WASH Officer

ROLE PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION:

Save the Children International SCI is a leading independent international organization creating lasting change for children in need around the world. SCI works in over 120 countries globally, including Nigeria, helping children to survive, learn, and be protected. We are working with the government to improve children’s education, health, nutrition, protection and economic opportunities, and in times of acute crisis, mobilizing rapid life-saving assistance to help the children to recover from the effects of war, conflict and natural disasters.

Save the Children International Nigeria has been selected as Grant Agent for the GPE Accelerated funding to implement Refugee Education intervention over an 18-month period across states of Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Benue, Cross-River and Taraba. As Grant Agent, we are strengthening collaboration with the government at Federal and States/LGA level and SC’s localization strategy recognizing your relevance in the development of a joint refugee/host community education programme to be implemented across the five refugees hosting states. 

The WASH Officer will:

• Strategically lead and support implementation of WASH component of project including construction/rehabilitations of water and sanitation facilities in collaboration with Education and WASH stakeholders at state/LGA levels.
• Take the lead on integration of hygiene promotion into  Education programming
• Ensure increased access to high quality, effective and sustainable WASH facilities to improve hygiene practices among students, increase access to safe water and sanitation facilities for refugee and host community children attending school.
• Engage community and school based local structures like School Based Management Committees SBMCs to deliver and support the implementation of some activities such as establishment of health clubs, distribution of dignity kits to students, distribution of WASH curriculum to schools, and behaviour change communication on WASH. 
• Support Monitoring and evaluation of WASH activities

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

• Carry out field visits to assess sites at the respective facilities and in conjunction with the SCI Education team towards determining the needs and requirement for action and implementation.
• Work with the supply chain and Finance and Grants Compliance 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.
• Provide interpretation to designs of work and work according to specifications. 
• Establish a site book at each location and make report on progress registered in the site book while ensuring signing in with remarks.
• Must adhere strictly to standards and ensure quality of materials used by the contractors falls within the utmost standard.
• Carry out regular supportive supervision visits on hygiene promotion in selected schools and refugee settlements
• Build the capacity of partners and SCI staffs on hygiene promotion
• Ensure that community mobilization approaches on the project fully integrate hygiene promotion concepts
• Engage community leaders and other key stakeholders at LGA level on hygiene promotion
• Liaise with SUBEB, 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 programs and initiatives when required
• Ensure that WASH is integrated into trainings carried out on Education and other SCI projects 
• Carry out advocacy visits to key stakeholders at both state, 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 projects
• Prepare a monthly plan of field activities and share with relevant staff
• Develop and implement tools for monitoring of WASH activities 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
•  Evaluate regularly the impact of the activities and propose changes for improvement
•  Prepare activities’ reports and other ad hoc reports according to agreed timelines and as required

Safeguarding

• Ensure that project delivery complies to the highest safeguarding standards in line with Save the Children’s policy 
• Work with the project safeguarding officer to ensure that all WASH activities, construction sites and WASH facilities have a safeguarding risk assessment and mitigation measures in place 
• Ensure safe programming in the planning, implementation, monitoring, training of teachers and construction/rehabilitation of learning centres.
• Adhere to the Do no Harm principles across the entire steps within the Programme Management Cycle.

QUALIFICATION, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential

• First degree in Civil Engineering, Geology, Geography or other WASH-related fields from a recognized/accredited Tertiary Institution in Nigeria
• At least two years’ post-graduation experience
• Advanced degree will be an added advantage
• Previous experience with other local and international NGOs 
• Experience in WASH in School and in community based programmes 
• Training and experience on borehole and VIP latrine construction/rehabilitation
• Community mobilization and advocacy experience 
• Computer literacy MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint
• Fluency in English and Hausa, spoken and written
• Ability to work in partnership with government and other NGO staff 
• Good interpersonal skills 
• Ability to work within a team setting
• Independence, adaptability and flexibility with good workload management, multitasking and ability to meet tight deadlines
• Excellent communication and writing skills