Water Infrastructure Project Manager

Who are we  Concern Worldwide is a non-governmental international humanitarian organisation, and was founded in 1968. Concern Worldwide currently operates in a number of countries across the globe, with its Head Office in Dublin. We work with the poor and vulnerable in the world’s poorest countries to help them bring about long-lasting change in their lives and realise their fundamental human rights; to food, to health, to education, and ultimately to a life of dignity. Together with local and international partners, and with the beneficiaries themselves, we respond to emergencies and undertake long term development work.  We work across the world to promote a better understanding of extreme poverty, and we campaign for local and global action that will help reduce this. Job Summary The purpose of the Project Manager (PM) role is to provide technical and management oversight for the development and implementation of Water infrastructure project implemented by Concern in Lebanon. With a team of engineers and technical field officers, the PM will oversee tendering, design, implementation and day to day management of the project including construction, rehabilitation and upgrading of water provision, storage, treatment transmission and distribution facilities and household connections. The Project Manager will work with local authorities in building technical and managerial capacity to effectively run the water provision, storage, transmission and distribution facilities and household connections after completion and handover. Roles and responsibilities Programme Planning, Design, Engineering and Management 1. Provide technical and management oversight and supervision of the water infrastructure projects implemented by Concern: a) Oversee the day to day supervision of the implementation of the project; b) Oversee preparation of technical documents such as tenders, BOQs, procurement documents and oversee material and equipment purchases and delivery as necessary; c) Oversee and manage the procedure to select consultants and contractors to design and execute the construction, rehabilitation and upgrading of water provision, water storage, water treatment, water transmission and water distribution and household connection infrastructure, ensuring adherence to donor and Concern policies and guidelines; d) Ensure that the construction work is supported with adequate drawings and technical specifications and that the contractor is producing and delivering as per agreed drawings in a correct and timely manner e) Provide timely technical advice, building inspection protocols and feedback to the contractors on site on a regular basis; f) Oversee and carry out assessments of sites for the implementation of planned engineering works as per agreed proposals; g) Review and approve schedule of works as produced by selected consultants and contractors to ensure compliance with contract, drawings, and specifications; h) Ensure that the works are designed, implemented and completed in accordance with agreed programme objectives, in line with international and humanitarian best practices and standards, and in line with the programme approach ensuring complementarity with other Concern Lebanon programme activities as necessary; i) Ensure that project work sites meet legal guidelines, environmental directives and health and safety requirements and ensure that the contractor comply with timely and correct use of the Building Diary; j) Ensure that all resources are in place to implement the project in accordance with the work plans and agreed timelines, including but not limited to: design consultants, engineering contractor, Concern staff and support functions and are in line with realistic timeframes and milestones agreed with contractor and donors; 2. Monitor programme budgets and management accounts to ensure that relevant activities are being implemented in accordance with agreed budgets and timeframes 3. Develop work plans and compare progress with agreed plans: a) Set up and implement an M&E system to monitor progress and capture impact of assigned projects and to make necessary adjustments to work plans if necessary in a timely manner b) In collaboration with the programme manager and other team members, develop a work plan for the implementation of the project; c) Develop and implement action plans, review achievements and constraints and provide feedback accordingly; d) Use the appropriate tools (MS-Project or similar) to follow-up the project execution and avoid delays during execution. Understand the cause of eventual delays and suggest remediation measures; e) Preparation of regular work plans (weekly, monthly…) for project activities; 4. Manage and support the reporting of the activities internally, to the donor and to stakeholders: a) Prepare, with the assistance of the programme manager, inception reports, work plans and regular donor progress and impact reports for the programme, b) Organise and document regular construction site meetings c) Collect and analyse staff reports; d) Follow up of monitoring indicators for Concern activities; e) Preparation of regular (weekly, monthly, quarterly…) reports on activities progress, for internal and external use, in line with Concern and donor guidelines; 5. Liaise with all relevant stakeholders, beneficiaries, and donors: a) Act as a liaison officer with Local Authorities, Associations and Communities of the Project; b) Coordination with all stakeholders, especially NLWE, the municipality and land owners, to assure that works are implemented as planned and agreed within Concern and with donor; c) Ensure that all necessary authorisation and permission to undertake the works are in place; d) Ensure maximum visibility of Concern actions amongst the beneficiary communities; e) Participate in inter-NGO Coordination meetings; f) Promote and ensure the participation of the programme stakeholders (especially target communities) in all stages of the programme cycle; g) Assistance in preparation of MoU with communities / agreements with beneficiaries; h) Work with the municipality in identifying capacity building needs and develop and implement a capacity building plan to ensure the managerial sustainability of the infrastructure once handed over; 6. Support the WASH team with documentation a) Provide support with processing payments; b) Preparation of big evaluation forms and other paperwork; c) Assist team in maintaining paperwork and filing system up to date; 7. Coordination of logistic means for activities related to the project; 8. Provide general support to the programme managers; 9. Take a lead technical role in the development of project/programme proposals under the guidance of senior management as necessary Contracts Management: 1. Oversee the preparation of technical tender documents as necessary ensuring that Concerns’ and the donor’s guidelines and procedures are applied and followed in the selection of contractors and consultants 2. Ensure a systematic paper trail of all contracts exist from tender to evaluation of works executed 3. Supervise and oversee the work of selected contractors/consultants ensuring implementation of construction projects of the highest quality and are in accordance to agreed designs, policies and procedures and timelines 4. Establish and maintain a system for all communications with contractors ensuring that all agreements and minutes are well documented and accessible. 5. Evaluate consultants and contractors work and performance and ensure evaluations are formally recorded and documented 6. Mitigate against and resolving issues as they arise with various stakeholders thus ensuring the smooth implementation of the project Staff Management 1. Lead and manage assigned staff, contributing to their capacity building and career development. 2. Provide technical support and on-going on-the-job training and coaching to staff, including in particular a thorough induction at the start of their contract. 3. Ensure all team members have accurate job descriptions with clear objectives and identify and facilitate training when required 4. Coach all team members to ensure they fully understand outcomes which are expected of them, through Concern’s Performance Development Reviews system (PDR’s) 5. Ensure that all staff is aware of, and comply with Concern’s policies and procedures both programmatic and systematic. 6. Monitor and review performance and hold staff accountable for meeting the success criteria; give corrective feedback where required and take decisive action in the case of poor performance. 7. Organise and plan work within the team(s) in a way which will meet the organisation’s needs in the most cost effective manner possible; ensuring that team members are given appropriate workloads and are working efficiently. Representation and Coordination 1. Represent Concern Lebanon at local, regional and national level in regards to meetings with donors, stakeholder and other relevant actors as necessary. 2. Coordinate project activities with other actors and stakeholders in the programme area as necessary. Work Ethic: 1. Adhere to the standards of conduct outlined in the Programme Participant Protection Policy and Concern Code of Conduct. 2. Support and promote the standards outlined in the Programme Participant Protection Policy and Concern Code of Conduct to their team, partner and stakeholders and be committed to providing a safe working environment. 3. Actively participate in Concern accountability initiatives (communication strategy, participation and CRM for example) ensuring that they are integrated in to the project 4. Undertake other related duties as may reasonably be assigned by the Assistant /Country Director Person Specifications * Minimum Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering, Biochemical Engineering or similar from an accredited University, Master’s degree is desirable. * Minimum 2 years of working experience with an NGO or UN agency, preferably in a technical project management role with representation experience * Minimum 5 years of working experience in the water sector in a technical or engineering role * Minimum 3 years working experience in managing construction sites, including large scale infrastructure projects (in excess of $2m) * Excellent written and oral communication skills and English and Arabic. Knowledge of French is an asset. * Excellent knowledge of Microsoft office and email. Knowledge of MS-Project or similar is an asset. * Knowledge of the Health and Safety regulations in the Workplace. * Good track record of managing and leading a team * Experience liaising and collaborating with local government authorities in North Lebanon * Established network of contacts with local government authorities in North Lebanon is desirable * Experience in capacity building of local organisations * High level of self- initiative, autonomy and problem solving skills * High ability to work in a systematic and organized manner * High ability to be pro-active with tasks and duties, foreseeing challenges and delays * High ability to work calmly and efficiently under pressure, prioritize tasks and meet tight deadlines * Ability to negotiate and assist in the resolution of disputes/conflict * Familiarity with the SPHERE Project and Minimum Standards and Lebanon construction standards * Experience in conducting surveys, managing and analysing data and statistics * Willing to work in the field as per need of the project activities including occasional overnight stays away from home base * High integrity and willingness to conduct her/himself transparently and open to scrutiny * Strong negotiation and listening skills * Diplomacy and assertiveness; the ability to confront and discuss sensitive issues with respect and care * Strong empathy skills and genuine care and respect for needs of others * A belief in empowering marginalized and disenfranchised people * Ability to respect and maintain confidentiality * Commitment to humanitarian principles and values * Non-judgmental attitude and respect for Concern’s beneficiaries, other staff and people that Concern deals with * Commitment to Concern equal opportunity and gender practices