Include an Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) assessment and verify compliance with the project's Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) for assignments involving on-site technical supervision or construction supervision.
• Secure Intellectual Property (IP) Handover Confirmation before financial closure.

Required Experience

• Relevant experience in building construction, site supervision or infrastructure project management or similar fields.
• Experience in quality control, monitoring and reporting within construction projects.
• Demonstrable proficiency in the use of collaboration and productivity tools (e.g. MS Office, G-Suite, etc) and web-based management systems.
• Experience coordinating with government officials.
• Experience of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing country is desired.
• Experience in development or humanitarian contexts is desired.
• Direct prior experience in Caribbean countries (particularly OECS Member States) and a strong understanding of the region's institutional landscape and climate vulnerabilities.
• Technical and practical experience in planning, managing, and supervising the execution lifecycle of public infrastructure projects in the Caribbean countries.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Civil Engineering, Construction Management or related fields with 7 years of relevant experience OR Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any of the above or related fields with 5 years of relevant experience is required.
• Project management certification from a globally recognized institute is desired (PRINCE2® Foundation/Practitioner or PMI -Project Management Professional - PMP or similar certification).
• A globally or nationally recognized professional certificate in Administration is desired.

Other Details