Environmental Health Officer

WaterAid is an international development NGO based in London since 1981 and working in 26 countries in the world and working in Ethiopia since 1983. WaterAid’s aim is to help poor people in developing countries to achieve lasting and sustainable improvements to transform lives by improving access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene practices.

WaterAid based in Ethiopia (WAE) would like to hire professionals for its Burie Project in Amhara region, West Gojjam Zone, Burie Town.

Reporting to : Program coordinator

Duty Station : Amhara, West Gojjam Zone, Burie Town

Level / Grade : 4

Travel Required

Purpose of the Position: The main purpose of the job is to provide quality support to the implementation of WAE’s WASH work in line with priorities identified in the Woreda & Town development plans and priorities by linking with the WAE’s country strategy. The position is expected to provide technical advice and facilitation in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Burie Woreda and Burie town WASH project, program and strategy. The role includes but not limited to facilitating community mobilization by himself as well as through primary health care units; capacity building to the WASH sectors (Water, education and health); introduce appropriate sanitation techniques (FAST, CLTSH, SCLTSH, SWASH club establishment and support), technologies like sanitation marketing, etc.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

Technical assistance:

• Build the capacity of local government and community by providing hygiene and sanitation technical support;


• Encourage WASH sector to reflect critically on their hygiene and sanitation policies and practices;


• Provide appropriate advice to ensure adherence with National, regional and Water Aid’s policies and recommended practices, especially regarding the health and safety for construction site and Water Quality Monitoring Policies;


• Provide technical support in all phases of the program cycle, from appraisal, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation through regular field visits, training-based capacity building, and desk-based feedback;


• Provide advice regarding hygiene and sanitation approaches adoption and innovation of sanitation and hygiene technologies by considering to the local context;


• Ensure implementation of planned WASH activities as per proposal Conduct construction quality control of WaSH facilities, facilitate preparation of sanitation business plan and take part in operation and maintenance;


• Provide technical support in implementing CLTSH and other promotional approach (ICC/BCC material development) based on the local context.

Planning:

• Take part in project plan and personal work planning, implementation and review processes to maximize the effectiveness of WAE’s initiatives and supporting the Woreda and Town WASH sector;


• Plan, direct and controls the operation of activities assigned;


• Guide and supervise the implementation of activities;


• Take part in Woreda and town WASH planning, community mobilization and other stakeholders engagement in the planning process.

Project and Financial Monitoring:

• Perform the duties of hygiene and sanitation, which include but are not limited to monitoring and reviewing the performance with the government;


• Monitor the project properties, Share timely physical and financial expenditure against the planned activity, reviewing quarterly updates, bi-annual reports and reviewing budgets and take necessary action.

Learning and Development:

• Keep up to date with developments in the sector, including best practice examples in-region and nationally, and ensure ongoing personal development and learning;


• Participate in the documentation and dissemination of lessons learned in the project/program. Extract sanitation learning lesson from the project.

Networking:

• Coordinate with regional, zonal and Woreda/town stakeholders, development partners and networks particularly those relevant to the WASH sector and represent WAE in policy forums locally and at zonal level and accordingly;


• Collaborate with others to generate quality evidence on WASH in local context and other stakeholders work as well as in the sector more broadly.

Equity and Inclusion:

• Ensures that all sanitation and Hygiene activities consider E&I principles and mainstreamed in the project/program to influence both local WASH sector and other stakeholders to include E&I in their WASH interventions.

Resource Mobilization:

• Play an active role in local fund raising at community, schools, Woreda/Town level by being exemplary to other staff in collaboration with local government programmatic approach team;


• Work closely with other wash stockholders in the Woreda

Team Development:

• Lead, supervise, guide and support the Hygiene and Sanitation/Water activity;


• Work closely with the project staff and local government staff;


• Exercise, the programmatic approach thinking in collaboration with the local government and other local stakeholders.

Reporting:

• Prepare monthly, quarterly and interim reports to the programmatic coordinator on hygiene and sanitation/ activities;


• In addition to this contribute to WAE reports to government and donors and provide periodic progress updates for organizational use;


• In collaboration with local government actively participate in midterm evaluation and facilitate final evaluation.

• Other activities as instructed by the Program Coordinator

Education and year of experience:

• B.Sc. in Environmental Health, Public Health or related fields;


• Minimum of 4 years of proven and progressive work experience in WASH sector, preferably in NGO.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Track record of successful work experience and results in the area of hygiene and sanitation/water supply, preferably in NGOs;


• Demonstrated technical and managerial ability, sound judgment, and ability to work effectively with others at all levels;


• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, e.g., Government offices at different levels, partners, other NGOs and networks;


• Firm belief in team work, gender equality, sensitivity to HIV/AIDS, participatory approach and sustainable development;


• Commitment to values and working styles of WAE;


• Proficiency in the use of computers ( MS word, Excel, Power Point, e-mail, Internet);


• Good written and spoken English language; (Speaking the local language is an advantage);


• Good interpersonal and communication skills;


• Good community mobilization and facilitation skills;


• Firm belief in teamwork, equity and inclusiveness, gender equality, sensitivity , participatory;


• Ability to adapt to the local environment and understand and respect community values;


• Good understanding of government WASH policy;


• Familiar with the national hygiene and sanitation strategy and promotional approach.

Personal Characteristics / Skills:

The Environmental Health Officer should demonstrate competence in some or all of the following:

• Respectfulness;


• Accountability;


• Courage;


• Excellence;


• Building partnership;


• Stress tolerance;


• Building commitment;


• Collaboration;

Closing date: Mar 11, 2016

All Applications must be submitted by 11th March 2016.