Team Leader

SMEC (an SJ Group company); Samoa (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

SMEC, part of the SJ Group, seeks a Team Leader to serve as the overall implementation lead within the Project Management Consultant team, coordinating and delivering all project components, institutional strengthening, safeguards, and procurement. The role demands deep technical knowledge, high‑level leadership, and strong communication skills in diverse settings.

It requires extensive experience with IFI-funded projects, outstanding governance and integrity, and the ability to mentor teams

Qualifications

• Master's degree or higher in civil engineering, water resources, hydropower, infrastructure project management, or a related discipline.
• Professional engineer registration with an internationally recognized body; IPES registration is mandatory by Samoan law.
• At least 20 years of progressively responsible experience in infrastructure project development and implementation.
• Minimum 12 years in senior roles overseeing procurement, contract administration, and construction supervision for complex infrastructure projects (dam, road, energy).
• Experience delivering high-value infrastructure projects (USD 0-100 million and above) in developing or remote island contexts.
• Experience supervising multidisciplinary consultant teams and managing international contractors under FIDIC-based contracts (Yellow Book/Design-Build).
• Has worked on at least 2 large dam projects in the last 20 years.
• Good leadership, governance, integrity, and sensitivity to local language, culture and context.
• Extensive Pacific-region experience; ability to work with governments and donors; mentoring capability.
• Extensive experience with IFI-funded projects (ADB, World Bank) including procurement, safeguards, financial management and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Lead coordination, oversight, and delivery of all components of the project, institutional strengthening, safeguards implementation, and procurement.

Skills

Leadership

Procurement management

Contract administration

Construction supervision

International contractor management

FIDIC contracts

Donor compliance

Stakeholder engagement

Mentoring

Leadership in Pacific regions

Education

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

Chartered or Professional Engineer registration

IPES registration in Samoa (mandatory)

Job description

About SMEC

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.

About SMEC

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‑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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