Water and Sanitation Officer (Ethiopian Nationals)

The African Initiatives for Relief and Development (AIRD) is a non-political, non-religious and non-profit making NGO with Country Programme Offices in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Niger, Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan and Ethiopia. AIRD’s objective is to offer operational support, including but not limited to: supply chain, logistics, construction, infrastructure, environment, livelihoods and WASH in partnership with relief and development organizations that focus on disaster-affected and development oriented areas. AIRD delivers for and through partners including but not limited to UN Agencies, international and national donor organizations and governments.

AIRD now seeks to recruit a qualified and motivated Water and Sanitation Officer to be based in Semera-Afar, Ethiopia for an anticipated BHA-USAID funded WASH Project.

Purpose of the position

The post holder will provide technical supervision and leadership to our emergency water, sanitation and hygiene interventions in Afar Region. He/she will lead the design, monitoring and evaluation of AIRD’s emergency related water and Sanitation works. He/she will provide technical support to the community technician, constructions companies and local partners.

Key Responsibilities

1. General Duties

• Lead the development of emergency Water and Sanitation Infrastructure that will provide framework for effective humanitarian WASH intervention including recovery.
• Keeps the effective flow of information and communication crucial for the planning and implementation of measures in WASH sector.
• Carryout feasibility studies for infrastructure works (water and sanitation) and develops projects and programs including tenders, technical specification and Bill of Quantities; that will effectively respond to the needs of the community in humanitarian situations and linking to development continuum.
• Contribute to the development of water & sanitation proposals.
• Lead the local technicians in the field and construction companies to implement Water and Sanitation Infrastructure in the target areas and ensure compliance with quality standards.
• Collaborate with community groups, government, UN agencies and other partners who are active in WASH intervention in the target woredas and region.
• Ensure timely delivery of assistance and procurement of WASH supplies, and monitors the appropriate and effective use of AIRD resources.
• Identifies problems and constraints in project delivery.
• Assists in identifying longer-term requirements of WASH intervention/operations.
• Regularly monitor Water and Sanitation activities and coordinate with other sector interventions.
• Ensure value for money and always seek cost-effective methods for spending.
• Document key lessons and good practices and ensure that this is fed into the design of programs.
• Ensure the inventory of the rehabilitated WASH facilities through regular monitoring of the water schemes’ rehabilitation and also sanitation and hygiene improvements of projects.
• Prepare and submit monthly, quarterly, biannual, annual interim, ad hoc and final reports of the water project to his line manager.
• Represent AIRD at woreda water and Sanitation forums and collaborate with regional water bureau, Federal Ministry of water resource, donors, UNICEF and other NGOs involved in supporting the water sector.

Key Relationships

• WASH Project Manager
• Hygiene Promotion Officer
• M&E Officer
• Humanitarian Operations Officer
• Partners, Government authorities
• WASH and NFI Cluster

Qualifications, experience and skills

• Graduate in Civil Engineering, Rural Engineering, Architecture, Water Resources Management, Hydraulics or any other appropriate field of development assistance;
• At least 3 years of practical experience as Water and Sanitation Officer in humanitarian response with international non-governmental organizations (INGOs)
• Knowledge of the humanitarian situation in the area (Afar Region).
• Ability to work under pressure and withstand work pressure
• Ability to conduct feasibility studies and develop technical specifications and tenders.
• Proven experience of using Civil engineering software’s (AutoCAD, Sketchup, Covadis, Epanet, etc).
• Good knowledge of Sphere standards and WASH Cluster standards on Hygiene

Required languages: Must be fluent in Both Amharic and English (written and spoken); Knowledge of the Local Language will be advantageous