Introduction

Somalia is severely fragile and impoverished, with half of the population living below the poverty line. Domestic revenue is still insufficient to allow the government to deliver services to citizens. Ongoing and sustained conflict for three decades has bequeathed a legacy of poor and damaged infrastructure in Somalia, caused by the direct impact of military operations, but also by a virtually non-existent system of infrastructure management, rehabilitation and maintenance. Public infrastructure including roads, waste management systems, electricity grids and public buildings such as schools and healthcare facilities are in need of fundamental rehabilitation, and in many cases need to be built from scratch. Roads are often impassable which has left many communities without access to local markets or basic services such as health centres. This has resulted in lack of physical access to livelihood and employment opportunities for all Somalis, but has had a particularly severe impact on returnees and IDPs. Moreover, the governance Institutions, both at local and national level, lack institutional, technical, financial and management capacity.

The poor state of infrastructure is ranked as the most significant obstacle to socio-economic recovery and human development in Somalia today. A 2018 study by European Union (EU) recommended “an increase investment in a range of basic services, livelihoods, housing, security and protection in cities so that displaced people (in particular IDPs and returnees) can not only feel they belong but enjoy better living standards, which are currently very poor for many displaced and returning people.” (Return and (Re) Integration after Displacement. Belonging, labelling and Livelihoods in three Somali Cities – EU study report June 2018).   Moreover, a recent mission by KfW officials echoes these views and identified urban infrastructure as critical to enhance the livelihoods of host communities, returnees and IDPs. ILO in March 2019 conducted field assessments in Baidoa to identify initial local infrastructure and community asset development needs and priorities in the selected IDP settlement areas; assess potential scope and technical areas of possible EIIP interventions to provide employment opportunities to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), returnees and their host communities through public investment;, institutional capacity building and technical training of local implementing bodies (local governments, contractors and labourers) will be a key component of the proposed EIIP intervention.

Introduction cont’d

The proposed intervention under the Title “Creating decent work opportunities for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Returnees and host communities through employment-intensive infrastructure improvement” has been approved with funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development through KfW Development Bank.   The project has two components. The first component comprises employment-intensive construction works, mainly rehabilitation of productive infrastructure in and around selected IDP and returnee settlements in the outskirts of Baidoa. The focus is on the rehabilitation and extension of roads, drainage systems and lightning. The second component comprises capacity building and training measures for key Somalia Government Institutions, contractors and workers.

The project will field a Technical Assistance Team (henceforth called the Project Team) to guide the implementation of the activities and build capacity of the partners at local level. The project will be implemented in partnership with the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) Ministry of Public Works (MoPW-FGS), the main Ministry responsible for policy, regulatory frameworks and technical standards. It will also work in partnership with the Ministry of Public Works of South West State (MoPW-SWS), responsible for providing technical support to Baidoa District Authority (District Public Works Department) mandated with the day to day project monitoring and supervision with the support of ILO. These two Government agencies have the main responsibility for infrastructure development and maintenance in Baidoa District. While the Baidoa District Authority (District Public Works Department) has the main responsibility for project identification and implementation, the State level MoPW (MoPW-SWS) is the main technical ministry at local level and is responsible for oversight and quality control.  The infrastructure measures will be complemented by orientation and awareness workshops on employment intensive methods in infrastructure rehabilitation and maintenance for contractors and by capacity building for the two institutions mentioned above by supporting them to plan, design, implement, supervise and monitoring the rehabilitation and maintenance of projects using employment intensive methods.

Cont’d

The Project Team under leadership of a Chief Technical Adviser, will assume the overall project management and coordination with stakeholders, financial management, procurement of goods and services following ILO procurement guidelines, communication and awareness raising activities, coordination and support to consultants and service providers, including but not limited to technical consultants, Third Party Monitoring (TPM) consultants, External Collaboration consultants, Monitoring, evaluation and reporting to KfW and ILO and documentation of project activities. An EIIP Engineer/Training Adviser will be recruited to oversee the training and capacity building component of the project.The EIIP Engineer/Training Adviser will be a key member of the Technical Assistance Team (henceforth called the Project Team) to guide the implementation of the activities and build capacity of the partners at local level.  He/She will provide technical support for an effective implementation of project activities and the delivery of the project’s entire engineering process. She/He will provide technical assistance and on-the-job training to the project’s entire engineering team and also support the training of project beneficiaries.   The main objective of the EIIP Engineer/Training Adviser position is to provide technical input in aspects of infrastructure design and construction and capacity building of key public sector institutions and private sector actors in planning, execution and maintenance of infrastructure.

Reporting lines

Under the overall responsibility of the Director of the ILO Country Office in Ethiopia, the EIIP Engineer/Training Adviser will report directly to the Chief Technical Adviser for operational and administrative issues. He/she will work in close collaboration with the District Administration and Ministry of Public Works in Baidoa. He/she will receive technical guidance and support from relevant technical EIIP/Emp Invest specialists at the HQ and EIIP Specialist base in Mogadishu. He/she will also oversee the work of counterpart Engineers from the Ministry of Public Works and technical staff from the Baidoa District Authority, and international and local consultant hired during the course of the implementation of the project.

Description of Duties

• Ensure that service providers and beneficiaries are checked against the agreed sanction list.
• Review existing guidelines, standards, procedures, criteria, specifications, unit rates, labour-intensities and project formats related to the various engineering aspects of the planning and implementation of the KFW programme in Somalia (including environmental aspects). 
• Provide technical support in the adaptation and modification of existing training material and/or develop new material, as required.
• Provide support in assessing EIIP capacity building requirements of contractors and the development of training materials in relation to labour-based infrastructure work carried out under the project.
• Support the training of contractors and assist with technical supervision and on-the-job guidance of the counterpart engineers from local government and the casual workers on the project.
• Provide oversight, implementation support, training and technical advice regarding the design (BoQs, specs), construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of planned infrastructure works.
• Collaborate with and provide support to local engineers, and supervisors to ensure that physical outputs are delivered in accordance with work plans, as per specifications and standards, within budget and in compliance with employment objectives, environmental standards and do no harm principles.
• Ensure transparent recruitment of beneficiaries and recruitment targets for IDPs, returning refugees, women and youth are strictly adhered to.

Duties cont’d

• Ensure that tender document contain the relevant clauses and provisions on decent working conditions, fair labour practices, OSH, ESSF and other core ILO requirement on the engagement of casual labour.
• Assist the CTA in monitoring and supporting the preparation of all programme documents including bids, contracts and programme technical and financial reports.
• Provide all other inputs required for a successful implementation of the engineering component of the project.
• Any other activity as may be requested by the responsible chief in relation to the EIIP development and work under the project in Somalia.

Required qualifications

First university degree (Bachelor’s) in civil engineering, supplemented with relevant training on management and/or contractors’ development.

Experience

Five years post qualification experience in managing civil engineering projects; and Four years’ of relevant experience (of which at least four roads projects of minimum construction cost of USD 300,000 each in internationally-funded rural and/or urban roads projects.in challenging environment, in collaboration with government of developing countries, with local representatives of donor agencies, and a heterogeneous teams composed of consultants, experts and local collaborators of different educational and cultural background. Experiences preferably include;

• Development and implementation of employment-intensive (labour-based) programmes;
• Experience in Infrastructure  projects procurement processes and contract management tools;
• Development and delivery of training programmes, including procurement and administration, contracts management and business skills;
• Participation in institutional set up and management of Government Departments responsible for planning and implementation of infrastructure projects;
• Familiarity with the participatory decision making process in rural infrastructure development projects
• Knowledge of governments’ refugee programmes and modus operandi.

Languages

Excellent command of English.  Good knowledge of Somali language is required.

Familiarity with ILO policies, technical programmes and procedures, including experience working with officials of ministries of labour and/or education would be an advantage, as would experience of working in crisis settings.

Competencies

• Proven ability to take ownership of all responsibilities, to act with integrity and transparency by maintaining social, ethical and organisational norms, and to meet all commitments within the prescribed time, cost and quality standards.
• Demonstrated and recognized technical and /or managerial leadership in carrying out the objectives and policies of the related work unit;
• Demonstrated technical expertise to devise new methods, concepts, approaches and techniques, leading to development of ILO standards and technical guidelines and ability to prepare ILO strategy reports in the related field for programme development;
• Demonstrated and recognized technical expertise to devise and/or apply methods, concepts, approaches and techniques that are relevant to the implementation of large integrated rural roads and capacity building programs and projects;

Competencies cont’d

• Demonstrated commitment to gender equality;
• Demonstrated ability to train, coach and mentor counterpart staff – within an individual, team and organizational context;
• Proven ability work as a team player in large and diverse teams and to maintain a good balance between initiating activities and consulting, coordinating and liaising with stakeholders and other concerned parties;
• Ability to develop training materials, alternative courses of action, project proposals, and present them at high-level meetings;
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write accurate reports and to build networks to obtain cooperation with partners.