Concern Worldwide has been working in DRC since 1994. We are now one of the leading humanitarian organisations operating in DRC, implementing national rapid response, livelihoods, WASH and nutrition programmes. The WASH Adviser role presents an exciting opportunity to support the development of Concern’s existing and new WASH programmes in DRC and ensure that they are implemented to the highest quality.
About the role: This is a 12-month role with unaccompanied terms based in Goma with 50% travel to other project locations with a salary of Band 4 (€45,457 – €50,509).
You will report to the Programme Director and will work directly with Concern’s DRC WASH Programme Managers and Officers. In addition, you will liaise closely with the Emergency Director, other Advisers (Protection, Gender and Livelihoods) and with Area Coordinators, Programme Coordinators, Programme Quality and Development Team, and others. While you will not have any direct reports, you will be central to building the capacity of WASH Programme Managers. You will be the overall technical coordinator for all WASH activities for Concern DRC and will be expected to liaise regularly with Head Office technical Advisers as well as with members of relevant Clusters/Working groups, Coordination Forums and NGO partner organisations.
We would like you to start as soon as possible.
Your purpose: You will oversee the implementation of Concern’s global and national WASH strategy, ensuring that all of Concern’s WASH activities in DRC – including the construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of water supply systems (water networks, solar powered boreholes, hand-dug wells, water source catchments) and sanitation facilities, and hygiene promotion programming – are implemented to the highest quality international and organisational standards.* You will also contribute to Concern’s multi-sectoral emergency response in DRC through the development of new WASH programmes and proposals as well as high quality internal and external reports. A core part of your role will involve ensuring that lessons learned are disseminated across and embedded within Concern’s in-country projects.
*Concern’s engineering Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs), Sphere and DRC WASH Cluster standards, Concern’s global and national WASH strategy.
In this role you will:
Technical Supervision
- Provide technical oversight and supervision of all WASH projects to ensure high quality WASH programming.
- Support WASH Project Managers to ensure that all resources (technical, financial, HR) are in place for the efficient implementation of WASH programming.
- Identify and plan for assessments of sites for the implementation of planned engineering works as per agreed proposals.
- Oversee the design of the assigned engineering works, following international and humanitarian best practice and in line with Concern, donor and local authority policies and guidelines.
- Prepare technical documents such as tenders, BOQs, designs, procurement plans and oversee material and equipment purchases and delivery as necessary ensuring that Concern and donor policies and procedures are applied and followed; working with logistic and finance departments when required.
- Oversee the work of selected contractors ensuring implementation of construction projects of the highest quality and are in accordance to agreed designs, policies and procedures and timelines.
- Carry out regular field visits to inspect works and organize regular project review sessions through participatory methodologies involving beneficiaries and other stakeholders in the areas of intervention, with the aim of establishing and/or verifying emerging needs, gaps and priorities, and communicate these to the Programmes Director as part of a continuous programme review and improvement process.
- Ensure the mWater data system is applied in all programmes.
- Contribute to the preparation of detailed implementation work plans and provide the necessary guidance and support to the team to achieve timely and quality implementation of activities.
Advocacy, Communication and Visibility
- Participate proactively in relevant Clusters and working group meetings, and engage with International NGOs, UN agencies, Ministries and other key actors within the sector, building on existing – and developing new – networks.
- Actively seek out opportunities for collaboration, coordination and learning with other technical and financial partners in DRC.
- Promote consultation and interaction with Concern’s Head Office Advisers as well as with WASH Programme Managers and Advisers from other institutions and organizations in DRC on emerging sectoral trends and best practices.
- Coordinate advocacy, communication and visibility activities of Concern’s WASH projects in DRC, in line with relevant donors’ communication and visibility guidelines.
- Collaborate with the Programme Development Coordinator and Communication Officer to produce briefing papers and other publications, coordinate approvals with the appropriate stakeholders, and ensure wider dissemination to influence practice and policy and promote the work of Concern Worldwide
- Promote the adoption of mWater technology platform in DRC.
- Work closely with colleagues and external actors around WASH positioning in emergencies to prepare and provide quality responses according to needs.
Project development, Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning
- Work closely with the M&E Manager and Programme Quality Coordinator to create technically sound monitoring and evaluation guidelines, frameworks and indicators for the projects, in line with donor-approved documents.
- In collaboration with the Programme teams, support the M&E Manager to develop and implement robust systems for monitoring programme implementation and results.
- Support the M&E staff and Programme Managers in conducting baselines, assessments and post-distribution monitoring. Conduct monitoring support visits to programme areas where security permits to assess performance against agreed program objectives and indicators.
- Work with the Programme Development and Quality Team to identify and document programme learning, success cases, good practices and disseminate learning for both internal and external audiences as required.
- Contribute to the development of WASH concept notes and proposals under the strategic guidance of the PDC and PD. This includes background research, stakeholder analysis, data collection & analysis, consultation processes, development of narrative, development of budget and production all associated documents to a high standard in accordance with donor requirements.
- Participate and contribute actively to programme workshops, kick off and close out meetings, annual review meetings and other strategic events in country.
- Oversee the preparation of high-quality donor narrative reports on WASH activities; review donor reports and ensure they capture required level disaggregated data.
Capacity Building, human resources and supervision
- Provide technical support and coaching to livelihoods staff through calls, visits and close follow up and provide technical guidance to others partners.
- Identify potential WASH partners in-country in line with Concern’s strategy.
- Design a comprehensive capacity building strategy for programme staff by identifying training needs and implementing the development of a training plan and undertaking of identified trainings.
- Participate in the recruitment, induction and technical evaluation of in-country programme staff, as required. This includes supporting the preparation of job requisitions, job descriptions, terms of references, etc.
Other
- Participate in country-level strategic planning initiatives and other duties as determined by line management.
- Adhere fully to the commitments and rules of Concern’s Programme Participant Protection Policy and Code of Conduct (P4 and CofC), including the respect of confidentiality.
- Undertake any other relevant and reasonable work as requested by line manager.
- Support the development and implementation of the country strategic plan and in the context of the WASH sector priorities and needs.
This position demands a highly organised and dynamic individual with a demonstrated ability to achieve results in a demanding environment.
Your skills and experience will include:
Essential:
- BSc in Water Engineering, Civil Engineering, hydrogeology or any related Engineering field
- Minimum 5 years WASH experience including at least 2 years at management level
- Thorough technical knowledge of water supply construction and maintenance, including demonstrated experience working with large-scale infrastructures
- Experience of household level sanitation, hygiene promotion, community mobilization, participatory planning and environmental conservation
- Demonstrated understanding of gender and protection issues related to the WASH sector in complex crises
- Clear commitment to and experience with developing and coaching staff, combined with the ability to give direct actionable feedback.
- Strong coordination skills, both internal across programming sectors and support teams, and externally with implementing partners.
- Ability to build and maintain effective relationships with senior representatives of donor, INGO and Government structures and to represent the organisation at national or international level.
- Knowledge of the key tools used by donor agencies, such as logical frame works, results chains, theories of change, results-based management and financial administration systems.
- Fluent in French and English, excellent written and spoken French language skills.
- Strong analytical, interpersonal, communication and organisational skills.
- Ability to work independently and manage a high volume work flow.
Desirable:
- Experience of GIS mapping software
- Knowledge of WASH in Health
- An understanding of programme participant protection policies and international humanitarian standards.
- Experience of working in the region.
- Experience of financial management and donor compliance processes.
Les candidatures en français sont les bienvenues
All applications should be submitted through our website by the closing date and CV’s should be no more than 4 pages in length.
All candidates who are short-listed for a first round interview will be notified via email after the application deadline OR Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be short listed on a regular basis and we may offer posts before the closing date.
Concern Worldwide is an Irish-based non-governmental, international, humanitarian organisation dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.
Concern has a Staff Code of Conduct and a Programme Participant Protection Policy which have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organization, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. In this context staff have a responsibility to the organization to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their workplace in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Programme Participant Protection Policy and the Concern Staff Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment. By signing the Programme Participant Protection Policy and the Concern Staff Code of Conduct, candidates acknowledge that they have understood the contents of both the Concern Staff Code of Conduct and the Programme Participant Protection Policy and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these two documents.
Concern receives a substantial amount of funding from external donors each year. Increasingly donors are introducing requirements whereby future funding is conditional on Concern ensuring that the names of any new employee or volunteer do not appear on terrorism lists generated by the European Union (List of person, groups and entities to which Regulation (EC No. 2580/2001 applies), the US Government (Office of Foreign Assets Control list of specially designated Nationals and Blocked Persons) and the United Nations (Consolidated List). Any offer of employment (either paid or voluntary) with Concern Worldwide will not be made pending a clearance check being conducted on the applicant. For additional information, please consult our web site or contact the Human Resource Division in our Head Office.
Concern Worldwide is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.
Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be short-listed on a regular basis and we may offer posts before the closing date.
