Programme Officer - Construction (P)

Established in 1951, IOM is a Related Organization of the United Nations and the leading UN agency in the field of migration. Working closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners, IOM promotes humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It saves lives and protects people on the move, drives solutions to displacement, and facilitates pathways for regular migration, while providing services and advice to governments and migrants. 

IOM is committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive and supportive workplace where all employees can thrive professionally and feel valued. By creating such an environment, IOM aims to better harness the full potential of migration and strengthen its support to people on the move.

IOM invites candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply and provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process when required. Learn more about IOM’s workplace culture at IOM workplace culture | International Organization for Migration

Applications are welcome from first- and second-tier candidates, particularly qualified female candidates as well as applications from the non-represented member countries of IOM. For all IOM vacancies, applications from qualified and eligible first-tier candidates are considered before those of qualified and eligible second-tier candidates in the selection process. 

For the purpose of this vacancy, the following are considered first-tier candidates:

1. Internal candidates
2. Candidates from the following IOM Member States that are not represented among staff members in the Professional and higher categories: Bahamas, Barbados, Comoros, Congo (the), Cook Islands, Dominica, Federated States of Micronesia, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Holy See, Iceland, Israel, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Namibia, Nauru, Palau, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, Suriname, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Vanuatu
    

Second tier candidates include:
All external candidates, except candidates from non-represented member states of IOM.

On 10 April 2026, Super Typhoon Sinlaku impacted Chuuk State, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), bringing heavy torrential rains and damaging gusts that caused widespread destruction across Chuuk Lagoon and the outer islands. The storm’s slow movement prolonged exposure, resulting in extensive damage to housing, public infrastructure, agriculture, and critical services across several communities in Chuuk State. On 13 April 2026, the FSM declared a State of Emergency, allocated funds from the Disaster Assistance Emergency Fund (DAEF), and requested assistance from the United States Government (USG) for disaster relief and humanitarian support, in accordance with the COMPACT agreement. As the USG’s implementing partner, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) will support Chuuk with relief efforts and the reconstruction of public facilities and housing. IOM is therefore seeking a Programme Officer – Construction to oversee the reconstruction of public and community infrastructure through the reconsruction component of the COFA READY project.

Under the direct supervision of the Chief of Mission (CoM) in Pohnpei, FSM, the Programme Officer – Construction will be responsible and accountable for providing technical oversight and managing the implementation of the reconstruction component funded by the USG, ensuring that all tasks are carried out effectively to achieve the project objectives.

1. Coordinate the technical design, planning, and implementation of the COFA READY reconstruction component in Chuuk, ensuring that all works adhere to national and international standards, local regulations, and principles of sustainability. 
2. Review and validate engineering and technical designs, construction drawings, Bills of Quantities (BoQs) to ensure feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and alignment with project objectives. 
3. Facilitate effective communication among stakeholders, including government agencies, contractors, community representatives, and donor, to ensure smooth progression of project activities. 
4. Monitor reconstruction activity schedules diligently, proactively address potential delays or challenges and conduct routine site inspections, safety audits, and environmental assessments to guarantee timely delivery within budget constraints. 
5. Maintain rigorous Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) systems across all reconstruction sites to ensure that construction practices meet environmental standards, climate resilience principles, and safety requirements, fostering environmentally sustainable and disaster-resilient infrastructure. 
6. Supervise and coordinate a multidisciplinary team of construction foremen, community-based workers, and technical staff across multiple sites, providing guidance, and performance evaluations to support a motivated, skilled, and safety-conscious workforce. 
7. Provide technical advice during procurement processes, including tender evaluations, contractor selection, and contract negotiations. 
8. Monitor contractor performance throughout the programme lifecycle, manage variations, claims, and certifications to ensure adherence to contractual obligations and timelines. 
9. Implement the comprehensive Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) policies across all sites, conduct risk assessments, and promote safeguarding measures to protect vulnerable populations, especially women and children. 
10. Maintain collaborative relationships with government agencies, donors, implementing partners, and local communities. Represent the programme in technical meetings, coordination forums, and stakeholder engagements, advocating for transparent, participatory, and inclusive processes. 
11. Prepare timely, detailed reports for internal review, donors, and stakeholders, highlighting achievements, challenges, lessons learned, and recommendations for continuous improvement. 
12. Coordinate and facilitate independent audits, evaluations, and reviews of reconstruction activities and, document lessons learned and best practices to inform future project planning, capacity building, and scaling-up efforts. 
13. Develop and deliver technical training sessions for local engineers, foremen, community workers, and other stakeholders to enhance their skills in construction management, safety protocols, and environmental practices. Promote knowledge transfer to foster local ownership and sustainability of reconstruction efforts. 
14. Support the integration of resilient, sustainable, and community-driven construction practices into all the project phases promoting community participation, local systems development and disaster resilient infrastracture. 
15. Contribute to the strategic direction and operational management of the COFA READY reconstruction component, supporting continuity of oversight, coordination, and stakeholder engagement to maintain project momentum and alignment with organisational goals. 
16. Perform such other relevant duties as maybe assigned. 

• Master’s degree in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Construction Management or a related field from an accredited academic institution with five years of relevant professional experience; or, 
• Bachelor’s degree in the above fields with seven years of relevant professional. 

Accredited Universities are those listed in the UNESCO World Higher Education Database.

• Demonstrated experience managing large-scale donor-funded reconstruction programmes (preferably USG-funded);
• Strong experience in post-disaster reconstruction and resilient infrastructure;
• Proven track record in managing large field teams (20+ staff); and,
• Experience working in remote island or Pacific contexts highly desirable.

• Strong engineering design review and construction supervision skills;
• Advanced knowledge of project management, QA/QC systems, and HSE standards;
• Experience with USG compliance frameworks;
• Excellent leadership, team management, and coordination abilities; and,
• Strong reporting, documentation, and communication skills.

For this position, fluency in English is required (oral and written).

Working knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) is an advantage.

Proficiency of language(s) required will be specifically evaluated during the selection process, which may include written and/or oral assessments.

IOM’s competency framework can be found at this link. Competencies will be assessed during the selection process.

Internationally recruited professional staff are required to be mobile. Please refer to this link for guidance on IOM Job Category. Any offer made to the candidate in relation to this vacancy notice is subject to funding confirmation. This selection process may be used to staff similar positions in various duty stations. Recommended candidates will remain eligible to be appointed in a similar position for a period of 24 months.

Appointment will be subject to all clearances, including medical and security as well as accreditation, any residency or visa requirements. Vacancies close at 23:59 local time Geneva, Switzerland on the respective closing date. No late applications will be accepted.

IOM has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and IOM, including sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and any forms of discrimination. IOM is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children.

IOM conducts reference checks and background verification, including through system wide databases such as ClearCheck, to help ensure that candidates have no record of misconduct, including on sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse, or fraud. Candidates are expected to uphold these standards and principles at all times.

IOM does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process—whether for application, interview, processing, training, or otherwise—and does not request any information related to bank accounts.

IOM only accepts duly completed applications submitted through the IOM WAVE system (for internal candidates link here). The online tool also allows candidates to track the status of their application. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. For further information and other job postings, you are welcome to visit our website: IOM Careers and Job Vacancies