Construction Coordinator at Save The Children

Role Purpose

• The Construction Coordinator will be tasked with overseeing all functional aspects of construction related activities from design and procurement, to supervision and contributing to reports.
• In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly.

Key Areas of Accountability
Planning, Coordination & programme support:

• Liaise with programme Technical leads, Programme Managers and the relevant Regional government bureaus on the design of structures and advise on appropriateness of design and materials for the proposed sites.
• Contribute to proposals and provide daily and monthly reports outlining progress as well as the utilization of materials, labour, and equipment being used.
• Collaborate in planning, design and quantity surveying where necessary with any external engineering contractors during the development of new project proposals.

Technical/operational:

• In coordination with the relevant programme and operation team, is responsible for preparing, reviewing and administering contracts and infrastructure development projects.
• Review technical design documents from the programme sectors (Health, Education and Wash) and recommend relevant modifications, if required, and also ensure that the project plans, drawings or sketches are well understood by the implementation contractors/teams, provide implementation guidelines and give feedback as appropriate.
• Visit and assess proposed construction sites in project areas and make decisions based on consultation with the Project Managers, Senior Logistics Manager, Team Leader/DTL, communities & concerned government officials as required.
• Assist the procurement team in outsourcing and contract administration for all the programme’s construction activities implemented by the programme in different area and field offices.
• Examine and process payment requests for construction works undertaken by different projects in the programme area.
• Keep record of federal and regional standard designs for Education, Health and WASH and other rural infrastructure activities and adopt them as required.
• Establish a contract management database and keep updated record of progresses at each construction project, also coordinate and supervise construction works in order to assure quality of construction.
• Work closely with requestors to ensure that contract values are within the available budget limit, and also keep record of payables (retentions) and receivables (advances) and inform all concerned timely for release and/or recovery.
• Identify where necessary, and through acceptable and transparent ways, contractors/specialists/suppliers to carry out specialised pieces of work where project personnel do not have the capacity to do so.
• Ensure that the project plans, drawings or sketches are well understood by the implementation contractors/teams, provide implementation guidelines and give feedback as appropriate.
• Identify and organise procurement of locally available construction materials in close collaboration with the procurement team.
• Ensure effective and efficient use of all SC’s financial and material resources in order to keep costs to the lowest possible.
• Provide technical support for all partner agencies.

Review, Follow up and assessment:

• Review technical design documents for construction works and fully participate in the preparation and analysing tendering and contract administration processes.
• Follow up on planning and implementation of all construction undertakings and also review and monitor the performance of construction companies for compliance with the contract agreements they entered into with SCI in collaboration with Senior Logistics Manager.
• Review the status and progress of construction work including assessment of the quality, design and implementation processes.
• Coordinate and actively participate in the construction projects management Processes (Planning phase, Design phase, Bidding phase, & Construction phase and Post construction phase).
• Examine, review and verify construction payment requested by contractors.

Capacity Building:

• Build and develop the capacity of the project managers and construction supervisors (field Logisticians) and procurement team through the use of effective training, performance management frameworks and development plan.

Report:

• Collect data from project sites and compile construction work progress reports on regular basis to concerned program representatives and Logistics.

Qualifications and Experience

• First degree in Construction Engineering or related technical field.
• Proven and significant experience in international procurement and contract management, including an ability to review procurement demands and trends, and to develop strategies to fill identified gaps.
• 3 years of field level experience in logistics for INGOs in international development and emergency programmes.
• Knowledge of  key institutional donors and their compliance requirements in respect of logistics and procurement.
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching.
• Experience of solving complex issues through analysis, definition of a clear way forward and ensuring buy in.
• Commitment to Save the Children values.
• Ability and willingness to change work practices and hours in the event of major emergencies including travelling at short notice and for extended periods of time.
• Highly organised with good administration skills for order and information management, able to develop filing systems and databases to ensure an auditable trail.
• A high level of computer literacy (word, excel, ppt, CAD, etc).