Syria: WASH Working Group Coordinator (h/f) - Amuda

Aug 3, 2023 | Solidarités International
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Solidarités International is an international humanitarian aid association which, since more than 40 years, has been providing assistance to populations affected by armed conflicts and natural disasters by meeting their basic needs for food, water and shelter. Particularly committed to the fight against diseases linked to unsafe water, the leading cause of death in the world, SI's interventions provide expertise in the field of access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene promotion, but also in the essential area of food security and livelihoods. Present in some twenty countries, the SI teams – 2500 people in total, made up of expatriates, national staff, permanent staff at HQ, and a few volunteers - intervene with professionalism and commitment while respecting cultural norms.

ABOUT THE MISSION

Solidarités International (SI) has been working in Syria since 2012. Today, SI and its partners are responding to both emergency and longer-term needs in north-western (NWS) and north-eastern Syria (NES), as a turn from lifesaving activities to more post-emergency/development has been started.

The mission’s coordination is based in Amman, and is managing the entire Syria mission and its operations in NWS / Azaz; and in NES / Raqqa and Amuda. This strategy was made possible by unique and unprecedented access conditions negotiated by SI in the intervention zones. In addition, SI is now leading a major consortium of international actors involved in health, WASH, shelter, protection, livelihoods and emergency response activities in north-eastern Syria: the LEARN consortium.

The mission employs nearly 300 national staff, and more than 40 expatriates. It has an estimated EUR 25+ million budget.

ABOUT THE JOB

Considering the absence of cluster system in NES, the area is experimenting a unique inter-partner coordination system that is steered by INGOs, within the Whole of SyriaUN-led coordination system. SI is leading the WaSH Working Groupin thissystem, and hosting the position of the Coordinator and Information Manager.

The NES Wash Working Group is based in Amuda in NES, according to security conditions. The NES WASH Working Group is part of coordination system under the umbrella of the NES Forum and in link with the Whole of Syria mechanism - based in Amman.

The WASH Working Group in NES is one of the three hubs that is part of the Whole of Syria WASH Cluster.

The WASH Sector Working Group coordinator (WWG Co) will be responsible for supporting sector coordination of WASH actors in Northeast Syria in collaboration with the Whole of Syria (WoS) WASH Cluster and the Northeast Syria NGO Forum.

The purpose of this position is to provide leadership and facilitate the processes that will ensure a well-coordinated, strategic, adequate, coherent, and effective response by WASH actors in NES.

The WWG Coordinator is thus pivotal in strengthening and sustaining the coordination effort of WASH Sector within NES in order to respond to emergency situations effectively and improve the delivery of WASH services in the region.

The WWG Co reports directly to SI’s Deputy Country Directors for programs. However, the position-holder will be accountable to WASH partners in Northeast Syria, the WoS WASH Cluster and the NES Forum.

The WWG Co will not be directly involved in the delivery of SI’s projects.

Main responsibilities

  • Inclusion of key humanitarianpartners with specific attention to local actors, NGOs, UN agencies based in NES
  • Establishment and maintenance of appropriate humanitarian coordination mechanisms
  • Actively coordinate with national/local authorities, state institutions, local civil society, and stabilization actors
  • Ensuring adapted information management monitoring functions to maintain 4Ws planning, reporting and information sharing as required
  • Contributing to advocacy and resource mobilization which includes draft reports and briefing notes onthe situation and developments in the context and needs
  • Ensuring needs assessment and analysis which includes relevant contributions to multi-sector assessments
  • Ensuring the application of appropriate standards. In collaboration with relevant technical leads in the sector to discuss, share relevant technical standards and guidelines for best practice
  • Undertaking the planning and strategy development including an active leadership on the continuity of services planning for Northeast Syria
  • Ensuring participatory and community-based approaches, in order to ensure relevance and appropriateness of WASH response in Northeast Syria
  • Ensuring appropriate attention to priority cross-cutting issues
  • Ensuring the WASH emergency preparedness and that response plans are updated and that operational capacity of NES cross borders partners is regularly updated and compiledwith Damascus based partner’s capacity mapping
  • Undertaking training and capacity building
  • Actively contributing to Inter-Sector coordination.

APPLICANT PROFILE

Education: University degree (Bachelors, Masters) in WASH or in a related field.

Specific skills and experience

  • Be technically competent in the WASH sector with minimum 3 years of experience of projectcoordination in humanitarian WASH response including water distribution, construction and rehabilitation of WASH facilities, Waste management and hygiene promotion.
  • Be technically competent in the cluster approach and standards, ideally previous experience in cluster coordination;
  • Have an understanding of humanitarian funding mechanisms (HPF, CERF, CHF and Flash Appeals processes);
  • Have a strong command of humanitarian principles and how to apply these;
  • Able to develop a cluster strategy and to clarify complex strategies for operational implementation;
  • Able to lead oftechnical standards and ensure minimum humanitarian intervention with consideration to incorporation of other thematic issues such as health, protection and gender;
  • Understand the links between emergency response, recovery, and the transition to development/stabilization;

Previous experience with SI and / or in the Middle East is an asset.

Transferable skills

  • Demonstrate personal and professional integrity in all interactions;
  • Be able to work with diverse stakeholders to develop consensus;
  • Know how to present ideas effectively and clearly while listening and acknowledging others’ perspectives and views;
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the international humanitarian response and coordination mechanisms, and humanitarian reform;
  • Handling insecure environments
  • Strong level of autonomy
  • Good resistance to stress and pressure

Languages

  • Bilingual in English (written, spoken and read) is mandatory
  • Knowledge of Levantine Arabic would be an asset.

SI WILL OFFER

A salaried position: According to experience, starting from 3400 EUR to 5400 EUR gross /per month (+ 10% annual leave allowance - paid monthly)

Per Diem: USD 700 / month.

Housing: provided by SI during the mission: shared guesthouse with other international colleagues.

Insurance package: includes health insurance (including refund of all healthcare expenses (including medical and surgical expenses, dental care and ophthalmological expense), civil liability, war risks, contingency & repatriation. Essential vaccination and antimalarial treatment costs are refunded.

Break policy: Legal paid leaves are paid every month, and are included to the monthly gross salary, which is thus increased by 10% (see above). During the mission, there is a system of a regular alternation between work and rest, at the following pace : one (1) break every three (3) months fully worked. It means that SI offers seven (7) working days ever three months worked, with a break allowance of USD 850 for each break. These breaks are mandatory. In addition to these, SI offers one (1) monthly rest day (MRD) off / per worked month.

SI covers accommodation costs and travel expenses between the expatriate's country of residency and the base.

 

Living conditions

Amuda: Living conditions in Amuda (NES) are comfortable with functional markets and services. The humanitarian community is moderately present and there are opportunities for socialisation and extra work activities. It is important to notice that because of the continuous evolution of the security context, special restrictions/decisions could be applied to international staff work and personal movements and trips.

NES: Please note that 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. Fields missions and special arrangements for accommodations will be decided in close coordination with the NES Field Coordinators.

In Erbil, Iraq and Amman, Jordan,where the role may travel occasionally, security levels are good and restrictions are very limited.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Please send CV and cover letter in English.

NB: the vacancy may close before the indicated application deadline.

For additional information about SI, please visit the website.

Desired start date: ASAP

Duration of the mission: 1 year

Location: Amuda (north east Syria)