WASH Officer - IHA - Maple (Adamawa) at Save the Children Nigeria

Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in over 120 countries. We save children’s lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential. Save the Children is working in Nigeria because one in five children in Nigeria dies before their fifth birthday. About 40% of children miss out on school and have to work to survive while nearly 2 million children have lost one or both parents to an AIDS-related disease.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: WASH Officer - IHA - Maple

Location: Adamawa
Contract Length: 1 year (Renewable)
Grade: 4
Job Category: Programme Operations
Team: Programme Operations
Child Safeguarding:  Level 3

Job Description

• The post holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work in country programs; or are visiting the country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

Role Purpose

• With Funding from GAC, the WASH Officer will provide support to the Nutrition and Child Protection Project in Adamawa and is responsible for assessing water and sanitation facilities in healthcare and community sites using gender responsive standards to identify key gaps and prioritize improvements, it will also include providing safe water, repairing facilities, and ensuring adequate handwashing stations to improve healthcare quality and prevent the spread of disease among patients, healthcare workers, and nearby communities.
• At the community level, SC will repair and maintain water networks and ensure HFs are connected to reliable water sources. 
• Moreover, the WASH Officer will establish and train gender-sensitive Water Management Committees (WMCs) which will empower local communities to take ownership of WASH facilities, ensuring their sustainable operation and maintenance.
• He / She will ensure the management of waste in each HFs properly. This includes training all healthcare workers in waste segregation and ensuring safe disposal of sharps, infectious waste, and organic waste. 
• Additionally, and where applicable, will establish Community-Led Initiatives for Regular Clean-Up, empowering local communities to maintain their environment, also address hygiene needs, particularly for families of children with SAM and MAM cases, promote good hygiene practices and reduce the risk of waterborne diseases, Support in the distribution of basic hygiene kits including menstrual hygiene items.
• Equal Opportunities
  • The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.
• The responsibilities of this post may require the post holder to have regular contact with children and young people.
• As part of these responsibilities the post holder will support the establishment of child safeguarding systems, promote a culture of keeping children safe, and ensure that potential harm to children (by our own staff and/or as a result of how we do our work) is identified and addressed on an ongoing basis.
• The post holder should report and respond to interventions as determined by position related responsibilities identified in the Child Safeguarding Policy.

Scope of Role

• Reports to: Program Manager
• Staff reporting to this post: None. 
• Role Dimensions: Field office-based position with at least 40% field visit.

Key Areas of Accountabilities

• Carry out detailed WASH assessment in coordination with Health, Child Protection and other sectors with focus on water source development, treatment, and distribution.
• Prepare designs and BOQs for water supply constructions and installations for schools and host communities.
• Supervise borehole drilling and rehabilitation by contractors in the field to ensure adequate quality control is maintained and project specifications and timelines are adhered to.
• Ensure Child Safeguarding Risk Assessments are conducted for all construction and programme activities.
• Supervise construction of water collection points and storage platforms.
• Organize and conduct training for Water User Committees in coordination with sanitation and hygiene team members.
• Perform water quality analysis during water source development and implement water quality monitoring as part of the day-to-day water supply activities.
• Build the capacity of water supervisors and plumbers in the implementation, operation and maintenance of water supply equipment and facilities.
• Support the Program Manager with data collection in all water supply activities for proper monitoring of WASH program implementation.
• Ensure water supply activities are carried out in coordination with sanitation and hygiene activities as well as other partners implementing services in the field.
• Coordinate with logistics to facilitate procurement of necessary WASH items such WASH NFIs and other WASH materials and support in the distributions across the supported schools and communities.
• Work with the Supply chain team to identify and contract vendors to ensure the planned activities are in accordance with the specified designs and standard.
• Prepare weekly plans and schedule of work for all construction/rehabilitation sites, while ensuring compliance in meeting and reaching deadlines and targets.
• Work with and support the vendors to ensure all materials and equipment are in stock and any necessary orders are placed for all actions to be carried.
• Carry out field visits to assess sites at the respective facilities to ensure quality of work is up to standard.
• Carry out any other assignments as delegated by the Program Manager.
• Liaise with RUWASSA and the LGA WASH departments on WASH programming and ensure that all activities are done with their active participation and support.
• Provide support on WASH to other SCI programmes and initiatives when required.
• Ensure that WASH is integrated into all training carried out on the project.
• Carry out advocacy visits to key stakeholders at both states, LGA and community levels.
• Support periodic evaluation studies to evaluate the impact of the WASH component.
• Contribute technical expertise to donor proposals for any future project.
• Carry out regular supportive supervision visits on hygiene promotion to SC integrated projects.
• Prepare a monthly plan of field activities and share with relevant staff.
• Develop and implement tools for monitoring of WASH activities (Hygiene promotion) in collaboration with the M&E team.
• Timely collection and analysis of data for the monitoring of the activities.
• Identify the problems in the implementation process and propose solutions.
• Regularly evaluate the impact of the activities and propose changes for improvement.
• Prepare activities’ weekly, monthly, semi-annual, and annual reports and other ad hoc reports according to agreed timelines and as required.
• Capacity Building:
  • Build the capacity of partners and SCI staffs on hygiene promotion.
• Provide capacity to implementing partners that have less Construction experience.
• Engage community leaders and other key stakeholders at LGA level on hygiene promotion.
• Ensure that community mobilisation approaches on the project fully integrate hygiene promotion concepts.
• Representation & Advocacy & Organisational Learning:
  • Ensure that Save the Children's work is coordinated with efforts of other agencies and Government and support Inter-agency Coordination Sub Working Group, advocating for the specific needs of children.
• This may involve supporting the coordination of working groups and sub-working groups.
• Under the guidance of the Project Manager, WASH and Construction TA, the Officer will ensure that the ECW funded project is implemented in selected communities in line with WASH and construction minimum standards.
• Contribute to communications and media work as required.General:
  • Comply with Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.
• Other ad hoc tasks as requested by Line Manager.
• Safeguarding our Staff:
  • The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy
• Health and Safety
  • The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

Qualifications

• Minimum of a Degree in Civil / Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hydrogeology, or related fields from a recognized/accredited Tertiary Institution in Nigeria.
• An advanced degree will be an added advantage.
• Two to three years’ experience in WASH and Construction .
• Good assessment, analytical and planning skills.
• Ability to work well in the field under difficult and basic conditions.

Experience and Skills (Essential):

• Previous experience with other local and international NGOs.
• Training and experience on borehole and VIP latrine construction/rehabilitation.
• Community mobilization and advocacy experience.
• Computer literacy (MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, AutoCAD and Epanet).
• Ability to work in partnership with government and other NGO staff.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Independence, adaptability, and flexibility with good workload management, multitasking and ability to meet tight deadlines..
• Excellent communication skills.
• Listening skills.
• Problem analysis and problem-solving.
• Proficient in relevant computer applications.
• Good spoken, reading, and writing skills in English with the ability to produce quality reports. Knowledge of local language (Yoruba) is highly desirable.
• Ability to work as part of a team, flexible, adaptable, and patient.
• Ability to work under pressure often to strict deadlines.
• Desirable:
  • Familiarity with mapping field equipment and software.
  • Experience with emergency water supply systems.
  • Familiarity with population fluxes and water supply management in the context of emergencies.

Behaviours (Values in Practice):
Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values.
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same.
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others.
• Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters.
• Values diversity sees it as a source of competitive strength.
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.
• Creativity:
  • Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions.
  • Willing to take disciplined risks.
• Integrity:
  • Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity.

Application Closing Date
14th April, 2025; 14:14 UTC.

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