Public Health Engineer/ Water Sanitation and Hygiene (PHE/WASH) Officer Full Time NEW

External Vacancy Announcement

Women Empowerment Action (WE-Action) is a feminist women’s rights organization that has been operating across various regions in Ethiopia, including Amhara, Oromia, Southern Ethiopia, Central Ethiopia, and Tigray, for the past 30 years. WE-Action has four strategic goals: combating gender inequality, promoting gender-equitable and sustainable livelihoods, ensuring protection and lifesaving support, and achieving organizational excellence.

WE-Action is currently seeking to hire a competent, qualified and interested candidate for the position of PHE/WASH Officer who will be responsible for the implementation of “Women at the Center: Enhancing SGBV Response in Crisis-Affected Communities (South Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Burkina Faso and Chad)” projects which is funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) through Oxfam.

Description of the position

• Position: Public Health Engineer/ Water Sanitation and Hygiene (PHE/WASH) Officer
• Duty Station: Raya Kobo, Amhara
• Reports to: Project Coordinator
• Salary: As per the organization’s scale
• Number of positions: One (1)
• Employment Type: Full time
• Duration: One year
• Sex: Both male and female (Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply)

General duties and responsibilities

The PHE/WASH Officer will manage and execute the project’s WASH activities through strategic partnership management, program planning, and management, administrative support, staff management, implement, review & support the delivery of PHE component.

Key Responsibilities:

• The position holder will be responsible for planning, managing and the direct supervision of WASH infrastructure construction and rehabilitation activities in the project implementation area. The PHE/WASH Officer will also support the local partners whenever it is applicable.
• Providing professional advice to partners and managers and on areas of work covered in their remit.
• Develop solutions to diverse and complex problems within organizational policy.
• Interpreting and applying operational and specialist information in a variety of formats from a variety of sources.
• Assist in developing and checking of technical drawings and bill of quantities on water and sanitation.
• Flexibility to anticipate and resolve challenges within corporate or divisional parameters, with moderate scope.

Project management

• Support in planning, implementation and coordination of technical WASH needs assessment to identify new needs and ensure findings are well enumerated and incorporated in overall programming.
• Work closely with implementing partners, key government authorities to design the most appropriate emergency water systems including storage, treatment, and distribution networks as well as rehabilitation of existing systems as per the demand of targeted communities and to the regional standards.
• Select, design and implement the most appropriate forms of sanitation systems which includes excreta disposal, refuse disposal, and drainage as highlighted in the proposal.
• Developing bill of quantities and computer aided designs with AutoCAD and ArchiCAD according to recommended engineering standards.
• Liaise closely with partners government authorities and line ministries throughout the planning, design and implementation stages of water and sanitation activities.
• Coordinate the proper implementation/execution of project activities as per the required quality, according to work plan, and budget.
• Follow with local partners procurement process of construction materials and tools on time with clear specification and quantity and follow up for on time procurement and delivery to site.
• Liaise closely with the PHP Officer throughout the planning, design and implementation stages of the PHE activities.
• Ensure priority areas such as gender equality and HIV/AIDS mainstreaming are integrated into all hygiene and sanitation interventions and technical support to local partners.
• Ensure project resources in the construction sites are utilized effectively and efficiently.
• Liaise with partners to ensure work completion certificates are issued up on completion of activities and payment certificates are prepared for approval. Payment requests are prepared and submitted for payment as agreed in the contract.
• In collaboration with PHP Officer, train water management committee on operation and maintenance of water facilities.

Coordination

• Collaborate and support MEAL team to ensure improved program quality and accountability.
• Work closely with Regional Water Bureaus and the Regional Health Bureaus and their respective structural Offices to facilitate and coordinate effective delivery of WASH emergency response actions. This will include significant coordination and sharing of information with the respective Bureaus.

Compliance and Performance

• Read, understand and strictly respect PSEA principles and CHS.
• Strictly follow and adhere to organizational policy and standardization manuals.

Safeguarding

• Able to seek appropriate advice and report concerns, and feel confident that they have been understood
• Understands local safeguarding structures and arrangements
• Practices in a manner that seeks to reduce the risk of abuse, harm or neglect
• Identifies and refers to appropriate services any other associated persons including family members and children at risk

Accountability and transparency

• Implement WE- Action compliances to Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS) and develop communities’ capacity accordingly.
• Gather feedback and complaints on any concerns of the safe space and formally document and report back to field offices with a confidential and secure manner

Job Requirement

• Master of Public Health/BSc in Environment Health Science, Public Heath, Health Officer, or related fields that can added value to the post.
• Minimum of 6 years working experience in Public Health Promotion, Emergency WASH, public health promotion, community mobilization out of which preferable 3 years of experience working in INGO organization.
• Experience and understanding of community mobilization in relation to water, sanitation, and hygiene activities.

Key skills and competency required

• Communication and Interpersonal Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills to engage effectively with survivors, colleagues, stakeholders, and community members. Ability to build rapport, maintain confidentiality, and work collaboratively in a team environment.
• Community Mobilization: Build rapport with community members and mobilize them during project activities.
• Behave Ethically: Understand ethical behavior and organizational practices, and ensure that own behavior and the behavior of others is consistent with these standards and aligns with the values of the organization.
• Build Relationships: Establish and maintain relationships with partners and stakeholders.
• Self- Management: Is self-directed, eager to meet and exceed objectives, and excited to take on more responsibility.
• Gender Sensitive: Understands gender equality and demonstrate gender sensitive and responsive behaviors.