Regional Contracts Manager - Africa

Overview of role :

The successful candidate will be responsible for delivering major water supply schemes within budget (cost forecast) and ensuring the projects\’ timely completion to the satisfaction of both the Client and Biwater. These projects will be located in West and East Africa, requiring frequent travel within the region. The projects involve the construction of water and wastewater treatment plants, pumping stations, pipelines, and reservoirs. Each project is valued at over $100 million and is fully financed, supported by sovereign guarantees.

The candidate will be based at Biwater’s head office in Dorking, Surrey, UK, and must be able to travel internationally and work closely with overseas colleagues, providing project and engineering expertise. The role also involves overseeing project controls critical to safeguarding the company’s interests. This includes accurately presenting the company’s position, meeting contractual obligations, and optimising profitability on negotiated turnkey projects, concessions, or other contract forms within the water industry.

Qualifications and experience

• Qualification in Civil Engineering or Quantity Surveying.
• Preferably 10+ years of construction experience in a similar role within the Water Industry, including expertise in international contract management, cost control, and profit maximisation, ability to advise on mitigation measures where issues arise
• An understanding of Water and Wastewater design and associated infrastructure to coordinate design activities undertaken by others
• Thorough understanding of FIDIC, Yellow Book, and ‘Design & Construct’ contracts, with a specific focus on water and wastewater treatment plants, pumping stations, pipelines, and reservoirs.
• Proven experience in delivering major infrastructure projects in the Africa region.
• A competent fluency level in French.

Duties and responsibilities

• Coordinate and oversee all activities related to assigned projects, providing comprehensive, accurate, and timely project reports to the Board of Directors and Management.
• Work collaboratively with local construction management to ensure on‑site activities progress in a timely and cost‑effective manner in accordance with specifications. Address all health, safety, environmental, and quality assurance issues in compliance with company policy and country statutes.
• Liaise with Country Management (Territory Director / Project Director / Project Manager) to ensure necessary support functions are available as agreed with the project construction management team.
• Provide clear and thoughtful leadership to ensure maximum contribution from all project stakeholders, fostering a collaborative working environment.
• Ensure compliance with Biwater policies and the laws of the country of operation, particularly regarding environmental, social health and safety, and quality assurance.
• Oversee design engineering, procurement, and shipping to ensure activities progress in a timely and cost‑effective manner, addressing all health and safety, environmental, social, and quality assurance issues in compliance with company policy, country statutes, and the QA system.
• Establish a clear understanding of the work scope and client requests, building sound working relationships with the client’s senior personnel.
• Manage and oversee reporting staff.
• Coordinate and control project requirements from all Biwater departments, including design, procurement, material movement, accounts, and outside consultants.
• Issue cost forecasts and control expenditure to maximise project profit and cash flow.
• Ensure timely issuance of invoices and receipt of all project payments, producing necessary documentation to obtain project payments, and conducting any required negotiations with approving agents.
• Establish, review, and update the Primavera P6 project programme with the planner, linking it to the Causeway Engineering and Accounting system to provide the required contract monitoring information.
• Identify changes to the project scope, raising and agreeing on profitable change orders before ensuring satisfactory execution.
• Ensure timely issue of management reports on progress and costing.
• Review and accept the project budget and, together with the Accounts Department, prepare and issue regular costs into the Biwater Causeway accounting system. Issue cost forecasts and control expenditure to maximise project profit.
• Manage and conduct all negotiations with the Client’s inspection agencies to maximise financial returns.
• Approve all project cost expenditures and ensure necessary approvals are obtained in accordance with Company / Project procedures.
• Resolve all project problems in the most effective manner.
• Ensure completion of all project requirements, including documentation, manuals, and O&M support, to ensure earliest acceptance by the Client.
• After handover, manage the defects liability period, ensuring timely issuance of the performance certificate and bond release.
• Maintain and update project procedures, ensuring adequate training of subordinate staff.
• Provide relevant actual information for estimating and proposals for future project development.

Ensure compliance with the reporting requirements outlined in the Environmental, Social, and Impact Assessment Construction Management Plans developed under the ESIA. Specifically, ensure adherence to the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP), Construction Environmental and Social Management Plan (CESMP), and Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) : Manage project labour / workforce in collaboration with the HR Manager.

Ensure completion of hazard and risk assessments.

Ensure that all supply chains, including subcontractors, are informed of and adhere to relevant policies and CESMP.

Approve works instructions, methods, and procedures.

Sign off on Corrective Actions as necessary.

Develop and maintain an Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan.

Produce and sign off on monthly Project Reports, including programme, progress, invoice and commercial, health and safety, environmental and social, key correspondence log, and points requiring client action, for submission to the Client, UKEF, and Project Lenders and Banks.

Person specification

1. Knowledge and experience

• Relevant experience in the engineering or construction industries, particularly in water‑related disciplines, with a focus on overseas projects.
• Experience working on large international water and / or wastewater projects.
• Commercially aware and proven experience as a Contracts Manager.
• Advanced understanding of the challenges and risks associated with project execution in developing countries, along with the ability to develop appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Strong commercial skills and knowledge of contracting methods, contract administration, and contract forms.
• Previous experience with FIDIC contract documents is essential.
• Experience with Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) project control.
• Ability to determine the \’cause and effect\’ of delays and assess their impact on contractor performance, with a working knowledge of Primavera.
• Ability to communicate complex technical and commercial issues clearly with clients and contractors.
• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in a similar position.
• Proven negotiating skills.
• Able to foster and work in a collaborative environment.

2. Skills

• Excellent leadership skills, with the ability to motivate and evaluate team members effectively.
• A strong team player with a positive, service‑oriented attitude.
• Tenacious, inquisitive, and unafraid to challenge the status quo.
• Enthusiastic self‑starter and high achiever, committed to team success in a collaborative environment, with the confidence to interact effectively with others.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Exceptional problem‑solving abilities, able to delve into details and understand the impact of key business drivers, making decisions based on accurate and timely analysis in collaboration with others.
• Excellent at multitasking.
• Effective communicator at all levels.
• Proven ability to build and maintain relationships.
• Good understanding of budgeting and reporting.
• Computer literate with skills in MS Office, Primavera, and enterprise content management software.

3. Internal business processes

• Strive for continuous improvement in the accuracy of information.
• Adhere to company procedures.
• Assist in updating company procedures and processes as necessary.
• Adhere to the company’s anti‑bribery and corruption policies and procedures, ensuring ethical conduct and compliance with relevant laws and regulations.

4. Health safety and environment

• Monitor and enforce the latest health and safety procedures, regulations, and legislation.
• Ensure the project is proactive in addressing all environmental concerns.
• Actively minimise waste from all department activities and maintain a safe working environment for all staff.

5. Working condition

• The role is based at Biwater’s head office in Dorking, Surrey, with travel as necessary in the UK and overseas to fulfil the work scope.
• Travel abroad to accomplish assigned tasks related to project execution or business development.

6. Benefits

• A competitive salary with a comprehensive benefits package.

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