WASH Engineer (Adamawa) at Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action – helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: WASH Engineer

Reference Number: ABV / PRO / 2020 / 0017
Location: Yola, Adamawa
Position Status Full-time, Regular

Program / Department Summary

• Summarize With the insurgency affecting North-East Nigeria and displacing millions of people, Mercy Corps is expanding its humanitarian programming to support the conflict-affected population
• As a result of the wide-scale needs, Mercy Corps is scaling-up food security, non-food items, nutrition, protection, livelihoods, and water sanitation hygiene (WASH) activities in Borno State to address emergency needs
• Furthermore, Mercy Corps through small-town WASH is starting and expanding its early recovery programming to support the inhabitant of small towns in Southern Borno, Adamawa and Yola states.

General Position Summary

• Mercy Corps is looking for a strong Senior WASH Engineer to oversee the planning and implementation of all Small-Town WASH activities and set high-quality performance targets ensuring quality, adherence to technical standards, best practices and donor guidelines
• This position also involves maintaining and strengthening MC WASH partner relations including the private sector, WASH stakeholders and other civil society organizations with whom Mercy Corps has a common vision.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategy & Vision:

• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
• Develop and organize activities to secure resources for programs and convince stakeholders to provide support.

Program Management:

• Under the guidance of WASH Advisor, the WASH Engineer will supervise and manage all aspects of Small-Town WASH program design, planning, implementation, quality, accountability and improvement of WASH infrastructure in targeted areas.
• With guidance from the WASH Advisor, design and oversee technical and social WASH assessment tools.
• Provide technical support to the Program WASH stakeholders, contractors and ensuring that they are working according to design, activity plans and with the high-quality construction of STW infrastructures.
• Plan, implement and monitor project activities with the stakeholders and ensure compliance with the Program documents.
• Conduct and design WASH activities with the utmost sensitivity for safety and wellbeing of beneficiaries, national staffs and with regards to political contexts.
• Conduct WASH assessments to identify the critical requirement for the ST WASH program with a particular focus on women, girls and vulnerable populations.
• Analyze assessment data and develop appropriate messaging related to water, sanitation and hygiene behaviours change in targeted communities;
• Promote community involvement and ownership in all water and sanitation activities and infrastructure projects and advise on hand-over protocols and activities
• In collaboration with the WASH stakeholders, perform a final inspection of completed ST WASH infrastructure projects, and ensure that technical, safety and environmental standards have been met;
• Integrate community approaches, gender and disablement sensitivity, Do No Harm/protection mainstreaming, environmental sensitivity and capacity building into all activities as appropriate under the guidance of WASH advisor.
• Establish and maintain effective program reporting, document filing, and monitoring and evaluation systems (to track, analyze and report on results) for both internal and external use. Ensure program filing system is in place, adheres to internal and donor regulation and filing are regularly maintained.
• Conduct regular monitoring at ST WASH infrastructure project sites and provide feedback to the Chief of Party and WASH advisor for necessary decision and action.
• In collaboration with the MEAL Team, direct the measurement, documentation, analysis and reporting of project performance and outcomes; ensure implementation of strong M&E systems using Mercy Corps tools and resources to maximize project impact on beneficiaries
• Integrate community approaches, gender sensitivity and capacity building into all activities as appropriate;
• Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities and partners and consistent with Mercy Corps’ relevant program guidelines, principles, values, quality standards and strategic plan.
• Ensure that beneficiaries are effectively targeted according to established vulnerability criteria.
• Develop partners’ MoUs and contracts & oversee a training program for program partners.
• Develop program implementation strategies, including partnership frameworks, beneficiary targeting and distribution process as well as WASH, psychosocial and capacity building of partners.
• Integrate community approaches gender sensitivity and capacity building into all activities as appropriate.
• In collaboration with the Small-Town WASH Chief of Party and WASH advisor, assist the procurement team to prepare tender documents, review the technical profiles of contractors, and ensure materials procured meet required quality standards
• Oversee and ensure that procurement is completed, documented and delivered to end-user promptly, ensuring that items procured meet specifications of the end-user while adhering to donor and Mercy Corps procurement guidelines.
• Oversee all aspects of an asset as well as stock management for the WASH commodities, including ensuring sound transfers between sub-offices or to the program implementation sites
• Ensure quality and accuracy of the BBQs and Contracts, Cost estimates and any other project-related documentation needed for procurement. Managing the tendering process and monitoring contractors’ progress and quality of work. Ability to resolve field and construction issues.
• Create and maintain systems ensuring effective and transparent use of financial resources for timely and informative reporting in line with donor and Mercy Corps policies and procedures.
• Fulfil Mercy Corps’ Program Management Minimum Standards based on the organization-wide guide.
• Ensure all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and beneficiary accountability standards.
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.
• Other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Team Management:

• Assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.

Finance & Compliance Management:

• Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to MC programming.
• Assist Chief of Party & WASH advisor in Managing the WASH program budget, including approval of appropriate program expenses (within approval limit), tracking of program spending and financial obligations, verification of monthly budget-vs-actual reports, estimation of projected spending and submission of monthly cash forecasts, etc.
• In collaboration with the Chief of Party and WASH advisor, ensure compliance with all donor and Mercy Corps finance regulations and procedures.
• In collaboration with the Chief of Party and WASH advisor, contribute to WASH sector activity budgets and project monthly cash flow.
• Process documentation for payments and ensure timely payments of completed Small Town WASH activities.
• Drafting scope of work to hire and manage any third-party services i.e. vendors, labour contractors and suppliers, including review for technical efficacy and contract budget.

Security:

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.
• Adhere to all MC policies related to security, operations and transport/ logistics information related to programming

Organizational Learning :

• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Safeguarding:

• Mercy Corps has zero tolerance of every form of abuse and expects team members, operations and programs to not harm the people and communities with which we work or put anyone, especially vulnerable populations at risk of abuse or exploitation.

Accountability to Beneficiaries:

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves professionally and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Supervisory Responsibility

• Directly supervise WASH Contractors/Construction companies.

Accountability:

• Reports Directly To: Chief of Party (Administratively) and WASH Advisor (Technically)
• Works Directly With: MEL team, MC partners, Security team, Protection, Finance, Program and Operation Teams.

Knowledge, Qualification and Experience

• Master’s Degree in Water and / or Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Public Health or other relevant backgrounds and / or relevant experience in water and sanitation that related to slum upgrading program.
• At least 5 years of experience in community-based water and sanitation project. Preferably in an urban context.
• Experience in water supply systems: boreholes, pumping, basic hydraulics, etc.
• Fluency in both verbal and written English highly preferred. Fluency in Kanuri is required
• Multi-tasking, coordination, organization, prioritization skills essential. Demonstrated strengths in analytical skills, monitoring and evaluation, and report writing
• Highly-developed computers skills, with strong familiarity with MS Office, Powerpoint, Outlook, Excel, Word, and infrastructure design software
• Ability to work independently and cooperatively in an ethnically and culturally diversified team.
• Ability to work under pressure and supervise, mentor and coach a diverse team.
• Strong interpersonal, intercultural and communication skills.
• Knowledge of Sphere standards and other training in humanitarian response preferred.

Success Factors

• The successful WASH Engineer will combine curiosity and strong technical skills in WASH programs
• S/he will be an effective communicator, with dedication towards community work, commitment to work long hours in the field conditions with limited access to resources
• S/He will be highly motivated and capable to work with limited direct supervision.
• S/He will also have a good understanding of early recovery principles and their application to program implementation is required. Ideally, s/he will have previous experience in working in large-scale emergency/early recovery programs in insecure and conflict-affected contexts, including remote management and capacity development. S/he will be willing to conduct several days-long field travels.

Application Closing Date
1st June, 2020.