Head of Construction

HEAD OF CONSTRUCTION – RENEWABLE ENERGY

Location: Zambia, with regular travel to project sites

Employment Type: Contract

Reports To: Head of Development / Executive Management

ROLE SUMMARY

The Head of Construction will provide senior leadership and strategic oversight of the Company’s construction activities across its renewable energy portfolio, including utility-scale Solar PV and Wind projects.

The successful candidate will combine strategic leadership with strong practical construction expertise, providing the structure, oversight and technical leadership required to deliver safe, high-quality and commercially successful renewable energy projects across Zambia.

The role will have overall responsibility for ensuring that projects progress from Financial Close through construction, commissioning, handover and completion in a safe, timely, technically compliant and commercially controlled manner.

The successful candidate will bring significant experience in the delivery of large, multidisciplinary infrastructure or renewable energy projects and will be comfortable operating at both strategic and detailed project execution levels.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide strategic leadership and overall oversight of the Company’s construction portfolio across utility-scale Solar PV and Wind projects.
• Lead project delivery from mobilisation through construction, commissioning, COD and handover to Operations.
• Manage and oversee EPC contractors, OEMs, specialist subcontractors and Owners’ Engineers, ensuring delivery against contractual, technical, programme, quality and HSE requirements.
• Establish and monitor construction programmes, milestones, project controls, resources, costs and critical path activities.
• Provide leadership on HSE, quality assurance, technical compliance and construction standards across all projects.
• Identify and manage key technical, commercial, programme, HSE and stakeholder risks, implementing mitigation and recovery strategies where required.
• Oversee commissioning, completion, defect resolution and successful handover of projects to Operations & Maintenance.
• Manage senior relationships with EPC contractors, OEMs, lenders, Independent Engineers, ZESCO, regulators and other key stakeholders.
• Ensure effective governance, reporting, documentation and compliance across the construction portfolio.
• Lead, develop and mentor the construction team, promoting accountability, collaboration, safety and delivery excellence.
• Work closely with Development, Commercial, Finance, Legal, Asset Management and Operations teams to ensure successful project execution.
• Provide regular construction performance updates to Executive Management, including progress, cost, risk, quality, HSE and contractor performance.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Quantity Surveying, Building Science or a related discipline.
• Minimum 15 years’ post-graduate experience in construction, engineering or major infrastructure project delivery.
• Significant senior management experience leading large, multidisciplinary construction projects.
• Minimum 7 years’ experience in senior construction/project management roles on major infrastructure, energy or renewable energy projects.
• Proven experience managing EPC, EPCM and/or major construction contractors.
• Strong understanding of construction contracts, programme management, project controls and contractor management.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex interfaces between civil, mechanical and electrical disciplines.
• Strong understanding of HSE, quality assurance, commissioning and project close-out.
• Proven ability to manage multiple stakeholders and contractors at senior level.
• Experience taking major projects through construction and commissioning to operational handover.
• Excellent written and verbal English communication skills.
• Strong commercial awareness and understanding of project risk.
• Valid driver’s licence and willingness to travel regularly to project sites.

Desirable

• Significant experience in utility-scale Solar PV and/or Wind projects.
• Experience working for an IPP, renewable energy developer, EPC contractor, Owner’s Engineer or major infrastructure organisation.
• Experience working on projects financed through project finance or limited-recourse financing.
• Experience working with international EPC contractors and OEMs.
• Professional registration with a relevant engineering, construction or project management body.
• Experience managing construction portfolios rather than single projects.

KEY COMPETENCIES

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Strategic construction leadership
• Strong project delivery capability
• Commercial and contractual awareness
• Programme and project controls
• Contractor and EPC management
• Technical construction knowledge
• HSE leadership
• Quality management
• Risk management
• Stakeholder management
• Strong negotiation and problem-solving ability
• Excellent communication and reporting skills
• Ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities
• Strong leadership and team-development skills
• High level of accountability and ownership
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-growing renewable energy environment