WASH Assistant

Action Against Hunger works to save lives by combating hunger and diseases that threaten the lives of vulnerable communities, through nutrition, food security, water and sanitation, health and advocacy.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Position: WASH Assistant
Job Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Starting date: As Soon As Possible
Direct Line Manager: WASH Officer

Job Summary

• The WASH Assistant will be working under the leadership and guidance of the RRM WASH Officer, accountable for professional technical contribution to rehabilitation and construction of the WASH project activities within the framework of the emergency response program in Northeast, Nigeria.

Objective 1

• Daily supervision of Hygiene, water supply and sanitation activities, including construction, preparing technical design and bills of quantities

Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Facilitate technical assessments of WASH facilities and hygiene practices in communities/IDP settlements.
• Assist the Project manager in the selection, design and construction of water systems, using ground water or surface water, including abstraction, storage, treatment and distribution for new systems or rehabilitation of existing systems.
• Provide technical assistance to the Project manager in the assessment of  sanitation needs, design and implement the most appropriate form of sanitation system, in consultation with male and female beneficiaries, which includes excreta disposal, refuse disposal, vector control and drainage
• Identify and engage skilled and unskilled labour workers for borehole rehabilitation and emergency latrines construction.
• Raised material request for borehole and latrine construction materials.
• Keep track of construction materials used daily in the material consumption sheet.
• Prepare request for daily skilled and unskilled labour for construction and rehabilitation work.
• Prepare and submit weekly timesheets of daily skilled and unskilled workers for validation.
• Consider different maintenance mechanisms, ensuring that they are appropriate to the local context and cultural norms and that facilities are sustainable.
• Prepare a Written Work Instruction for use on-site to bring clarity to contractor's roles and responsibilities in each stage of the execution of construction activities.
• Continually assess emergency needs, as requested, especially taking in the broader perspective of public health.
• Ensure that work meets with SPHERE minimum standards.
• Ensure that all technical work reflects the needs and preferences of different target groups.

Objective 2

• Train and build the capacity of Stakeholders, beneficiaries and partners

Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Work closely with community leaders to Identify community capacity needs.
• Prepare training tools on relevant technical topics and conduct training for both internal staff and external stakeholders.
• Assist the WASH Project Manager in the development of technical guidelines and tools.
• Assess areas for improvement and recording lessons learnt for future activities.

Objective 3

• Facilitate Hygiene Promotion sessions and promote behaviour change

Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Assess hygiene practices and identify risky behaviours within the community and identify best hygiene promotion approach.
• Facilitate selection and training of community hygiene promoters.
• Identify and train volunteers in preparedness for emergency cholera response.
• Liaise closely with the WASH Technical Officer throughout the planning, design and implementation stages of the WASH technical activities.
• Identify and train water vendors to improve access to safe drinking water
• Work closely with community structures in building sustainability and ensuring the effective utilisation of WASH facilities.

Objective 4

• Coordinate with internal staff and local stakeholders to ensure smooth project implementation

Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Liaise closely with other sectors in the implementation of WASH activities.
• Ensure that effective communication and networking is developed and maintained through partnership and collaboration.
• Team with local Government and sectorial stakeholders/counterparts to exchange information on WASH technical implementation status.
• Assist and participate in community mobilization.

Internal & External Relationship
Internal:

• WASH Assistant: Collaborate with the hygiene promotion and social mobilization team members to ensure exchange of information and promote effective use of WASH facilities in the community.

External:

• Local governmental and non-governmental partners: exchange of information, coordination, training, supervision, influence on choice of technical options.
• Local representatives of international aid organisations: exchange of information.

Qualifications

• Minimum of National Diploma in Water engineering, Geology, Hydrology, civil engineering, and other related fields.
• Additional experience in trouble shooting, borehole rehabilitation, solar installation and latrine construction.
• Experience in drilling and construction activities.

Skills & Experience
Essential:

• Previous experience in supervising drilling and construction activities
• Professional, good organizational capacity, motivated, open, creative, mature, responsible, flexible and, culturally sensitive
• Minimum of 1 year relevant work experience
• Microsoft Office and designing software Skills (AutoCAD, Outlook, Excel, Power Point, Word)
• The candidate should be willing and able to be based and travel regularly within remote areas, where services are limited.
• Fluency in Kanuri, Hausa and English.
• Commitment to AAH mission, values and policy

Preferred:

• Previous experience of work in the humanitarian sector.
• Good knowledge of the intervention area/s and local economy.
• Previous experience with AAH.