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Project Manager - Sierra Leone

CrossBoundary

CrossBoundary

Operations
Sierra Leone
Posted on Mar 18, 2024
Project Manager - Sierra Leone
CrossBoundary Energy

About the Firm

CrossBoundary Energy (CBE) is the leading provider of clean, renewable, reliable, and affordable electricity directly to African businesses. According to World Bank data, access to reliable and affordable electricity is the most significant constraint on economic growth on the continent. CBE addresses this challenge by providing African corporates with fully financed renewable power. Through this approach, we are building a disruptive, distributed, renewable utility that can unlock sustainable growth in Africa.

We are already making rapid progress towards our vision. CBE is currently delivering a portfolio of over $200M of solar, wind, and storage projects for businesses across Africa. Our clients include Actis, Diageo, Heineken, Rio Tinto, Syrah Resources, Unilever, and other leading regional companies. Learn more at www.crossboundaryenergy.com.

CrossBoundary Energy is a member of the CrossBoundary Group, a mission-driven investment firm committed to unlocking the power of capital for sustainable growth and strong returns in underserved markets. Learn more at www.crossboundary.com.


Job Description
CrossBoundary Energy is recruiting a Project Manager to manage the implementation process for CBE’s renewable energy project for Baomahun Gold Mine in central Sierra Leone, approximately 200km east of the capital Freetown, in the Valunia and Kunike Barina Chiefdoms in the Bo and Tonkolili Districts respectively. The project consists of a 23.8 MWp solar PV, 13.8 MWh battery energy storage system and 18 MW HFO. The project is currently in procurement.

This highly skilled and experienced Project Manager will oversee the project implementation process of this hybrid renewable energy project. The successful candidate will be responsible for coordinating all aspects of the pre-construction, construction, and post-construction phases, ensuring timely completion, adherence to quality standards, and compliance with mine safety regulations. The Project Manager will act as CBE’s representative for the Baomahun hybrid project’s construction, working alongside CBE’s engineering, procurement, and construction partners to validate project schedule, budget, and risk mitigation. This role will be responsible for reporting on project progress, managing project partners to act consistently with CBE’s technical and EHS standards, raising gaps in performance to CBE’s Project Implementation Lead, and ensuring corrective measures are taken on- site where needed.

The Project Manager will report to the Project Implementation Lead. This position is available as a 24-month contract, with the opportunity to convert to permanent placement subject to performance. The permanent position would offer opportunities to service additional CBE renewable energy projects across Africa following completion of the installation at Baomahun hybrid project.
Who We Are
The CrossBoundary Energy team is a unique group of people who are genuinely excited by the opportunity to make a difference in some of the world's most challenging and exciting renewable energy markets. The chosen candidate will play an important role in a unique team with the opportunity to make a large impact on the clean energy landscape in Africa. Team members come from diverse backgrounds but share several qualities: curiosity, humility, integrity, a drive for excellence, and a bias for action.

Who You Are
  • Excellence: Demonstrated expertise in implementing international best practices for managing construction risks across a variety of projects
  • Excellence: You hold yourself to high standards and lead by example. You overdeliver on all tasks – big or small – necessary to contribute toward the team objective.
  • Acts Like an Owner: A systematic and highly organized project manager; takes personal accountability for tracking activities across workstreams to drive them all to successful conclusion.
  • Deliberate Thinker: A pragmatic decision-maker known for choosing the simplest so- lution to reach the goal. Writing in documents and emails is brief, clear, and free of misspellings or confusing formatting. You speak up in team meetings to summarize your conclusions and offer new ideas.
  • Curiosity: Not satisfied with “no;” assists others to generate creative solutions. You do not make or accept ultimatums.
  • Bias to Action: Self-starter who is passionate about creating lasting change in Africa. You are comfortable with ambiguity, accountable for your decisions, and can operate without direction in a fast-moving environment.
  • Prioritizes Results: Effectively employs software and project management tools to meet project and personal goals.
  • Authentically Cares: Patient in developing good working relationships with clients, suppliers, and consultants.
  • Integrity: Your set your standards above the minimum required for compliance where necessary to deliver an excellent project
Required Qualifications
  • 7+ years proven experience in project management, specifically in the construction of renewable energy projects or large-scale infrastructure projects.
  • Strong technical knowledge of solar PV, battery energy storage systems, and thermal power generation technologies.
  • Excellent communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effec- tively collaborate with diverse stakeholders and multicultural teams.
  • Professional fluency in English (French is a plus), speaking and writing.
  • Professional fluency in use of Microsoft Office suite tools, including Excel and Word
  • Demonstrated ability to organize and complete work independently, without on-site supervision. This will be a remotely managed position.

Primary Responsibilities

The Project Manager will support the CBE project team, EPC and subcontractors in general project implementation, coordination and EHS management duties. Additional specific duties are listed below:
  • Develop and maintain comprehensive project execution plans, schedules, and budgets to ensure alignment with project objectives and timelines.
  • Monitor and update project work schedules using existing templates and effectively track project progress throughout the hybrid project lifecycle.
  • Carry out a technical review of the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) to understand the following:
    • CBE’s obligations of the Client.
    • Associated penalties and risks.
    • Requirements regarding project schedule.
  • Carry out technical review of the supply agreements and appendices, and contribute towards scoping, structuring and execution of the EPC agreements.
  • Prepare interface matrices, for both internal and external interfaces, and covering me- chanical, electrical, control and communication interfaces of the project.
  • Identify project schedule and budget risks at an early stage and alert the Project Imple- mentation Lead in time to minimize or mitigate impacts.
  • Prepare regular progress reports, status updates, and presentations for internal man- agement, stakeholders, and project sponsors to provide visibility into project perfor- mance and ensure alignment with expectations.
  • Consistently, accurately, and clearly capture project construction data. Transmit weekly reports to the team through existing tools in accordance with reporting deadlines, in- cluding stakeholder grievances.
  • Accurately carry out project document control and monitor the documentation through to project’s completion.
  • Investigate opportunities to improve project implementation to deliver best value to the customer and optimize project returns.
  • Interpret basic technical design principles related to energy systems, electrical systems, and the built environment, including technical drawings and equipment data sheets.
  • Promote a culture of safety and environmental responsibility on-site, enforce HSE poli- cies and procedures, and oversee the implementation of best practices to mitigate risks and prevent accidents or incidents.
  • Identify potential risks and issues affecting project delivery and develop mitigation strat- egies to minimize disruptions and ensure smooth execution.
  • Implement quality control measures and ensure compliance with relevant regulations, industry standards, and environmental requirements throughout the construction phase.
  • Conduct site audits of compliance to CBE and international EHS standards. Recom- mend and validate corrective actions to close compliance gaps.
  • Demonstrate awareness of all laws and regulations relevant for project work and pro- actively raise questions with Project Implementation Leader about best practices for compliance.

Think you have what it takes but not sure you check every box? Research shows that while men apply to roles when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, women often only apply when they meet every requirement. If you are passionate about what we're building, we want to hear from you!

Location

The staff’s place of work and/or authorized duty station shall be in such location as designated by the Company from time to time and in its sole discretion. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company anticipates that the staff’s duty station shall be in Nairobi.

The successful candidate will perform work for the initial 24 months in Nairobi and on-site in Baomahun, Sierra Leone supervising construction activities. Subsequent assignments, as applicable, would require frequent international travel.

Equal Opportunity Employer

CrossBoundary is an equal opportunity employer. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request to human.resources@crossboundary.com