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

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.

The programme "Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment in Medium-Sized Municipalities in Serbia VI” is envisaged as a programme focusing on the improvement of the quality of receiving water bodies in Serbia and the enhancement of living conditions of the population in selected medium-sized Serbian municipalities/towns (> 30.000 inhabitants), through investments in wastewater infrastructure. The overarching objective of the programme is to ensure environmentally sound and hygienically safe discharge, collection and treatment of wastewater at affordable prices in selected Serbian municipalities. The programme will also make a substantial contribution to the implementation of the EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, thereby supporting Serbia's aspiration to join the EU. The planned investment measures include the rehabilitation/extension of existing wastewater treatment plants for complying with EU standards, construction of new wastewater treatment plants, rehabilitation/replacement of collectors, construction/extension of wastewater transmission mains and further investments in the sewage system. In addition to investments, the programme will also finance activities for institutional strengthening of Public Utility Companies in the selected municipalities to improve their operational capacities and increase the quality level of their service as well as to plan and implement the necessary investments in the wastewater infrastructure.

Taking into account the large number of participating Municipalities (6) as well as the comprehensiveness and volume of both preparatory tasks as well as the subsequent physical investments, the existing capacities in the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure (Programme Implementation Unit – PIU) will be improved through this proposed Project in order to ensure the proper assumption of the role of overall coordination and monitoring of all programme activities. In that sense it was jointly decided that the human resource capacities in the Sector for Communal activities, Housing and Architectural Policy, Energy efficiency аnd Construction Materials of the PIU will be strengthened through engagement of qualified experts simultaneously with the initiation of the overall programme. 

This Project aims at providing experts with relevant qualifications and experience, through a cooperation scheme between KfW, UNDP and MCTI. The necessary experts engaged through UNDP in consultation with the MCTI will join the existing team in the Sector for Communal activities and will perform tasks and duties mainly related to the preparation and implementation of investment programmes in the water and wastewater sector, and other tasks as requested by Sector for Communal activities management.

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: 

• Ensure effective project management of the large infrastructure related projects by maintaining the delivery of appropriate technical, operational, financial and administrative outputs, while tracking the project progress through monitoring, evaluation and reporting;
• Provide expert support and quality assurance to large-scale infrastructure related projects` meeting;
• Monitoring progress and risks in infrastructure projects, ensuring that changes are controlled, and problems addressed; 
• Quality assurance of all ToRs and Scope of Works for development of technical documentation and/or construction works for all infrastructural projects.

• Manage and coordinate the implementation of the respective activities based on the relevant project documents, including, as needed, supervision and guidance of other project staff, consultants and experts with a view to achieving project results;
• Develop comprehensive/detailed project work-plans that include all project activities and roles and responsibilities of the stakeholders and setting-out corresponding milestones;
• Manage timely and good-quality implementation of workplan activities and monitor progress against the approved infrastructure workplan; identifies changes in the external environment and promptly suggests necessary solutions/actions (ex. related to the planning and implementation of activities, need for new activities); 
• Manage the transfer of project deliverables to other project stakeholders;
• Monitors expenditures of financial resources to ensure accuracy and reliability of financial reports;
• Presents periodic updates/reports on project progress to the National Project Director (NPD); 
• In coordination with the National Project Director, establishes and maintains working relations with national partners, local institutions, local services, and support the implementation of project activities;
• Responsible for activities related to contract management, including overseeing the implementation of contractual obligations, monitoring contract execution, ensuring compliance with agreed terms, and facilitating communication and coordination among the relevant stakeholders;

• In accordance with the instructions of the NPD, supervises consultants, reviews and approves technical designs and BoQs, ensures detailed monitoring and supervision of the construction works on the sites and provides final engineering clearance for payment under the terms of the contracts;
• Coordinates the preparation of terms of reference for the design of complex infrastructure initiatives; 
• Conduct field visits, when and if necessary, linked to improved development of ToRs; 
• Conduct meetings with key partners and beneficiaries while preparing ToRs and during all stages of technical documentation development (concept design, preliminary design, design for construction and design for execution); 
• Obtain partner and beneficiary approval for all the stages of technical documentation development (concept design, preliminary design, design for construction and design for execution); 
• Support preparation of tender documentation, preparation and execution of tender processes for procurement of goods and services; 
• Be responsible for the management of project activities that require engineering interventions; 
• Intervene to resolve problems and/or conflicts and recommend corrections in terms of design, materials or the quality of work and managing these corrections upon the approval by the National Project Director (NPD);
• Provide early warning to the NPD of potential problems and/or critical issues regarding the infrastructure improvement and execution of the works;
• Liaising with contractors, municipalities and other partners on project matters; 
• Presents periodic updates/reports on project progress to the NPD; 
• In coordination with the NPD, establishes and maintains working relations with national partners, local institutions, local services, and support the implementation of project activities. 

• Collection, analysis and presentation of background information for preparation of project annual workplans and progress reports;
• Providing inputs for creation of project monitoring and evaluation framework;
• Ensuring full compliance of activities with established project management rules, regulations, and policies; 
• Drafting correspondence on project engineering issues for Portfolio Manager, as required;
• Liaising with contractors, municipalities and other partners on project matters;
• Performing other tasks/duties as assigned by the supervisor;
• Analyze new potential risks and define mitigation measures accordingly;
• Prepares a monitoring Plan and implement it with the support of the project team, as determined by the monitoring schedule. 

The Project Specialist (Engineer) will work under the direct supervision of the Programme Specialist of the UNDP Resilience portfolio and in close cooperation with the National Project Director (NDP) Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure (MCTI).

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Create ethical culture, identify/address barriers to inclusion 

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

• Business Direction and Strategy – Effective Decision Making
  • Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources
     
• Business Management - Monitoring
  • Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results
     
• Digital & Innovation - Tech literacy
  • Ability to apply new digital tools or adapt their original use to create new insights, fresh perspectives or develop solutions. Understand the potential as well as the limitations of certain technological developments; being able to identify how technology can add value when it's used as a ""means to an end"".
     
• Digital & Innovation - Systems thinking & 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. 
     
• 2030 Agenda: People - Gender
  • Communication and Advocacy for Gender Equality

Education:

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in one of the following areas: Civil engineering (including water supply and sewerage engineering) or Mechanical engineering.
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor´s degree) in one of the following areas, civil engineering (including water supply and sewerage engineering) or mechanical engineering in combination with additional 5 years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of master’s degree.

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years (with Master´s degree) or minimum 7 years (with Bachelor´s degree) of relevant work experience in infrastructure project management, in development of technical designs and in the fields of:
  • Civil Engineering (including water supply and sewerage engineering)
  • Mechanical Engineering

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:

• Experience in management of infrastructure projects;
• Experience in monitoring and reporting on designing, technical control and supervision of work;
• Experience in the implementation of donor-funded projects (e.g. KfW, EIB, and other international financing institutions);
• Experience in projects that require knowledge of FIDIC and PRAG procedures;
• Work experience in international organization and/or government institution would be an asset;
• Work experience with WWTP would be considered an asset (design and/or supervision);
• Knowledge of contract management in general and knowledge of international procurement process (preferably EU/KfW frameworks) is desirable;
• Knowledge of national legislation;
• Familiarity with Law on Planning and Construction requirements.

Languages:

• Excellent knowledge of written and spoken Serbian and working knowledge of English.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.