Oxfam is an international confederation of 17 organizations (affiliates) networked together in 94 countries, as part of a global movement for change. Together we are working to achieve our vision of 'a just world without poverty' and to be a powerful partner in global and local communities of people connected for change. 

POSITION : Water and Sanitation Engineer and Team Leader Co-ordinator

WASH Public Health Engineering Team Purpose

• The WASH team leads on the delivery of the WASH strategy, supports countries and regions in large scale (category 1 and 2) responses, supports humanitarian capacity building in country teams, leads and coordinates the representation of Oxfam WASH in global humanitarian bodies.
• Our Oxfam registers are set up to assist regions to respond to resourcing requests for Humanitarian Professionals within 3 working days, by creating and maintaining an appropriate pool of suitable candidates.
• Each register member has been interviewed and reference checked by their respective Technical team and has agreed that should a suitable short-term deployment arise, they will work for OGB on a fixed term basis at short notice.
• This is an opportunity to be involved in immediate deployment in the first phase of an emergency stage, to assess the situation and subsequently implement public health engineering solutions appropriate to the context to provide life saving water and sanitation measures in accordance with international standards to alleviate the plight of the people affected by the emergency.
• Support may continue thereafter until the situation is stabilised and/or to strengthen capacities, systems and resources on the ground to be more prepared for either scaling up or future shocks.

Job Purpose

• The work may involve, immediate deployment in the first phase of an emergency stage, to assess the situation and subsequently implement public health engineering solutions appropriate to the context to provide life saving water and sanitation measures in accordance with international standards to alleviate the plight of the people affected by the emergency.
• Support may continue thereafter until the situation is stabilised and/or to strengthen capacities, systems and resources on the ground to be more prepared for either scaling up or future shocks.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

• The deployments will be to support fast moving emergency situations, and/or complex and difficult operating environments, where Oxfam has had to rapidly scale-up its programme and capacity.

A Deployment will normally include some or all of the following responsibilities:

• To represent Oxfam to other NGO’s, agencies and Government authorities where requested and Build networks with donors, strategic partners, research institutions to share lessons learnt, good practice with reference to working towards recommendations and adapted approaches.
• To represent Oxfam in WASH related technical and public health forums to other NGO’s, UN agencies, donors and others where requested, both at Provincial and National levels. To carry out Water and Sanitation assessments and identification of actions to cover Watsan needs in order to provide an efficient and rapid humanitarian response.
• To manage in close collaboration with the Programme Manager, the strategic aspects of the Oxfam WASH programme of a day-to-day basis and to develop the WASH programme in-line with this strategy and ensure that all new projects are started and completed in a timely and proper way.
• Ensure high quality WASH programme reporting and assist in preparing mid-term and final reports for donors in collaboration with senior management team.
• To evaluate Public Health risks related to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene practices and assess emergency needs, as requested, especially taking in the broader perspective of WASH.
• To carry out the selection, design and construction of water systems, using ground water or surface water, including abstraction, storage, treatment and distribution for new systems or rehabilitation of existing systems, in consultation with the affected population and the PHP team appropriate to the context.
• To select, design and implement the most appropriate form of sanitation system, in consultation with the beneficiaries and the PHP team, which includes excreta disposal, refuse disposal, vector control and drainage.
• To where possible, ensure designs incorporate sustainability and cost effectiveness
• To formulate and implement capacity building plans for teams and individuals that the post holder manages in country, which may involve conducting training and mentoring approaches taking into account gender and accountability issues..
• To analyse assessment and community feedback with MEAL and PHP adapting techniques to formulate more appropriate solutions.
• The work will include management and administrative duties and co-ordination with other members of the project and with staff of other organisations.
• To co-ordinate procurement plans with Oxfam’s logistics and purchasing department to ensure that the supply and implementation plans match for a coherent and timely outcome..
• To ensure that all programmes take gender and protection issues fully into account. This includes the introduction of mechanisms to enable women to participate in decision making around public health engineering issues.
• To be familiar with, implement and inculcate the Core Humanitarian Standard, NGO/Red Cross Code of Conduct, Oxfam International procedures and other regulatory codes (e.g. InterAction Field Co-operation Protocol).

Qualifications
Essential:

• A suitable qualification in a discipline related to Public Health Engineering. Experience could substitute for a formal qualification, but not vice versa.
• Proven practical experience in developing countries and humanitarian responses in appropriate water supplies, sanitation and hygiene promotion.
• It is desirable that most of this should have been in large scale emergency relief programmes. The post holder should have a good understanding of the WASH needs of poor rural and urban communities and of appropriate ways of tackling them.
• The post holder must be aware of and sensitive to the particular needs of women in this context.
• A specialization in institutional arrangements of WASH/public services
• The ability to write strategies, programme proposals and concise reports  sometimes at short notice, reflecting the problems and possible solutions for particular situations. track record in project management and objective oriented project planning
• To demonstrate the ability or willingness to implement different approaches to Humanitarian WASH  programming using cash, vouchers or market based approaches.
• Diplomacy, tact and excellent communication and networking skills in order to work with people at managerial and, on occasions, senior government levels.
• Understanding of the UN response and coordination mechanisms
• Well developed interpersonal and team skills and proven ability to be flexible in demanding situations.
• Experience and the ability to build the capacity of field teams is essential.
• Fluent  written and spoken French and English and ability to write quality documents in French and English.
• Willingness to travel at short notice, and often in difficult, stressful, circumstances.
• Commitment to humanitarian principles and action.
• Commitment to Oxfam’s equal opportunity and gender policies.

Annual Salary and Benefits
Circa £27,550 - £36,547 Net (Net = take home pay and Oxfam reimburses the tax liability relating to the Oxfam salary of the job holder). Exact salary is dependent on role requested and location.