Project Assistant - Construction site supervisor

Within the framework of the Young Gamechangers Initiative (YGI) India, EVA Studio (https://www.evastudio.co.uk/) is seeking to recruit a consultant with the role of “Project Assistant - Construction Site Quality Control” for a period of 4 months.

Context

The Young Gamechangers Initiative (YGI) is a 3-year programme (January 2023 – December 2025) focusing on improving the health and wellbeing of youth and communities in intermediary cities of India, Senegal, and Colombia. In Jatni, India, it is being jointly implemented by the Housing & Urban Development Department (HUDD) and Jatni Municipality (JMC), Government of Odisha, with UN-Habitat. Funded by Fondation Botnar, the project activities are supported by partners Emergent Vernacular Architecture (EVA) Studio, World Health Organization (WHO), Block-by-Block Foundation, and several local entities. The key objectives of the YGI project are to:

a) strengthen governance frameworks to advance the health and well-being of young people;

b) empower young people with voice and agency and have the right digital skills to engage in governance; and

c) support local authorities in delivering public spaces that are safe, accessible, inclusive, and promote the health and well-being of the community.Through community-led data collection and prioritization, two sites have been identified in Jatni for implementation and transformation into inclusive public spaces - (1) Mundia Sahi Park & Ground in Ward 7; and (2) Maa Uttarayanee Youth Club Ground in Ward 11.

The consultant will be responsible for providing quality control of the on-site construction activities from the setting-out activities to construction completion and equipment installation into these two site locations in Jatni. In addition, the consultant will take the lead in the management of the tactical placemaking activities with local youth and community members organized in collaboration with the UN-Habitat India team.

The Project Assistant will operate under the direct supervision of the EVA Studio manager. EVA Studio’s “Project Assistant - Construction site quality control” will support and ease the activities of the construction supervision party of the Client (the Jatni Municipality). This role aims at easing the achievement of construction work and landscaping activities, performed by the contractor, artisans, gardeners and manufacturers, in a safe manner, on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards.

The construction sites are located in Jatni, Odisha, at a distance of 2.5 km from each other. The standard working week will be 30 hours, and the working timings will be based on the construction site schedule, including transfers between the two construction sites. The consultant is not expected to work on national government holidays.

Key Responsibilities

I. Construction site

The construction sites will be managed overall by construction vendor(s) onboarded by the Client who will focus on hardscaping and softscaping works for the two public spaces. The key responsibilities of the consultant will be:

Project Supervision: Daily oversee the construction activities in both sites and provide progress monitoring.

Safety Management: Implement and enforce all safety regulations and protocols, ensuring a safe working environment for all personnel. Conduct regular safety inspections.

Quality Control: Control that all work performed meets project specifications, quality standards, and building codes. Make sure that essential stages of construction are validated by EVA Studio manager before advancing with construction. Conduct quality inspections and address any deficiencies.

Lead the construction of mock-ups of construction details and receive approval from the manager before construction.

Team Leadership: Provide guidance, motivation, and disciplinary action as needed.

Documentation and Reporting: Maintain accurate daily logs, progress reports, and incident reports. Take, organize, and store good quality pictures in an online drive. Communicate on a daily-basis the project status to EVA Studio manager, receive feedback, and perform action as required by the manager.

Problem Solving: Identify potential issues, communicate to the construction supervision/monitoring committee and implement effective solutions after consultation with the EVA Studio manager and the construction supervision/monitoring committee to keep the project on track.

Client and Stakeholder Communication: If required, act as a point of contact for the Client (the Jatni Municipality), community members, and main project stakeholders on site. If required, take the lead in communication with community members, always maintain a calm and professional behaviour.

The consultant will not be involved in any type of recruitment of community members for the construction works.

II. Tactical Placemaking Activities

The tactical placemaking activities will concern simple, low-cost manufacturing works and/or landscaping activities performed by local artisans and/or by youth and community members in the two public spaces.

The key responsibilities of the consultant will be:

Project Management: Actively coordinate with the UN-Habitat India team and other stakeholders for the timely organization of the tactical placemaking activities. Draft plans, budgets, procurement lists, activity description, planning, reach out to artisans/community members as agreed and planned internally.

Team Leadership: Supervise and coordinate community members and construction crews, subcontractors, and suppliers. Provide guidance, motivation, and disciplinary action as needed.

Resource Management: Manage on-site materials, equipment, and tools. Ensure efficient use of resources and minimize waste.

Qualifications

3-5 years of proven experience in construction site quality control or similar role.

In-depth knowledge of local construction methods, materials, standards, and safety regulations.

Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.

Ability to read and interpret plans, sections, and construction drawings.

Ability to sketch construction details.

Proficiency in excel and word in the Microsoft Office package preferred.

First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification preferred.

Excellent written and verbal communication in English is required. Excellent verbal communication skills in Odia and Hindi are required.

Education

● Relevant professional training or Bachelor's degree in civil engineering, architecture, required.

● Master's degree in civil engineering, architecture, and related fields, preferred.

Other requirements and provisions

Professional attire and gear for the construction sites are to be arranged by the consultant.

The consultant should have availability of a personal laptop and functioning phone with internet access, storage availability, and whatsapp application.

The consultant will be responsible for filing and paying their own taxes independently.

The consultant will be provided a small fee for local transportation (motorized transfer between sites, twice per day) and a food allowance separate from the monthly compensation.

Job Type: Contractual / Temporary
Contract length: 4 months

Pay: ₹40,000.00 - ₹60,000.00 per month

Work Location: In person