BACKGROUND

Healthy Learners is an award-winning non-profit organization committed to improving the health of children in Zambia and beyond. We partner directly with the government and local communities in Zambia so that school children can stay healthy, learn effectively, and have a brighter future. School-aged children in low resource settings suffer from a high burden of disease and lack access to even basic healthcare, which causes otherwise preventable and curable illnesses to frequently result in life-long health challenges or disability. In the short term, these illnesses contribute to school absenteeism, poor academic performance, and high drop-out rates. In the long term, they undermine physical, cognitive, and emotional development and hinder economic prosperity.

Healthy Learners is working with the Zambian Government to bridge this gap through our unique model of school-based community health. We construct Health rooms which are a physical symbol where learners know they can go to when requiring help. We also train teachers in community health and leveraging innovative diagnostic and data analytic technology, we make schools entry points into the public healthcare system. As a result, children now receive medical attention in substantially greater numbers, improving health outcomes and reducing absenteeism. We currently serve over 800,000 students across 8 provinces, and we are working with the Zambian government to scale nationally by 2025.

The Opportunity

The Site Engineer is a key member of the Construction Team, with the primary responsibility of overseeing day to day construction activities at the project sites. Working closely with the program teams, Site Engineers provide oversight, management and technical guidance for construction sites (e.g. health rooms). This hands-on position will supervise and communicate regularly with builders and school administrators to ensure they build a high-quality health room within agreed upon time following standards as per drawing or blueprint.

The Site Engineer’s responsibilities include managing different parts of a construction project e.g. last mile supply-chain deliveries, oversight of materials on sites, supervision of builders, preparing estimates for time and materials, completion of quality assurance, observing health and safety standards, and compiling site reports.

The site engineer should be able to work alongside the program team and create a work schedule that meets deadlines. To be successful as a site engineer, one should demonstrate great project management skills, strong analytical and logical thinking skills, outstanding candidates should display a superb work ethic and thrive under pressure.

Responsibilities

Site Preparation & Trainings

Ensure all necessary approvals from Health Learners and government partners are obtained prior to commencement of works.
Support construction related MOU preparations and signing process with implementing partners.
Assist coordinators with the paperwork preparation of memorandums of understanding (MOU), construction and vendor contracts as required.
Work with Government partners (School Health Administrators & Building Officers) to identify appropriate locations for construction.
Oversee orientations and training workshops for contractors, builders, and other stakeholders.
Work with the Construction Coordinators to develop work schedules and implementation plans.

Supply Chain

Ensure appropriate materials and tools are available. Prepare material requests and ensure timely delivery of materials.
Work with the Construction Coordinator and other relevant HL staff to organize materials and ensure sites are safe and clean.
Oversee last-mile delivery to your construction sites; inspect quality and quantity of materials delivered to ensure they meet necessary specifications.
Monitor and track the use of materials delivered to ensure that they are used only for the intended purposes; promptly report all suspected misuse or material diversions.

Site Supervision and Quality Control

Oversee day-to-day construction activities at project sites to ensure construction projects are completed on time with high quality.
Monitor performance of contractors throughout the construction period; maintain an accurate record of construction site personnel and prepare regular records of activities and progress reports.
Establish ongoing dialogues with HL staff, partners, contractors, and other stakeholders to ensure effective relationships are maintained
Communicate adjustments to construction schedules or work-plans with builders, HL program staff and the school administration. Document key communications with contractors, partners and other stakeholders.
Complete quality assurance processes and provide feedback to the builders; monitor and enforce all site procedural protocols and policies including, but not limited to, construction safety, accident protocol, child safeguarding policy, etc.
Conduct regular scheduled site inspections visits to support, supervise and mentor skilled and unskilled construction labor force at the construction sites.
Promptly report all construction irregularities, breaches of policy or protocol, or any other issues observed on or related to construction activities. Ensure that remedial measures are timely undertaken.
Inspect completed stage works and provide technical advice and suggestions for improvement on projects as and where required.
Prepare initial payment schedules based on each completed stage backed by completion certificates.

Site Close Out

Support budgeting process and preparing the variance report on budgets, retirement, and activities.
Inspect completed jobs and generate construction completion certificates.
Gather data, compile reports, and deliver presentations to relevant offices such as the office of the Building Officer, Construction Coordinator and Construction Manager.
Any other duties as assigned.

Competencies

Specific requirements include:

Sound knowledge of Engineering, construction, and design
Great leadership and organizational skills. Strong supervising personnel at construction site works. This includes, but is not limited to, contractors, builders, and other skilled and unskilled workers.
Superb project management skills. Thorough experience in material quantification and site inventory management.
Ability to apply logical and critical thinking skills to projects and good problem solving.
Great written and verbal communication skills and interpersonal skills
Willingness and ability to ride a motorbike.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and effectively meet deadlines while maintaining high attention to detail.
Strong commitment to quality service delivery, excellent planning, coordination skills, and ability to see the “big picture.”
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, etc.). General knowledge of Microsoft projects or similar software is a plus.
Passion, humility, integrity, positive attitude, mission-driven, and self-directed.
Strong alignment with Healthy Learners’ values of Humble, Hungry and Smart
Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, construction, or similar.
Minimum three to four  (3 to 4) years’ experience in the construction industry with a general contractor engaged in general building construction.
Project management experience or qualification is an added advantage.
Membership of a construction engineering accreditation body in Zambia.