WASH Officer - Water Supply and Sanitation at International Rescue Committee

Job Purpose/Objective

The role of WASH Officer – Water Supply and Sanitation is to ensure successful implementation and supervision of community based water supply and sanitation interventions in the target areas. Additionally this position will support development of staff and community capacity building in water supply and sanitation operation, maintenance and management, participate in mobilization of WASH resources and ensure implementation is done in close collaboration with program staff, the local community, the Local authority and other relevant agencies. The role will also involve to a large scale technical designs of various WASH infrastructures, estimation of costs, support development of tender documents, bid review and evaluations, and general construction contract management and discharge in accordance with IRC and GoK acceptable standards and specifications. During implementation of project’s activities, the Officer will be required to provide feedback to relevant project partners and the Local authorities with an aim of improving overall WASH program quality.

Main Responsibilities

The WASH Officer – Water Supply and Sanitation will identify and assess the key needs of WASH facilities and services to be addressed and whom to engage and develop an appropriate implementation strategy to either construct, rehabilitate or repair such facilities. She/he will ensure that an engagement approach to working with communities and the local authorities, other partners is employed and all activities are carried out in a way that is sensitive to community needs and promotes the full and equal participation of women, men, children and youth. Primary responsibilities include:

Program

• Design and manage assessments and studies in order to identify WASH needs in target communities.
• Working with the WASH Officer – Hygiene Promotion, manage assessments/evaluations in order to identify key strengths, limitations of community structures managing WASH facilities
• Undertake technical designs, cost estimation of all WASH facilities planned for implementation at the targeted communities.
• Support preparation and review all contracts to be awarded to vendors of goods and services related to water supply and sanitation component of the project
• Supervise construction, repair and rehabilitation of water supplies systems and sanitation facilities in strict adherence to the Kenya government regulations, WHO and the SPHERE standard.
• Support implementation of hygiene promotion activities appropriate to the context in close collaboration with the WASH Officer – Hygiene Promotion to ensure that technical and social aspects of water and sanitation programming are integrated
• Support assessments and assist in proposal development for additional resources for water supply, sanitation and hygiene interventions
• Any other relevant responsibility as may be assigned by the Supervisoror other relating supervisors.

Capacity Strengthening

• Working with the WASH Officer – Hygiene Promotion facilitate training WMCs, other Community structures (SMCs, CHWs, CHEWs, Youth Groups) and local authorities on improved hygiene/sanitation practices, management and sustainability of WASH infrastructure.
• Together with GoK line departments continuously monitor functionality and performance of community structures managing WASH facilities, identify capacity gaps and develop capacity strengthening plans.
• Together with GoK line departments continuously monitor functionality and performance of community structures managing WASH facilities.

Reporting.

• Support development of monthly, quarterly, semi- annual and end of projects reports on water supply and sanitation components of the project and ensure that the reports are prepared in a timely manner and in accordance with donors and IRC Kenya requirements.
• Support development, monitoring and evaluation water supplyand sanitation project indicators and standards
• Provide regularreports on water supply and sanitation activities and program progress against work plan and program activities includingdonor reports according to donor requirements
• Maintain an up to-date activity tracking tool (soft copies and hard copies) of all water supply and sanitation infrastructure related activities.

Coordination and Collaboration

• Co-ordinate and network with the relevant County Government ministries and departments, , Community based organizations, Faith based organizations and NGOs and other relevant departments working in the Turkana in providing technical support and assistance to WASH activities.
• Liaise directly with communities, and community structures on water supply and sanitationissues as well as other agencies operational in Turkana(particularly those carrying out similar activities) regularly to ensure coordination and effective implementation of activities through guidance of the Supervisor/FC.
• Under the guidance of the supervisor (or Field Coordinator) contributes towards strengthening of integration of WASH programming with the other key IRC program Sectors.

Other

• Support WASH department in other tasks, roles and, responsibilities as may be assigned to by the supervisor.
• Actively  participate in other inter-sectoral WASH activities (Water Supply and Sanitation Infrastructure Constructions)

Required Qualifications:

• Degree/Diploma in Water Engineering, Civil Engineering or related field.  
• A minimum of Three years’ experience for degree holders and 5 years’ experience for diploma holders in working/programming in emergencies, relief or development including implementing a large scale community based water and sanitation project with evidence of successful implementation of similar projects.

Required Experience & Competencies:

• Minimum of 3 years relevant work experience in ASAL
• Strong skills in construction of water supply and sanitation facilities essential
• Demonstrated skills in technical design and costing of civil engineering works related to community based water supply and sanitation facilities.
• Experience in community engagement approaches, participatory approaches and community negotiation
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with a team
• Ability to conduct community WASH needs assessment, program planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of WASH activities
• Good understanding of SPHERE and other international and national standards
• Good computer application skills (MS-Office, application software to engineering designs)
• Knowledge of Turkana language an added advantage.