Overall purpose of the role
Under the direct supervision of the Head of Programme, the Country WASH & Infrastructure Coordinator provides technical leadership, strategic guidance and quality assurance for DRC Sudan’s WASH and WASH infrastructure portfolio, covering emergency, nexus and long-term WASH, water resources, sanitation and hygiene, climate resilience and preparedness, and WASH in institutions. The role also supports programme development and positioning, working with DRC technical and area teams, global advisors, and partners and authorities.
Responsibilities
The post holder acts as DRC Sudan’s national technical advisor for WASH and WASH infrastructure, working closely with Area Managers and technical teams to ensure timely, high-quality implementation. Area Managers retain operational management and delivery; the Coordinator sets technical standards, provides oversight and quality assurance, and supports planning, proposals and technical documents (e.g. designs, BoQs, tools, SoPs). To achieve the overall and specific position’s objectives, the job holder’s tasks and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Technical Leadership, Strategy and Programme Quality
- Provide technical leadership on WASH: develop and update the WASH strategy under the Sudan Country Strategy, and produce standards, guidance, tools and SoPs aligned with Sphere, national codes, Cluster guidance and DRC frameworks.
- Ensure coherent approaches across emergency, protracted-displacement and nexus/long-term WASH, moving from emergency response towards sustainable, climate-resilient services with sound O&M and local ownership.
- Integrate WASH with Protection, Shelter/Site Management, and Economic Recovery, including cholera response.
- Support field teams in needs identification and RNAs; conduct field visits (including Darfur) or remote follow-up where access is constrained, to quality-assure design, construction and implementation.
Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Community-Led Approaches
- Water supply and resources: advise on hydrogeological and source assessments, groundwater and surface water options (e.g. boreholes, hafirs), solar systems, water quality and conflict-sensitive access, promoting IWRM.
- Sanitation: guide safe, inclusive sanitation across the service chain (household, communal, camp and institutional), including excreta management, market-based sanitation, solid waste and vector control.
- Hygiene and behaviour change: promote evidence-based hygiene promotion and social and behaviour change approaches, including menstrual health, adapted to context and informed by community feedback.
- Community-led WASH: promote community-led approaches (e.g. CLTS, WASH committees, community management of services, local service providers) for ownership, O&M and sustainability.
- WASH in schools and public institutions (incl. health facilities, IPC): standards, designs and sustainable management.
Climate, Resilience, AA and Preparedness
- Integrate climate risk, DRR, nature-based solutions and IWRM into WASH strategy and design, promoting climate-resilient infrastructure (e.g. solar, flood-proofing).
- Lead WASH preparedness and anticipatory action: contingency planning, early warning and trigger-based action for floods, drought and cholera, prepositioning of supplies and surge readiness, with the WASH Cluster and authorities.
Infrastructure, Engineering Review and Procurement
- Lead the technical review and clearance of WASH designs, drawings, BoQs, specifications and cost estimates (water, sanitation, schools and public institutions), ensuring feasibility, cost-effectiveness and compliance with standards.
- Guide tendering, contracting, supervision, quality control, handover and O&M, including rehabilitation of damaged systems.
- Support Area WASH Managers and Supply Chain in procurement and pipeline planning, including market-based approaches.
Proposals, Monitoring, Reporting and Accountability
- Lead technical WASH and infrastructure inputs to proposals, concept notes, budgets, donor reports and advocacy notes, and to business development including nexus opportunities; apply DRC’s Operational Handbook.
- With MEAL teams, ensure projects are designed and monitored to DRC and sector standards and donor requirements (including water quality, infrastructure functionality and remote monitoring), and capture learning and good practice.
- Ensure accountability mechanisms and mainstreaming of protection, gender, disability and PSEA.
Capacity Building, Partners and Technical HR
- Design and deliver capacity building for DRC and partner staff (e.g. Sphere, cholera and flood response, water quality, O&M, behaviour change, infrastructure design), strengthening local partners and localisation.
- Advise on technical recruitment and competency frameworks; promote the code of conduct.
Representation and Coordination
- Represent DRC in national and sub-national WASH Cluster and coordination forums, feeding 5Ws and insights to teams.
- Build relationships with authorities, donors, UN agencies and partners to maintain trust in DRC’s technical standards; with Area WASH Managers, maintain mapping of WASH actors and identify potential partners.
Qualifications, Experience and Technical Competencies
- Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering (or Water/Environmental Engineering) required; Master’s degree in WASH, water resources management, hydrogeology or a related field desirable.
- Minimum 5 years relevant WASH experience, including at least 3 in a technical advisory or coordination role.
- Proven experience in complex emergency and protracted-displacement contexts (Sudan/Darfur or comparable).
- Solid engineering background: technical design and review of BoQs, specifications and drawings for water supply (groundwater, solar pumping), sanitation and WASH in schools and public institutions.
- Strong knowledge of sanitation, hygiene and behaviour change, community-led approaches (e.g. CLTS), cholera response, water resources management, and climate-resilient WASH and anticipatory action.
- Experience in standards and tool development, proposals, donor reporting and WASH Cluster coordination.
- Proven ability to live and work in an unstable, insecure environment.
Languages:
- Proficiency in written and spoken English.
- Fluency in Arabic is desirable
About you
In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’s five core competencies:
- Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.
- Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.
- Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
- Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.
- Demonstrating integrity: Upholding and promoting the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.
Conditions
Contract: One-year contract with possibility of extension, subject to funding and performance. Salary and conditions in accordance with the Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for International staff. This position is graded at Band NM.F
Start Date: December 2026
Duty Station: Khartoum, Sudan (with regular field travel)
Reports to: Head of Programme
How to apply
Application and CV
All applicants must submit a cover letter and updated CV in English via our online application form
Applications close on 18 November 2026.
More Information
- Job City Sudan
