Maintenance Officer

Job Purposes:

The Trail Bridge Maintenance Officer leads the development, institutionalization, and implementation of a sustainable, government-aligned trail bridge maintenance system for TRAIL Phase III. This role ensures high-quality inspections, maintenance planning, data management, and technical capacity development across all TRAIL regions, enabling the adoption of a standardized and long-term maintenance framework within existing government structures.

S/He provides technical leadership for routine, major, and rehabilitation maintenance, guiding regional and woreda teams and supporting community structures to ensure safe, durable, and climate-resilient bridge functionality. Working closely with the Senior Infrastructure Officer and Senior Capacity Building Officer, S/He contributes to the development and refinement of maintenance standards, manuals, and digital asset management systems.

The officer collaborates with the Ministry of Urban and Infrastructure, Ethiopian Roads Administration, Regional Road Bureaus, universities, TVETs, and community partners to strengthen technical competencies, integrate maintenance into institutional systems, and embed trail bridge maintenance within national policies and training curricula. This position supports TRAIL Phase III across all targeted regions.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Technical Leadership: Systematic Inspection, Planning and Quality Assurance

• Support government, community structures, and private sector actors to conduct routine, major, and rehabilitation inspections
• Build the capacity of regional and woreda teams to analyze inspection results and identify required interventions
• Guide preparation of annual and multi-year maintenance plans aligned with safety and demand
• Support supervision of contractors during maintenance works
• Provide technical advice on structural maintenance tasks

Maintenance System Development and Institutionalization

• Contribute to piloting and refining maintenance models
• Support development of maintenance agreements, SOPs, and templates
• Ensure lessons learned inform national maintenance frameworks
• Embed maintenance roles into government systems and workflows

Data Management and Digital Systems

• Support collection and digital submission of inspection data
• Ensure proper use of asset management systems
• Align data processes with national requirements

Stakeholder Coordination and Capacity Building

• Deliver training and technical coaching to stakeholders
• Promote community participation in maintenance activities
• Support integration of maintenance roles and budgets into plans
• Maintain strong relationships with government and partners

Maintenance Working Group Responsibilities

• Serve as a technical member of the working group
• Support reviews, pilot designs, and reporting activities
• Coordinate consultations and stakeholder engagement
• Prepare technical reports and recommendations

Knowledge Management and Reporting

• Maintain archives of inspection and maintenance records
• Prepare periodic reports
• Document lessons learned and best practices

Contribution to National Rural Transport Sector

• Provide input to rural transport planning
• Support curriculum development for training institutions
• Contribute to cost estimation and policy dialogue
• Support advocacy for maintenance funding

Education:

• BSc. in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Construction Technology, or related field
• MSc. is an added advantage

Relevant Experience:

• Minimum 6 years of experience in rural infrastructure, bridge maintenance, or civil works supervision
• Experience in inspections, structural assessment, or rural access programs
• Experience with government systems and contractor supervision
• Experience with NGO or donor-funded projects is preferred

Skills and Competencies:

• Strong technical understanding of bridge maintenance and inspection standards
• Ability to train and mentor stakeholders
• Skills in integrating maintenance systems into government structures
• Proficiency in digital tools such as GIS and asset management systems
• Strong communication and coordination skills

Skills Required:

• Civil / Engineering / Cotm