Project Mnager - School Construction

The “Sustainability in Education and Environmental Health for Palestine Refugees in Lebanon” project, funded by Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD), is a 21 Million Euro, three-year project which works across three departments/units within the Lebanon Field. The project will undertake the construction of two schools complexes, comprised of two schools (Elementary and Preparatory) in Nahr el-Bared Camp (NBC), and another two schools (Preparatory and Secondary) in the UNRWA’s Beirut office compound. The project also includes water infrastructure projects along 5 water-focused areas: Water Sources, Water Supply Networks, Water Quality, Wastewater & Roads and Storm Water & Roads.

The “Reinforcing the Quality and the Sustainability of Education for Palestine Refugees in Lebanon” project, funded by the US and French Governments, is a $3.5 million, two-year project which works across two departments/units within the Lebanon Field. The project focuses on the construction on one UNRWA school in Saida that will serve as a pilot school for UNRWA’s Trilingual (Arabic-French-English) education model. A second building will be accommodating pre-schooling classrooms and ensuring the highest standards of early child-hood development (another pilot within UNRWA, since the Agency does not offer kindergarten education and will not do as a core service).

In particular the incumbent:

Plans, directs and coordinates activities a sizable portfolio of projects ensuring that goals and objectives are accomplished within a prescribed time frame, funding parameters, project aims and components and UNRWA rules and standards. Provides technical and managerial oversight, problem solves and coordinates activities with stake holders to ensure continuity of operations and efficient performance of project personnel.

Provides overall supervision to the project teams, including planning, management and oversight of implementation, quality assurance, participation in recruitment and development, as and where applicable, and management of contractors to make sure that standards, performance, costs, time schedules and safety are maintained;

Reviews, controls, keeps and makes sure of validity and correctness of all projects documentation with regard to time schedule, budget and organization; develops the Project Implementation Plan and updates it regularly ensuring that UNRWA rules and regulations on technical matters as related to the project are applied; responsible for scope management and change control;

For schools construction, responsible for supervision of the site engineer who oversees the execution of contract administration including certifying schedules for labor and equipment; participation (along with site engineer) in site meetings; ensuring identification and preparation of draft variation orders by the site engineer; analysis and recommendations on construction claims and making sure that the contractor meets contractual requirements of safety, environment and health, insurance and security deposits/guarantees;

For water infrastructure rehabilitation, responsible for the supervision of the WASH project manager who will be responsible for technical management and quality assurance of the day to day works;

Is responsible for the entire project cycle management of all project components (school construction and rehabilitation of water infrastructure) including internal and external coordination, advocacy, information management, operational and financial oversight, scope management and change control;

Coordinates all components of the project with the UNRWA project team and field programme support office, community, concerned Lebanese authorities, UNRWA head office, etc. in order to ensure all components of the project are completed in accordance with the agreement, project targets and UNRWA planning and procedures, prepares and implements the communication plan. Ensure that all project operations are in compliance with the condition of financing agreement;

Liaises with UN agencies, beneficiaries, NGOs, the Palestinian factions and committees, donor and governmental bodies to ensure full coordination, support and accountability requirements for the implantation of the project activities; 

Support of the management of tendering, contract preparation and contract management, preparation of detailed analysis of submitted bids, together with control of the budget of all project components, making analysis and recommendations related to construction claims, ensuring contractors meet safety, environment and health requirements;

Prepares technical, financial, progress and any such related reports and information as may be required by the Agency and the donor. Particularly detailed time schedules, cost and financing schedules, financial forecast, etc;

Coordinates closely with other departments related to the projects: education, relief, legal, logistics, donor relations, area officers and procurement. Ensures community participation in the progress and design of the project component;

Controls and maintain projects expenditure in coordination with finance department ensuring commitment to donor’s requirements;

Prepares timely reports on project progress for all activities, highlights achievements, as well as good practices, evaluation and lessons learned, all in compliance with donor’s requirements. Contributes to the agreed monthly and semi-annual progress reports. Reports will show ongoing progress and results on agreed upon targets and expenditures over time. Provides relevant inputs into Quarterly Management Review meetings;

Develops and maintains effective relations with internal and external project stakeholders and with local camps’ community for the advancement of the project; prepares and implements communication and visibility plans in coordination with the communication coordinator;

Prepares and implements risk management plans;

Reviews self- help components of the project in close coordination with the community and establishes innovative ideas to involve the community more in the implementation of the project;

Ensures ILO/World Bank Environmental Social Health and Safety standards are implemented and maintained during implementation;

Advise and coordinates tasks to project staff in addition to providing evaluation;