DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

14 September 2026-23:59-GMT+07:00 Indochina Time (Phnom Penh)

WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.

ABOUT WFP

The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.

To learn more about WFP, visit our website: https://www.wfp.org and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok.

WHY JOIN WFP?

• WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.
• WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment.
• WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.
• A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.
• We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).

This vacancy announcement is open to non-Cambodian nationals only.

JOB TITLE: Lead Civil Engineer

TYPE OF CONTRACT: International Consultant, Regular Contract

UNIT/DIVISION: Programme

DUTY STATION: Phnom Penh, Cambodia

DURATION: 11 months

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT:

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian organization working to save lives, improve nutrition, and build resilience while supporting countries to achieve Zero Hunger (Sustainable Development Goal 2). In Cambodia, WFP implements its Country Strategic Plan (2024-2028), contributing to Sustainable Development Goals 2 (Zero Hunger) and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) through a collaborative approach with the Royal Government of Cambodia, United Nations agencies, development partners, communities, research institutions, donors, and the private sector.

Under the Country Strategic Plan, WFP focuses on three interconnected outcomes: (i) strengthening national systems to improve access to nutrition, education, and social protection, particularly for women and vulnerable populations; (ii) enhancing food systems and disaster management capacities to improve climate resilience, livelihoods, and shock preparedness in hazard-prone areas; and (iii) ensuring that crisis-affected populations can meet their essential food, nutrition, and recovery needs during and after emergencies. Through these interventions, WFP supports Cambodia's efforts to build human capital, strengthen resilience to climate and disaster risks, and maintain preparedness for effective emergency response.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF ASSIGNMENT:

Under the U.S. Global Award funded by the U.S. State Department, WFP Cambodia will support the Royal Government of Cambodia and the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM) to strengthen national and sub-national capacities for disaster preparedness, anticipatory action, emergency response and risk-informed decision-making. A key component of the programme is the expansion of multi-purpose safe evacuation centres and related disaster preparedness infrastructure in high-risk and flood-prone areas, alongside investments in logistics readiness, early warning systems, risk analytics and shock-responsive delivery mechanisms.

To support implementation of the new programme, WFP seeks a Lead Civil Engineer to provide technical leadership across the planning, design, procurement, construction and quality assurance phases of infrastructure investments. The incumbent will lead the technical development and implementation of safe evacuation centre construction and other engineering-related activities, ensuring compliance with WFP engineering standards, national regulations and disaster-resilient design principles. Working closely with government counterparts, contractors, consultants and WFP programme and supply chain teams, the Lead Civil Engineer will ensure that infrastructure investments are delivered on time, within budget, and to the required quality standards, contributing to strengthened disaster preparedness and emergency response capacities in Cambodia.

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

Under the direct supervision of the Team Lead for Integrated Risk Management, the Lead Civil Engineer will undertake the following tasks:

• Provide technical leadership and advisory support for the planning, design and implementation of disaster preparedness infrastructure, including multi-purpose safe evacuation centres and related facilities, ensuring compliance with WFP engineering policies, standards, procurement procedures and construction management requirements.

• Lead engineering project management activities throughout the project cycle, applying international best practices, climate-resilient and disaster-resilient design principles, and innovative engineering solutions adapted to the Cambodian context and operational needs

• Review and analyse engineering concepts, feasibility studies, technical designs, cost estimates and project proposals to ensure technical soundness, value for money, sustainability and alignment with programme objectives and available resources.

• Conduct site assessments, surveys and technical due diligence of proposed construction locations, including hazard, environmental and accessibility considerations, and develop recommendations to support site selection and project implementation.

• Lead the preparation and review of technical specifications, bills of quantities, drawings, tender documentation and engineering estimates required for procurement and contracting processes.

• Provide technical guidance and quality assurance throughout procurement, evaluation, contract management and construction supervision processes to ensure successful delivery of infrastructure investments.

• Monitor construction activities and contractor performance through regular field missions, inspections and certification processes, ensuring compliance with contract requirements, engineering standards, occupational health and safety requirements, and agreed timelines.

• Prepare timely technical reports, progress updates, risk assessments and completion documentation to support programme management, donor reporting and evidence-based decision-making.

• Liaise with government counterparts, engineering consultants, contractors, donors and development partners to facilitate coordination, knowledge sharing and the application of appropriate engineering standards and technologies.

• Provide technical capacity strengthening and mentoring to government counterparts and WFP staff involved in infrastructure planning, construction oversight and asset management.

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders to ensure infrastructure investments support broader disaster preparedness, logistics readiness and humanitarian response objectives.

• Contribute to emergency preparedness and response activities by providing engineering expertise, technical assessments and recommendations related to disaster-affected infrastructure and emergency facility requirements.

• Identify, monitor and mitigate technical, operational, environmental and construction-related risks associated with project implementation.

• Perform any other duties as required

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE:

• Has managed medium- to large-scale infrastructure and construction projects, including design, procurement, contract management, supervision and quality assurance responsibilities.

• Has demonstrated experience in planning and delivering public infrastructure projects, preferably in developing country or humanitarian contexts.

• Has experience preparing and reviewing technical designs, engineering specifications, bills of quantities, tender documentation and construction contracts.

• Has successfully managed multidisciplinary teams, consultants, contractors and stakeholder relationships while ensuring delivery against timelines, budgets and performance objectives.

• Has experience working with government institutions, development partners and donor-funded infrastructure programmes.

• Has developed strong expertise in civil and structural engineering, construction management, disaster-resilient design, building standards, environmental considerations, occupational health and safety, and quality assurance.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education:

• Advanced University Degree in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Construction Management or a related engineering discipline, or First University Degree with additional years of relevant experience and/or advanced professional qualifications.
• Accreditation as a Professional Engineer, Chartered Engineer, or equivalent certification recognized by an appropriate national or international professional body

Experience:

• Minimum 8 years of progressively responsible professional experience in civil engineering, infrastructure development or construction management.
• Demonstrated experience managing the design and construction of public infrastructure, institutional buildings, emergency facilities or disaster-resilient infrastructure.
• Experience in procurement support, contract administration, construction supervision and quality assurance.
• Experience working with government counterparts and multiple stakeholders.
• Experience in humanitarian, disaster risk reduction, resilience-building or development programmes is highly desirable.

Languages:

Fluent in English.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

WFP Leadership Framework guides to the common standards of behavior that guide HOW we work together to accomplish our mission.

Click here to access WFP Leadership Framework

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

WFP is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation, please contact: global.inclusion@wfp.org

NO FEE DISCLAIMER

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.

REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• All applications must be submitted exclusively through our online recruiting system. We do not consider CVs or applications sent by email, LinkedIn, or any other channel.
• We strongly recommend that your Workday profile is accurate and complete, and that all sections are filled in, including your employment history, academic qualifications, language skills, and UN grade (if applicable). Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.
• If you experience technical issues while submitting your application, you may contact us at global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org. Please note that this email is only for technical issues with an application - unsolicited applications or documents sent to this inbox will not receive a reply.
• At the application stage, the only required documents are your CV and Cover Letter. Additional documents (passport, certificates, recommendation letters, etc.) may be requested later in the process.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the recruitment process.

All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.