Project Engineer (Water Supply and Sanitation Infrastructure)

LonAdd HR Consultancy Plc (www.lonadd.com) is a Recruitment & Outsourcing Company based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with branch offices in Dukem, Hawassa and Bahir Dar. We are looking to recruit a qualified candidate on behalf of our client.

Title: Project Engineer (Water Supply and Sanitation Infrastructure)

Location    Addis Ababa, Oromia Regional Water and Energy Bureau with frequent field travels

No. Required – 1 (One)

Contract duration:- 6 months

Start date – as soon as possible

Background, Justification, and Rationale

Client, in collaboration with the Oromia Water and Energy Bureau (OWEB), is supporting the implementation of several strategic medium- and large-scale water supply and sanitation infrastructure projects across Oromia Region with an estimated portfolio value exceeding USD 18 million. These investments are financed through multiple development partners, including KfW/BMZ, FCDO, SIDA, and KOICA, and are designed to improve sustainable access to safe water and sanitation services for over 88,000 people, including internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees, and vulnerable host communities. The water supply projects are implemented by the Oromia Water and Energy Bureau under direct payment arrangements and are currently underway, with varying progress statuses. Whereas the sanitation and hygiene infrastructures are underway through the regional health bureau under the DCT modality.

The ongoing portfolio includes seven major water supply systems in East Bale, Borena, East Hararghe, and North Shewa zones, involving complex civil, hydraulic, electromechanical, solarization, and distribution network works. Given the scale, geographical dispersion, and technical complexity of these projects, continuous field supervision and rigorous quality assurance are critical to ensure compliance with engineering standards, contractual obligations, donor requirements, and project timelines.

At the same time, Client Oromia is implementing a wide range of emergency and development WASH interventions across the region. The current technical capacity available within the Regional Water Bureau and Client, is insufficient to provide the level of oversight required for the growing construction portfolio. This capacity gap has been further exacerbated by staffing limitations and resource constraints.

To strengthen project implementation, enhance quality control, and accelerate progress toward timely completion, Client intends to engage a qualified and experienced Project Engineer through a third-party contracting arrangement. The consultant will provide dedicated technical support, construction supervision, contract management assistance, and quality assurance services for ongoing and planned water supply and sanitation infrastructure projects across Oromia Region.

Purpose of Assignment

The purpose of this assignment is to provide technical leadership and day-to-day engineering oversight for the above-mentioned Client-supported water supply and sanitation infrastructure projects in Oromia Region, ensuring that all works are implemented in accordance with approved designs, technical specifications, contractual requirements, environmental and social safeguards, quality standards, and agreed implementation schedules.

Specific Objectives

The consultant will:

• Strengthen technical supervision and quality assurance of ongoing water supply and sanitation infrastructure projects.
• Support timely completion of construction and installation works through proactive monitoring and problem-solving.
• Verify compliance of contractors with approved designs, specifications, work plans, and contractual obligations.
• Strengthen coordination among Client, the Regional Water Bureau, contractors, consultants, utilities, and local authorities.
• Ensure proper documentation, reporting, testing, commissioning, and handover of completed infrastructure.
• Support environmental, social, occupational health and safety compliance throughout project implementation.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Review and Engineering Support

• Review engineering designs, drawings, specifications, technical reports, and Bills of Quantities (BoQs).
• Assess design adequacy and identify technical risks before implementation.
• Provide recommendations for design improvements, value engineering, and construction optimization.
• Review contractor work plans, methodologies, and resource deployment schedules.

Construction Supervision and Quality Assurance

• Conduct routine field supervision missions to all assigned project sites.
• Verify construction quality, workmanship, materials, and compliance with approved designs.
• Monitor contractor performance against construction schedules and contract milestones.
• Witness material testing, equipment installation, performance testing, and commissioning activities.
• Ensure compliance with national standards and Client quality assurance requirements.
• Identify defects and recommend corrective actions before certification of works.

Project and Contract Management Support

• Monitor project implementation progress and identify actual or potential delays.
• Support review and verification of contractor payment certificates and variation requests.
• Participate in technical evaluation committees and contract review meetings as required.
• Support risk management and mitigation planning for project implementation.
• Follow up on agreed actions and recommendations arising from project review meetings.

Stakeholder Coordination

• Maintain regular coordination with the Regional Water and Energy Bureau, contractors, utilities, and local authorities.
• Facilitate technical meetings and progress review sessions.
• Support coordination efforts required to resolve implementation bottlenecks and accelerate project delivery.

Monitoring, Reporting and Knowledge Management

• Develop and maintain project monitoring tools, supervision checklists, and engineering records.
• Prepare weekly field supervision reports, including key findings, photographs, risks, and recommended actions.
• Submit monthly consolidated progress reports highlighting implementation status, expenditure progress, challenges, and mitigation measures.
• Maintain updated project documentation and construction records.
• Prepare a final completion report summarizing achievements, lessons learned, and recommendations.

Improved Deliverables Matrix

Deliverable

• Design review reports
• Construction supervision reports
• Progress review meeting minutes
• Monthly implementation report
• Contractor performance assessment
• Final consultancy report

Performance Indicator

• Technical review completed and submitted within agreed timelines
• Minimum one comprehensive supervision report submitted weekly
• Meeting minutes circulated within 3 working days
• Consolidated report covering progress, risks, expenditures and actions
• Performance assessment completed and documented
• Final report accepted by Client and Regional Water Bureau

Expected Results

By the end of the assignment:

• Client-supported water supply and sanitation projects are effectively supervised and monitored.
• Construction activities meet agreed quality standards and technical specifications.
• Project implementation delays are minimized through proactive technical support and coordination.
• Contractor performance is systematically monitored and documented.
• Infrastructure projects are completed, tested, commissioned, and handed over according to approved standards and donor requirements.
• Regular, high-quality reporting is available to support management decision-making and donor reporting requirements.

Notes:

• The Third-Party personnel will be provided a DSA by the third-party HR company if the travel is approved by Client on the monthly travel plan.
• The final payment to the consultant is subject to the completion of deliverables and certification by Client.
• Third parties, in practice, are external and therefore do not have a direct right to access Client resources. No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both Client and the third-party staff and third–party company.
• No travel is allowed without travel authorization before commencement of the journey to the duty station unless authorized. The third-party HR company will buy the tickets for the consultant if air transportation is required. In exceptional cases, the Third-Party personnel may be authorized to buy their travel tickets and shall be reimbursed at the “most economical and direct route,” but this must be agreed to beforehand.