Local recruitment: Invitations for Applications - Site Engineer - Water Supply & Dams Construction Works

The Somaliland Development Fund – Phase 3 (SDF3) covers the period 2025-2028, with the possibility of a two-year extension. SDF3 aims to strengthen the climate resilience of vulnerable communities in Somaliland while creating increased income and job opportunities, thereby helping to reduce poverty. SDF3’s ambitions are aligned with NDP3 and reflect the priorities set out in Somaliland Vision 2030. SDF3 is funded with contributions from Denmark, Norway and the United Kingdom.

The SDF3 Joint Steering Committee has approved the Qool Caday Livestock Centre of Excellence (QLCE) project. The QLCE is designed to serve as a multifunctional centre for climate-smart livestock production, training, research, and livestock-related commercial services. The project includes rehabilitating 8,000 hectares of rangeland, which includes a 6,000-hectare drought reserve, and constructing water infrastructure, veterinary clinics, and demonstration farms. These interventions aim to improve livestock health, fodder availability, and water access, while promoting sustainable land management. The QLCE project is built around three strategic pillars: climate resilience, inclusive economic growth, and social inclusion.  The project includes three outputs as indicated below

Summary of the role

As part of the QLCE project, new water‑supply and surface‑water harvesting infrastructure are planned to be constructed. To support this work, the Project will recruit two Site Engineers – Water Supply & Dams Construction Works to join the Project Management Team (PMT), in line with the approved proposal and the SDF3 Operational Guidelines (October 2025). Reporting to the Resident Engineer, the Site Engineer will supervise daily works on haffir dams and associated water‑supply systems, ensuring compliance with approved designs, safety and environmental requirements, quality standards, and construction programmes. The role also includes coordinating with other disciplines, maintaining accurate site records, and supporting progress, risk, and cost management.

Key tasks summary

• Supervise construction and rehabilitation of haffir dams and associated water‑supply works, including embankments, inlets, spillways, silt traps, HDPE lining, pump houses, pipelines, tanks, kiosks, and watering points.
• Ensure technical compliance through inspections of excavation, lining, concrete works, embankment compaction, pipe installation, electromechanical integration, and all related water‑infrastructure elements.
• Coordinate interfaces with electromechanical teams, surveyors, community structures, and other work fronts to ensure smooth, conflict‑free execution.
• Enforce all Quality Assurance/Quality Control and Health, Safety and Environment requirements, including material approvals, testing, safety controls, and environmental protection.
• Monitor progress, verify quantities, maintain accurate documentation, and support preparation of payment certificates, as‑built records, and handover dossiers.

Required Qualifications, Skills and Experience

Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, Water Resources Engineering, Hydraulic Engineering, or a closely related field.
• Member of a recognised professional engineering body in Somaliland.
• Excellent written and spoken English, with fluency in Somali mandatory.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD, Microsoft Office, and competent use of survey equipment; familiarity with Civil 3D is an advantage.

General Professional Experience

• Minimum 7 years’ post‑qualification experience in civil engineering construction supervision.
• At least 5 years’ experience supervising contractors on works requiring strict control of levels, gradients, compaction, alignment, and tolerances such as dams, earthworks, pipelines.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience reviewing and interpreting engineering drawings, specifications, method statements, hydrological, geotechnical, and topographical data, ITPs, and as‑built records, including comfort with CAD outputs.

Specific Professional Experience

• Minimum 3 years’ direct experience supervising water‑supply and hydrotechnical works, such as haffir dams, surface‑water harvesting structures, pipelines, pump houses, tanks, and associated civil structures.
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience supervising reinforced‑concrete works, including foundations, valve chambers, silt traps, spillways, anchor/thrust blocks, and embankment‑related concrete elements.
• Experience in at least one project involving HDPE geomembrane installation, welding quality checks, destructive and non‑destructive testing, and liner protection requirements.
• Experience in at least one similar project involving contract administration, including review of variations, quantity verification, IPC support, and daily contractor performance monitoring (HSE, environmental, and social safeguards).

How to apply

Interested candidates should send their application (cover letter and CV) to the Somaliland Development Fund Secretariat through e-mail jobs@sdf-secretariat.org. Candidates should indicate in their cover letter how they fit the criteria outlined in the advert. All applications must be received by 25 March 2026 at 1600hrs East African Standard Time. Applicants should clearly indicate the position they are applying for in the email subject line.

Any attempt by a candidate to influence the outcome of the recruitment process in any way which can be interpreted as canvassing will lead to automatic disqualification from being considered for this position.

This position is open to Somaliland candidates only.

Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.