Title: Infrastructure Coordinator (Shelter & WASH)

Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with Frequent Travel and mission to field locations in Ethiopia

Employment Category: G1

Reporting To: Emergency Manger

Direct Reports: N/A

Start of Contract & Duration: 6 Months, with possibility of extension

Posting date: December 8, 2020

INTRODUCTION

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC), an international non-governmental organization (NGO), has been providing relief and development services in the Horn of Africa since 1997. DRC promotes and supports solutions to the problems faced by refugees, internally displaced people (IDPs), and migrants. The organization has offices across the region, and has been operational in Ethiopia since 2009. With funding from bilateral and multilateral donors, DRC is currently implementing a range of activities across Ethiopia and Djibouti, including WASH and shelter provision, child and youth protection, gender-based violence response, awareness-raising of migration risks, protection monitoring of migration routes, and livelihoods support for returning migrants or those at-risk of migration.

OVERALL PURPOSE OF THE ROLE:

The WASH and Shelter Infrastructure Coordinator is part of DRC Ethiopia and Djibouti technical advisory team. The role contributes to the development of WASH and Shelter strategies, which are translated into action plans and day-to-day tasks. This role has a focus on capacity building of existing teams, ensuring country office level coordination between DRC sector teams, and provides support and/or technical guidance to area level operations, and ensuring quality and adheres to DRC and international standards and/or guidelines. The WASH and Shelter Infrastructure Coordinator will also have a role in supporting the emergency planning and preparedness activities and moving the DRC response towards a right and need based approach.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Assessments

• Develop and undertake WASH and Shelter Infrastructure needs assessments to inform program design and strategic direction. This may include conducting assessments and fact-finding missions to establish WASH and Shelter infrastructure programming in the operational areas where needs have been identified.
• Ensure that the WASH and Shelter program is informed by sound analysis, and that contact with beneficiaries, target groups and representatives of authorities’ consultations is in line with DRC's values, culture and beliefs; and that the strategy is gender and conflict sensitive.
• Provide WASH and Shelter Infrastructure technical support and guidance for the field assessment team as appropriate, with specific responsibility for ensuring analysis of assessment data and preparation of reports.

Program Design

• In close collaboration with the Emergency Manager, ensure WASH & Shelter Infrastructure program goals and objectives remain relevant and geared towards meeting the needs of the most vulnerable.
• Together with the Area Managers, identify and develop strategic and complimentary entry points for DRC WASH and Shelter infrastructure program. This may include exploring and developing strategic partners contributing to quality and scaling up of programs.
• Play a proactive role in integrating WASH and shelter interventions with other sector strategies to ensure maximum impact; working collaboratively with other technical specialists/coordinators to ensure that minimum protection standards are included.
• Work closely with Emergency manager and the Grants unit to develop quality proposals, letter of intent, concept notes and budgets as well as input into donor reporting.
• Ensure that the WASH and Shelter Infrastructure program is driven by a sound Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning framework that leads to continuous improvement and fine-tuning of systems and processes.
• Proactively identify program development opportunities in Ethiopia, resource mobilization avenues, and new thematic areas of technical intervention that would promote the expansion of DRC’s WASH and Shelter Infrastructure portfolio.
• Ensure cross-cutting issues are integrated in the WASH and Shelter programming such as GBV, Gender, Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP), Environment, sustainability and other cross cutting issues are considered and factored into program design.
• WASH and Shelter activities, including, but not limited to; framework agreements on goods and services, kit composition, contracted water trucking and any other services addressing emergency needs.

Technical coordination and support

• Support partners to develop and finalize relevant technical documentation required for successful delivery of WASH/shelter projects, including Scope of Work, technical designs, BoQs, etc.
• Provide technical support in the design, installation, maintenance and operation of existing and new community water supply systems as well as training of hygiene promotion volunteers and WASH committees.
• Lead the selection, design, and upgrade the most appropriate forms of sanitation system (to include excreta disposal, vector control, solid waste disposal and drainage) in accordance to SPHERE standards and taking full account of local conditions, resources, customs and cultural norms.
• Lead the selection and design of appropriate shelter units in accordance to SPHERE & UNHCR standards and taking full account of local conditions, resources, customs and cultural norms.
• Design and provide technical support on WASH and Shelter/NIFs interventions through new innovative approaches to assist target communities moving from the stage of emergency relief into early recovery and development as might be feasible and appropriate.
• Identify technical or programmatic gaps and provide training, mentoring and capacity building as required, on emergency WASH and Shelter within the humanitarian context.
• Support recruitment of technical staff involved in supporting DRC’s WASH and Shelter programs

MEAL, Information and Co-ordination

• Cultivate good relations with key humanitarian actors in the WASH and Shelter sectors.
• Coordinate with relevant national and international actors and actively participate in relevant working groups and other meeting in the area of responsibility, including WASH an SNFI Clusters.
• Represent DRC as required in technical visits and technical working groups.
• Provide regular updates to the Emergency Manager, and the rest of the team on progress, priorities and constraints – verbally and in writing.
• Closely coordinate with area offices to identify challenges and provide guidance and support.
• Develop and share lessons learnt, success stories (project impacts) internally and with stakeholders/ donors.
• Quality control and site monitoring as per expected outputs and outcome to ensure that services provided are according standards in coordination with MEAL team.
• Any other duties as agreed with the Emergency Manager.

Personal/Professional Skills:

• A strong team worker;
• Ability to exercise sound, mature judgment and work independently
• Aptitude to work in difficult conditions and stressful situations
• Creativity, flexibility and the ability to work with limited resources

Job Requirements

Experience and technical competencies:

• Professional technical experience evidencing and demonstrating ability to deliver against the above-mentioned responsibilities:
• Masters/Bachelor’s degree with relevant, progressive experience in Water/Sanitation/environmental Engineering or Structural/Civil Engineering, Construction Management or related technical field;
• Demonstrated knowledge and at least three years of relevant work experience for M.Sc and five for B.Sc with an excellent program coordination skill in WASH & Shelter/NFI programs, preferably with an International NGO;
• Excellent technical knowledge of shelter and WASH standards and principles with demonstrated capacity to develop effective responses/modalities to identified shelter and WASH needs and in accordance with the relevant frameworks;
• Solid experience in project development; with good skills in donor proposal writing/reporting budget, and BOQs;
• Knowledge of participatory approaches and community sensitization and mobilization
• Ability to write reports, procedure manuals, and guidelines;
• Effective coordination, representation and presentation skills (internal and external)
• Efficiently manage and meet deadlines;
• Profound contextual awareness and insight into health issues
• Effectively relate, motivate and work as a team player;
• Work experience in the areas of emergency, especially with displaced/refugees’ communities;
• Excellent communication skills, including ability to simply present complex technical information
• Analytical thinking and supervisory skills;
• Excellent organisational skills, ability to determine priorities and attention to detail;
• Excellent interpersonal and coordination skills, including working with different groups, partners and nationalities;
• Previous technical advisory and implementation experience in, and understanding of, the Ethiopia context is highly desirable

Education: (include certificates, licenses etc.)

• Masters/Bachelor’s degree with relevant, progressive experience in Water/Sanitation/environmental Engineering or Structural/Civil Engineering, Construction Management or related technical field;

Languages: (indicate fluency level)

• Full professional proficiency in English (fluent)

All DRC roles require the post-holder to master DRC’s core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: Focusing on reaching results while ensuring efficient processes.
• Collaborating: Involving relevant parties and encouraging feedback.
• Taking the lead: Taking ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: Listening and speaking effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity: Acting in line with DRC's vision and values

How to Apply

Interested candidates who meet the required qualifications and experience are invited to submit updated CV and cover letter explaining their motivation and why they are suited for the post.

We only accept applications sent via our online-application form on www.drc.ngo under Vacancies. 

Please forward the application and CV, in English through the stated website no later than December 18, 2020.

For general information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult www.drc.ngo

Gender Equality: DRC is committed to achieving gender parity in staffing at all levels. In light of this, women candidates are particularly encouraged to apply to bridge the gender gap.

Equal Opportunities: DRC is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment based on mutual respect for all employees. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, disability status, religion, ethnic origin, colour, race, marital status or other protected characteristics

We encourage only qualified Ethiopian Nationals to apply. DRC considers all applicants based on merit.