Director Engineering - 2 Posts

The Director Engineering role involves heading one of the key Technical Directorates within the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA): Roads Planning and Design, Roads Development, or Road Asset Management. The successful candidate will report directly to the Director General and be responsible for the overall coordination and strategic management of activities within the assigned Directorate.

Duties and Responsibilities

Duties under Roads Planning and Design

• Reviewing legislations, regulations, policies, National strategic objectives and plans, and technological trends to align the Authority's road development priorities.
• Monitoring changes in funding priorities and requirements from the government, development partners, and private investors to advise the Authority.
• Preparing proposals for inclusion in internal policies governing the planning, design, construction, monitoring, and evaluation of roads and structures.
• Liaising with stakeholders for mobilization of funds for road projects and programmes.
• Overseeing road Planning and preparation of Road Investment programs, strategies, and preliminary/detailed engineering designs of road and structures.
• Overseeing traffic studies, managing traffic data, and analyzing demand forecasting for urban road development.
• Coordinating partnerships for improved road emergency response.
• Overseeing the formulation and implementation of road safety programs and policies on roadside development control.
• Overseeing the formulation of policies and regulations to guide development and monitoring of road and bridge maintenance and construction programmes.
• Liaising with external financing agencies for resource mobilization, capacity building, and performance management.
• Overseeing the formulation and implementation of the Directorate strategic objectives and the training and development of staff.
• Performing any other lawful duties that may be assigned from time to time.

Duties under Roads Development

• Overseeing preparation of short-, medium- and long-term road works programmes.
• Coordinating review of relevant frameworks and technological trends to align the Authority's Road development priorities.
• Overseeing implementation of Strategic Objectives related to the construction of roads and bridges and review of designs.
• Overseeing preparation of procurement plans and review of tender documentation for road work programmes.
• Liaising with financing agencies, development partners, and private investors for resource mobilization.
• Overseeing review of standards and specifications for road works.
• Overseeing formulation, implementation, and management of roads and structures works contracts.
• Overseeing preparation and implementation of the directorate budget.
• Overseeing planning and implementation of projects through public-private partnerships and other financing frameworks.
• Ensuring prudency in utilization of financial resources through expenditure controls.
• Enhancing knowledge transfer and capacity building by encouraging partnerships between foreign and local firms.
• Overseeing capacity building of young professional graduates through internship.
• Undertaking regular road safety audits during road development.
• Overseeing capacity building of staff and managing performance.

Duties under Road Asset Management

• Overseeing preparation of short-, medium- and long-term road works programmes.
• Overseeing review of relevant frameworks to coordinate alignment of the Authority's road management and maintenance priorities.
• Overseeing implementation of strategic objectives relating to management and maintenance of roads and bridges.
• Overseeing the planning and preparation of roadside development control policies and programs.
• Overseeing the undertaking of annual road inventory and condition surveys.
• Overseeing the preparation of engineering design of road maintenance works and the compilation, analysis, and implementation of annual road maintenance work programmes.
• Liaising with Kenya Roads Board and other stakeholders on management of the Roads Maintenance Levy Fund (RMLF).
• Overseeing the operations of the authority's regional offices and the preparation/implementation of the directorate budget, ensuring expenditure controls.
• Overseeing the implementation of road works emergency response programmes.
• Overseeing formulation, implementation, and management of roads maintenance works.
• Overseeing the establishment, implementation, and conformance to road management systems and performance standards.
• Overseeing formulation and implementation of axle load control and monitoring programs, and representing the Authority in related stakeholder forums.
• Overseeing re-possession/reclamation of illegally acquired road reserves and management of road reserve boundaries.

Duties under Policy, Strategy and Compliance (General)

• Managing Corporate performance targets.
• Initiating, monitoring, and overseeing the implementation of the Authority's strategic plan and performance contract.
• Overseeing the preparation and implementation of the Authority's quality management system (QMS) through quality assurance programmes.
• Preparing annual business plans for development activities.
• Co-ordinating the performance of all directorates and departments and submitting organizational performance reports to the Director General.
• Overseeing the development of Authority's Masterplan, communications, and publicity activities.
• Ensuring research and innovation are embedded in all operations.
• Establishing operational linkages, formulating research strategies, and overseeing risk management.
• Overseeing implementation of QMS (ISO) and other business reengineering processes initiatives.
• Researching and disseminating information on alternative materials and revenue sources.
• Ensuring the Authority is compliant with existing legal regulations.

Qualifications and Experience

For appointment to this position, the ideal candidate must:

• Have at least fifteen (15) years' relevant work experience with five (5) years in a management position or in an equivalent or comparable position.
• Have a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or equivalent qualification from a recognized institution.
• Have a Master's Degree in a relevant field from a recognized institution.
• Be registered by Engineers Board of Kenya as a Professional Engineer with a minimum post-registration experience of eight (8) years.
• Have a valid annual Practicing License from the Engineers Board of Kenya.
• Have a certificate in a Leadership Course lasting not less than four (4) weeks from a recognized institution.
• Be a member of the Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK).
• Be proficient in computer applications.

Functional Skills

• Negotiation and Arbitration skills.
• Problem solving skills.
• Financial management skills.
• Organizational skills.
• Strategic management skills.
• Stakeholder management skills.
• Contract Management Skills.
• Change management skills.
• Planning and Analytical skills.
• Visionary Skills.
• Networking skills.
• Time management skills.

Behavioral Competencies

• Leadership skills.
• Interpersonal and communication Skills.
• Creativity and Innovation.
• Emotional Intelligence.