About us

Oxfam is a global community who believe poverty isn’t inevitable. It’s an injustice that can be overcome. We are shop volunteers, women’s right activists, marathon runners, aid workers, coffee farmers, street fundraisers, goat herders, policy experts, campaigners, water engineers and more. And we won’t stop until everyone can live life without poverty for good.

Oxfam GB is a member of international confederation of 21 organizations working together with partners and local communities in the areas of humanitarian, development and campaigning, in more than 90 countries. 

Our values and commitment to safeguarding

Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behavior at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, adults and beneficiaries with whom Oxfam GB engages. Oxfam expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organization.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. Oxfam GB also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.  In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.

We are committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organisation and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.

OUR WORK IN ETHIOPIA

Since the early 1970s, we have been working to address the underlying causes of poverty and marginalization by focusing on developing sustainable livelihoods, providing water and sanitation, agriculture, climate research, gender, and humanitarian issue                 

Job details

DIVISION: Impact

TEAM: Programme Team

LOCATION: Gambella with frequent travel to Oxfam operation areas, Gambella Region, Ethiopia

CONTRACT TYPE: Fixed Term contract for 10 months with possible extension

GRADE D1 National                         

JOB FAMILY: Programme

SALARY: As per the Oxfam benefit Package

HOURS: 37.5 hours per week

FLEXIBLE WORKING

We believe flexible working is key to building the Oxfam of the future, so we’re open to talking through the type of flexible arrangements which might work for you. This is a full-time role; however, Oxfam offers various flexible arrangements which candidates can discuss with the Recruiting Manager at the interview stage

TEAM PURPOSE:

Oxfam has been intervening in Gambella Region since 2014 and its main areas of intervention are the WASH program with the integration of gender, protection and safeguarding. In response to the call for expression of interest by UNHCR/RRS Oxfam has been selected to implement and lead the WASH activities in the entire Gambella 7 refugee camps Including Pagak reception centre, therefore, the profession pursue and ensure the delivery of basic WASH services which meets an international standards

JOB PURPOSE:

Public Health Engineering Team Leader (PHE TL) is responsible to manage and lead in the implementation of Oxfam’s Public Health Engineering component of the Refugee response programme in Gambella by ensuring programme quality, community participation and consultations with relevant stakeholders.

POST HOLDER REPORTS TO

WASH Coordinator 

JOBS REPORTING TO THIS POST

Public Health Engineering (PHE) Officer

BUDGET RESPONSIBILITY

No

Dimension

• Assessment of humanitarian public health situations of the refugee in Gambella camp locations and host community.
• Providing professional advice and recommendation to the SMT on public health engineering situations/issues of programme
• Leading and influencing operational planning within the team and in coordination forums and or network.
• Supervising resources within defined boundaries or a specialist area may include people, assets and or budgets.
• Facilitating beneficiary participation and consultation through the use of participatory approaches as appropriate
• Integration with the team and with other sector PHP, MEAL, Protection and support functions to produce maximum benefit and impact
• Makes complex technical information accessible and usable by non-specialist
• Decisions are made, with specialist /divisional context, to further the objective of Oxfam and the division in conjunction with PHC

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Overall

• To provide technical leadership to the PHE and coordination with PHP Team Leader, ensure the provision of safe drinking water, safe sanitation and hygiene are maintained as per the International (SPHERE and UNHCR) standard.

Assessments

• To lead on planning and organising assessments on the public health situations of the refugee and host communities directly linked to the refugee camps.
• Work closely with the PHP Team leader and MEAL Manager to establish baseline analysis of key public health issues with key recommendations to the problem identified.
• Support the PHC in designing /redesigning the public health programme including additional emergency preparedness and response such as AWD, COVID 19.

Programme Implementation

• As Team Leader, ensure the planning, designing and implementation of all water engineering activities; ensure that proper monitoring systems are in place.
• To ensure that programme implementation activities are within the parameters of the public health needs. This will be involving training /support/ day to day supervisor of PHE officers to ensure agreed for the water supply system and sanitation system properly implemented.
• Work closely with PHPTL in the establishment of refugee/ community structure and ensure that the identifying training needs to empower these structures are adequately addressed.
• To analyse and make the links between the public health engineering staff and health promotion team and to make recommendations for action which are consistent with Oxfam’s policies.
• As necessary, lead or recruitment, training, and supervision of public health engineering staff. This will involve writing work schedules, training plans but more importantly, ensuring the performance objectives are set appraisals carried out of PHE staff.
• To ensure all activities fulfil the required quantity standards and the process is undertaken are accountable.
• The support contributes to or directly be responsible for the contract management and ensure that all compliance issues are attended to.

Programme approach

• Work closely with the Public Health Promotion Team throughout the planning, design and implementation stages of the Public Health Engineering component of the Programme thus ensuring an integrated approach
• Ensure that wherever possible an empowering approach to working with refugees/communities is employed rather than an approach, which relies solely on message-based methodologies.
• Ensure that all members of the community, women, men and children are involved in all aspects of the programme delivery from planning to evaluation.
• To ensure that all work is carried out in a way that is sensitive to community needs and gender issues.
• To promote the full and equal participation of women in all aspects of the work and to ensure that Oxfam’s response is in line with the needs of the affected people.
• To ensure that work aims to meet Minimum Standards and adheres to Oxfam’s emergency guidelines and protocols

Documentation/Reporting, Coordination and Representation

• As head of the PHE team, take an active lead in planning and proposal writing in order to provide clear objectives and establish indicators for monitoring and evaluating the PHE programme.
• Ensure that issues raised from beneficiary’s feedback generated by the Gender and &MEAL functions are acted upon and such information is shared by the PHC
• To report (verbally and in writing) to the PHC adhering to the reporting formats and intervals agreed with the PHC (for internal and external reporting).   
• To represent Oxfam on technical matters in coordination meetings with the government and other key players in the Gambella region and site locations as delegated by the PHC
• Report the relevant information and action is taken to the PHC or PM in the absence of PHC.

Staff and budget management

• Directly line manages designated PHE staff under a workable and accountable management structure.
• Ensure that all PHE staff are aware of Oxfam’s performance management systems, that objectives are set and monitored and opportunities for staff development are ensured.
• Ensure that all PHE staff are aware of and abide by key internal and external protocols and principles (e.g. Code of Conduct, People in Aid, Oxfam’s safeguarding policy).
• Proactively liaise with Finance and Logistics to ensure timely procurement and delivery of PHE materials
• Manage and monitor PHE budget lines as delegated by the PHC

Job Requirements

Person specification

Most importantly, every individual at Oxfam GB needs to be able to:

•  Live our values of INCLUSION, ACCOUNTABILITY, EMPOWERMENT, SOLIDARITY, COURAGE AND EQUALITY

Our Values

• Equality: We believe everyone has the right to be treated fairly and to have the same rights and opportunities.
• Empowerment: We acknowledge and seek to expand people’s agency over their lives and the decisions that impact them.
• Solidarity: We join hands, support, and collaborate across boundaries in working towards a just and sustainable world.
• Inclusiveness: We embrace diversity and difference and value the perspectives and contributions of all people and communities in their fight against poverty and injustice.
• Accountability: We take responsibility for our actions and inaction and hold ourselves accountable to the people we work with and for.
• Courage: We speak truth to power and act with conviction on the justice of our causes.

Ensure you commit to our THREE ORGANISATIONAL ATTRIBUTES:

• Be committed to equal opportunities: demonstrating sensitivity to cultural differences and gender equality.
• Be willing to learn and apply gender mainstreaming, women’s rights, and diversity and inclusion across all aspects of your work.
• Be committed to undertaking Oxfam’s safeguarding training and adhering to relevant policies, to ensure all people who come into Oxfam are as safe as possible.
•  Ensure you actively ADOPT OXFAM’S FEMINIST LEADERSHIP APPROACH and apply the principles and twelve practices in your work. Read more about this here:

Read this guide to find out more about what our values, organisational attributes and feminist leadership approach mean for how we work

For this role, we have selected three of the most relevant feminist Leadership practices for this role (which you can read more about here:

1. Self-Awareness
2. Mutual accountability
3. Strategic Thinking and Judgment

Experience, Knowledge & Competencies

Essential

• Bachelor of Science or Post-graduate qualification in Civil and Water Engineering or related fields that can add value to the post
• Relevant 6-7 years of experience in Public Health Engineering in emergencies, appropriate water, sanitation, and hygiene promotion preferably in international NGO, out of which 3 years should be supervisory/managerial experience.
• At least 4 years of practical experience in different settings of refugees/displaced people, flooding environment and community public health programs and knowledge of appropriate ways of tackling public health problems in emergency relief programmes
• Knowledge and recognised qualification in public health engineering, with a good understanding of public health promotion, environmental sanitation and camp/ community water supply & sanitation systems and shelter.
• Proven skills in the management of a team composed of various capacity PH engineers
• Experience and understanding of community mobilisation approach in relation to water, sanitation and public health promotion
• Experience and skills in the use of appropriate tools for dissemination of key hygiene messages
• Understanding of international WASH issues in the development and relief sector
• Sensitivity to the needs and priorities of disadvantaged populations.
• Strong team building and leadership skills and flexibility to work in different environmental contexts
• Demonstrated experience of integrating gender, protection, and diversity issues into public health promotion
• Assessment, analytical and planning skills.
• Good oral and written reporting skills.
• Diplomacy, tact and negotiating skills.
• Training/counterpart development skills and personnel management skills.
• Ability to work well under pressure and in response to changing needs.
• Ability to travel and to work in difficult circumstances.
• Good written and spoken English

Desirable

• Knowledge of the dynamics of the refugee setting is an advantageous

How to Apply

As part of your online application, please use through CLICK HERE or using Oxfam's internal /External application portal on or before February 16, 2022.

NB: Upload your up-to-date CV and a covering letter explaining your suitability against the essential criteria in the job profile. Your application will be shortlisted based on your CV and your responses to the above questions. You need not comment on your suitability against the essential criteria in the job profile. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.