This position is advertised open to internal and external applicants.

WASH Associate
General Background
(Brief description of the national, sector-specific or other relevant context in which the individual contractor will operate)
Dollo Ado District/Woreda is located in the extreme South East of Ethiopia, bordering Kenya and Somalia in the South. Dollo Ado has been hosting Somali refugees since 2009. UNHCR, ARRA and WFP in collaboration with humanitarian agencies provide essential live saving, protection, and basic services in the five camps: Bokolmanyo, Melkadida, Kobe, Hilaweyn and Buramino. The current refugee population is 169,005 individuals as of 31 July 2021 (source: UNHCR ProGres).

The ongoing WASH programme does contribute to providing the minimum standards in water supply to refugees, while sanitation and hygiene conditions are currently still below minimum standards. It also assists in providing operation and maintenance of river water schemes, management of boreholes including generators and pumps. In some of the camps e.g Hilaweyn, water management committees have been trained to undertake community-based management of basic water supply within the camp.  The implementing WASH Partner has been undertaking routine operation, maintenance (O&M) and management of WASH systems in the camps, jointly with UNHCR and ARRA.
The incumbent will work under direct supervision of the Associate Technical Coordination Officer and overall guidance of the Head of Sub Office in Melkadida, with regular technical support from and consultation with UNHCR WASH Officer at country level. S/he will provide technical guidance, ensure close follow-up, monitoring, supervision, implementation, and coordination of all WASH programme activities in UNHCR Sub Office Melkadida (SOMEL).
S/he will work closely with partners and other external stakeholders, reviews ongoing activities and contributes to improving WASH service delivery to persons of concern (PoC) to adequate levels at each site in accordance with the UNHCR WASH Manual and Technical Guidelines, and applicable UNHCR and/or national standards, and the Sustainable Development Goal targets. S/he will follow a rights-based and community focused approach to programme design and implementation. The incumbent will follow the five principles for protection, accountability and WASH as outlined in UNHCR¿s WASH Manual.
The position requires close collaboration with UNHCR¿s Sector/Unit Leads, WASH Partner(s), Government, and all other key stakeholders, and frequent sharing of information with all relevant parties. The internal contacts are with other colleagues in the field, in particular working with camp management, site planning/shelter, health, nutrition, education, protection, livelihoods, CRRF, and community services sectors. S/he will maintain active technical link with UNHCR WASH Officer in Addis Ababa and sharing of information as and when requested.
2. Purpose and Scope of Assignment
(Concise and detailed description of activities, tasks and responsibilities to be undertaken, including expected travel, if applicable)
Leadership and Coordination
¿ Lead the implementation, follow-up, and supervision of all WASH programme activities in the respective refugee camps and host communities to meet the UNHCR standards of assistance in all locations.
¿ Ensure regular and effective coordination with all actors e.g UN agencies, NGOs, ARRA, local authorities, and government line ministries such as Regional Water Bureau, Zonal & Woreda Water Offices.
¿ Participate and represent UNHCR and/or WASH sector in all relevant meetings, forums, workshops, and joint events/activities.
¿ Liaise between UNHCR, Government authorities, user groups, and all stakeholders involved in the WASH programme e.g refugees, IDPs & host communities, contractors, UN agencies, NGOs, and technical working groups etc.
¿ Follow up the implementation & coordination of the WASH services delivery and ensure the implementation is in accordance with the UNHCR minimal standards within the operation.
WASH Strategy, Planning, and Programme Support
¿ Contribute to the budgeting and planning processes and financial management of the WASH programme.
¿ Regularly undertake WASH assessments and surveys, gaps/needs identification and analysis.
¿ Jointly with the technical staff of the Partners, update detailed needs and resource assessments and revise designs of technical plans as necessary, considering practical aspects of implementation, and relevant technical specifications and guidelines.
¿ Formulate project submissions including budgets to respond to identified needs in collaboration with appropriate authorities, implementing partners and UNHCR programme and technical sectors.
¿ Advise on the strategic development of WASH aspects of the UNHCR programme in the Melkadida Area of Operation.
Technical Assistance and Capacity Building
¿ Provide technical guidance and support to partners on all water, sanitation, and hygiene promotion issues, to ensure quality, cost-effectiveness, sustainability, and environmental soundness in their implantation and in accordance with UNHCR policies, standards, and priorities.
¿ Share, seek and offer advice as a contribution to problem identification and solving where needs arise (technical, operational, conflict resolution, negotiation etc.).
Monitoring, Evaluation and Quality Assurance
¿ Proactively monitor all aspects of the WASH programme implementation (studies, construction, trainings, communications, materials, work sites etc.) and to flag deviations from schedules, specifications and planning.
¿ Work with the Sub Office Program Unit; monitor existing WASH projects in the 5 refugee camps (Bokolmayo, Melkadida, Kobe, Hilaweyn and Buramino) and other target locations.
¿ Ensure that mechanisms to monitor the performance of UNHCR’s Partners on WASH activities in the refugee camps and host community are in place.
¿ Actively follow up project implementation activities to help ensure quality control, transparency, accountability, including adhering to the code of conduct.
¿ Ensure that the WASH Monitoring System (WMS) data collection and reporting is carried out properly and timely with quality information.
¿ Review the quantity and quality of water provided to the persons of concern, jointly with the partners, carry out an assessment on the quantities of water provided to refugees and host communities, and related water losses. Ensure that water losses are mitigated through innovative approaches.
¿ Ensure periodic and water quality testing and reporting with corrective action being widely communicated.
¿ Review the WASH situation in the refugee camps and jointly with the partners carry out an assessment of the WASH service delivery in the camps and their physical conditions based on UNHCR standards.
¿ Review the ongoing hygiene promotion activities and make recommendations for improvements.
Reporting, communication, and documentation
¿ Report regularly on WASH activity implementation, while maintaining accurate records of the relevant WASH performance indicators.
¿ Maintain effective and transparent communication channels on all aspects of WASH programme activities.
¿ Contribute to accurate and timely reporting of WASH programme implementation and of performance indicators. Ensure documentation is maintained and shared (messages, reports, analysis, correspondence, minutes etc). Share lessons throughout the implementation.
¿ Regular exchange, consultation and feedback expected with UNHCR and all relevant actors.
¿ Keeps frequent internal contacts with staff members in the same duty station with the purpose of promoting holistic and coherent approaches, and team spirit within the Organization.
Authority
¿ The WASH Associate will work closely with and supervised by the Associate Technical Coordination Officer and regularly liaise with UNHCR WASH Officer based in Addis Ababa Office. S/he will actively contribute towards WASH strategy and programme development, reporting and technical discussions.
¿ Provide inputs for the country operations plan, as well as prepare inputs for funding submissions, appeals and reports related to WASH programme.
¿ Ensure compliance with UNHCR¿s global strategies, protocols and guidelines.
3. Monitoring and Progress Controls
(Clear description of measurable outputs, milestones, key performance indicators and/or reporting requirements which will enable performance monitoring)
¿ Monitor the WASH services provision in the UNHCR Melkadida Area of operation; collect data and other information relevant to UNHCR and provide reports as appropriate. Ensure that UNHCR WASH programme implementation, achievements, challenges, failures, and lessons learnt in all targeted locations are clearly documented, reported, and shared.
¿ Supervise and monitor all WASH construction activities and the delivery of all assistance items.
¿ Undertake regular field visits to various sites to assess needs of persons of concern, with particular attention to vulnerable groups.
¿ Keep regular contacts with local authorities and implementing partners.
¿ Arrange and/or participate in coordination forums in SOMEL (WASH, Public Health, Inter-agency, and Camp-level meetings).
¿ Collect monthly WASH data from partners and submit the Monthly Report Card online (IRHIS) and/or in soft copy using the monitoring template.
¿ Support partners in conducting KAP survey using mobile technology in line with the new procedures.
¿ Collect, compile, and submit bi-weekly and monthly reports to UNHCR Melkadida Office and/or follow up with implementing and other WASH Partners to ensure timely report submission, and undertake regular review of and feedback on the respective reports. Closely follow up on the relevant recommendations to ensure that they are addressed adequately and timely.
¿ Participate in monitoring exercise as part of the SOMEL multi-functional team (MFT).
¿ Periodically update WASH facilities data from area of operation.
¿ UNHCR¿s policies, standards and procedures relating to WASH are appropriately and coherently applied in the area of responsibility.
¿ Undertake other relevant duties as required.
Minimum Qualifications
Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For G6 – 3 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher
Field(s) of Education
Water/Civil/Environmental Engineering, Water Resources Development, Hydrogeology, Hydraulics, or relevant field
Certificates and/or Licenses
Agriculture Civil Engineering         Environment Natural Resources Management
Hydrology Project management Public Health Community Dvpt/Social Work
Social Sciences Urban Planning         Architecture Water resource development
Water/Sanitation Mgmt
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Experience in area of WASH including surveys, programme implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and coordination.
¿ Demonstrated technical experience in urban/small town water engineering including low-income communities (Required).
¿ Demonstrated context knowledge and professional water sector experience in Ethiopia (Required).
¿ Proven expertise in the area of WASH including surveys, programme implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and coordination (Required).
¿ Experience of working with refugees, internally displaced, and hosting communities (Required).
¿ Experience of risk assessment and management (Required).
¿ Knowledge and understanding of UNHCR/UN administrative and financial rules and regulations (Desired).
¿ Experience of engineering project management including procurement and coordination (Required).
¿ Demonstrated ability to resolve conflict, troubleshoot sources of tension, and to unite different interest groups (Required).
¿ Demonstrated ability to achieve results by constant monitoring and adapting project cycle to ongoing lessons learned (Required).
¿ Cultural and political sensitivity, and ability to communicate clearly to all audiences (Required).
¿ Excellent budgeting skills (Required).
¿ Proficiency in computer software such as MS Access, Excel, PowerPoint, Word, water modelling software (EPANET), GIS Software (MapInfo, Arc GIS), AutoCAD (Required).
¿ Good knowledge and understanding of WASH standards for emergencies and refugee camps including SPHERE and UNHCR Emergency Handbook technical guidelines and standards (Required)
¿ Knowledge and understanding of water and wastewater hydraulics and physical, chemical and biological properties; solid waste management practices, faecal sludge management, vector control, sanitation and hygiene promotion/awareness raising strategies (Required).
¿ Knowledge and understanding of relationship between water, wastewater, solid waste and vector control to public health indicators, and value of hygiene promotion/awareness raising and behavior change methodologies (Required).
¿ Knowledge and understanding of risk-based monitoring and evaluation, multi-criteria analysis and project management and control (Required).
¿ Sound Knowledge of WASH and its impact on protection and other UNHCR sectors such as health and nutrition, education (Required).
¿ Experience in conducting WASH trainings (Desired).
¿ Knowledge of English (written/oral/comprehension) is Required. Knowledge of the Local Languages is Desirable.
c. Key Competencies
(Technical knowledge, skills, managerial competencies or other personal competencies relevant to the performance of the assignment.  Clearly distinguish between required and desired competencies)
¿ UNHCR WASH Manual for Refugee Settings
¿ Sphere Handbook
¿ WASH Assessment: Survey planning, implementation, and oversight
¿ WASH-related Technologies
¿ Support/Advise/Guide on technical WASH related issues
¿ Environmental Sanitation
¿ Public Health Epidemiology
¿ Vector Control
¿ Computer Literacy
¿ Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
¿ Experience with Inter/Non-Governmental Organization (INGO/NGO)
¿ Managerial and Leadership Competencies, including managing performance and resources, and stakeholder management
¿ Empowering and Building Trust
¿ Judgment and Decision Making
¿ Strategic Planning and Vision
¿ Accountability
¿ Communication
¿ Analytical Thinking
¿ Innovation and Creativity
¿ Technological Awareness
¿ Teamwork and Collaboration
¿ Negotiation and Conflict Resolution
¿ Planning and Organizing
¿ Policy Development and Research. Commitment to Continuous Learning.
¿ Political Awareness
¿ Change Capability and Adaptability

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination, and abuse of power. As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

Language Requirements

For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

Competencies as defined in Job Profile

– Knowledge of English language is essential.

Please note that UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, travelling, processing, training or any other fees).

An eliminatory or complementary written test for shortlisted candidates may be conducted which will be followed by competency-based interview.

Female Candidates are encouraged to apply.

Only Shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Applicants must be nationals of and be locally recruited within the country of their employment.

The Closing Date for Submission of Application is Thursday 11 November 2021 (Mid Night Ethiopia Time).