Physical Site Planner

Position Location: Cameroon - Bertoua, East region & Meigenga, Adamaoua region.

Supervisor: Head of Sub-office / Senior Programme Officer

Duration: 3 months with possible extension to 6 months

Operational context:

The deteriorating security situation in neighboring Central African Republic since the beginning of the year has led to an influx of over 34,000 refugees to the East and Adamaoua regions of Cameroon.

The current rate of influx is 3,500 to 4,000 individuals per week. The main crossing points from CAR are, Kentzou, Garoua Boulai, Gbatoua Ngodole, Ngaoui, Yamba and Touboro. The Cameroon operation is revising its planning figure upwards to 60,000. Settlement sites are being identified in close to Meigenga and Bertoua, refuges are being transferred from border areas.

UNHCR Country office in Yaounde is engaging with Government officials on how best to address the current situation. They have also sent a team to support the sub-office in Bertoua and a mission to assess the possibility for a field office at Batouri. Kenzou is located approx. 200 kms from Bertoua and reachable in 5 hours due to bad road condition. Batouri is approx. 120 kms from Bertoua.

Responsibilities:

1) Provide specialized shelter and settlement support to ensure technical integrity while providing emergency assistance to population of concern.

2) Conduct technical feasibility studies for identification of adequate refugee / IDP sites in close coordination with Local Authorities at Provincial, District and Divisional levels, as well as with the concerned line Ministries and implementing partners

3) Ensure that basic technical criteria of land availability/property, accessibility, security, topography, water resources, absorption capacity, and adequate terrain for proper sanitation facilities are taken into consideration while selecting potential refugee sites. Other factors such as national reserves, migration corridor, and flooding, possible conflict with local population (grazing land) have also to be taken into consideration during the site planning

4) Develop, in close coordination with implementing partners and other concerned parties, site plans and their implementation modalities, including construction of communal infrastructures (latrines, water points, etc.), taking into account overall needs of target groups, their cultural preferences and the concerns of the local communities keeping in mind policy priorities of UNHCR, such as environmental issues.

5) Coordinate with the affected committees, Local Authorities and other partners the identification of potential needs related to shelter and NFIs and ensure that NFIs need identification/distribution is coordinated among all the actors.

6) Work in close coordination with all functional Units in UNHCR (Protection, Programme, Community Services, Field, Administration, and Supply) for all issues related to protection, population of concern figures and assistance, and work in close coordination with the Physical Planner and Geographical Information System (GIS) Expert based in the Regional Hub in Nairobi for issues concerning GPS points and mapping of refugee sites.

7) Assist UNHCR office with any other shelter and settlement related issues as required by the Supervisor.

8) Advise on the matters related to procurement of sector-related materials or equipment (including development and preparation of technical specifications for bid documents, technical evaluation of bids, review/inspect quality of the products/works as requested), and assist in fund raising efforts (provision of information and preparation of project proposals, and participation in negotiations) and other publicity endeavors.

9) Develop the shelter strategies to meet the ongoing needs of refugees, taking into account the preferences of the beneficiaries, local construction practices and available materials. Plan and supervise the maintenance and upgrading of family shelters in order to improve standards

10) Provide support to relevant sectors in the market analysis of locally available construction materials and skills, promoting the use of local capacity as appropriate.

11) Ensure regular monitoring and evaluation of site planning and shelter activities, providing inputs for situation reports and reporting back to the country office and headquarters on progress and standards.

Education

• University degree in architecture or Civil Engineering.

Experience

• At least 8 years relevant experience in the related field, including collaboration with different humanitarian organizations (Field experience in responding to emergencies working with relevant governmental technical departments and various organizations in identifying, designing, delimiting, clearing and developing land allocated to establish site camps.

• Good knowledge of site surveying (including topography, hydrology, geology, land use physical planning, environment, engineering, etc.) and extensive experience in undertaking related topography assessments/ feasibility studies for site identification and environmental impact studies whilst using surveying tools (including GPS equipment, GIS software).

• Prior experience in settlement site planning including layout of shelter plots, roads, communal infrastructures and basic services.

• Prior experience in designing and implementing shelter strategies.

• Knowledge of UNHCR standards and criteria for site selection, including consideration of cross sectorial issues related to protection, WASH, environment, land property issues etc.

• Previous experience in tender processes (including development of all relevant technical documentation) to ensure settlement development.

• Experience of site construction management (including supervision, monitoring, quality control, evaluation etc.)

Other requirements

• Capacity to work with multi sectorial teams Cultural sensitivity to the specific needs of the persons of concern.

• Willingness and ability to work in hardship environments.

• Computer literacy in MS Office and other relevant software to produce digital maps, site plans, layout and technical drawings.

• Excellent working knowledge of French is essential. English would be an asset.