Construction Supervision Assistant (parental leave replacement)

Introduction

Lebanon continues to face a serious and increasingly challenging socio-economic and labour market situation. The multiple and compounding crises endured by the country since 2019, further aggravated by the 2024 conflict, have deepened already fragile conditions, resulting in heightened levels of vulnerability, poverty and informality, as well as significant internal displacement. The 2024 conflict has particularly affected small-scale infrastructure, common spaces and municipal sanitation facilities, while eroding the capacity of municipalities to maintain essential services.

To address these challenges, the European Union supports the "Improving living conditions and resilience of refugees displaced by the Syrian crisis and vulnerable hosting communities in Lebanon" project. The project provides livelihoods to workers from the Syrian refugees’ population and host communities, and supports recovery through employment-related services, on-site skills training for enhanced employability, and short-term employment in local Employment Intensive Infrastructure Programme (EIIP) interventions, including maintenance, debris removal, and the rehabilitation of public spaces and community infrastructure in conflict-affected localities.

This position is established as a maternity leave replacement to ensure continuity in the supervision, monitoring, and closure of ongoing construction and rehabilitation interventions across the project portfolio during the incumbent's absence.

Reporting lines

The incumbent will report to the project Technical Officer as first level manager and will work in close coordination with the project team.

Description of Duties

1. Conduct daily field visits across project sites to monitor implementation progress, verify the quality and compliance of works, identify challenges and bottlenecks, and provide recommendations to ensure timely and effective delivery of activities.
2. Process contractors' Interim Payment Certificates and final payments, including the release of retention amounts, verifying claimed works against on-site progress, delivered materials, and Bill of Quantities items, and validating certified quantities with the relevant supervision entities.
3. Review and validate the deliverables and monthly submittals of supervision consultants, implementing partners, and service providers, including progress reports, checklists, muster rolls and databases, and assess progress against agreed targets for workdays and the participation of women and persons with disabilities.
4. Support the administrative extension of ongoing contracts, in line with implementation progress and the applicable contractual and defects-and-liability provisions.
5. Prepare and follow up on the technical and administrative steps required for the handover of completed interventions to municipalities and relevant counterparts, including handover documentation, committee coordination, site meetings, and the incorporation of comments.
6. Ensure the application of the Environmental and Social Safeguards Framework and decent work principles across supervised interventions, and coordinate with municipal and government counterparts to align activities with community needs and maintain referral links for social protection beneficiaries.
7. Represent the ILO in relevant meetings, site visits, and coordination with stakeholders, and perform any other duties assigned by the supervisor.

Required qualifications

Education

Completion of secondary school education. First level university degree in Civil Engineering or a relevant field would be an advantage.

Experience

• At least seven years of professional experience at the national level in the area of civil works supervision, construction monitoring, and contract management.
• Knowledge of EIIP local resource-based methods and green/eco-construction approaches would be considered an advantage.
• Knowledge of Lebanese labour law and ILO Decent Work principles as they pertain to the construction sector, and familiarity with Environmental and Social Safeguards frameworks, would be considered an advantage.
• Previous experience with the UN or other international organisations would be considered an advantage.

Languages

Excellent command of English and Arabic.

Competencies

• Ability to prioritize work assignments, organize own schedule, perform routine work independently, meet deadlines and adapt to changing demands.
• Proficient in computer software (Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Adobe Reader) and ability to use other software packages required by the Office (e.g. IRIS).
• Ability to obtain services from other work units inside or outside the office for completion of tasks.
• Ability to lead a team and manage a heavy workload under time pressure.
• Good knowledge of work of the project /programme and the work carried out in other work units.
• Ability to respond to requests and to deal with visitors with tact and diplomacy.
• Ability to search and retrieve information from databases and compile reports.
• Ability to deal with confidential matters with discretion.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and gender-sensitive behaviour and attitudes are also required.
• Strong analytical and drafting skills, with the ability to interpret project information and identify and analyse implementation problems.
• Ability to work under pressure and to meet deadlines, with strong organizational abilities.
• Proficient in relevant computer software (Auto-CAD, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Adobe Reader) and other packages required by the Office.