WASH Program Manager

Apr 5, 2021 | Solidarités International
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SI has been in Myanmar since 2008. For the first three years, SI worked in the Delta in response to the devastating Cyclone Nargis. In 2011, SI expanded to three new regions (Dry Zone, Rakhine, and Chin State) focusing on Livelihoods, Food Security, Shelter, and WASH. In January 2012, SI expanded to Kachin State to respond to an emergency situation created by the displacement of Kachin population.

SI currently has a coordination base in Yangon, with field bases in the Rakhine and Kachin States. Each office is operational with a Field Coordinator. In 2020, 18 international staff and 300+ national staff are working within SI to implement 7 contracts (on-going) in WASH, FSL, Emergency programs (NFI, Shelter, WASH, Food) funded by OFDA, DFID/HARP, ECHO, CIAA, OCHA, CDC and UNICEF.

In 2020, the mission had an approximatively financial volume of 6+ million euros. The forecast budget for 2021 is similar.

To learn more about the Myanmar mission, please click here.

The Rakhine base has 2 main locations of activities: Sittwe Camps (under OFDA/HARP funding in Consortium with Oxfam) and Pauktaw (PKT) camps (under CDC, DFID/HARP, UNICEF, ECHO funding). The main activities fall under the WASH sector, and the FSL sector (limited to some camps only).

The main activities in the two locations are WaSH but also FSL in some camps. In Rakhine/Sittwe, there are currently 7 international staff and more than 250 national staffs.

About the Job

The WASH PM is responsible only for the activities in Pauktaw (PKT) - not in Sittwe area.

The implementation of the WASH program is split between the WASH Program Manager and the Community Mobilization Program Manager, who will work closely together as well as with other departments (MEAL, finance, logistics, etc.) to implement a complete WASH response in Pauktaw. The WASH PM will manage the construction and maintenance of WASH infrastructure, including water supply and treatment, latrines, fecal sludge management (FSM), solid waste management, drainage, etc. The Community Mobilization PM will manage community consultations about WASH facilities and services, hygiene promotion and behavior change programming, solid waste management staff, and the distribution of essential hygiene items to create an enabling environment for positive hygiene behaviors. Regular communication and collaboration is required between the two teams for smooth implementation, and both PMs should have good knowledge of both “hard” and “soft” WASH components, which are both critical for an effective WASH program.

On a daily basis, the WASH PM is responsible for the project relevance, quality and design; implementation and operational monitoring; coordination; learning and capitalization; reporting / communication / representation; and staff management.

More specifically, she/he:

• Leads the implementation of the WASH programs in Pauktaw, including financial and logistics coordination and follow up.
• Provides technical WASH expertise to solve complex and time-sensitive problems.
• Represents the programs, coordinate and communicate frequently with sub-national WASH Cluster, TWGs, other service providers, and with donors
• Provides timely reports of activities to multiple donors and to SI coordination in Yangon.

Budget: 3.0 million USD approximately (per year)

The WASH PM reports to the Deputy Field Co for Programs on the Sittwe base, as well as to the WASH coordination in Yangon.

Main challenges:

• Multi-Grants management: managing several grants with similar activities in the same area has been difficult in the past. It has been decided to split the WASH-PKT-PM into two positions; one International (WATSAN oriented) and one National (HP and Community Mobilization oriented).
• HR management: management is one of the biggest dimensions of the PKT WASH PM position. Indeed, the Pauktaw team is composed of 53 persons (including the PM).
• Access to PKT: difficult access for monitoring visit and delivery of material, since the camps are only accessible by boat and trips depend from weather forecast and tide situation.
• High level of technicity required.

+ as in many countries, working in remote due to COVID causes delays in archiving, which has to be pro-actively followed. It also causes delays in operations, that lead to budget readjustments (ex: no cost extensions).

Priorities for the first months:

1. S/he will ensure that all project (CDC, ECHO, UNICEF, OFDA/BHA) workplans and budgets are followed and in case of discrepancies, s/he will propose necessary review.
2. S/he will manage water scarcity emergency response (March-June 2021)
3. S/he will provide support to the nationalization of one PM position: selection, training, mentoring.
4. S/he will follow up the implementation of community-based management of WASH services approach and engagement with local authorities and stakeholders in the implementation of activities.

Your Profile

Education:

Master level education in WASH and/or Engineering.

Experience:

• At least 3 years of international experience, preferably in emergency and recovery contexts; experience in complex ethnic and/or religious contexts preferred, sensitive environments (post-conflict, conflict), IDP/refugee camp experience is an added value
• 2 years’ experience in similar position
• Previous experience of project management in NGO / humanitarian fields mandatory
• Proven Experience in team management and in training, capacity building.
• Experience in development projects in semi-permanent settlements is a valued asset.

+ Previous experience with SI is a plus

Specific skills and experience:

• Knowledge and experience with construction of WASH infrastructure
• Water quality testing
• Fecal sludge management
• WASH and community engagement programming experience
• Public health
• Team management, coaching and capacity building.
• Monitoring and evaluation,
• Report writing
• Strategic thinking,
• Ability to quickly understand complex situations and to coordinate both emergencies and long-term programs
• Sound knowledge in assisting behavioral change methods and approaches including BCC, ABC etc.
• Knowledge and experience in applying and training in WaSH approaches (PHAST, CHAST, CLTS)

Soft skills:

Diplomacy ; very good intercultural skills; good social skills to work as part of a large team and live in shared accommodation (up to 5 people at the same time), very good organization skills and tasks prioritization.

Language:

Bilingual in English + Capacity to work with non-native English speakers. French and Burmese are added assets.

SI will offer you

• A salaried position
• According to experience, starting from EUR 1800 gross / per month (+ 10% annual leave allowance paid monthly i.e. EUR 1980 gross / per month) + a monthly Per Diem of USD 700 / month.
• SI covers accommodation costs and travel expenses between the expatriate's country of origin and the place of assignment.

Breaks

During the assignment, a system of alternation between work and time off is implemented at the rate of 7 working days every 3 months. For a one-year assignment, the expatriate will have a 7 working days break at 3, 6 and 9 months (with USD 850 allocated by SI). In addition to these, SI adds 1 additional rest day per month of work, i.e. 12 additional days off for a one-year contract.

Insurance package

Expatriates benefit from an insurance package which covers 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.

Living conditions

Sittwe is the capital of the Rakhine state, and is located 1 hour away (by flight) from Yangon. The weather is classified as a tropical monsoon climate. There is access to basic health care in Sittwe, as well as to a few supermarkets where people can buy all basic items. There are some good restaurants in the city.

The WASH PM lives in a shared guesthouse with her/his international colleagues. The guesthouses are comfortable (with a large common area, private bathrooms in some rooms, AC in all rooms, TV, etc…) and a proper kitchen area in each. They are equipped with basic furniture (beds, tables, cupboards…) and mosquito nets, bed linen, towels and fans.

The office is located 5 minutes from the guesthouses by car.

Internet is quite stable at the office (wireless connection), but relies on mobile connections or when the wireless connection is down during working hours. Fiber was installed recently in GH.

Please note that the COVID 19 pandemic can impact the movements, and security rules are regularly reviewed / adapted to the situation to minimize the exposure to COVID19, in constant monitoring and adaptation to the context evolution. This include social distancing, teleworking and strict hygienic rules such as regular handwashing etc.

Application Process

Please send us your CV and cover letter in English.

If you have already been technically validated for SI on the position, please mention it.

NB: the vacancy may close before the deadline.

To learn more about SI, please visit our website.