Project Manager / Construction Manager

Location: Johannesburg, South Africa

Contract Type: Fixed-term contract (12–18 months)

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced and results-driven Project Manager / Construction Manager to lead and manage industrial construction projects, with a strong focus on diesel generator installations, commissioning, testing, and handover.

The successful candidate will be responsible for project planning and scheduling, contract administration, construction execution, budget control, risk management, stakeholder engagement, and quality and HSE compliance. The role requires strong technical expertise, commercial awareness, and the ability to manage multidisciplinary teams while delivering projects safely, on time, within budget, and in accordance with contractual requirements.

Candidates should have extensive experience in industrial construction and project management, including generator installation and commissioning, with sound knowledge of FIDIC contract administration, particularly the FIDIC Yellow Book 1999.

Key Responsibilities

1. Project Planning and Scheduling

• Develop, maintain, and manage multiple baseline project programmes in line with PMO requirements.


• Monitor project milestones, critical path activities, dependencies, and overall progress.


• Prepare recovery programmes and corrective action plans to address delays.


• Develop and manage two-week lookahead schedules.


• Utilise Microsoft Project (MS Project) for project planning, scheduling, and reporting.

2. Contract Management and Administration

• Administer contracts under FIDIC, MPA, SLA, EPC, and bespoke contractual arrangements.


• Apply and administer the FIDIC Yellow Book 1999, including contractual obligations and risk allocation.


• Manage contract awards, agreements, General Conditions of Contract, and Particular Conditions of Contract.


• Administer contractual notices, variations, claims, extensions of time (EOT), and disputes.


• Monitor contractual compliance, liabilities, insurance requirements, and contractor obligations.


• Manage staff and contractor disputes and support effective dispute resolution.


• Oversee contractual correspondence, payment provisions, and commercial risk exposure.

3. Generator Systems and Technical Knowledge

• Demonstrate sound technical knowledge of diesel generator systems and installation requirements.


• Understand generator enclosures, fuel systems, exhaust systems, cooling systems, controls, and synchronisation.


• Coordinate technical interfaces between generator systems, electrical infrastructure, mechanical services, and control systems.

4. Construction and Site Management

• Oversee daily construction activities and ensure compliance with approved drawings, specifications, and project programmes.


• Coordinate multidisciplinary engineering, construction, installation, and commissioning teams.


• Manage subcontractors, suppliers, and site resources.


• Monitor productivity, workmanship, and construction quality.


• Identify and resolve site constraints, technical issues, and interface challenges.


• Ensure construction activities are executed in accordance with contractual requirements and approved methodologies.

5. Leadership and Team Management

• Lead project engineers, construction supervisors, subcontractors, and vendors.


• Allocate responsibilities, establish clear accountability, and monitor team performance.


• Build and maintain high-performing multidisciplinary project teams.


• Foster collaboration, effective communication, and a results-driven project culture.

6. Budget, Cost Control and Commercial Management

• Develop and manage project budgets, cost reports, and financial forecasts.


• Monitor project profitability, cash flow, cost commitments, and expenditure.


• Prepare revenue recognition documentation and revenue forecasts.


• Identify potential cost overruns and implement corrective measures.


• Manage the timing, preparation, and issuing of schedules of payments.


• Monitor payment applications, commercial obligations, and financial exposure throughout the project lifecycle.

7. Risk Management

• Identify, assess, and manage technical, commercial, contractual, programme, and HSE risks.


• Develop and implement risk mitigation measures and contingency plans.


• Manage insurance requirements and project-related liabilities.


• Monitor workmanship and quality risks within DNP requirements.


• Maintain project risk registers and ensure timely escalation of critical issues.

8. Stakeholder and Interface Management

• Manage relationships with clients, consultants, contractors, suppliers, and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in South Africa and across cross-border projects.


• Resolve project challenges, commercial disagreements, and stakeholder concerns.


• Maintain strong customer relationships and promote client satisfaction.


• Establish and maintain RACI matrices and communication protocols within a cross-functional project environment.


• Coordinate internal and external stakeholders to ensure alignment on scope, schedule, quality, and deliverables.

9. Health, Safety and Environmental Management

• Ensure compliance with applicable South African HSE legislation, site regulations, and client requirements.


• Promote a zero-harm culture and safe working practices.


• Ensure risk assessments, method statements, and safe work procedures are implemented.


• Monitor contractor compliance and address unsafe conditions and practices.


• Support incident prevention, investigation, and corrective action implementation.

10. Quality Assurance and Quality Control

• Implement project quality plans, inspection and test plans (ITPs), and quality control procedures.


• Coordinate inspections, testing, and verification activities.


• Ensure compliance with technical specifications, approved drawings, and applicable standards.


• Analyse rejected work, defects, and remedial works, ensuring corrective actions are implemented.


• Manage testing on completion, including Integrated Systems Testing (IST), where applicable.

11. Procurement and Supply Chain Management

• Develop and monitor procurement schedules aligned with the project programme.


• Coordinate suppliers, subcontractors, OEMs, and logistics providers.


• Track long-lead items and critical equipment deliveries.


• Mitigate procurement and logistics risks to minimise delays to construction and commissioning.

12. Technical Drawings and Design Coordination

• Review and interpret General Arrangement (GA) drawings, structural drawings, electrical schematics, and enclosure assembly drawings.


• Identify design discrepancies, technical risks, and interface issues.


• Coordinate with engineering teams, consultants, and OEMs to resolve design-related challenges.


• Ensure construction and installation activities align with approved design documentation.

13. Communication and Project Reporting

• Prepare executive project reports covering progress, programme, cost, risks, quality, and HSE performance.


• Chair project meetings and coordinate progress reviews.


• Present project status, challenges, forecasts, and recovery plans to management and clients.


• Maintain accurate project records, action registers, and contractual documentation.

14. Commissioning, Testing and Handover

• Plan and manage Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT) and Site Acceptance Tests (SAT).


• Coordinate generator load bank testing, synchronisation testing, and Integrated Systems Testing (IST).


• Manage commissioning teams, OEM representatives, and client witness testing.


• Ensure defects and outstanding works are tracked and resolved.


• Coordinate completion documentation, operating manuals, test certificates, and handover deliverables.


• Ensure successful project completion and formal handover to the client.

15. Problem-Solving and Decision-Making

• Resolve construction and technical issues promptly and effectively.


• Make sound commercial and operational decisions under pressure.


• Develop practical solutions to minimise delays, cost overruns, and rework.


• Escalate critical risks and implement corrective actions to protect project outcomes.

Minimum Qualifications and Requirements

• Engineering qualification in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering.


• Formal Project Management qualification.


• PMP certification or a degree in Project Management will be advantageous.


• FIDIC construction contract accreditation or relevant formal training will be advantageous.

Experience and Technical Competencies

• 10–15 years of experience in industrial construction and project management.


• Proven experience managing generator installation, commissioning, and testing projects.


• Strong knowledge of diesel generator systems, including mechanical, electrical, fuel, exhaust, cooling, control, and synchronisation systems.