Lead Engineer - Infrastructure Specialist

In Latin America and the Caribbean, UNOPS operates across 23 countries, delivering high-impact solutions that drive sustainable development. UNOPS focuses on building and improving resilient infrastructure—including roads, bridges, public facilities, sanitation systems, and housing—to enhance quality of life and foster inclusive growth. UNOPS also supports public health by procuring essential medicines and medical equipment, ensuring broader access to healthcare services. By strengthening institutional capacities, UNOPS promotes transparent, efficient, and equitable public management. As a trusted partner to governments and development stakeholders, UNOPS aligns its interventions with national priorities, helping countries advance the Sustainable Development Goals through practical, results-driven support.

The Barbados Country Office (CO) functions as a strategic hub to support Caribbean nations in implementing the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS), helping regional leaders advance a global agenda on climate justice and financing.  The primary mandate of the Barbados Country Office is to Speed Up and Scale Up engagements across 17 Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS), ensuring that partner expectations are met with agility and precision. Through dedicated operational presence, UNOPS Barbados Country Office streamlines complex regional logistics and fosters stronger collaboration with sovereign governments and financial institutions in the Caribbean. The office focuses on delivering high-value solutions aligned with the region’s priorities, including the economy, nature and climate, human capital, infrastructure and capacity development.

The Caribbean Resilient Infrastructure Implementation and Skills Exchange (RIISE) Facility is established as a regional mechanism designed to support governments in implementing climate-resilient infrastructure. The Facility provides demand-driven technical assistance, strengthens institutional capacity, and facilitates knowledge and skills exchange across countries in the region. 

The Facility is envisioned as a five-year initiative, initially serving countries in the Eastern Caribbean eligible for Official Development Assistance, namely Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. 

Through a growing number of short‑ and medium‑term technical assistance assignments and surge deployments, the Facility is expected to strengthen the capacity of ministries, project implementation units, and utilities responsible for delivering climate‑resilient infrastructure in these countries. 

The Facility will be implemented through a United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) Hosted Entity Partnership, which will provide the institutional platform required for the Facility’s establishment and early operations.

The functions/responsibilities/key results of this job description are generic and may not

always be applicable, nor be comprehensive, for all assignments and/or missions under this job title. The specific tasks and deliverables for each retainer assignment may vary and will be

detailed in the terms of reference developed for each assignment by the RIISE Secretariat.

The RIISE Facility delivers demand-driven technical assistance primarily through two service modalities: the Rapid Helpdesk, which provides short-term remote advisory support for urgent queries, and Surge Deployments, which involve medium-term engagements designed to resolve complex project execution bottlenecks. While RIISE operates on a "remote-first" delivery approach—utilizing digital collaboration tools by default to optimize responsiveness and cost-efficiency—the Consultant must possess the availability and willingness to travel for on-site deployments across participating Caribbean countries. In-country field presence remains a fundamental requirement for complex assignments where direct hands-on engagement, collaborative work with government counterparts, and on-site technical assessments are critical for effective problem resolution. 

While the contract modality for this Vacancy Announcement is an ICA retainer contract on project or assignment basis, UNOPS may offer on a need basis a full-time employment for a specified consecutive period of time (up to one year maximum, with possible extensions) - with the possibility to go back and forth between the two contract modalities, pending acceptance of the incumbent of the assignments proposed to him/her.

The specific tasks for each assignment may vary from one assignment to another assignment. Under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the RIISE Secretariat and designated Supervisor, the Specialist will work on a retainer contract and will be called upon for specific projects to fulfill one or more of the following key tasks:

1. Planning and Implementation

• Lead the planning and technical implementation of infrastructure activities in alignment with applicable standards and project objectives.
• Conduct and oversee site investigations, including topographic surveys, geotechnical assessments and feasibility studies.
• Review and validate design documentation, drawings, technical specifications and tender dossiers to ensure quality, constructability and compliance with regulations.
• Provide expert technical advice to the project manager and stakeholders on all engineering-related matters.
• Contribute to developing detailed project work plans, identifying dependencies, and defining clear milestones, deliverables and risk mitigation strategies. 

2. Construction Supervision and Quality Management 

• Lead and coordinate supervision of contractors and consultants to ensure compliance with approved designs, contracts and technical specifications.
• 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 across all project sites and immediately address any non-compliance.
• Oversee the preparation and execution of site safety plans, method statements and risk assessments.
• Monitor progress against construction schedules and budgets, proactively identifying risks, delays and potential cost overruns and implementing approved corrective measures.
• Support the project manager in the administration of contracts and ensure adherence to FIDIC or equivalent conditions of contract.
• Facilitate stakeholder and contractor coordination meetings to ensure alignment of plans, progress and resource allocation.

3. Monitoring, Progress Control and Contract Administration

• 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, including daily site records, inspection reports, test results and photographic evidence.
• 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

4. Reporting and Documentation

• Prepare detailed and timely site progress reports, summarizing contractor performance, resource utilization, safety incidents, and mitigation actions.
• Submit monthly and ad-hoc progress reports to the project manager, providing analysis of risks, constraints and opportunities.
• Contribute to project close-out documentation, including handover reports, as-built documentation, and lessons-learned summaries.
• Support HSSE reporting and investigations. Compile incident reports and provide recommendations for preventive actions.

5. Capacity Building and Team Building 

• Facilitate learning and capacity-building activities for partners personnel, contractors and local authorities on construction supervision, HSSE and quality management.
• Foster adherence to the UNOPS Code of Conduct on-site, and ensure gender, inclusion, and sustainability principles are embedded in all project activities. 

6. Knowledge Building and Sharing 

• 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), contributing insights and lessons learned.
• Conduct research on infrastructure- related topics and contribute to the drafting of reports, summaries and briefing notes

7. RIISE Assignment Deliverables:

a. Primary Assignment Reports (Modality-Specific)

• RIISE Helpdesk Report: for short-term "Rapid Helpdesk" assignments, the incumbent must deliver their response and advisory inputs using the standardized RIISE Helpdesk Report Template.
• Assignment Closure Report / Final Technical Report: for "Surge Deployments" and "Embedded Advisory" assignments, a comprehensive report must be submitted by the incumbent within 10 working days of the assignment's end and must be cleared by the RIISE Technical Adviser before final approval.

b. Mandatory Components of the Final Technical Report

Regardless of the assignment, all final technical outputs must adhere to RIISE’s Deliverable Standards and include the following specific reporting sections:

• Knowledge Transfer Summary: A mandatory section documenting the specific skills, methodologies, or capabilities that were shared with and transferred to the government counterpart staff during the deployment.
• GBA+ / GESI Integration Outcomes: A section explicitly documenting how Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) and Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) considerations were integrated into the expert's analysis, design, and final recommendations.
• Actionable Recommendations & Limitations: Clear recommendations accompanied by prioritized action items, as well as an explicit section noting the limitations and assumptions taken into account during the assignment.

c. Specialized Safeguard & Compliance Reports (Trigger-Based)

Depending on the nature of the assignment, experts must prepare and submit the following specific compliance reports:

• RIISE CCA (Climate Change Adaptation) Integration Checklist: Mandatory for any assignment involving engineering design reviews or the development of technical specifications. The expert must complete this checklist to confirm the climate hazard profile, the design life of the structure, the applicable climate resilience standards, and any residual climate risks.
• OHS Assessment and ESMP Review: Mandatory for assignments involving on-site technical supervision or construction supervision. The expert's report must include an Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) assessment and verify compliance with the project's Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP).

d. Administrative Closure Deliverables

• Intellectual Property (IP) Handover Confirmation: A mandatory administrative document that the expert must secure before the assignment can be financially closed. It must be signed by the government counterpart, confirming that all relevant technical outputs (reports, drawings, specifications, data) have been successfully transferred to the requesting government.

8. Travel 

• Official travels may be required during the assignment;
• The BSAFE course must be successfully completed prior to commencement of travel;
• The Lead Engineer - Infrastructure Specialist is responsible for ensuring they have all required vaccinations/inoculations when traveling to certain countries, as designated by local authorities. 
• The Lead Engineer - Infrastructure Specialist is required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under: https://dss.un.org/dssweb/

This recruitment aims to fill a retainer position. Depending on actual needs, the hiring unit may decide to recruit endorsed qualified professionals for contracts with different working conditions (short/long term, part/full-time, retainer, regular or ongoing positions).

Required

• 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

Desired

• 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. 

Required

• Relevant experience is work in building construction, site supervision or infrastructure project management or similar fields.
• Experience in quality control, monitoring and reporting within construction projects is required.
• Demonstrable proficiency in the use of collaboration and productivity tools (e.g. MS Office, G-Suite, etc) and web-based management systems is required. 
• Experience coordinating with government officials.

Desired

• 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. 
• Functional knowledge of standardized international contract models (such as FIDIC conditions of contract) 

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. 
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments. 
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.
  

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here. 
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda. 
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.