WASH Team Leader (Engr.) at Danish Refugee Council (DRC)

Job Title: WASH Team Leader (Engr.)

Background

Danish Refugee Council (DRC) has had an operational presence in Nigeria since 2015 and has experience working in 33 Local Government Areas (LGAs) across the BAY states. DRC provides life-saving assistance and protection to vulnerable, conflict-affected populations including IDPs, returnees, and host communities in the sectors of armed violence reduction, livelihoods, nutrition and food security, protection, shelter and non-food items (NFI) and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).

The operational context in northeastern Nigeria remains challenging, as the ongoing conflict impedes conflict-affected communities’ access to what limited basic services are available, as well as DRC and other humanitarians’ access to persons of concern.

Purpose

The WASH Team Leader (Engr.) is responsible for coordinating and implementing WASH hardware projects in accordance with cluster standards and organizational guidelines. This role involves collaborating with affected communities, local authorities, and partner organizations to design, plan, and manage WASH hardware interventions that address the needs of displaced populations, ensuring their safety and comfort. The WASH Team Leader will assist the WASH Manager in monitoring financial commitments and expenditures against budgets, providing timely feedback on budget follow-ups. Additionally, this role includes overseeing technical and practical operational tasks to ensure the smooth, safe, and efficient execution of WASH activities. The WASH Team Leader will also supervise WASH Officers and Assistants, ensuring adherence to procedures and standards.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Programming

• Ensure that activities implementation aligns with project objectives, work plans, and budgets.
• Support planning and provide technical expertise on project activities, ensuring proper integration and coordination with other project components.
• Implement activities according to agreed DRC standards and recognized policies.
• Conduct regular fieldwork to offer technical expertise and quality assurance on project implementation, collaborating with project staff and community-based workers.
• Identify direct and indirect beneficiary needs for WASH activities and infrastructure, considering the specific needs of vulnerable individuals and persons of concern.
• Facilitate communication and liaison activities to actively involve beneficiaries, key informants, actors, partners, and stakeholders in all stages of project design and implementation.
• Maintain constructive relationships with key stakeholders and represent DRC in working groups and NGO coordination meetings at the area level as assigned by the WASH Manager.
• Establish and sustain working relations with LNGOs, NNGOs, INGOs, UN agencies, and Government departments in various forums.
• Contribute to the area-level strategy and annual programming by proposing new activities based on the context and need assessments.
• Recommend adjustments to WASH activities based on contextual and indicator developments.
• Uphold confidentiality when managing records to ensure beneficiary dignity and privacy.
• Work with the WASH Manager, WASH TL (HP) and technical coordinators to design evidence-based pilot activities that are responsive to the target population.
• Ensure quality monitoring and evaluation of activities, working with MEAL staff to coordinate and implement MEAL systems, ensuring adequate monitoring, documentation, and reporting of activities against relevant indicators Reporting:
• Contribute to the production of quality and timely reports on program activities weekly/monthly/quarterly/annual reports to the WASH Manager, including accurate figures of distributions/referrals done and challenges encountered, in the agreed format.
• Perform other related duties as assigned by the line manager.

Representation and coordination:

• Ensure effective representation and uphold the reputation of the WASH program across all levels.
• Actively participate in internal coordination meetings to facilitate smooth operations and communication.
• Represent DRC at WASH technical working group meetings and other relevant technical coordination meetings as agreed with the WASH Manager.
• Maintain a local operational communications network and establish good relations with local and government authorities.
• Ensure coordination with other departments (e.g., Protection, Economic Recovery, Health and Mine Action, MEAL, Procurement, and Finance) to enhance program integration and effectiveness

Operations:

• Contribute to the effective implementation of all operations support activities, including those related to administration, finances and logistics, so as to ensure smooth project implementation. In all matters, comply with internal directives and policies as communicated by the WASH Manager, Technical coordinator and/or the relevant support departments

Budget Management:

• Assist the WASH Manager in monitoring financial commitments and expenditures against budgets, providing timely feedback on budget follow-ups.
• Provide inputs to the WASH Manager to ensure the effective and efficient utilization of WASH program resources through close monitoring and tracking of expenditures against budgets.
• Anticipate, along with the WASH Manager, potential over/underspending and take proactive measures to address these issues.
• Provide monthly expenditure forecasts to the WASH Manager to facilitate budget management.
• Staff Management, Training, and Capacity Development:
• Provide technical and programmatic leadership to WASH Officers/Assistants and community-based mechanisms in operational areas as needed.
• Conduct regular field visits or as required to ensure WASH tasks are progressing as planned, providing technical backstopping and mentoring through training of duty bearers.
• Ensure that objectives for staff are set, and that evaluations and performance reviews are conducted regularly for all managed staff.
• Take responsibility for planning and managing leave for all managed staff.
• Identify training and capacity-building opportunities for staff, ensuring they are well-versed in key WASH and protection concepts relevant to the context, DRC’s code of conduct, accountability, respectful dialogue with the refugee population, and the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Support in developing and implementing the project monitoring and evaluation plan, ensuring timely submission of reports and other document requirements.
• Provide feedback on project implementation modalities, assist in achieving maximum efficiency in project delivery, and inform the development/update of DRC’s WASH strategy in Nigeria.
• Undertake regular participatory monitoring and verification visits to ensure adequate progress against action plans and outputs, ensuring that quality elements are signed off. Provide advice on any necessary corrective actions.

Logistics:

• Develop a procurement plan at the start of the project cycle to forecast procurement needs in coordination with the WASH Manager.
• Coordinate with the supply chain to facilitate the procurement of supplies and services.
• Ensure an adequate stock of critical supplies at all times, particularly considering seasonal access limitations, such as during the wet season.
• Plan and coordinate logistics and staff movements proactively to and from different operational areas.
• Initiate procurements and ensure their timely execution.
• Ensure that distribution plans are prepared and shared with logistics in a timely manner.

Other Responsibilities:

• The responsibilities listed in the job description are not exhaustive and may be adjusted according to operational needs but will remain in line with the overall purpose of the role.

Experience and technical competencies:

Essential:

• WASH Project Experience: At least 3 years of experience in planning, implementing, and evaluating WASH projects.
• IT Skills: Good knowledge of Office software, including Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and data collection and analysis software.
• Self-Motivation: Highly self-driven, striving for perfection with minimal supervision.
• Knowledge of Standards: Thorough knowledge of SPHERE standards in emergency WASH.
• Project Management: Experience in project management, including monitoring, reporting, data management, and budgeting.
• Interpersonal Skills: Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to maintain good communication channels with relevant stakeholders.

Desirable:

• Project-Related Skills: Good knowledge of the project cycle, including implementation and follow-up.
• Emergency Response Experience: Experience working in emergency response with NGOs, preferably in a humanitarian context.
• Design Software Proficiency: Proficient in AutoCAD or suitable design software (reinforced due to importance).

We offer

• Contract length:  12 months with the possibility of extension
• Level: M – G, Step 1
• Start date: October 2024

General Regulations:

• The employee shall follow DRC instructions on safety, confidentiality and ethical guidelines, including the Code of Conduct and the Humanitarian Accountability Framework.
• Employee should not engage in any other paid activity during the DRC contract period without prior authorization.
• Employee should not engage in any activity that could harm DRC or the implementation of any project during the DRC contract period.
• Employee should not give interviews to the media or publish project-related photos or other material without prior authorization.
• Employee shall return all borrowed equipment for the project to DRC after the end of the contract period or upon request.

Application Instructions:

The application deadline is on 3rd of October 2024. Therefore qualified and interested candidates can “CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT APPLICATION” It is important to visit the official website (link found below) for detailed information on how to apply successfully for this vacancy.

Website:

Official Job Website: https://job.drc.ngo/