WaSH Coordinator

The Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) was established in 1935 and is one of the oldest and largest humanitarian organizations in Ethiopia. ERCS provides services to communities affected by natural and manmade disasters through the provision of emergency responses, ambulance and first aid, family reunification, essential drugs, water and sanitation, and other humanitarian services. ERCS also runs disaster risk reduction programs with the aim of creating resilience households and communities. Currently the ERCS has a structure consisting of Currently the Society has 14 regional branches, 40 zonal branches, 180 woreda branches, and 5,871 Kebele Red Cross Committees.

ERCS also runs disaster risk reduction programs relating to food security, climate change adaptation, livelihood diversification, and institutional capacity building interventions, with the aim of creating resilience households and communities. ERCS works in partnership with the Ethiopian Government, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC), International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), partnering National Societies, members, volunteers and the communities we serve.

Details of the vacant position

• Job Title: WaSH Coordinator
• Work Unit: Health and WaSH Department
• Reports to: EC2R Health & WASH coordinator
• Terms of employment: Contract
• Place of Work: Addis Ababa
• Salary: As per the organizational Scale

Job Summary

The WASH Coordinator is responsible for planning, coordinating, implementing, and monitoring Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) interventions. He/ She also leads the design, implementation, and monitoring of WASH activities of the project, oversees technical staff, manage budgets, and ensure quality standards for infrastructure (water systems, latrines, MHM rooms, and rehabilitation of health facilities). The position ensures quality, timely, and accountable delivery of project activities in line with ERCS strategies, donor requirements, Sphere standards, and Red Cross/Red Crescent principles.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

Program Planning and Implementation

• Coordinate the design and implementation of EC2 WASH project activities
• Coordinate WASH needs assessments, technical surveys, and feasibility studies.
• Develop implementation plans, BOQs, technical drawings, and work schedules.
• Ensure timely delivery of water supply, sanitation, and other project activities.
• Supervise rehabilitation/construction of WASH and Health facilities WASH Fit infrastructures.

Technical Support and Quality Assurance

• Lead WASH staff (ERCS HQ and branches), mentor teams, and provide technical guidance on WASH infrastructure projects
• Ensure WASH interventions comply with Sphere, and national standards.
• Monitor construction quality and contractor performance.
• Ensure integration of protection, gender, disability inclusion, and accountability in WASH programming.
• Contribute to develop WASH guidelines, SOPs, and technical tools.
• Develop contingency planning, and emergency stock management.

Coordination and partnership

• Coordinate with government offices, local authorities, WASH cluster, and other agencies at the local/regional level.
• Represent ERCS in WASH coordination meetings and technical forums.
• Maintain strong collaboration with ERCS regional and branch offices.

Monitoring, Reporting, and Documentation

• Conduct regular field monitoring and supportive supervision.
• Track project indicators and ensure proper data collection and reporting.
• Prepare weekly, monthly, quarterly, and donor reports.
• Document lessons learned, best practices, and success stories.

Capacity Building

• Organize technical trainings for staff and volunteers, such as Operation and maintenance of WASH facilities
• Mentor ERCS HQ and field teams to improve technical performance.

Working Conditions

• The role often involves frequent travel to field locations and may require working long hours.
• Usually reports to EC2R Program coordinator or other concerned senior management level including Health and WASH director, if needed.

Education

• Master’s/ bachelor’s degree in public health, Environmental Health, Nursing, Health Promotion, Health Officer, Epidemiology, or another relevant health-related field.

Experience

• Minimum: 7 years (Master’s degree), 9 years (Bachelor’s degree), of which minimum 3/5 years’ coordinator/ managerial experience on humanitarian WASH programming.
• Experience in solarization of water supply systems, including solar-powered pumping and sustainable water infrastructure development, is highly desirable.”
• Previous Red Cross experience is an advantage.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong knowledge of WASH standards and humanitarian principles.
• Excellent report writing and communication skills.
• Good project management and coordination skills.
• Results oriented and demand driven individual, entrepreneurial, ability to lead in unprecedented and/or ambiguous situations
• Strong interpersonal and teamwork skills.