Water Sanitation and Hygiene Officer – Afar, Ethiopia

Médecins du monde – France or Doctors of the World, is an international humanitarian organization which provides emergency and long-term medical care to the world’s most vulnerable people.

Médecins du Monde (MDM) is operating in Ethiopia since 1986 in different types of health projects. MDM–France invites qualified candidates to apply for the following position:

Job Summary

The WAter Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Officer will play a key role in the successful implementation of MDM health projects in the Afar region.

He/she will report directly to the Field Coordinator Afar of Médecins du Monde (MdM).

He/she will work in close collaboration with the base logistics officer.

He/she will assess the WASH rehabilitation and construction needs of the health facilities.

He/she will supervise one or two work teams consisting of skilled workers/ handymen (or labourers).

The size and mode of operation of the work team may change according to the context, depending on the assessment expected of the WASH Officer and the sites of intervention.

Essential duties and responsibilities

• Supervision and operational implementation of the WASH activity:
• Actively participate in defining and adapting the project’s WASH activity strategy.
• Ensures that the WASH activity implementation project follows the necessary start-up process from the review of a pre-established list to the completion and handover of the work and is documented by the necessary technical documents (finalised list of works, handover report etc.);
• Carry out the re-evaluations in collaboration with the medical teams, logistics and the Field Coordinator, identifying the needs in water, hygiene and sanitation;

Participate in the definition of operational guidelines and logistical objectives of the project’s WASH activity in collaboration with the medical teams, logistics and the Site Coordinator, including the prioritisation of work within the allocated budgets;

• Provide WASH logistical support to the medical teams.
• In collaboration with the medical team, he/she participates in hospital hygiene and implements disease vector control.
• Ensures the quantity and quality of water in all project activities and for our beneficiaries;
• Implements the project’s WASH activities and ensures their proper implementation and quality. Makes and Implements recommendations as necessary.
• Sizes the sanitary facilities (showers, latrines, etc.), the wastewater treatment systems and their evacuation;
• Manages the project’s infrastructure: construction and rehabilitation works, technical interventions in the field of water-hygiene and sanitation;
• Manages the project’s WASH equipment: procurement, installation, maintenance and monitoring;
• Conduct and closely monitor the distribution of water tracking mechanisms
• Establish a plan for the purchase, stock management and use of materials and construction materials dedicated to the WASH activity.
• Follows up and follows up with the team(s) on the implementation schedules to ensure proper execution of the WASH activity within the given timeframe;
• Ensures that the project’s WASH activity management tools are updated: action plan (monitoring of activities) / timeline (monitoring of the calendar), monitoring (monitoring of indicators), procurement plan, etc;

Supervision of the administrative, financial and logistical management of the WASH activity of the programme:

• In conjunction with the Field Coordinator, participates in updating the content of the activity’s budget;
• Is responsible for budget monitoring in collaboration with the logistics support base with regard to expenses related to the activity;
• In hierarchical link with the Field Coordinator and in functional link with the Logistics Coordinator, ensures the follow-up of the logistic support to the WASH activity;
• Ensure compliance with internal procedures within the project.

Management and supervision of human resources:

• Participates in the recruitment process of the workforce and carries out the start-up briefing of the members of his/her work team (including the setting of start-up objectives).
• Leads teamwork (meetings, monitoring of schedules, etc.).
• Ensures compliance with the internal regulations, code of conduct, safety rules and values of MdM.

Emergencies

• Participates in any emergency activity or exploratory visit in or out of the MDM area of work, being prepared to intervene directly if needed and assume the management of all water & sanitation activities

Training

• Defines the training needs of the team
• Trains the staff on water & sanitation standards.
• Promotes communication and active participation of all staff working in the facilities
• Ensures accurate diffusion of information to all staff working in the facilities

Duty station: Ethiopia, Afar region – multi locations

Employment Term:  3 months, starting date ASAP

Reported to: Field Coordinator Afar. He/ She will work in collaboration with the logistics officer, Logistics Coordinator, Capital Logistics Manager

Educational Qualification

• Essential university degree in  water & sanitation or other related studies
• Water engineer, water treatment specialist, environmental management, hydrogeologist, sanitation engineer/technician and/or other technical qualifications related to the areas of activity: waste management, vector control or infectious diseases.

Work Experience

• At least Four years professional experience in WASH project implementation.
• Desirable working experience with NGOs

Skills and qualities required

• Essential computer literacy (Word, Excel, and Internet)
• Ability to proactively identify and solve problems related to programme implementation
• Strong organizational skills in emergency situations and autonomous in daily operations
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including negotiation and conflict resolution skills
• Strong team working skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and with limited supervision.
• Being available within short period will be considered.
• Female’s candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

Languages

• English: Good
• Amharic: Fluent
• Afar: Desirable