General
Description of assignment title
Education Construction Officer
Assignment country
Mozambique
Duty stations
Xai-Xai
Work location
On UN premises
Expected start date
13/07/2026
Duration
(with possibility of extension)
4. Quality education
Host entity
UNICEF
Modality
Onsite
Type
National
Volunteer category
Specialist UCoS from Apr2026
Work schedule
Full-time
Number of Assignments
1
Details
Mission and objectives
The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favouritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education, hygiene/sanitation and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfil their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.
Context
The project is implemented by UNICEF Mozambique with funding support from Education Cannot Wait (ECW) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Culture (MEC) to improve access to quality pre-primary and primary education, while responding to the impact of floods that affected Gaza and Maputo provinces. As part of the emergency response, the project focuses on the construction of temporary learning spaces, rehabilitation of damaged schools, and implementation of resilient infrastructure solutions to ensure safe and continuous learning for affected children. The intervention also promotes disaster risk reduction and school resilience through technical support in assessments, design, procurement, supervision, monitoring, and coordination of construction works, while strengthening the capacity of government counterparts, local communities, and partners involved in school reconstruction activities.
Task description
• Develop or support developing tender documents in collaboration with MEC and/or other partners or Engineering Services depending on contracting options (through MEC, NGOs or direct contracting). • Review or support reviewing applications of bidders in collaboration with MEC and/or other partners or Engineering Services depending on contracting options mentioned above. • Support assessment, designing and estimating the budget and needs of construction activities within the framework of country programmes and projects and inspecting the execution of works as required. • Support the undertaking of post-damage assessments for quality assurance and conduct quality assurance on built and recovered infrastructures. • Support conducting surveys of data on the ground, prepare measurements, budgets, specifications and participate in the processes of acquisition of materials and equipment. • Conduct periodic monitoring and inspection visits to project implementation sites to ensure that works are done as per the technical standards, specifications and best practices. • Support training sessions for district technicians, building masters, communities, NGOs and other partners involved in the projects. • Provide technical assistance to government and MEC counterparts through periodic coordination meetings on the areas of public social infrastructure construction in particular procurement. • Support the collection, analysis of data and reporting of the construction activities as required by government, donors and partners in the implementation process.
Eligibility criteria
Age
18 – 80
Required experience
3 years
Nationality
Candidate must be a national, legal resident or hold refugee status in the country of assignment.
Assignment requirements
Relevant experience
3 years
Languages
English, Level: Fluent, Required Portuguese, Level: Fluent, Required
Required education level
Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering or a related discipline.
Competencies and values
• Accountability. • Adaptability and flexibility. • Creativity. • Judgement and decision-making. • Planning and organizing. • Professionalism. • Self-management.
Skills and experience
Candidates should have a minimum of 3 years of relevant experience in procurement, engineering, or construction works, particularly in public building and school infrastructure projects, with knowledge of procurement processes in Mozambique. Experience in disaster-resilient construction, collaboration with government institutions, NGOs, and local communities, as well as proficiency in MS Office, GIS, CAD, and related technical software, is highly desirable. Required skills: • Procurement and contract management. • Public building and school construction. • Project planning, programming, and supervision. • Knowledge of Mozambique procurement processes. • Disaster-resilient and risk-reduction construction. • Structural design and building calculations. • Stakeholder and community engagement. • Coordination with government institutions, NGOs, and private sector. • Field assessments, surveys, and technical training. • Rural and community-based project implementation. • Proficiency in MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint). • GIS, ArcGIS, CAD, and 3D modeling skills. • Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills. • Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive. • Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment. • Ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel. • Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines. Desirable: • Sound security awareness; • Have affinity with or interest in UNICEF, volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN System.
Area(s) of expertise
Crisis and emergency response, Engineering and construction , Procurement and contracting
Driving license
Other information
Volunteerism is understood as a wide range of activities undertaken of free will, for the general public good, for which monetary reward is not the principal motivating factor.
Living conditions and remarks
Mozambique is located on the southeast Coast of Africa. The country lies on the east coast of Southern Africa and borders the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Swaziland. The total area of Mozambique is 799 380 Km square from North to South. The land borders have a length of 4,445 km, while the coastline measures 2,515 km. Monte Binga, culminating at 2,436 m over the Zimbabwe border, is the highest point of Mozambique. With a total population of roughly 34 million people, based on the 2017 census, Mozambique is a country where 73% of the population is under 30 years old. Portuguese is the official and business language, although English is also widely spoken in business and academic settings, particularly in the capital city of Maputo. There are 11 provinces, and a wide array of local languages spoken, including Shangane, Bitonga, Xitswa, Chope, Ronga, Elomwe, Chuabo, Sena, Shona, Ndau, Nyandja, Emakua, Kimwani and Chimakon. Mozambique’s climate ranges from tropical and subtropical in the north and central regions to dry, semi-arid steppe and arid desert in the south. The hottest and wettest period occurs between December and February, with average daily temperatures ranging from 22°C to 30°C. The rainy season spans from October to April, while winters, from June to August, are mild with average daily temperatures between 13°C and 24°C. Maputo, the country’s capital, serves as both its commercial and cultural hub. Housing in Maputo, which includes apartments and houses, can be rented for $600 to $2,000 per month, depending on the amenities and size. Restaurant meals typically cost between $10 and $15. Food, household commodities and clothing can be found in shops and local markets at reasonable prices. An entry visa is required for all travelers and must be obtained from the Mozambican Embassy prior to travelling. The metical is the local currency, and exchange rate stands at USD 1 equivalent to about 64.38 meticais (MZM) as per February 2026. Commercial banks are operational in the country and Visa cards are accepted in very limited hotels. Maputo is categorized as a family duty station offering a variety of different accommodation options. It has a vibrant international community whilst also providing excellent opportunities to work in a national, Mozambican context.
Inclusivity statement
United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
Reasonable accommodation
UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for UN Volunteers with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the recruitment process and afterwards in your assignment.
Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements
In addition to duty station-specific vaccine requirements, appointments are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the appointment. It does not apply to UN Volunteers who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their contracts.
Scam warning
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HOW TO APPLY?
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