Traffic Management & Road Safety Specialist

Job Description

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in Afghanistan is responsible for implementing a number of projects on behalf of the Government of Afghanistan and the aid donor community.

The Afghanistan Operational Centre (AFOC) has been set up as an organizational mechanism to deliver a range of projects for which UNOPS has been designated as the Implementing Agency/Consultant.
The Ministry of Public Works (MPW) of the Government of Afghanistan aims to construct the Trans-Hindukush Road Connectivity Project (THRCP) which has strategic importance for the movement of goods and freight between the Northern provinces and Capital of the Country. This road has a significant role not only for the current traffic movement but also as part of a reginal resource corridor which is already targeted as a priority to construct. The Government of Afghanistan intends to improve and upgrade the Bamyan to Baghlan (B2B) Road, rehabilitate the Salang Pass Highway and Tunnel and implement a sustainable future maintenance regime for these critical routes. The objectives are to improve the Trans-Hindukush road connectivity, to provide all year-round access and enhance local as well as international trade and regional integration. Furthermore, the improved roads will increase security by reducing the time to respond to local, regional, or national incidents, facilitate access to social services and provide new regional trade opportunities including agriculture and mining.

The THRCP project is being delivered under the MPW by a government led Project Management Team (PMT) and a new Construction Supervision Unit (CSU) has been set up to undertake site supervision of all associated contracts. In parallel, the client has also appointed an international Implementation Consultant (IC) team through UNOPS to support development, delivery and oversight of the project.

THRCP IC is seeking a qualified International Traffic Management & Road Safety
Specialist to support delivery of THRCP.

Functional Responsibilities

The Traffic Management & Safety Specialist reports to the IC Team Leader as her/his primary supervisor. Working as part of the IC Expert team, the Traffic Management & Safety Specialist will support the PMT to develop and deliver the THRCP road schemes and support the CSU to supervise the implementation of related works contracts.
The overarching role is to provide technical assistance, guidance, and oversight with traffic management and road safety developed under THRCP, along with supporting Capacity Building and Institutional strengthening of the PMT, CSU and MPW teams.

He/she will be expected to, but not limited to, perform the following duties and responsibilities:

• Assist in the provision of long-term goals for the PMT/MOPW on road safety and traffic management.
• Assist in the establishing a proper and strategic structure for the PMT/MOPW for implementation of road safety.
• Illustrate a comprehensive roadmap for the PMT/MOPW for the implementation of road safety.
• Advise on most appropriate, sustainable and cost-effective road safety and traffic management implementation program is undertaken in PMT/MOPW.
• Support in the identification of short, intermediate and long-term road safety and traffic management measures.
• Build the capacity of PMT/MOPW in preparation of designs for intersections, roundabouts, overpasses, underpasses, and traffic control devices.
• Assist the PMT/MOPW in preparation of traffic control plans and measures.
• Advise the project team in the design of the project roads to include all road safety features typically applied under international good practice and feasible under the local conditions along the project roads.
• Impart practical training of engineers at the Ministry of Public Works (MPW) on road safety issues.
• Assist in analyzing data related to traffic flow, accident rates, and propose methods to determine the most efficient methods to expedite traffic flow.

A. Monitoring and Progress Controls

• To provide Technical Assistance, oversight, and training/capacity building to help assure:
• Support in inspecting documents related to road safety and traffic management for contract compliance on a checklist form.
• Conduct structured and formal training workshops targeting PMT/MOPW and other staff as may be jointly identified.
• Supports in Implementation, documentation and controlling quality, training, environment and safety programs.
• Submission of monthly progress reports.
• Provision of field visit reports as appropriate.
• Technical documentation is to the required World Bank and MPW standards
• PMT, CSU and MPW counterparts demonstrate an increase in capacity, capability, and outputs.

B. Final Product

To provide Technical Assistance, oversight, and training/capacity building to help assure:

• Traffic Management and Road Safety documents are designed and documented to expected quality and standards.
• All technical documents are properly archived.
• All the technical documents are in adherence to WB and/or MPW standards.
• Specifications are adhered to by Contractors

Education/Experience/Language requirements

• Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering or similar field required.
• A Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be considered in lieu of the Advanced University Degree requirement
• At least 5 years’ in traffic management engineering, planning and designing traffic solutions for large road construction projects or similar initiatives of government authorities.
• A minimum of two years’ experience mentoring and providing capacity building in planning and designing traffic solutions.
• Previous experience working in post conflict countries will be an advantage.
• Excellent English skills, both written and verbal.

About the Organization

Background Information - UNOPS

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

Afghanistan

UNOPS strategy for Afghanistan is aimed at providing maximum support to the Government and people of Afghanistan though the delivery of projects and services in line with the government’s own priorities. The UNOPS Afghanistan Operation Center (AFOC) has been established as an organizational mechanism to deliver a range of projects for which UNOPS has been designated as the implementation agency. At present, UNOPS AFOC is implementing a number of projects in a range of sectors including infrastructure (roads and schools) development, capacity building to various ministries, and environmental protection, among others, on behalf of the Government of Afghanistan and the donor community.

The functional objective of UNOPS AFOC is to deliver projects in an efficient and effective manner, to achieve the development outcomes sought by the Government of Afghanistan and the donor community, where capacity building is always considered and encouraged. The aim of UNOPS AFOC is to provide implementation services to the Government of Afghanistan, the donor community and partner agencies in the reconstruction and development of the country. In doing so, UNOPS aims to exceed client expectations in the delivery of quality services throughout the country.