Syria: WASH Consortium Specialist

Nov 29, 2020 | Solidarités International
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Solidarités International is a non-profit organization working in areas of conflict and natural disasters. Its main aim is to provide quick and effective support for people in life-threatening situations by meeting their vital needs: water, food and shelter.

SI has been working in Syria since 2012 and currently has strong coverage for WASH, FSL and NFI programs across North West (NWS) and North East Syria (NES). The NES programs provide an integrated assistance in the WASH, NFI, Shelter and Livelihoods sectors to displaced populations and host communities affected by the conflict. NWS programs are remotely managed and provide WASH and NFI/Winterization support to affected populations. Since 2016, SI has been partnering with a local health partner to develop and strengthen a WASH-and-Health integrated approach, and is currently developing the streamlining of Protection within its existing programs.

The Syria mission counts about 340 national staff, more than 60 expatriates, and has a 25 million USD budget forecasted for 2020.

Acquired funding, financial visibility, searched complementary fundings: The mission has secured several funding from CDC, UNICEF, ECHO, OFDA and an ambitious consortium of 2 years with OFDA will ensure a good financial visibility for the mission until 2020.

New funding opportunities will be looked for according to the needs identified.

About the Job

General objectives

  • The WaSH Specialist, as technical advisor of the project, contributes to the implementation and adaptation of the LEARN sector strategy and the wider LEARN strategy, including facilitating integration of WaSH with other LEARN sectors.
  • He/she specifically supports the quality and suitability of technical approaches implemented by LEARN partners, including a focus on WASH in health, and ensures the humanitarian justification and appropriateness for the needs of the local population.
  • As a WASH Specialist, he/she has a focus on compliance, quality and suitability of technical approaches implemented by LEARN partners in WASH, through harmonized strategies, approaches, tools and coordination.
  • He/she leads on WASH coordination within the LEARN governance structure.

Specific stakes and challenges

  • Deployment of a multi-partner, multi-million dollar project in a complex area of intervention
  • Coordinates and supports consortium partners, both technically and also in communication, harmonisation and integration to achieve the aims of the project, taking into consideration partner’s experience and sector approaches in its areas of intervention
  • Develop a positive work relationship internally to the consortium, as well as externally towards WaSH actors present in the area
  • The position requires a high mobility inside and outside the intervention area

Priorities for the 2/3 first months

  • Push for year 2 implementation, which is currently accelerating, including timely and quality donor submissions.
  • Increased focus on monitoring, compliance, quality and learning lessons, with the implementation of program lessons learnt and decision trackers, MEAL checklists and other tools.

Main activities:

Strategic orientation

  • Propose and develop, under the lead of SI WaSH Coordinator, a sector-based strategy in accordance with SI’s policies and priorities for the project.

Relevance and quality of projects

  • Frame assessments technical tools and methodologies to be carried out for the project

Coordination, technical support and operational monitoring

  • Ensure that resources available at SI, mission and LEARN levels are used correctly in the management of the WaSH project cycle.

Personnel management      

  • Welcome and brief expatriates working on LEARN WaSH activities

Reporting / communication / representation

  • Consolidation of LEARN WaSH activity reports and supervise the preparation annexes linked to WaSH activities for reports and/or financial donors

Organizational Chart Position (reporting and functional relationships)

  • Line manager: LEARN Deputy Chief of Party
  • Line report(s) on base: WaSH national Counterpart
  • Functional manager: HQ WaSH Advisor

Your Profile

Diploma/education:

  • Advanced diploma in related technical field

Previous experience:

  • Strong experience in WaSH Project Management and Coordination (at least 2 years of the latter).
  • Experience in the health sector mandatory (possibly COVID response)
  • At least 5 years of professional experience within a humanitarian and/or development organization.
  • Familiarity with WASH technical guidelines of institutional donors, humanitarian standards and Global WASH Cluster guidelines.
  • Experience in supporting emergency response.
  • Background of WASH in health.
  • Experience in a consortium setting would be an asset.

Skills:

  • Capacity building and training expertise.
  • Excellent analytical and writing skills.
  • Strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation.
  • Excellent communication and representation skills.
  • Excellent abilities to coordinate with people of different sectors/departments.

Languages:

  • Full English proficiency;
  • Knowledge of Arabic would be appreciated.

SI will offer you:

A salaried post: starting from 2860 € gross per month (including 10% annual leave allowance paid monthly), according to experience (+100€/year of humanitarian experience on an equivalent position +50€/year of experience on a non-equivalent position), and a monthly Per Diem. Please note that the salary is not negotiable with SI.

Social and medical cover: Expatriates benefit from an insurance package which reimburses all healthcare expenses (including medical and surgical expenses, dental care and ophthalmological expenses, repatriation) and a welfare system including war risks. Essential vaccination and antimalarial treatment costs are refunded.

Vacation: During the assignment, a system of alternation between work and time off is implemented at the rate of one break every three months. For a one-year assignment, the expatriate will have a 10-day break (specificity for expatriates located in North East Syria) during the 3rd and the 9th month (with 750 USD allocated by Solidarités). He or she will also be entitled to go back to his or her home country for a 14-day period after six months spent on the mission (Solidarités will cover travel costs).

Living conditions

The candidate will be based in North East Syria, and Erbil sometimes (in Iraq), and share his/her time between the main guesthouse and the field guesthouse to allow closer proximity to the sites of project implementation.

In the main base, living conditions are comfortable with some opportunities and places to socialize. In the operational bases, living conditions are more basic with less opportunities and places to socialize.

The per diem rate for NES is 700 USD a month, for Erbil is 750 USD a month.

Specific constraints related to security

Security inside NES is volatile and justifies specific arrangements for accommodation and displacements in the areas of intervention. Adherence to strict security procedures is necessary, while the security levels can vary according to the different geographical locations and the changes of context.

Application Process

Does this description fit you? Please send us your CV and Cover letter in English. CV only applications will not be considered.