EH / WASH Assistant at the International Rescue Committee

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: EH / WASH Assistant

Requisition ID: req37612
Location: Mubi, Adamawa
Sector: Health
Employment Category: Regular
Employment Type: Full-Time

Job Description

• The International Rescue Committee responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, IRC offers life-saving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in more than 40 countries and in 22 U.S. cities, IRC restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted by conflict or disaster. IRC leads the way from harm to home.

Contextual Background

• The IRC has been present in Nigeria since 2012 when the organization responded to flooding in Kogi state. In February 2014 the IRC moved into Adamawa State in NE Nigeria to provide humanitarian interventions through a multi-sectoral, integrated approach for conflict affected populations.
• IRC Nigeria now operates a country office in Abuja and field offices in Mubi and Yola of Adamawa State, Maiduguri and Monguno of Borno state and Damaturu of Yobe State. Currently, IRC Nigeria implements programs primary health care, nutrition, environmental health, women’s protection and empowerment, protection, child protection, education, food security & livelihoods

Job Overview / Summary

• Since 2020, the Health Resilience of the Northeast (HeRON) project has been working alongside states and local government authorities in Borno and Yobe, strengthening their capacity to effectively deliver quality integrated primary healthcare, reproductive, maternal, and newborn and child health and nutrition services.
• In late 2022, HeRON conducted a health needs assessment in Adamawa state to ascertain the readiness of the health system to provide quality primary healthcare services for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), returnees, and vulnerable host community members.
• In 2023, HeRON will expand to Adamawa state to support the State Government in implementing a resettlement plan for IDPs across selected LGAs from dependency on emergency humanitarian aid to independent and self-sufficient residents of Adamawa state, and support the IDPs, IDP returnees, and vulnerable host community members have improved access to quality primary health care and Nutrition services.

Scope of Work

• The EH/WASH Assistant- Hygiene promotion will report to the EH WASH Officer. S/he will be responsible for day-to-day management of HeRON EH/IPC related activities, will play a fundamental role in the success of the project by closely supervising water and sanitation infrastructures as well as promoting good hygiene practices amongst the target population conducive to reducing mortality and morbidity related to water and faecal-borne diseases.
• The incumbent will be expected to collaborate with other USAID EH/WASH funder partners for technical support on EH/WASH infrastructure related assessments/ supervision.

Major Responsibilities
Program Management, Technical Quality, and Strategy:

• He/ She will assist EH WASH officer in the implementation of EH/WASH Hygiene promotion Activities
• He/ She will support documentation of WASH advocacy visits, action point and recommendations.
• He/ She will follow up with procurement officer (supply chain) and finance team on all WASH supplies and ensure delivering and payments are made in good time
• He/ She advocacy and jointly work with SPHCDA to inspect Health Facilities for water quality Standards (Number of Facilities with good Quality of care processes
• He/ She will collaborate with USAID EH/ WASH partners in holding and facilitating community engagement meetings, track implementation progress and challenges.
• He/ She will ensure accurate and timely reporting of WASH activities according to applicable time frame and formats.
• Coordinate closely with the USAID EH/WASH partners to carry out periodic assessments on water quality control at supported health facilities, and provide regular water quality monitoring reports to EH WASH Officer
• Support the EH/WASH Officer to ensure activities related to IMPACT- supported related are implemented according to the approved project work plans and in accordance with donor requirements.
• He/ She will represent and proactively engage during integrated supportive supervision and communicate challenges.
• He/ She will provide summary notes of all external meetings and internal meetings with IRC USAID EH/WASH funders partners
• Develop activity plans, reports, and other relevant documents capturing activity progress, gaps, lessons learned, and mitigation approaches.
• He/ She participate during quarterly advocacy meeting on water availability and quality control standards to Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, and LGHA to improve water quality.
• Work with the EH/WASH Officer to support the local government in collaboration with EH WASH partners to develop action plans to address identified capacity gaps at the local level & strengthen EH/WASH management at LGA and Facility level.
• Submit weekly/monthly reports of progress on the EH/WASH activities 
• He/ She will support IMPACT-supported PHCCs will include the development of spending plans of the allocated investment funds as well as the engagement of the WDCs for participation and accountability
• He/ She to work closely with supply chain and logistics to ensure that all logistical preparations, procurements, and deployment of WASH materials are established successfully.
• He/she will collaborate with EH/WASH officer to identify gaps, proactively propose steps to address those gaps and ensure approached are tailored towards needs
• Any other duty as assigned by the supervisor.

Coordination & Representation:

• Participate in technical Coordination meetings at the LGA and the State levels, as required.
• Facilitate the planning processes at LGA levels, to ensure an inclusive approach that engages stakeholders and communities to reflect WASH needs in the local context
• Jointly planning with stakeholders and organizing community-level and facility-level meetings
• Participate at program coordination meetings with USAID EH/WASH funded partners
• Participate at any other relevant meetings as directed by the line manager.

Key Working Relationships

• Position Reports to: 
  • Line Manager: EH/WASH officer
  • Position directly Supervises: N/A
• Key Internal Contacts: HeRON manager (Adamawa), Supply Chain, Finance and other Consortium management team.
• Key External Contacts: State primary health care development agency, local government health authority, WASH technical working group.

Qualifications
Education:

• Graduate Degree in Civil Engineering or related field
• Post-graduate training added advantage

Work Experience:

• Minimum of 1 year of professional experience in related field
• Experience in local governance, social accountability, public administration, institutional development, public-sector capacity building or related technical areas highly desirable.
• Knowledge and understanding of WASH program implementation particularly in the Northeast
• Have experience in general management (including financial and budget management, logistics management, etc.)
• Familiarity/ knowledge of operational contexts (Adamawa States) Mubi
• Previous work experience with INGO, especially with project planning and reports writing, is an added advantage

Demonstrated Technical Skills:

• Background in WASH program implementation, and Health System strengthening

Demonstrated Managerial/Leadership Competencies:

• Flexible, diplomatic and have ability and willingness live and work under pressure of workloads
• A mature person of high professional discipline and moral integrity, proactive and able to work under stress as the situation may dictate.

Languages:

• English. Knowledge of local languages is an added advantage

Computer/Other Tech Requirements:

• Full professional competency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint. 

Ability to Travel:

• 30 % of time

Standards of Professional Conduct

• IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct.  These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. 
• In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons, and several others.

Gender Equality

• IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply

Note

• This position is based at IRC field office in Mubi (Adamawa state)
• IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law