WASH Assistant at Save the Children Nigeria - 3 Openings

Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in over 120 countries. We save children’s lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential. Save the Children is working in Nigeria because one in five children in Nigeria dies before their fifth birthday. About 40% of children miss out on school and have to work to survive while nearly 2 million children have lost one or both parents to an AIDS-related disease.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: WASH Assistant

Requisition ID: 2200007Q
Locations: Ogoja - Cross River and Adikpo - Benue
Slots: Cross River (2) and Benue (1)
Employee Status: Fixed Term
Reports to: WASH Officer

Role Purpose

• Under the direct supervision of the WASH Officer, the incumbent will be required to work as a member of the WASH unit towards the improvement of construction, hygiene promotion and community mobilization activities effectiveness, particularly as part of the WASH intervention, to safeguard and improve the public health of the affected population by promoting safe WASH practices, including appropriate use and maintenance of WASH facilities and services; ensuring appropriate targeted community involvement in the design and delivery of essential WASH services and facilities and sensitization.
• The WASH assistant will be working within the framework of Save the Children’s programming principles and approaches drawn on relevant best practices and lessons learned, work towards enabling children to attain their rights, while compliant with donor regulations. As part of Save the Children’s dual mandate, the WASH Assistant will participate in emergency preparedness activities and be ready to respond in the event of an emergency, as required.

Key Areas Of Accountability
Need Assessment:

• Be responsible for technical part of WASH needs assessments and participate in the selection of target communities and WASH facilities to be rehabilitated and / or build in the project, through technical feasibility studies, focus group discussions, visits to facilities and sites, and interview with key members of the community.
• Program design and implémentation : (with commitment to SC Construction Policy and Benchmark Standards and in collaboration with the WASH officer):
• In collaboration with WASH officer, develop detailed bills of quantities (BOQ) and drawings for the construction/Rehabilitation works, based on assessment and program requirements, ensuring that recommended work is child-friendly and within the minimum SPHERE standards. Works such as:
• Construction or rehabilitation of sanitation facilities (latrines, incinerator, refuse pit, soakage pit).
• Construction or rehabilitation of drinking water infrastructures (hand dug well wells, boreholes, pipe network, reservoir, drinking water treatment device, water treatment plants, etc…).
• Technical training of community volunteers, members of WASH committees, governmental staff, etc… according to standards and the grants proposals.
• Planning, organization and follow up of the community mobilization in target communities on issues related to construction, rehabilitation, operation and maintenance of WASH facilities.
• Be responsible to establish the technical aspect of the internal Purchase Requests and tender documents for construction and rehabilitation of WASH facilities.
• Verify incoming materials are of the highest quality and from acceptable country of origin.
• Where necessary, take samples for laboratory testing of materials and workmanship.
• Site management: general supervision of contractors and Save the Children staff under her/his management (if any), ensuring the safety of construction sites for workers and beneficiaries and -in cooperation with MEAL department- ensure the community is facilitated to participate and provide feedback to Save the Children. Assist to develop and implement safety standard checklists ensuring that children’s safety is central (Child and adult safeguarding through proper Risk Management Plan).
• Validate the progress and quality of work of the contractors and make the connection with the administration and Supply Chain to ensure their payments are processed in a timely manner.
• Design, implementation, and organization of training for construction of small WASH facilities at household level.
• Follow up Supply Chain / site supervision in case of direct intervention by Save the Children for small scale works.
• Follow-up of activities of local partners of Save the Children (such as local NGOs or governmental agencies, if any) in the field of facilities construction/rehabilitation and participate in their capacity building.
• Assist to seek and obtain appropriate government sign-off on works at the critical stages, especially at the start and completion.
• As required, support emergency planning processes and response in regard to WASH.
• Assist in promoting safe WASH practices, including appropriate use and maintenance of WASH facilities and services among refugee and host communities.
• Assist the community mobilizers to mobilize the communities to mitigate priority water and sanitation related health risks, promoting the BCC strategy and keeping records of the community volunteers participating in HP activities.
• Assist in communicating effectively with the communities targeted, ensuring that hygiene and health messages are passed on with participatory interventions, allowing ownership and empowerment of the beneficiaries to influence their hygiene and health.
• Assist in selecting, train, and manage Community WASH Standing committees, such as Community Water Management Committee members, sanitation facilities caretakers and volunteer hygiene promoter networks within the targeted beneficiaries.
• Participate in the HP campaign by conducting house to house visits focused on hygiene promotion and public health, focus groups and mass campaign using songs, posters, etc. promoting Community Lead Total Sanitation (CLTS) and PHAST methodology and assisting the community mobilizers in the implementation of gathering events.
• Provide a weekly activity progress report to the WASH Officer, highlighting achievements versus targets.
• Any other duties as may be assigned by WASH manager, WASH Coordinator and WASH Officer.
• Comply with Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning:

• Verify that WASH infrastructure construction and school rehabilitation works done by partners and contractor are carried out according to quality standards established by Save the Children through quality checklists
• Plan and be responsible for the weekly reporting (or as agreed) of data in order to follow up the standard project and strategic indicators (number of beneficiaries, number and type of activities completed).

Reporting:

• Writing weekly report to line manager, as well as daily reports when required, and verbal reports whenever necessary.

Integration, coordination aspects:

• Ensure that construction works are integrated with hygiene promotion and community participation component, to ensure sustainability of the infrastructure built.
• Coordinate WASH construction activities with other sectors of Save the Children, to integrate activities in the same geographical area and for the same beneficiaries.
• Coordinate WASH construction activities with other local actors (governmental and non-governmental).
• Ensure the integration of Gender, Child Protection, Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change related issues and other crosscutting issues to the design, implementation, and development of construction/rehabilitation activities, and ensure that activities take into account the needs of specific groups and individuals, especially children, the elderly and disabled.

Representation & Advocacy & Organizational Learning:

• Take steps to document lessons learned, from WASH programmes, for wider dissemination.
• In collaboration with senior programme staff, assist in advocacy activities that target decision-makers at all levels.
• Attend relevant meetings and represent SCI.

General:

• Comply with Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.
• Any other tasks assigned by line manager to achieve the objectives of position.

Qualifications and Experience
Essential:

• Education: HND / B.Sc in Health Education, Environmental/Civil/Construction Engineering or its equivalent
• Must have completed NYSC.
• At least 3 year’s experiences in hygiene promotion and construction activities in community-based program
• Excellent communication skills and knowledge of English and other local languages;
• Good knowledge of participatory approaches for behavior change (PHAST/SARAR, CHAST, CLTS)
• Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy

Ability to write clear reports.

Desirable:

• Previous experience of work in the humanitarian sector.
• Good knowledge of the intervention area/s and local economy.
• Previous working experience in humanitarian/refugee response.

Skills and Behaviours (Our Values in Practice)
Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency.

Application Closing Date
16th January, 2022.