Shelter Project Officer -Ethiopia

Position:                                   Shelter Officer

Reports to:                               Shelter Project Manager

Duty station:                             Amhara Region (Gonder- North and South)

Role and responsibilities

The Shelter officer will assist the Shelter Manager in providing technical support in the development of NRC’s Shelter programming and high-quality technical planning and implementation of inputs for resulting schedule of work and monitoring agree indicators. He/she shall ensure efficient and effective construction/Maintenance/rehabilitation of Shelter, infrastructure and settlement in the respective implementation sites, inspect and monitor routine Shelter and settlement activities and maintenance of the constructed systems to ensure minimal service as per the UNHCR and sphere standard. He/she will be responsible in all Shelter construction at her/his respective site. The Shelter officer will be lead in all technical designs, BOQ preparations related and tender documents to shelter constructions.

Generic responsibilities 

1. Ensure adherence with NRC policies, tools, handbooks and guidelines
2. Implement delegated support function portfolio according to plan of action
3. Prepare and develop status reports as required by management
4. Ensure proper filing of documents
5. Promote and share ideas for improvement of the support function
6. Capacity building of the shelter Assistants and Shelter incentive workers
7. Supervision of contractors engaged by NRC to ensure work is done as per drawings, technical specification and to the highest quality standard.
8. Preparation of reports, technical guidelines, drawings, BOQs and other strategic documentation.

Specific responsibilities 

• Supervise the shelter, infrastructure and settlement construction activities in a highly technical manner.
• Technical assessment, Design and developing BOQs for housing and settlement sector construction activities at Refugee camps, IDP sites, institutions/facilities (schools and health centers)
• Project planning for shelter construction activities and settlement layouts in the IDP and refugee settings.
• Conduct topographical surveys, plot longitudinal profiles and soil tests to ensure proper civil and structural designs of civil works
• Schedule and prepare work plans for field activities in consultation with the entire WASH/shelter team.
• Prepare job contracts, supervise work, and process payments upon construction work/activity completion and submit to the Shelter project Manager.
• Monitor maintenance stock levels and ensure timely and appropriate replenishment.
• Ensures that standards and specifications for works and materials deliveries are adhered to and gives recommendation(s) to the management as necessary, including certification of completed works for payments
• Supervise the construction and rehabilitation of shelter (temporary, transitional, and permanent), including WASH infrastructures- water supplies schemes (hand dug wells, shallow wells, deep wells), latrines in strict adherence to the set regulations, WHO, UNHCR and the SPHERE standards.
• Ensure all the delivered materials (WASH and shelter) confirm to the minimum standards/specifications required and utilize effectively.
• Conduct beneficiary targeting, selection, and verification together with all relevant stakeholders for cash provision, in-kind distribution, or other activities. In addition, submit required quality documents for ROD purpose or financial purposes.
• Involve in multi-sectoral assessment, base line surveys, KAP surveys, PDMs and other data collection activities.
• Integrate safe and inclusive programming in all Shelter activities.
• Oversee all temporary, transitional, and permanent shelter construction at IDP sites, refugee camps or host communities either in-kind or cash modality, conduct site planning, establish sanitation corridors and settlement designs.
• Conduct technical assessment, develop safe and inclusive designs/BOQs, supervision, prepare actual BOQs, as built drawings and payment documents for all construction activities conducted by other Core Competencies in NRC (WASH, Livelihoods and Food Security (LFS), Education, Information Counselling and legal assistance (ICLA)
• Representing NRC in coordination platforms in the absence of Shelter Project Manager
• Implement integrated programing at field level.

Generic professional competencies: 

• BSc degree in Civil Engineering and related fields
• Experience working as a Shelter Engineer/ Officer in a humanitarian/recovery context
• Previous experience working in complex and volatile contexts as Shelter Engineer
• Documented results related to the position’s responsibilities
• Proven practical experience undertaking housing and settlement works across refugee camps, Civil/Infrastructure work and implementation of both rural and urban systems for at least 3 years. Refugee camp experience preferred.
• Preferably experienced in the WASH sector, with a proven track record in planning, designing, and constructing water supply schemes and sanitation infrastructure.
• Good Knowledge of English (Speaking and Writing)

Context/ Specific skills, knowledge and experience: 

• Knowledge of AutoCAD, Water CAD or any civil works design software is highly desirable
• Experience in operation and maintenance of large Civil structures (Road, institutional facilities) water supply system (peri-urban or urban)
• Experience of working with INGO in a similar capacity will be an added advantage
• Excellent communication (spoken and written) skills, including the ability to explain and present complex technical information
• Sensitivity to the needs and priorities of disadvantaged populations (minority groups etc)
• Teamwork
• Cultural awareness and experience of working of different stakeholders
• Community mobilisation skills
• Language: Fluency in written and spoken English is essential
• Excellent capacity building and facilitative supervision skills.

Behavioral competencies

• Handling insecure environment
• Planning and delivering results
• Empowering and building trust
• Communicating with impact and respect.