Position Title: Senior Technical Officer
Water & Sanitation Hygiene – WASH
Location: Maiduguri
Supervisor: WASH Coordinator
Project Description:
Northeast Nigeria is currently facing a growing humanitarian crisis with a vast number of Internally Displaced Persons in need of emergency assistance. These IDPs are living among host communities, lacking access to livelihoods and resources, ultimately leading to unprecedented levels of malnutrition and food insecurity. FHI 360 has been working in Nigeria for over 30 years and is now expanding activities in Borno state to respond to the IDP crisis. FHI 360 is expanding its expertise by responding to this humanitarian crisis through integrated WASH, Health, Nutrition and Protection interventions.
Basic Function:
The Senior Technical Officer WASH will provide technical and programmatic support covering FHI360 Borno Northeastern Nigeria Field locations. Under the supervision of the WASH Coordinator, S/He will implement hygiene promotion messaging and environmental health activities including training Community based WASH management structures including production of designs and bills of quantities for WASH infrastructure upgrades and new construction works related to water supply systems, Sanitation facilities and public health infrastructure including medical waste management facilities.
Job Purpose:
The Senior Technical Officer WASH will monitor all WASH activities including coordinating water quality monitoring, groundwater levels monitoring reporting and household water quality sampling at FHI360 field sites. S/He will support WASH field staff to monitor infrastructure maintenance, hygiene promotion activities and capacity building of Community based WASH management structures. S/He will train volunteers and community/camp leaders on safe waste management practices and providing support on activities related to environmental health at the healthcare facilities. Development of context specific IEC materials and contributing to WASH behavior change communication strategy.
Duties and responsibilities:
- Conduct WASH needs assessment, WASH surveys, in the field and produce assessment reports.
- Produce Civil Engineering designs, detailed drawings, and bills of quantities for all WASH and other infrastructural works.
- Submit engineering designs to relevant authorities for approval following established professional regulations and protocols
- Supervise implementation of all construction activities in the field to ensure they are executed according to detailed specifications.
- Supervise hygiene promotion activities including the recruitment, and training of Community based Hygiene Promotion Volunteers
- Support field teams in profiling and registration of WASH NFIs beneficiaries as well as distribution of WASH NFIs to vulnerable people following WASH sector guidance and FHI360 protocols.
- Produce detailed progress reports on WASH activities in the field as measured against work plan in collaboration with the WASH Coordinator, he/she shall be responsible to design, plan, implement and follow-up hygiene promotion activities such as training of trainers in hygiene promotion for community volunteers, WASH committee members and other stakeholders in LGAs in line with agreed work plan and WASH sector strategic plan.
- Plan and implement regular hygiene promotion activities in targeted locations/IDP camps.
- Developing and evaluating the most appropriate IEC tools/materials for hygiene and health promotion activities.
- Participate to the monitoring of all the hygiene and health promotion, and community mobilization activities to ensure behavior change and project ownership by project recipients.
Monitoring and Supervision
- Effective supervision of contractors to execute works in accordance with the technical specifications
- Be responsible for directing contractors to identified beneficiary locations for new construction projects
- Work with the contractor’s Hydrogeologist in siting wells and conducting pump tests for drilled wells
- Carry out assessments on existing boreholes for rehabilitation
- Perform oversight function to WASH field staff in ensuring that all WASH activities by FHI 360 are executed according to the project technical design
- Maintain and update detailed implementation plan for all WASH activities highlighting progress against key milestones
- Ensure community participation and conduct stakeholder consultations in all WASH infrastructure design and s activities.
- Ensure all WASH infrastructure activities are well coordinated with local authorities, RUWASSA, BOSEPA, MOWR, WASH Sector coordination, beneficiaries and all stakeholders, ensuring the delivery of a comprehensive WASH package wherever services are provided
- Regular planned visits to field locations to supervise all WASH sector activities and ensuring all WASH infrastructures meet specified standards.
- Ensure that the drilling contractor collects and submits required technical data in a timely manner
- Conduct frequent field-level monitoring and provide feedback to the WASH Coordinator
Reporting and Learning
- Provide activity, weekly, monthly, quarterly and progress reports
- Collect and document all snags on the works and ensure their rectification as per the contract terms
- Ensure that communities are involved in the monitoring of the construction
- Update the water points database
- Conducting water quality sampling in the field locations and consolidate water quality monitoring reports
- Consolidate weekly activity implementation reports from field locations tracking key sector indicators
- Consolidation of weekly work plan for WASH team and sharing with the WASH Coordinator
- Ensure that WASH and Public Health infrastructure construction and rehabilitation works are carried out according to contract provisions, detailed BoQs, drawings and standard specifications as established by FHI 360 through quality checklists.
- Maintain and update proper records for all WASH infrastructure activities including inventory of assets and equipment in field location.
Program strategic development support
- Be involved in field assessments for proposed projects
- Provide capacity building to local community management structures and volunteers implementing FHI 360’s programs.
Procurement and finance
- Aid the procurement of WASH supplies and construction projects and observe compliance on all procurement procedures
- Certifying completion certificates for WASH and Public Health infrastructure works
- Be involved in the planning of budget activities and their periodic review
Safeguarding
- Ensure WASH team at community level understand and adhere to FHI 360’s Code of Conduct including observing the safeguarding principle.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Knowledge, skills, and attributes:
- Knowledge of WASH and humanitarian programming in emergency situations.
- WASH technical expertise in engineering design of Water Supply, sanitation, and public health infrastructure.
- Proficiency in office and designing software skills (AutoCAD, Outlook, Excel, Power Point, Word)
- Ability to work professionally, develop and maintain good working relationships with project staff, subcontractors, consultants, and recipients of assistance.
- Ability to manage tight deadlines and deliver high volumes of work with minimal supervision.
- High degree of proficiency in written and spoken English & Hausa communication.
Qualifications and Requirements:
- HND/BSc/BEng in Civil Engineering with a minimum of 10 years relevant experience working in the Water Sanitation and Hygiene Sector in humanitarian relief contexts.
- Demonstrable experience design WASH and Public health infrastructure works
- Highly organized and able to manage multiple, simultaneous demands and able to work in a fluid environment and adhere to deadlines
- Excellent written and verbal English language skills
- Familiarity with Nigerian public sector health systems and NGOs and CBOs is highly desirable.
Safeguarding:
FHI 360 is committed to providing a safe environment for all employees, beneficiaries and anyone contracted by FHI 360. This Includes taking measures to protect vulnerable people from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) by either FHI 360 employees or associated personnel. FHI 360 abides by child safeguarding principles. FHI 360’s Safeguarding Policies apply and flow out to all FHI 360 staff, board members, volunteers, and partner staff (subcontractors, consultants, vendors, and subrecipients), regardless of the funding mechanism or amount of contract, agreement, or purchase order.
This job posting summarizes the main duties of the job. It neither prescribes nor restricts the exact tasks that may be assigned to carry out these duties. This document should not be construed in any way to represent a contract of employment. Management reserves the right to review and revise this document at any time.
FHI 360 is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer whereby we do not engage in practices that discriminate against any person employed or seeking employment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law.
FHI 360 will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws.
FHI 360 fosters the strength and health of its workforce through a competitive benefits package, professional development and policies and programs that support a healthy work/life balance. Join our global workforce to make a positive difference for others — and yourself.
