Environmental Health / WASH Infrastructure Officer at the International Rescue Committee (IRC)

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Environmental Health / WASH Infrastructure Officer

Requisition ID: req41301
Location: Zamfara
Employment Type: Full-Time
Employment Category: Regular
Sector: Environmental Health
Open to Expatriates: No

Project Overview

• The BHA (Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance) project, "Integrated Emergency Response to the Displaced Population in Zamfara, Sokoto, and Katsina States, Northwest Nigeria" depending on fund availability will be carried out by a consortium led by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in collaboration with the Alliance for International Medical Action (Alima), Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI), and Life Helpers Initiative (LHI), aims to leverage each partner's expertise to provide immediate humanitarian assistance to internally displaced people populations through area-based approach.
• The Consortium partners will provide an integrated multisectoral intervention in Health, Nutrition, WASH, Protection, and Multi-purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) activities in Zamfara, Katsina, and Sokoto states in collaboration with state governments, UN organizations and other key actors in Northwest Nigeria.
• The project will be implemented by a dedicated support, quality assurance, and coordination team, who will work closely with all partners through a management unit of well-structured consortium governance for the activity.

Job Overview / Summary

• The EH Officer Infrastructure will play a fundamental role in the success of the project by closely supervising water and sanitation infrastructures as well as promoting good hygiene practices amongst the target population conducive to reducing mortality and morbidity related to water and faecal-borne diseases.

Major Responsibilities

• Ensure water and sanitation infrastructure activities are implemented in a timely and professional manner while considering beneficiary needs as per the SPHERE standards.
• Conduct rapid and detailed assessments aimed at establishing knowledge, awareness and practices of the target community with regard to hygiene.
• Assist the EH/WASH Manager in the design and implementation of the Water and Sanitation infrastructure M&E Plan.
• Maintain close links and collaboration with other IRC sectors and in particular Health, Nutrition, Protection, Gender, CYPD (Child and Youth Protection and Development), Women Protection and Empowerment (WPE), and Economic Recovery and Development (ERD).

Grant Planning & Implementation:

• Prepare and maintain/update detailed work plan(s) that support the achievement of the overall grant timeline and completion date
• Provide direction and monitor staff in their implementation of the work plan and quality of activities, share relevant information and direction to improve quality and achieve timelines
• Assist the EH Manager in the design of all infrastructure related assessments, monitoring and evaluation tools.
• Directly be involved in the designs and implementation of water supply infrastructures including but not be limited to drilling of shallow and deep boreholes, installation of future hand pumps, installation of solar submersible pumps, construction of elevated water storage tanks, trenching and piping for water supply reticulation systems, construction of well aprons and communal tap stands with appropriate drainage.
• Directly be involved in the designs implementation of  sanitation facilities including but not limited to Communal latrines, house hold latrines, Solid waste pits/bins, Hand washing stations, Drainage, Menstrual Hygiene Management facilities and bathing shelters.
• Identify and train Water Point attendants and Pump Technicians and motorized/solar systems Operators within WASH committees.
• Closely coordinate emergency water supply in camps with maintaining accurate records on water trucking.
• If required, supervise water trucking deliveries, water chlorination and water quality monitoring.
• Provide weekly reports of progress on the construction of water and sanitation facilities to EH Manager.
• Provide regular water quality monitoring reports to EH Manager
• Seek guidance and approval from EH Manager – Water and Sanitation on any changes to approved designs for water supply including water trucking concerns.
• Maintain comprehensive control systems on materials and tools used including notes on quality of materials.
• Coordinate closely with the EH Assistant Infrastructure and M&E on water quantity and quality issues, location of water sources/communal taps while considering beneficiary needs.
• Submit periodic and ad hoc reports on progress and monitoring activities as requested by the EH Manager
• Participate in the formation/training of community WASH committees.
• Assist in the orientation of newly arrived national staff on the team when requested
• Any other duty as assigned by the supervisor.

Grant Monitoring & Reporting:

• Undertake regular field monitoring visits to assess progress and identify technical quality issues and/or other implementation issues, provide solutions and implement modifications as required.
• Ensure all monitoring activities are fully documented, including systematic and timely data collection as required under the grant and for IRC M&E purposes
• Produce/contribute to IRC and donor reports as per set schedules (weekly, monthly, quarterly and annually) on grant activities, indicators and achievements.

Coordination & Representation:

• Work closely and coordinate with IRC logistics, finance and grant staff to ensure timely and complaint program activities and expenditures; including active participation in grant opening/closing and review meetings
• Undertake/participate in liaison, coordination, and information sharing activities with national NGOs, international organizations, donors and government at field level.
• Assist in the collection of data, assessments, and proposal development for the sector.  

Others:

• Consistently and proactively monitor/assess the safety and security of the team; promptly reporting concerns or incidents to IRC management and liaise with community leaders and other external parties as required to maintain/enhance the security environment for IRC programs.
• Other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs.

Key Working Relationships:

• Position Reports to: EH/WASH Manager
• Position directly supervises: EH/WASH Infrastructure Assistant
• Indirect Reporting: Consortium Deputy team lead , Senior EH/WASH Manager

Qualifications

• B.Sc / Higher National Diploma (HND) in Civil, Water Resources, Building or Mechanical Engineering, Hydrogeology with hand on experience in developing and adopting emergency WASH technologies and designs experience in implementation of water and sanitation projects - relevant experience will supersede the formal qualification.
• 2 - 4 years professional experience with NGOs (INGO experience preferred)
• Previous experience leading teams in public awareness raising campaigns focused on water and sanitation related health issues.
• Competent user of MS Applications: Word, Excel; AutoCAD or similar, Google Earth.
• Working knowledge of SPHERE standards.
• Proven abilities in developing work plans, data collection and analysis and performance monitoring.
• Works well in and promotes teamwork, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment, flexible and able to handle pressure well.
• Self-motivated, honest, highly responsible, and punctual
• Ability to work as part of a team as well as to work autonomously when required
• Confident communicator, able to command respect from a wide range of people
• Fluency in English and Hausa language preferred. 

Working Environment: 

• Security level orange. The situation in Zamfara is calm at the moment but remains tense and unpredictable; concerns include criminality.
• There is active conflict in many parts of the country and a possibility for further expansion of the conflict and violence into other areas and other states.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.