Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Coordinator: Action Against Hunger-USA Jobs in Kenya

Closing date: 31 Jul 2010

Location: Kenya

Nairobi with frequent field visits

Job Objectives:

Basic position description: The WASH coordinator will coordinate the implementation of WASH activities under OFDA, Buffet Foundation (Global Water Initiative) and any other approved grants, as well as to assist in developping new grants and new projects that may be deemed pertinent.

The WASH Co will work in an advisory role to the WASH program managers in the field, and must closely collaborate the Field Coordinator. The WASH Co will also be responsible for national level coordination, representation, strategy development, reporting and other duties as need arises with the Country Director.

Detailed Job Description

1. Description of the programme

Garbatulla (also spelled Garba Tulla) is a new area of intervention for ACF-Kenya, opened in January 2010. There will be Nutrition (NUT), Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) and WASH programs. The area is arid and prone to drought as well as cholera outbreaks.

There are mainly pastoral and agriculture based livelihoods, but the population demographic is changing and more and more people are moving to centres for daily work and pastoralists are becoming less nomadic, some loosing their traditional livelihood totally. WASH activities, in general, include water supply, water quality, sanitation and public health promotion with an aim to improve health as well as to support livelihoods (particularly animals).

The NUT program started before WASH and FSL with a strategy consisting in capacity build the MoH in a sustainable manner such that the Government of Kenya is autonomous in providing nutritional services to the population, as well as being able to scale up with parallel programs in case of an emergency. The NUT program focuses in Health Facilities and also has a community based aspect. The PHP activities are managed by the WASH program, but being integrated with other departments, some are funded and implemented with the NUT program. In the beginning of the Garbatulla project, PHP is only funded under NUT, but this should be expanded as we develop the programs.

The WASH (and FSL) program will be established through an assessment in January/February 2010 (assessment report available end of Feb), and will begin by implementing the FH-ARC Consortium project funded by OFDA from March 2010. At first, activities will be limited to earth pan rehabilitation and tanks and trough construction, integrated water resource management and capacity building, but there will be opportunity to develop the program.

The WASH strategy will be to focus heavily on water supply first, to fully cover needs in a small area and then move to cover another area. All water supply should be designed to be sustainable, implemented in accord with the Water Sector Reforms and with the participation of the community and local authorities. At the same time PHP programs will start, generally focusing on Community Health Groups first, and then branching out as to suit the needs of the communities in such things as latrines and sanitation structures.

When possible, health facilities where Nutrition programs are active should be prioritized to cover for WASH needs. Programming and targeting must be done in collaboration with the FSL programs, as they depend on water as well. Integration between programs and with the government should be prioritized when possible.

In Kitui and Mwingi, we have active projects in PHP under a nutrition funded program. The activities are community health groups. This program will be closed in July 2010, therefore not much time is spent on it here.

ACF is also planning to undertake an assessment in Tana River district in April 2010 with possible start of operations from mid-year, depending on funding opportunities. While the area is not yet known in full details, the context and needs will be similar to Garbatulla district.

2. Duties and Responsibilities

General objective:

Coordinate Water and Sanitation and Public Health Promotion and related community mobilization activities in Kenya to ensure proper implementation of ACF’s program objectives and provide overall orientation of ACF’s WASH programs in line with national and ACF policies and beneficiaries needs.

Specific objectives:

To ensure integration with other departments.
To coordinate the design and implementation of programs according to ACF country strategies and ACFIN policies
To provide timely and adequate reports and proposals
To ensure proper and adequate resource management (budget, HR, equipment etc)
To promote and represent the department and the organisation at regional, national or international level accordingly.

Activities:

1. To ensure integration with other departments

To contribute to integrated activities, especially surveillance
To advise in designing programs which integrate with nutrition and food security at the ground level
To remain active and current in all nutrition and food security forums, when appropriate

2. To coordinate the design and implementation of programs according to ACF country strategies and ACFIN policies

To advise and support technically the field based program managers and field coordinators to implement high quality programs
Preparation and conduction of technical assessments and reports with field teams
To supervise and coordinate the implementation of ACF’s emergency response and longer-term WASH activities being carried out in all bases
Support field teams to develop the response accordingly and provide WASH expertise to ensure that response is in line with ACFIN policies
Liaise with the coordination structure to avoid over lapping of activities and clear identification of the association support
To provide technical advisory of water and sanitation and public health activities across the mission, ensuring proper technical implementation.
To design and implement surveys and assessments related to WASH issues throughout the current bases, as well as other possible regions.
To lead the development of an annual WASH strategy in line with ACFIN-NY WASH strategy and the mission strategy.

3. To provide timely and adequate reports and proposals

To promote the writing of technical reports, capitalization and compilation of existing documentation on WASH in Districts (maps, reports, evaluations, minutes of meetings, guidelines etc.).
Collection of any other information relevant to the sector activity and dissemination of it to the field.
Assist in preparation and compilation of concept papers and proposals for current and future ACF WASH activities according to ACF standards
To ensure adequate updates and report writing in accordance with ACF requirements.
Monthly activity and progress reports to be compiled from bases and sent to the Country Director and technical rep at the relevant NY desk
End of mission report to be sent to COUNTRY DIRECTOR and Technical Director and other relevant people
Collaboration with the ACF Senior team staff to ensure the coherence of ACF activities and reports

4. To ensure proper and adequate resource management (budget, HR, equipment etc)

To identify the potential for development among the national and international staff.
To promote capacity building of national and international technical staff and to carry out relevant technical training for the staff if necessary.
To promote accordingly considering the over all department orientation and needs but also to liaise with coordination team to identified key staff suitable for promotion and develop within ACF.
To ensure that regular training are scheduled for the staff, as appropriate.
To evaluate training curriculum on regular basis and propose relevant solutions and changes to the program.
To prepare Job Description for the WASH staff and review JD’s from the field based program managers
To assist in recruitment when necessary of local staff for WASH.
To ensure that specific attention to local diversity and gender balance is considered within the teams.
Support the Field Coordinator in evaluations of PM WASH staff at the stipulated intervals and process any other related HR validations.
With Logistics team, to monitor the condition, allocation and purchase of WASH equipment across the mission to ensure that adequate equipment is available for implementation of program activities.
To liaise with the log department to make sure the inventory list of the WASH equipment is updated at the base level and that the “immobilisation list” at the national level is relevant
In conjunction with Logistic Coordinator, to ensure timely delivery of equipment and materials
In conjunction with Finance Coordinator, to ensure proper forecasting and follow up of all WASH related budgets

5. To promote and represent the department and the organisation at regional, national or international level accordingly.

To ensure the representation of ACF within WASH co-ordination groups at the national level (includes WESCOORD and various technical working groups including public health and sanitation).
To assist regularly to national or regional meeting/events,
To represent the WASH department at the national level structure WESSCOORD meeting in a way that it promotes the organisation and emphasis ACF expertise in the WASH sector.
Representation of ACF in any relevant forum.
To liaise with donors and other based key WASH players to further ACF’s programming.
Collaboration with the local authorities, ACF counterparts, partner agencies and consortium.
Collaboration with the local authorities and communities if needed for the implementation of WASH activities.
Collaboration with the government counterparts and partners: Ministry of Water and Irrigation, Arid Lands, Ministry of Health etc.

Qualifications:

Level of study/specific qualifications/technical speciality:

Master of Science degree in hydrogeology, agricultural or civil engineering field
Water, Sanitation and Public Health technical experience in developing contexts is essential
Demonstrated experience and expertise in the humanitarian context of the Horn of Africa; in particular community dynamics, drought cycles and security
Technical expertise in construction of water, irrigation and civil work, especially related to rain water harvesting in arid situations (earth dam, check dam, sand dam etc) as well as creativity in latrine construction design for institutions and households
6+ years work experience with an international humanitarian agency
Ability to represent ACFIN at high level meetings
Experience in cholera and diarrhoea outbreak response, camp settings and emergency response is preferred
Proven analytical skills, demonstrated creativity in analysis of situations and data
Excellent reporting and computer skills a must
Knowledge and good understanding of logistical procedures.
Excellent HR management skills
Fluency in English with excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Proven ability to work independently, in isolation but also closely with the coordination team.
Proven ability to work with limited resources
Prepared to travel extensively to programme base locations.
Proven ability to work under pressure and within strict time limits.
Proven ability to manage culturally sensitive issues.
Excellent communication, interpersonal and organizational skills.
Strong personality and maturity
Strong capacity to make quick decisions.
High degree in motivation, result oriented creativeness and adaptability