WASH Specialist Vacancy at ADRA, India

Job Title: WASH Specialist, Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) India

Location: Ganjam District, Odisha

Organization’s profile:

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) India is an independent development and relief agency, engaging in sustainable development and disaster response programs for economically deprived and socially marginalized people in India since 1992. ADRA India is a part of the ADRA network (www.adra.org), the worldwide humanitarian arm of the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church. Nationally, ADRA India works in Public Health, Food Security, Social stability, WASH and Disaster Relief and Preparedness sectors. Applications are invited for the below mentioned post.

Job Description:

The successful candidate will be responsible for Water, sanitation and hygiene activities of the project and will ensure rapid, proportionate and effective operations SPHERE standards and following other relevant guidelines and standards. She/he will need to ensure response to immediate WASH problems with simultaneous consideration of longer-term needs and possible scenarios.  She/he will also coordinate work with key stakeholders in the community such as ANMs, ASHAs and AWWs. Depending on the situation, the WASH Specialist may need to take a very active role in technical co-ordination, support and advocacy with other technical agencies. The successful candidate will also display the ability to see the linkages in between project activities and the broader role that the activities will play towards household recovery.

 Major Responsibilities:

 Assessment

1. Provide water and sanitation lead and expertise in the assessment.
2. Conduct initial rapid assessment of current situation in collaboration with local health workers and affected population; determine priorities and immediate activities and resources i.e. more detailed assessment versus need to address immediate WASH problems.
3. Represent ADRA to stakeholders and Governmental and non-Governmental agencies for the purposes of the WASH aspect of the assessment.
4. Assess in-district resources, human, material and financial for response with relevant staff and agencies.
5. Carry out nutritional surveillance in coordination with Anganwadi Workers and align project activities to best support vulnerable households.

 Programme Design

1. Define aims and objectives of the overall WASH programme.
2. Select and design water systems including source selection (ground water, surface water), abstraction, storage, treatment and distribution for new systems and/or the rehabilitation of old systems.
3. Select, design, and upgrade the most appropriate form of sanitation system (to include excreta disposal, vector control, solid waste disposal, drainage) in accordance to SPHERE standards and taking full account of local conditions, resources, customs and cultural norms.
4. Select and design a hygiene promotion and protection strategy.
5. Ensure operation and maintenance, environment and sustainability issues are considered and factored into programme design.
6. Have a strong technical knowledge on nutrition in the context of emergencies.

 Response Management and Implementation

1. Plan and manage the above in a phased and prioritized manner with full consultation and co-ordination with Project Manager and relevant staff and other agencies both governmental and non-governmental bodies
2. Ensure gender is fully considered throughout the project cycle with women being enabled to influence decision- making around WASH issues.
3. Organize with the Logistics materials and support needed for all activities.

 Information and Co-ordination

1. Provide regular updates (verbally and in writing) to the Project Manager and the rest of the team on progress, priorities and constraints.
2. Represent ADRA to government and non-governmental groups as appropriate (technical meetings, cluster meetings etc)
3. Train and brief ADRA staff and stakeholders on WASH issues.

 Competencies

1. Innovation/Use of best practices
2. Master all required information systems
3. Organizational planning
4. Programme planning/implementation
5. Verbal communication
6. Work well in team context
7. Written communication
8. Able to work under pressure
9. Accurate and timely reporting
10. Adapt to changing environment
11. Demonstrate sectoral expertise
12. Individual planning skills

Eligibility:

Relevant educational background Minimum Education Level: Bachelors/ Masters Degree: water and environmental sanitation engineering

Experience:

Minimum 5 years humanitarian aid experience in disaster areas with a strong background in water supply systems.

1. Strong experience in sanitation and hygiene promotion for disaster affected populations.
2. Experience in community water supply systems (wells and tube wells).
3. Experience in training staff and organizing workshops.
4. Environmental health engineering (level of academic training needed will vary according to situation, wide technical experience will be necessary).
5. Geology, hydrology, hydrogeology (as needed).
6. Construction – including supervision.
7. Awareness of environmental health issues as applied to emergency settings, with special attention to the needs of women and children.
8. Understanding of nutrition in the context of emergencies

Language Skills: Oriya and English

How to apply:

Please apply electronically, quoting job title on the subject line, and attaching a covering letter (include your last salary drawn) and your CV (with at least two contactable references) to Email Address: – careers@adraindia.org by 15th November. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted.  Incomplete applications will not be considered for the review.

Last date for the application: 15 Nov, 2013

Reference: ADRA