Haiti: WASH Advisor - Haiti

Organization: Medair
Country: Haiti
Closing date: 30 Jan 2015

Role and Responsibilities

Provide technical advice and support to management and project staff, deliver training and ensure quality programming. Develop, lead, monitor and evaluate technical aspects of the country programme WASH activities. Coordinate and network at a senior level with national and regional authorities, clusters and other NGOs, providing capacity building for national and international staff, championing best practice (international and Medair) and contributing to the overall management of the country programme. Advise on assessment and survey design for existing and new project areas; point of contact in the country programme for HQ sector Technical Advisors.

Project Overview

The Medair programme in Haiti started in January 2010, providing assistance to earthquake affected communities in the Sud-Est department of Haiti. The initial shelter response, which provided emergency and transitional shelters to vulnerable households in Jacmel commune, has expanded in subsequent years to the commune of Cotes-de-Fer. The areas of intervention has included the repair and construction of permanent houses, upgrading of transitional shelters into permanent homes, provision of rainwater harvesting systems, spring protections, latrines, hygiene behaviour change activities, CATS, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Food Security & Livelihoods aspects.

Medair

Medair is a humanitarian organisation inspired by Christian faith to relieve human suffering in some of the world’s most remote and devastated places. We bring relief and recovery to people in crisis, regardless of race, creed or nationality. As signatories of the Red Cross Code of Conduct, we believe that aid should be given to everyone who is in need, regardless of political, social or religious viewpoint. We save lives in emergencies and then stay to help people recover from crisis with dignity—working side by side with communities to leave a lasting impact. We provide a range of emergency relief and recovery services: health care and nutrition, safe water, sanitation, and hygiene, shelter and infrastructure.

Workplace

Jacmel, Haiti

Starting Date

February 2015

Initial Contract Details

Full time, minimum contract of 24 months

Key Activity Areas

WASH Project Management

• Provide programme support and technical advice with emphasis on WASH and disaster risk reduction.
• Maintain an overview of the country WASH programme(s) and of the regional context, with a view to strategically developing new projects in current sites and / or in surrounding regions.
• Carry out regular monitoring visits in conjunction with field managers, ensuring that project objectives are met within the stated time-frames in accordance with recognised international standards.

Representation

• Develop and maintain relationships with UN, NGOs, donors, partners and other stakeholders, with the objective of raising public awareness of Medair and ensuring good co-operation and partnerships.
• Represent Medair, as appropriate, at coordination, sector and bilateral meetings, working groups, with national and / or local government departments and any other relevant meetings or events, facilitating supportive synergies and overall progress in the WASH sector and avoiding duplication with the work of other agencies (e.g. NGOs, UN, etc).

Staff Management

• Be involved in the recruitment of WASH staff for the country programme, providing advice on technical skills and experience as requested.
• Ensure all WASH staff are adequately trained and, if necessary, create possibilities for capacity building, mentoring and coaching, within budget constraints. Plan and develop training material as required.

Financial Management

• Work with the Projects Coordinator and relevant field managers and HQ staff to plan and construct WASH budgets.
• Work with the Projects Coordinator to ensure the WASH project expenditure is in line with approved budgets, advising on potential under / over spend and recommending appropriate corrective action.

Quality Management

• Promote and use the Medair e-library and other operating procedures, ensuring that all standardised formats are used and guidelines are followed.
• Ensure WASH projects are implemented in line with donor proposals and requirements and in accordance with Medair, donor, country and international standards e.g. Sphere and HAP standards, WHO recommendations, etc. Follow the direction of the WASH Advisor at HQ regarding quality, strategy and technical guidelines.

Security

• Ensure the WASH team adhere to SOPs – and promote good planning and communication within the team (especially day-to-day vehicle planning and use of comms equipment).

Qualifications

• BSc in Water / Environmental Engineering or Management or Civil Engineering or Hydrology / Geology

Languages

• Strong working knowledge of English (spoken and written)
• Working knowledge of French and/or Creole (spoken and written)

Experience / Competencies

• Relevant post-qualification professional experience, in a management position
• 1 year overseas experience in relief work with an NGO managing and coordinating WASH projects, preferably in an emergency context
• Knowledge and experience of the principles and the design, monitoring, implementation and evaluation of humanitarian projects
• Advanced leadership and project management skills; committed to consultative and servant leadership; team-player with good inter-personal skills
• Excellent proposal and report writing skills (including ability to develop and report on log-frames and a knowledge of indicators and impact); good financial management skills (budget design and control)
• Excellent negotiation/advocacy skills within varying cultural and professional contexts, in particular regarding donors and government officials
• Able to cope with basic living conditions in the field and during field trips

Medair Standard Working Requirements for the Field

• Experienced professionals in a relevant field; Overseas intercultural experience
• Committed Christians; commitment to the Medair values
• Strong working knowledge of English, spoken and written
• Working knowledge of French, spoken and written, for French-speaking field programmes
• Single or married (with no children under 18). If married, your spouse must also apply.
• Successful completion of Medair Relief & Recovery Orientation Course (ROC)
• Reflect the vision and values of Medair with team members, local staff, beneficiaries, external contacts
• Able to live and work in a multicultural team under difficult conditions
• Strong character traits, including emotional stability, adaptability, ability to handle stress, cultural and gender sensitivity, honesty, and physically fit

Benefits

• A salary based upon the grade of the position and the experience of the position-holder
• Comprehensive briefing at our Swiss headquarters, as well as an in-country briefing
• Security training for those going to particularly insecure environments
• Accommodation, food, and transportation in-country
• Return flights to and from the country programme (one return flight for every year of service)
• Rest and recuperation (R&R) leave (including travel, accommodation, and food allowance)
• Annual leave; Death and disability allowance
• Contribution matching programme for retirement savings (for experienced relief workers)
• Additional contract benefit allowance for those who commit to longer contracts
• Comprehensive medical and emergency rescue insurance, with up to 60 days post- assignment coverage, including debriefing

Working Conditions

• This is a position based in Jacmel and working and living conditions may be very different to that previously experienced.

How to apply:

Follow this link: www.medair.org/work-with-us, check if you are an Experienced or New Relief Worker and that you fit our standard working criteria, then:

a) apply for this vacancy(or another position that matches your profile)**,**or

b) apply for a Medair ROC(where we can try and match your competencies to our vacancy needs).

Please do not make multiple applications. We will not review email applications. Only English-language applications / CVs will be reviewed. Medair does not set closing / deadline dates for applications; recruitment is on-going until the position is filled.