Project Director - Project Kafue
Globeleq
Zambia
Posted on Apr 11, 2025
Globeleq, as the Owner of the Kafue Solar PV Project, intends to commence construction of a 40MW/54MWp solar PV project and associated 33kV overhead line grid connection.
The Project is located on the outskirts of Kafue Town, south of Lusaka, in Zambia.
The Project is well advanced in its development including contractor selection, planning permissions, site studies, land agreements, and financing and project agreements.
Financing is being arranged through development financing institutions and sponsor equity.
A single EPC construction company will construct the Project under a bespoke turn-key EPC contract.
Construction is expected to commence around July-August 2025 with a target construction period of 12 months. Certain early works will commence during Q2 2025.
We have partnered with AltGen for this recruitment, in case of any queries kindly reach out to the team by emailing kafuesolar-recruitment@altgen.com
The Project is located on the outskirts of Kafue Town, south of Lusaka, in Zambia.
The Project is well advanced in its development including contractor selection, planning permissions, site studies, land agreements, and financing and project agreements.
Financing is being arranged through development financing institutions and sponsor equity.
A single EPC construction company will construct the Project under a bespoke turn-key EPC contract.
Construction is expected to commence around July-August 2025 with a target construction period of 12 months. Certain early works will commence during Q2 2025.
We have partnered with AltGen for this recruitment, in case of any queries kindly reach out to the team by emailing kafuesolar-recruitment@altgen.com
- Application Deadline
- April 30, 2025
- Department
- Construction
- Employment Type
- Fixed Term Contract
- Location
- Zambia
- Workplace type
- Onsite
- Reporting To
- Head of Construction
Main Purpose of Role
The Project Director is accountable for overseeing the construction of the Project on behalf of the Project sponsor, in compliance with the Project Documents and contracts, from the Notice to Proceed through to the Taking Over phase. The Project Director will lead a team comprising dedicated Project-contracted staff, internal Sponsor personnel, and third-party experts to manage all commercial, legal, social, environmental, and technical aspects of the Project's execution.
Key Responsibilities (this list is not exhaustive)
The Project Director is responsible for all ensuring the following during the construction period from Notice to Proceed to Taking over:
Managerial
Managerial
- Overall Project delivery,
- Recruit and develop the project team into a high-performance team that is well managed, supported and capable of delivering the Project,
- Setting clear objectives for the Project team,
- Primary interface for the project with the Owner and Lenders and any other stakeholder,
- Ensure lenders and Owner’s reporting obligations are met,
- Relationship management with authorities and stakeholders,
- Efficient meetings are held as required for the Project team, contractor(s), Sponsors, Lenders, Buyer and other relevant stakeholders,
- Development of the Owner’s project management plans,
- Identify and manage all Project risks.
Commercial
- Act as a commercial leader of the project with responsibility for delivery of the project from financial close to commercial operation within budget and schedule,
- Assume the role of “Employer’s Representative” per contract definition and act as key liaison contact between the Owner and the EPC Contractor,
- Manage compliance with all project insurance policies,
- Liaise with local government and regulatory bodies,
- Manage project contractual correspondence and Contractor activity to avoid the development of disputes, and the need for arbitration.
Schedule
- Tracking of the contractor’s progress and deliverables,
- Facilitate schedule interfaces and assist with overcoming schedule, constraints in a legally and timeous manner,
- Detailed understanding of dates relating to claims,
- Manage completion, testing and commissioning of the Project.
Technical
- Management of the Owner’s Engineer,
- Ensure that all technical documentation submitted by the EPC contractor is reviewed by the Project team, and ensure all documentation is managed and archived,
- Manage all contractor variation orders and claims,
- Project reporting and schedule monitoring,
- Monitor and enforce quality control and quality assurance obligations of the contractor(s),
- Facilitate with Grid interface and connection in a timeous manner to ensure that quality and time constraints are met.
Legal
- Ensure compliance of all parties to contractual obligations and project agreements,
- Manage all legal and or contractual correspondence,
- Manage claims and disputes,
- Manage arbitration efforts.
Finance and Tax
- Manage drawdowns from lenders,
- Manage invoices and payments for all parties,
- Manage company bank accounts,
- Monitor project budgets and forecasts, including an up-to-date cost to complete,
- Approval of purchases in a timeous manner to ensure that no suppliers are unduly cash constrained,
- Ensure compliance with delegations of authorities granted by the project company board of directors,
- Ensure contractor security/performance bonds are in place and valid for the required duration.
HSESS
- Ensure enforcement of site environmental, health & safety requirements,
- Manage local community interfaces and expectations,
- Ensure compliance to ED obligations are executed in accordance with the owner’s ESG and ED Strategy.
Hand-over to Operations
- Ensure a smooth transition into operations and hand over to the asset management and operations teams,
- Manage the development of the projects Computerised Maintenance Management System (CMMS),
- Ensure complete as-built documentation and health and safety manuals are issued by the contractor(s),
- Ensure all spares are issued by the contractor(s),
- Manage any construction snags and close-out of defects.
Experience, Knowledge & Qualifications, Skills
Extensive direct experience in the construction of power projects in emerging markets with a track record of delivery (quality, schedule, budget).
More specifically, the required experience and skill set includes;
More specifically, the required experience and skill set includes;
- More than 7 years’ power construction site management experience in developing markets, with previous experience as the lead commercial/technical manager for the Owner with evidence of successfully concluding on time and within budget,
- Significant experience with the construction power infrastructure, preferably in Zambia or other African nations,
- Experience with PV construction,
- Experience with working with Zesco highly advantageous,
- Experience and familiarity with project financing documents,
- Broad background of previous exposure to various disciplines, civil, electrical, mechanical on construction projects and accumulated knowledge base of construction methods used in these disciplines,
- Direct experience in the management of EPC Contractors, subcontractors and Owner’s construction management teams,
- Direct experience in establishing, monitoring and managing project construction budgets of over $10 million, with direct experience in project drawdown processes,
- Extensive knowledge and familiarity with EPC contract terms and conditions, interrelationships of risks with respect to company vs. client risks and participation in the negotiation, management and handover of power projects,
- Working knowledge of and experience in development, managing and analysing project schedules, including use of Microsoft Project or similar CPM scheduling software,
- Ability to travel and live internationally; exhibit the personality and character composition to work with all nationalities and cultures that will be encountered,
- Minimum BS/MS engineering degree or substantial equivalent technical training and prior extensive experience in project and site management.
Skills
- Confident in commercial, financial, legal, technical, negotiation and project management skills,
- Fluent in English (speaking & writing),
- A strong team builder and leader with a good understanding of organisation design principles,
- Participative leader, capable of leveraging the input and experience of the broader team to analyse options and then make decisions as necessary,
- Proficient knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and Power Point, MS Projects and/or PrimaVera,
- Confident presenter, with previous experience in engaging with stakeholders from national and local govt, communities, technical and commercial partners and stakeholders, board and lenders,
- Strong communication skills particularly relationship management and negotiation skills,
- Creative and innovative,
- Cross-cultural awareness and ethical behaviour.
Resource Management / Dimensions
- Management of Owner’s site personnel and Owner’s Engineer,
- Direct interaction with client, government stakeholders and lenders,
- Monitoring and assistance to the contractor(s),
- Direction and guidance to third party subcontractors, consultants and engineers.
About Globeleq
We develop, own and operate power plants utilising various technologies across the African continent. With many years of international industry experience, the support of committed shareholders, and long-standing project, technology, finance and government partnerships, we have the financial strength, management and operational expertise to power Africa to realise its potential.
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