Request For Project Manager
GOVERNMENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF DOMINICA
HOUSING RECOVERY PROJECT
Terms of Reference
Project Manager
Introduction
An urgent and critical issue confronting Dominica is the recovery of its housing sector in the wake of Hurricane Maria which struck the island in September 2017. The hurricane devastated the country’s infrastructure, communities and households, along with the main productive sectors – agriculture and tourism. Prior to Hurricane Maria, it was already established that the country’s development was challenged by the vulnerability of its population and economy to natural disasters, which can impose large costs on the country’s fragile economy. The Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica has embarked upon a broad range of housing recovery strategiesaimed at increasing structural resilience in the housing sector and the built environment, thus reducing the vulnerability of citizens and the economy to natural disasters.
Project Background
The Commonwealth of Dominica has secured financing from the International Development Association (IDA) credit and a Crisis Response Window Grantfor the Housing Recovery Project (HRP). The HRP is one of the projects in the GoCD’s National Home Repair and Reconstruction Programme portfolio. The HRP will contribute both to the recovery of housing for disaster-affected households and to improving the application of resilient building practices in the housing sector. The Project will finance support for housing recovery systems and capacity building, support for the reconstruction of houses, and project management and coordination. The project has a significant construction works component and other activities related to institutional strengthening and capacity building. It has been formulated in keeping with the GoCD’s National Housing Repair and Reconstruction Programme (NHRRP). The HRP is prepared as part of an overall development partner initiative to support medium- and long-term recovery in Dominica, and is part of a broader World Bank recovery portfolio comprised of two other operations: (i) an Emergency Agricultural Livelihoods and Climate Resilience Project; and (ii) an Additional Financing to the Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project.
A stand-alone Project Implementation Unit (PIU) will be established under the Ministry of Housing and Lands (MoH) to be responsible for the timely implementation and execution of the HRP program. The PIU will report directly to the Permanent Secretary (PS) of the MoH, and will liaise constantly with the technical divisions of the MoH and the Ministry of Planning (MoP) as well as the Housing Task Force (HTF), responsible for overseeing sector recovery. In the implementation of the Program, the Project Manager and the PIU staff will have support from a team of international experts, who will form an Implementation Support Team (IST), housed in the Ministry of Finance. This IST will have expertise in areas of World Bank procurement, social/environmental safeguards and financial management, and will serve as a shared resource across all World Bank financed Projects in Dominica.
An essential component of the Project is the establishment of up to seven (7) Technical Assistance Centers (TACs) throughout the country to serve as satellite offices of the Physical Planning Division of the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and Investment (MoP). These TACs will be the primary interface between the public/eligible beneficiaries/contractors and the implementing agencies. The PIU will oversee the operations at the TACs while the TACs support the PIU in the collection of the demographic information required for administering eligibility under the project, for undertaking technical assessments and carrying out development control functions. These Terms of Reference have been prepared to assist in the engagement of a Project Manager for the PIU. He/She will be responsible for the management and implementation of the project.
Objectives
The Project Manager will head the PIU and lead the implementation of the World Bank financed Housing Recovery Program, with the support PIU staff and working closely with line ministries within the GoCD. The Manager shall also be responsible for ensuring project activities are conducted in accordance with GoCD and World Bank requirements. The Manager shall direct and organize project implementation activities and will manage staff efforts with respect to contracting, financial management and reporting, contract supervision and other relevant aspects of PIU operation. The Manager shall be responsible for ensuring that GoCD line agencies are appropriately involved with project activities, particularly with respect to the MoH which will be the technical lead agency for construction works activities and the Ministry of Planning involved in the decentralized Technical Assistance Centers.
Responsibilities
The Project manager is responsible for the direction, coordination, implementation, control and completion of the Project while working closely with the Ministry of Housing. The Project Manager will be supported by PIU staff in the execution of duties. Specifically, the Project Manager’s duties include:
- Guide and lead the direction of the Housing Recovery Project implementation in conjunction with the Ministry of Housing, by defining Project scope, goals, detailed schedules and deliverables;
- Coordination and management of project implementation activities, including procurement, disbursement, preparation of consolidated work programs, budgets, quarterly and annual progress reports in accordance to the Project Appraisal Document (PAD) and the Project Operations Manual (OM);
- Ensure that the requirements, criteria, policies, procedures and organizational arrangements set forth in the OM are applied;
- Liaise with the Housing Task Force (HTF) to exchange project information and coordinate the process of review and approval of the annual Project Implementation Plan (PIP) and requests for budgetary allocations;
- Coordinate and ensure that the OM and PIP are properly updated at least twice a year;
- Coordinate and facilitate line ministries (MoP and MoH) support required for efforts in the procurement of works including related studies, design, planning and execution of all construction contracts and any line ministry support required for Project implementation;
- Manage projects funds based on GoCD regulations and as agreed under the Financing Agreement;
- Manage up to10 PIU staff, provide opportunities for continued training, review performance and make yearly recommendations/decisions on staffing;
- Lead quality assurance processes;
- Strengthen PIU communications and relationship with public entities, international organizations, local government authorities, project beneficiaries, and others;
- Manage the supervision of the technical consultants, including review of progress reports and work products prepared by the technical consultants;
- Liaise and coordinate with the World Bank on all technical and administrative aspects of the Project;
- Organize and manage PIU office operations, staff efforts and workload allocation;
- Liaise with the Implementation Support Team (IST) on international procurement, financial management, social and environmental safeguard procedures and overall monitoring of the project process;
- Advise and regularly report to the Permanent Secretary on PIU project implementation activities, program plans and recommend project implementation strategies;
- Prepare interval monitoring reports as required for submission to the World Bank;
- Have an oversight of all Technical Assistance Centers (TAC) functions related to the Housing Recovery Project through close coordination with the TAC advisors who will be responsible for day to day operation of the TACs;
- Other related duties as assigned by the Permanent Secretary.
Project Planning
- Upon commencement, the Project Manager will conduct a comprehensive project planning process that includes delivery of:
- Project readiness
- Comprehensive scope
- Resourcing plans, scheduling and identifying all interrelated tasks and their dependencies
- Budget projection and evaluation
- Project delivery deadlines
- Risk evaluation and mitigation matrix
- Define and deliver:
- Project scope
- Detailed project plan with project timeframes and deliverables, and associated communication documents
Minimum Required Qualifications and Experience
- A Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in civil engineering, technical management or related discipline and a minimum of 10years’ experience with managing large contracting programs with significant procurement based activities.
- Minimum 3years’ experience in managing programs with international agencies such as World Bank, IADB, European Union or similar agency.
- Demonstrated experience with management of multidisciplinary teams and programs particularly with a strong engineering component.
- Experience in the delivery and project management of housing projects will be an advantage
- Demonstrated experience in projects focused in the Eastern Caribbean is desirable.
Required Skills and Competencies:
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, organization and time management skills;
- Excellent decision-making and leadership capabilities
- Experience managing large teams;
- Theoretical and practical project management knowledge
- Proficiency in project management software tools (i.e. MS Project or related tools)
- Strong Analytical and Report Writing Skills;
- Fluency in English Language with excellent written and oral communication and listening skills.
- Project management qualification (PMP) or equivalent relevant qualification
Reporting Arrangements
The Consultant will report directly to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing, Lands, and Water Resources.
Terms of the Assignment/Contract Duration
The Consultancy is expected to be awarded for a period of duration of two years, and will be renewed subject to satisfactory performance reviews. The assignment is expected to commence in July 2018 and is to be renewable annually as the HRP project continues through its project cycle. The Consultant shall be engaged on full time basis, eight hours a day, and five days a week. A six (6) month probation period will be included.
Expression of Interest
Interested applicants whose qualifications and experience are in line with the Terms of Reference are invited to submit their CV and a letter of motivation / application stating suitability for the position on or before Friday 15th June 2018 to
Fred Esprit
National Housing Coordinator,
Ministry of Housing, Lands and Water Resource Management