Team Leader

SMEC (an SJ Group company); American Samoa; On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

SMEC, part of the SJ Group, seeks a Team Leader for its Project Management Consultant team to coordinate, oversee and deliver complex infrastructure projects in challenging environments, with a focus on dam, road and energy sectors.

The role requires deep technical knowledge, senior leadership, procurement and contract management, plus experience with IFI-funded programs (ADB, World Bank) and delivering large-scale projects in developing or remote island contexts, especially in the Pacific

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher in civil engineering, water resources, hydropower, infrastructure project management, or a closely related discipline.
• Registered as a Chartered or Professional Engineer by internationally recognised institution or association. By Samoa law, KE must also be registered with IPES.
• At least 20 years of progressively responsible experience in infrastructure project development and implementation, including 12 years in senior roles overseeing procurement, contract administration, and construction supervision for complex infrastructure projects.
• Extensive experience with IFI-funded projects (ADB, World Bank) including procurement, safeguards, financial management, and reporting procedures.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate, oversee, and deliver all components of the project.
• Lead institutional strengthening, safeguards implementation, and procurement.
• Provide high-level leadership and effective communication with government officials and stakeholders.
• Mentor and train local teams and manage international contractors under FIDIC-based contracts.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Procurement

Contract administration

Construction supervision

Stakeholder communication

Team leadership

Education

Master's degree or higher in civil engineering or related field

Professional Engineer registration (Chartered)

Job description

For 75 years, SMEC has built a reputation as a trusted partner on major transport and energy infrastructure projects around the world. Our design leaders and specialist teams draw on deep expertise and experience delivering projects across a range of diverse environments, from some of the world’s most remote locations to some of the densest urban surroundings.

We understand the value of relationships to ensure that we comprehensively address all requirements at each stage in a project’s development. By closely collaborating with our clients, contractors, subcontractors and asset operators, we deliver commercially informed design thinking through local specialists who understand on-the-ground context and industry expectations.

Along with parent company the SJ Group, 2016-2022 was a period of significant growth and development for SMEC. Spanning 40+ countries and with the specialist expertise of over 5,000 employees, SMEC continued to deliver complex major projects, world-class technical excellence and advanced engineering solutions. As part of the SJ Group, SMEC is able to leverage the capabilities of our parent and sister companies to operate flexibly and effectively in local and global markets. We have access to global network of design and engineering expertise, with 16,000 colleagues across 10 multi-disciplinary brands including architects, designers, planners, engineers and other specialists.

About the Role

The Team Leader shall serve as the overall implementation team leader within the Project Management Consultant team, with responsibility for coordination, oversight, and delivery of all components of the Project, institutional strengthening, and safeguard implementation, procurement. The position requires deep technical knowledge, high-level leadership, procurement and contract and construction management expertise and good communication skills both in writing and oral, and experience working in foreign (to him/her) capacity institutional settings, particularly in small island developing states who have implemented similar ADB and World Bank funded projects.

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree or higher in civil engineering, water resources, hydropower, infrastructure project management, or a closely related discipline from a recognised institution.
• Registered as a Chartered or Professional Engineer by internationally recognised institution or association. This is mandatory. By law of Samoa, KE must also be registered with Institution of Professional Engineers, Samoa (IPES)
• At least 20 years of progressively responsible experience in infrastructure project development and implementation, including:
• A minimum of 12 years in senior roles overseeing procurement, contract administration, and construction supervision for complex infrastructure projects, including dam, road, and energy infrastructure;
• Proven experience delivering high-value infrastructure projects (USD 0-100 million and above), in developing or remote island contexts; Demonstrated experience supervising multidisciplinary consultant teams and managing international contractors under FIDIC-based contracts (preferably Yellow Book and/or Design-Build).
• Has worked (design, construct, supervise, manage) in at least 2 large dam projects in the last 20 years.
• Has good leadership, good governance and high integrity qualities and sensitive of local language, tradition, and culture.
• Substantial professional experience in the Pacific region is essential, ideally in small island developing states or similarly constrained institutional settings;
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with government officials and executing agencies, including mentoring and on-the-job training.
• Extensive experience with IFI-funded projects (ADB, World Bank, etc.), including full familiarity with procurement, safeguards, financial management, and reporting procedures.

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