Result of Service

The Civil Engineer (Technical Support) reports to the Head of Brazil Office. He/she shall duly and timely perform his/her obligations, under this Term of Reference. The consultant will work in close collaboration with UN-Habitats operational and technical teams.

Work Location

Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Expected duration

Six (6) months, with possibility of renewal

Duties and Responsibilities

Background The main mandate of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is to promote sustainable development of human settlements and policies conducive to adequate housing for all. Within this framework, UN-Habitat supports central and state governments, local authorities, and other partners for the implementation of the Habitat Agenda, the 2030 Agenda, with the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda. UN-Habitat helps the urban poor by transforming cities into safer, more inclusive, compact, integrated, resilient, and connected places with better opportunities where everyone can live with dignity. It works with organizations at every level, including all spheres of government, civil society, and the private sector to help build, manage, plan, and finance sustainable urban development. The Regional Office for Latin American and the Caribbean ROLAC is based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Agency puts emphasis on developing and managing activities in the host country. Indeed, for the past years, UN-Habitat has expanded its portfolio in Brazil by working with the three tiers of government to support the formulation and implementation of more effective, sustainable, participative, and socially fairer urban economic, social, and environmental policies. Through a partnership with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and the Municipality of Belo Horizonte, UN-Habitat is working as Implementing Agency to implement the project named Urban Qualification in a Key Neighborhood of Belo Horizonte. UN-Habitat will focus on the outcome “Improved Belo Horizonte Municipal infrastructure and tools to develop effective options for social housing and urban planning in Izidora, which aims to enable Izidora s population to have safe and sustainable access to community infrastructure and affordable housing. The region of Izidora corresponds to an area of about 9.5 km2, in the northern vector of the city, next to the southern border of the city of Santa Luzia. This area is in the largest green area of the city, counting around 280 water sources and 64 creeks, including part of the watershed Belo Horizontes main water source. Part of Izidora has been squatted and is divided into four urban informal settlements – Esperanca, Vitoria, Helena Greco and Rosa Leao totalizing approximately 1.5 km2 and hosting about 4,200 precarious homes (which could be up to 7,000 families, given that there are no precise numbers since 2010), with families in situations of extreme poverty and without any available public infrastructure and relative services, as many Brazilian cities. During the Habitat III Conference in 2016, Izidora was highlighted as one of the most serious urban land conflicts in Latin America. Therefore, the new efforts of the municipality are a recognition of the issues, as well as the urgency of acting. The interest of the Municipal Administration is to implement works and actions so that Izidora becomes a model under the principles of sustainability and resilience. This is a chance to promote an innovative experience in using the precepts of the New Urban Agenda (NUA) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at local level to reverse a situation of socioeconomic and territorial vulnerability. To properly implement this project, a Civil Engineer (Technical Support) is required to ensure the good execution of the work programme. Report to UN-Habitat Manager The Civil Engineer (Technical Support) reports to the Head of Brazil Office, who will evaluate him/her. Responsibilities The Civil Engineer (Technical Support) will support the implementation of the project, and its activities, with the following responsibilities: a) Provide technical advice and support the execution of technical activities related to the project. b) Evaluate slope stabilization, retaining structures, and drainage projects. c) Provide managerial support and coordinate the overall implementation of the projects work programme, including development, approval, and implementation of activities. d) Maintain close communication with counterparts and local partners, such as the governments, civil society organizations, universities, and private sectors, under supervision. e) Perform technical and administrative activities to ensure that projects meet the objectives in terms of deadlines, budget, and quality. f) Provide appropriate technical support to implement activities related to the following areas: i. Capacity building and development. ii. Collection, production, analysis and management of data, information, and urban indicators. iii. Public policies. iv. Strategic and project planning, monitoring, and implementation. v. SDGs for localization and implementation of the New Urban Agenda. vi. Social mobilization and participation. vii. Effective advocacy, monitoring, and partnership. g) Conduct technical activities to ensure that projects meet deadlines and quality objectives. h) Inputs for the identification and mitigation of projects risks, including relevant challenges or omissions and other situations that may affect the development and implementation of projects. i) Participate in meetings, conferences, and field visits promoted by UN-Habitat partners. j) Document expert group meetings, forums, consultations, training events, and other activities related to the planning, development, and implementation of ongoing and new projects. k) Prepare reports to partners, internal reports, etc. at various stages of the projects. l) Perform other duties which may be requested by the supervisor. m) Participate in missions as requested. The consultant will be responsible for completing all courses and training activities that are indicated to him/her by his/her supervisor. The security course BSAFE is required to be accredited during the first month of employment. The consultant will be responsible for his/her own security, so the person should get familiarized with United Nations security mechanisms and comply with them according to the Framework of Accountability for the United Nations Security Management System. Outputs/Work Assignment The Civil Engineer (Technical Support) will provide technical advice and support for the execution of activities related to the project. The consultant shall be paid a monthly allowance, upon presentation and approval by the Head of Brazil Office of monthly activities report.

Qualifications/special skills

Required:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering or related fields is required.
• Postgraduate Degree (Lato Sensu or Stricto Sensu) in Geotechnical Engineering (Slope Stabilization and Retaining Structures) or Sanitary Engineering is required, or additional four (4) years of relevant experience to the post, beyond the requirement.Work experience:
• A minimum of six (6) years of progressively responsible engineering experience on urban related themes in Brazil is required.
• Experience in drainage or slope containment projects is required.
• Experience in nature-based solutions for drainage or slope containment projects is required.
• Experience in sustainable urbanization for informal settlements is required.
• Experience in project/programme management is desirable.
• Experience in social housing policies, plans, and projects is desirable.
• Experience in earthmoving, geometric and pavement projects is desirable.
• Experience in budget for urban infrastructure projects is desirable.
• Previous experience within the UN System is desirable.Skills:
• Good computer skills in Windows, Word, Excel, Outlook, and Web search engines are required.
• Good handling of technological tools and use of…