Sudan: WASH Coordinator

Nov 19, 2019 | Relief International
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Relief International (RI) is a leading global organization and home to teams of humanitarian professionals committed to transforming adversity into renewal for the world’s most vulnerable populations. By partnering with beneficiaries and communities on the front-lines, RI innovatively bridges the gap between immediate relief and long-term community development.

Position Summary:

The WASH Coordinator’s role is to lead and provide technical support for the planning and smooth operation of WASH activities throughout RI Sudan’s country program. This responsibility includes the active involvement in developing and rolling out a continuously evolving country WASH strategy based on the specific context, creating assessments/needs identified, and delivering projects aligned with the overall country program goals. In addition, the WASH Coordinator will support with the capacity building of local staff and stakeholders in the WASH sector.

Position Responsibilities and Duties:

Program Management & Implementation

  • Provide WASH sectoral leadership and technical support to program teams; oversee and coordinate development of WASH activity detailed implementation plans and budget forecasts, and technically manage WASH field teams to ensure timely achievement of high quality deliverables as planned.
  • Develop work plans for consultants or internal team members, produce design documents or have them commissioned, review design and contract (tender) documents, administer contracts and conduct site visits, provide monitoring & evaluation work for WASH projects; report on lessons learned and provide strategies to improve efficiencies in future projects.
  • Ensure that technical quality and standards are upheld during project implementation; assess and analyze WASH activity progress continuously through lessons learned, field assessments, and design and implement adaptive management plans; and identify opportunities for innovation, improvement and adaptive management.
  • Coordinate with other sectoral leads to ensure multi-sectoral programs are integrated and cross-cutting (e.g. gender, protection, climate, and sustainability within all WASH interventions). Collaborate with Health and Nutrition sectors, as required, to ensure WASH responses are in alignment with the interrelated Health and Nutrition crises response and programs. Ensure that the design of deliverables (water and sanitation systems, and hygiene promotion programs) are the most appropriate for stakeholders taking into full account the local conditions, resources, customs, and cultural norms.
  • Coordinate with field teams to ensure the proper execution of the WASH program against all set objectives and targets within the agreed budgets and timeframes.
  • Implement and maintain reporting systems to monitor and evaluate the WASH objectives, indicators and outcomes of the projects. Contribute to the creation of reports, ensuring the quality and accuracy of technical information provided as well as the confidentiality of internal information as required. Support field teams in regular budgetary follow up to ensure timely expenditure of WASH budgets.
  • Ensure gender and protection is considered throughout the project cycle, with women being enabled to influence decision making around WASH activities.
  • Liaise with all internal and external counterparts of the project; ensure external representation of RI in relevant sectors including participating in technical and sectoral meetings to ensure visibility amongst local authorities. Communicate relevant information to the Country Senior Management Team.
  • Ensure a positive and safe working environment and good team dynamics (solve out potential conflicts) and promote team working conditions. Role model for junior staff and provide guidance to improve team capabilities. Work closely with program support functions (logistics and finance departments) for WASH program supplies and activities planning.
  • Manage and mentor national staff and junior WASH team members; provide training to improve technical capacities of reporting staff, conduct staff evaluations and build career paths for reporting staff.
  • Any other task required as delegated by the Supervisor.

Program Development

  • Identify and stay updated on the latest WASH sector best practice within the country through routine engagement and dialogue with the relevant Government of Sudan offices, the WASH Cluster network, and the international community as applicable to the Sudan context. Evaluate the options and propose innovations and updates to RI Sudan’s WASH sector services to ensure provision of the highest quality sustainable services possible, and to maintain RI’s competitive advantage in the field.
  • Provide sectoral and technical leadership to the design of, and engage in rapid needs assessments and their analysis, and ensure their linkage to activity plans and budgets.
  • Assess in-country resources and capacities (human, material and financial) for WASH program roll out, and ensure provision of requisite capacity building.
  • Formulate the overall aims and objectives of the WASH response program through ongoing development and refinement of a clear WASH Strategy.
  • Select and design the most appropriate form of WASH systems, and WASH services and public WASH promotion programs taking full account of local conditions, resources, customs and cultural norms. Ensure equity of services, sustainability and capacity building is fundamental components of these systems and programs.
  • Ensure Government of Sudan’s codes, Sphere, and any other relevant standards are satisfied through the program cycle and are well documented.
  • Develop concept papers, letters of intent, proposals and budgets related to the above.

Qualifications & Requirements:

This position demands a dynamic individual with a demonstrated ability to achieve results in a demanding and fast paced environment.

  • Master’s degree in Civil Engineering or relevant degree.
  • At least five years’ work experience in a development, emergency or post-conflict setting in WatSan interventions.
  • Experience in both WASH systems design and capacity building to ensure sustainability of systems; additional experience with behavior change programming preferred.
  • Excellent written and oral English skills required. Must be able to draft high quality communications, specifically donor reports, briefings and assessments.
  • Strong project management skills, demonstrated through significant project management experiences
  • Experience and understanding of key intuitional donors’ policies, guidelines and strategies e.g. USAID, OFDA, ECHO, DFID and UN.
  • Must be able to function effectively in a fluid, loosely structured, but complex work environment and to set appropriate priorities and deal effectively with numerous simultaneous requirements in challenging work conditions.
  • Must be able to work independently, with minimum supervision, within the context of a larger team.
  • Strong coordination skills; flexibility, adaptability, and patience; facilitation and solid interpersonal skills.
  • Ability to work under pressure to strict deadlines.
  • Analytical and problem solving skills.
  • Cross cultural awareness, gender awareness and sensitivity to cultural differences.
  • Ability to understand and address gender- related challenges within the beneficiary groups.
  • Must have the ability to work in physically challenging conditions, sometimes working in the field with limited resources and basic provisions.
  • Local language abilities would be an asset.

Compliance with Relief International's Values:

  • We uphold the Humanitarian Principles: humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and operational independence. We affirmatively engage the most vulnerable communities we value:
  • Inclusiveness
  • Transparency and Accountability
  • Agility and Innovation
  • Collaboration
  • Sustainability

The closing date for applications is 12 December 2019.

Due to the urgency of this role, we will be reviewing CVs and interviewing candidates on a rolling basis. Interested candidates are asked to submit their application as soon as possible.