Overview
The Construction Shelter Technical Specialist is responsible for leading the design, quality, and strategic direction of SCI Sudan's shelter and construction programming, providing cross-sector technical oversight and leading programme development and donor engagement.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and own the technical quality of shelter and construction activities across all SCI programme sectors.
- Review/Design and approve all construction design drawings, Bills of Quantities (BoQs), technical specifications, and engineering plans.
- Lead the development and contextualisation of SCI technical standards, quality benchmarks (QBMs), and design templates.
- Ensure all shelter and construction activities integrate disaster risk reduction (DRR) principles, climate-adaptive design, and Build Back Safer (BBS) approaches.
- Lead construction quality assurance processes.
- Lead SCI Sudan's strategic positioning and funding growth in shelter and infrastructure programming.
- Proactively identify, map, and pursue new funding opportunities.
- Lead the development of high-quality, technically sound shelter and construction concept notes, proposals, and expressions of interest (EoIs).
- Build and sustain strong, proactive relationships with existing and prospective donors.
- Develop compelling programme showcases.
- Liaise proactively with the Shelter Cluster, IOM, UNHCR, and other pipeline partners.
- Coordinate with SCI Awards and Partnerships teams.
- Represent SCI at the Sudan Shelter/NFI Cluster, technical working groups, WASH and Education clusters, inter-agency coordination forums, and government technical bodies.
- Build and maintain strong strategic partnerships with government line ministries, UN agencies, INGOs, local NGOs, and the private sector.
- Engage with donors during field visits, programme reviews, and technical showcases.
- Proactively contribute to inter-agency technical guidance, cluster tools, and standards development.
- Influence broader sector strategies.
- Identify and document opportunities for advocacy, influencing, and policy change.
- Lead or support technical shelter and construction needs assessments.
- Define appropriate construction modalities.
- Work with MEAL and programme teams to design robust monitoring frameworks.
- Produce and contribute to high-quality programme progress reports, donor reports, technical completion certificates, and cluster reporting.
- Document and disseminate lessons learned, best practices, and technical case studies.
- Lead the design and delivery of technical training programmes for SCI construction engineers, shelter coordinators, and programme officers.
- Coach and mentor SCI construction and shelter staff.
- Support the capacity development of local partners, contractors, and government counterparts.
- Develop and maintain a library of SCI Sudan construction standards, technical, QBMs SOPs, design templates, quality checklists, and training materials.
- Promote and embed Sphere standards and national building codes.
- Champion SCI's child safeguarding policies, code of conduct, PSEA commitments, and health and safety standards.
- Undertake regular and frequent field visits to programme sites across Sudan.
- Support emergency rapid response programming as required.
Required Experience
Minimum 6 years of progressive experience in humanitarian and/or development shelter and construction programming, including at least 3 years in a technical or advisory role. Demonstrated experience leading technical quality of multi-sector construction projects (at least two of: Education, Health, WASH, FSL) in emergency or fragile-state contexts. Proven track record in proposal writing, donor engagement, and resource mobilisation for shelter and/or infrastructure programmes; experience with SHF, ECHO, FCDO, KFW, or bilateral donors. Deep knowledge of Sphere standards, Cluster coordination mechanisms, and relevant international humanitarian standards for construction. Strong experience with construction design processes: reviewing drawings, BoQs, technical specifications, and engineering plans; ability to identify non-compliance and prescribe remedies. Experience with DRR and climate-adaptive design principles in emergency and transitional shelter contexts. Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality technical reports, concept notes, proposals, and donor-facing programme showcases. Excellent interpersonal and representational skills; comfortable engaging with donors, government, UN agencies, and cluster partners at senior level. Willingness and ability to travel frequently to field locations across Sudan, including insecure and hard-to-reach areas. Desirable: Direct experience in Sudan or other complex emergency settings. Experience with shelter interventions and market-based programming. Experience with GIS, AutoCAD, or construction project management software. Knowledge of financing mechanisms for infrastructure. Community lead participation in construction will be preferred. Experience in SCI or comparable INGO programme development and award management systems.
Qualifications
Essential Degree in Civil Engineering, Architecture, Structural Engineering, or a closely related built environment discipline; postgraduate qualification preferred.
