Programme Officer - WASH

Job Title: Programme Officer-WASH, Marsabit County

Reports to: Area Manager

Job Location: Marsabit

Contract Details: Fixed Term

Salary Range: Kes 173,208 per month

Requirements: Up to 50% travel to project locations in Marsabit County

Important Notice: This recruitment is being conducted in anticipation of funding, and any appointment is subject to funding confirmation.

About Concern: Established in 1968, Concern is a non-profit, non-governmental humanitarian organisation, dedicated to the reduction of suffering and the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.

Concern’s vision, our mission and our work are all defined by one goal – ending extreme poverty, whatever it takes. Concern strives for a world free from poverty, fear and oppression.

Our culture is values driven and we believe that our people are central to all that we do and are key to delivering on our goal of Reaching the Furthest Behind First. We are committed to ensuring a workplace where everybody feels valued and are enabled to succeed in their work and contribute to delivering on our mission.

Job Purpose:

The principal objective of the WASH Officer is to support implementation of WASH activities at the field level. The role involves coordinating partners and providing technical support to Concern and partner staff working on WASH activities to ensure they develop, deliver, and monitor all WASH activities in line with the proposals and ensure implementation is compliant with both Concern and Donor policies and procedures and in line with international standards. The WASH Officer will also be responsible for the successful delivery of all the outputs of WASH in the programme in his or her area as specified in the project documents. S/he will ensure integration with other sectors like Health and Nutrition happens at activity implementation level and cross cutting issues are mainstreamed and integrated.

Responsibilities:

1. To coordinate implementation of all WASH related activities in the programme area within agreed plans, budgets, and timeframe and donor guidelines by:

• Ensuring all the software component (hygiene promotion activities, water transportation & storage facilities distribution etc.) are implemented as per the signed project agreement and the sphere standards.
• Preparing project documentation including bills of quantities, detailed implementation work plans for planned activities, procurement plans and supplies requests for materials
• Coordinating community mobilization and sensitization activities.
• Taking lead in formation and training of water and sanitation committees for specific water / sanitation facilities to be developed
• Ensuring cross cutting issues are considered during tactical planning of WASH activities and are implemented with the participation of communities.
• Promoting effective integration of Health and Nutrition activities at community level placing programme beneficiaries at the heart of Concern programmes

2. To carry out accurate and timely assessments and tests to ensure the project is in line towards expected results by:

• Liaising with all stake holders in conducting periodic operation and maintenance assessments of water and sanitation facilities to ensure functionality and usefulness of the facilities.
• Soliciting innovative ideas of implementing sustainable and appropriate safe water and sanitation solutions.
• Discussing with the community and local authorities’ ways of improving hygiene and sanitation and making recommendations on innovative ways that beneficiary communities should adopt for improved management and sustainability of community water and sanitation facilities

3. To ensure the highest standards of progress and impact monitoring to facilitate effective reporting on expected results and learning from the project by:

• Ensuring activities which are implemented by contractors are monitored for quality assurance at each critical moment of the works.
• Regularly visiting the hygiene promotion campaign areas to ensure quality dissemination of hygiene messages in respect to the approved methodology.
• Planning and actively participating in joint monitoring visits with stake holders and partners to improve internal learning from program activities.
• Documenting Impact, Sustainability and best practices for WASH projects in the area for learning, sharing and future replication.
• Providing technical supervision during activity implementation. This includes following up, inspecting and ensuring project materials are delivered, measure to specified deliveries at field level in timely way.

4. To contribute to the Information documentation and reporting by;

• Preparing end of month narrative progress report for activities undertaken
• Preparing monthly work plans as per the implementation rates
• Preparing monthly Cash projections as per the planned activities
• Filing documents, report records, cash projections and any other useful project related information at field level.

5. Networking, advocacy and representation by;

• Active engagement in sector issues with stakeholders locally, regionally and nationally. This will include attending relevant meetings and joining relevant networks, giving formal and informal presentation about Concern’s work and always presenting a professional image.
• Coordinating the gathering of information by team members concerning advocacy issues in the locality and region, organising such information into a format appropriate for advocacy purposes.
• Ensuring Concern participates alongside other Civil Society Organizations or takes lead in organising international days like World toilet day, world handwashing day, World Water Day

Others

• Adhere to and promote the standards outlined in the Concern Code of Conduct and associated policies to their team, beneficiaries, and be committed to providing a safe working environment
• Participating in and contributing towards Concern’s emergency response, as and when necessary
• In line with Concern’s commitments under the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS):

1. Actively promote meaningful community participation and consultation at all stages of the project cycle (planning, implementation, commissioning, handover and monitoring).
2. Work with relevant colleagues to ensure that the Complaints and Response Mechanism (CRM) is functional and accessible, that feedback and complaints are welcomed and addressed.
3. Work with relevant colleagues to ensure that information about CRM, safeguarding and expected staff behaviour is disseminated among programme participants and communities.

Role Holder Requirements:

Minimum Education, Qualifications & Experience Required:

• Educational level required: Degree in any of the following - Public Health Engineering, Civil Engineering, Water Engineering, Hydro Geology or Building Construction engineering.
• 3 years of experience in Project implementation preferably water and sanitation or/ Public health with an International NGO
• Demonstrated understanding of WASH programming in both urban and rural context.
• Good understanding of WASH technology options for ASAL and urban informal settlements
• Proficiency in MS Office and Microsoft Outlook.
• Experience working with NGOs in insecure areas and working through and with government systems.
• Must have a working knowledge of Project Cycle Management.
• Working knowledge of the following technical approaches: CLTS, PHAST, Sanitation marketing and engineering design.

Preference will be given to candidates who have:

• Decision making skills; resourceful and adaptable work approach; creative and proactive approach to problem solving.
• Practical construction skills and an interest in low cost and local materials and techniques.
• Strong analytical and strategic planning skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Commitment to beneficiary accountability and humanitarian principles.
• Ability to give attention to details.
• Ability to work under pressure and to meet deadlines
• Adhere to the standards of conduct outlined in the Concern Code of Conduct and associated policies.
• Commitment to beneficiary accountability and humanitarian ethics

Competencies:

• Be able to manage self - Awareness of your own abilities and uses abilities to work well with others to achieve your work and Concern’s objectives.
• Proactively and effectively share information with others. Works effectively with others to achieve best results from people and situations.
• Able to deliver commitments; uses appropriate techniques to help achieve agreed objectives
• Be innovative and creative by developing and implementing new ideas for effective and efficient progress towards the agreed objectives.
• Systematically work towards achieving objectives; informed and timely decisions (appropriate to role), to achieve work objectives

Important information:

Concern has an organisational Code of Conduct supported by three Associated Policies: The Programme Participant Protection Policy, the Child Safeguarding Policy, and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy accessible here. These have been designed to ensure the highest level of protection for everyone the organization engages through its work.

The policies set out the behaviours and responsibilities that Concern staff, and all its representatives (including consultants, contractors, sub-contractors, suppliers, partners, visitors, ambassadors and Board members) are expected to uphold. They also articulate Concern’s commitment to safeguarding and protecting adults and children from harm in all aspects of our work. We will therefore do everything possible to ensure that only those who are suitable to work or volunteer with adults and children are recruited by us for such roles. Consequently, working or volunteering with Concern may be subject to a range of vetting checks, including criminal background checking.

In this context, all staff and representatives of Concern have a responsibility to uphold the highest standards in their work, in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Concern Staff Code of Conduct and Associated Policies as an appendix to their contract of employment. By signing the Concern Code of Conduct, candidates acknowledge that they have understood the content of both the Concern Code of Conduct and the Associated Policies and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these policies.