WASH Engineer

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with a network of 191 member National Societies. The overall aim of the IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by National Societies with a view to preventing and alleviating human suffering and thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and peace in the world.” The IFRC works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises.

The IFRC is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (Movement), together with its member National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The work of the IFRC is guided by the following fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.

The IFRC is led by its Secretary General, and has its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The Headquarters are organized into three main Divisions: (i) National Society Development and Operations Coordination; (ii) Global Relations, Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalization; and (iii) Management Policy, Strategy and Corporate Services.

The IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The IFRC also has country cluster delegation and country delegations throughout the world. Together, the Geneva Headquarters and the field structure (regional, cluster and country) comprise the IFRC Secretariat.

As one of the five decentralized parts of the IFRC Secretariat, the Asia Pacific Regional Office (APRO) leads the implementation of operational plans in support to National Societies of 39 countries through eight Country Offices and five Country Cluster Support Teams.

As part of the Asia Pacific Region, the Afghanistan country delegation supports Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) capacity building and program implementation guided by the ARCS established strategic plan in the areas of health, disaster risk management, food security and livelihoods, social outreach and organizational development.

A 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck Kunar, Nangarhar, and Laghman provinces on 31 August, affecting more than one million people and leaving thousands without shelter as winter approaches. This earthquake adds to multiple overlapping crises in Afghanistan, including mass returns from Pakistan, a nationwide humanitarian emergency affecting 23 million people, and operational constraints that are limiting humanitarian access and staffing. To effectively accompany the ARCS in responding to these crises, the IFRC Country Delegation in Afghanistan seeks a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion (WASH) Engineer to be based in Jalalabad.

The WASH Engineer reports to the Field Coordinator. He/she is a member of the country Health and WASH Team. This position will work closely with other technical teams including Health, operations, Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA), Protection, Gender and Inclusion (PGI) and quality and accountability teams in response and recovery as outlined  in the Northeastern Earthquake appeal. 

Under the supervision of the Field Coordinator, the WASH Engineer is responsible to oversee the implementation of IFRC WASH operational plan in the Northeastern Earthquake, in support to ARCS. He/she will work closely with ARCS, ensuring that WASH components are implemented effectively and efficiently in coordination with MRRD and other relevant stakeholders at local levels. This position will work closely with ARCS WASH at provincial/regional levels to support their capacity including design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

Programme Planning, Implementation, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting

• Support ARCS with planning, organizing, and implementing WASH activities at the field level.

• Support ARCS in supervision, monitoring, and evaluation of the WASH activities.
• Support ARCS in follow up of project indicators and activities regularly, ensuring activities and completed within recommended timelines.
• Liaise with the logistics and Finance team to ensure WASH goods are procured and delivered to the project areas in a timely mannerand in accordance with standard guidelines.
• Preparing monitoring reports and follow up action points through developing proper M&E mechanisms.
• Establishing a sound coordination system with all ARCS relevant staff.
• Responsible for organizing WASH related trainings or capacity building activities for ARCS staff and volunteers.
• Provide practical hands-on technical support to ARCS staff and volunteers during their practical work in the field.
• Contribute to monthly, quarterly, and annual programme reporting by providing accurate and timely field data.
• Review the quality of the work completed with the teams to ensure that it meets the projects standards, targets, and objectives.
• Represents IFRC by attending meetings, sharing information, and providing feedback when requested.
• Enforce the implementation of aims and objectives of donors in line with IFRC-ARCS policy/strategy.
• Support ARCS to implement hygiene promotion interventions, which suits the local context and is widely accepted by beneficiaries.
• Ensure IFRC, National and SPHERE standards are considered through the programme cycle and are well documented.
• Ensure the consideration of cross cutting areas such as gender, protection, environment, DRR and sustainability within all WASH interventions.
• In collaboration with Engineers and other technical staff, provide oversight to WASH related construction activities e.g. WASH in schools, CIMP etc. including regular monitoring and supervision.
• Ensure IFRC WASH supported programmes and projects use appropriate PMER tools in compliance to IFRC planning and budgeting process.
• Conduct monitoring and evaluation visits to IFRC WASH supported programme/project areas and prepare the report from the field visits for feedback to ARCS team at HQ and regional levels.
• Take lead in preparation of WASH-related case studies and success stories in the Northeastern earthquake operation for reporting through the communication department.
• Responsible for budget utilization/tracking on monthly basis in coordination with the Field Coordinator and finance department.

NS Technical and Operational Capacity Support

• To work closely with ARCS Health-WASH team and help find solutions, especially in skill building and qualitative data collection and analysis.
• Provision of technical support and build the capacity of ARCS WASH team to take the responsibility of WASH programme design and implementation in the Northeastern earthquake operation .
• Support ARCS to adhere and follow WASH national standards.
• Build ARCS capacity and provide oversight in the planning, implementation and management of the WASH components of NS emergency response and recovery programmes, ensuring that these are according to agreed standards.
• Ensure the on-going learning and development of ARCS WASH counterparts in programme planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and reporting.
• Support, coach and mentor ARCS WASH staff, assist IFRC Health Development Coordinator and link into wider organizational capacity development mechanisms

Coordination and Communication

• Coordinate with RCRC Movement partners, MRRD/PRRD, local and international NGOs, UN agencies, local Afghan Government Authorities, and other stakeholders to ensure holistic support to project implementation.
• Work with ARCS and liaise with WASH cluster and other relevant national technical setups to bridge the technical knowledge to ARCS.
• Closer relations and effective coordination with ICRC and build on community of practice on WASH in the Northeastern earthquake operation where able and relevant
• Facilitate effective liaison and coordination with WASH programme technical counterparts from the Movement, donors, government, UN agencies, INGOs and LNGOs at branch level where able and relevant
• Participate in WASH sector and relevant thematic WASH technical networks to share and keep them abreast of the latest developments and issues as related to the Northeastern earthquake operation
• Participate and produce meeting briefs/reports for feedback to ARCS and IFRC WASH colleagues.
• Attend WASH cluster meetings together with ARCS counterpart at branch level and keep the cluster well updated of ARCS’/IFRC’s response in the Northeastern earthquake operation

Quality and Accountability

• Ensure the production of regular, timely, accurate and quality narrative and financial reports as well as any other required updates and situation reports; facilitate the generation of quality content which can be used for publicity and promotional purposes as related to the Northeastern earthquake operation
• Actively engage in support to ARCS for improved data collection and management, including contextual analysis, baseline and ensuring ARCS regularly updates data and information related to hard and soft components of WASH
• Ensure evidence, best practices and core standards are applied to all levels of public health emergency programming, to ensure quality of services especially at community level.

Working with and Capacity Strengthening of Afghan Red Crescent Society

• Support building ARCS preparedness and response capacities in WASH and deliver relevant technical support in the Northeastern earthquake operation
• Support ARCS in delivery, monitoring, evaluation and reporting of WASH activities through agreed strategies, targets, common risk management approaches, and effective monitoring, evaluation and reporting mechanisms as well as proposal writing related to the Northeastern earthquake operation
• Take a capacity building approach to work, providing training, technical support, mentoring a dissemination as part of emergency response and recovery activities. Reinforce, when possible and appropriate, the capacity of the National Society’s volunteers

Required:

• Degree in Relevant Field: A bachelor's or master's degree in fields such as Environmental Science, Public Health, Water Resources Management, or a related discipline.

Preferred:

• Relevant post graduate qualification/technical training (or equivalent experience). Specialized Training: Additional certifications in WASH-related areas, such as water quality management, sanitation engineering, or emergency response, can be advantageous.

• Certification as Environmental Science, Public Health, Water Resources Management, or a related discipline.

Required:

• 3 years of experience with minimum of 5 years of managing and motivating teams.
• Experience in responding to epidemics, health/WASH crisis and emergency response.
• Experience of managing and integrating projects and people within a specialist area.
• Experience of planning and managing finances and budgets.
• Experience of working in both emergencies and developmental contexts with international Organization.
• Experience in NS capacity building in preparedness, response and recovery.

Preferred:

• Experience in managing multiple projects.
• A broad understanding of global humanitarian issues, disaster recovery and related areas.

• Experience of working for the Red Cross / Red Crescent or other humanitarian organization.

• Experience working with the National Societies

Required:

• Ability to prioritize, work well under pressure and meet deadlines. Able to achieve results through collaboration/teamwork.
• Able to strategically plan for Hard and soft components of WASH initiatives.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, able to negotiate while maintaining effective working relations.
• Ability to adapt and adjust to change, take extra miles to accomplished work task.
• Ability to work well in a multicultural team and in a changing environment.
• Ability to manage and motivate teams.
• Good representation and facilitation skills.
• Computer skills:  Windows, Word Processing, PowerPoint, Excel. (spreadsheet and database application) + Ability to use video conferencing application i.e., Microsoft Teams, Zoom etc.
• Ability to be flexible to work in pressurized working environments e.g., disaster affected area. 
• Able to travel frequently to project areas.
• Fluently spoken and written English.

Preferred :

• Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic).

Core Competencies: Communication, Collaboration & Teamwork, Judgement & Decision Making, National Society & Customer Relations, Creativity & Innovation, Building Trust. 

Value: Respect for diversity ,Integretty , Professionalism, Accountability.

Managerial competencies: Managing Performance, Managing Staff Development.

Functional competencies: Strategic Orientation, Building Alliances, Leadership, Empowering Others .