The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

The International Rescue Committee has been working in Somalia since 2006, providing essential services to conflict and disaster affected communities. The IRC has been operational in Central Somalia (Mudug and Galgadud regions), Puntland and Mogadishu implementing interventions in the areas of livelihood, WASH, Governance and peacebuilding, GBV, Nutrition, education and health reaching out to more than 200,000 conflict and drought affected people.

JOB OVERVIEW

The WASH Officer will be responsible for the needs assessment and implementation of water, environmental sanitation and hygiene promotion activities in the operation area. He/she will also be in charge as assigned to him/her by the WASH coordinator all the environmental health activities in target communities and within the health facilities managed by the IRC in the program area. Additionally this position will support development of staff/hygiene promotion volunteers and ensure implementation is done in close collaboration with program staff, the local community, the Local authority and other relevant agencies.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Assessment and mobilization

• Conduct field-based needs assessments and consolidate the information for planning and implementing Environmental Health project activities in Somalia.
• Translate field assessment findings into feasible and relevant project proposals.
• Consolidate community proposals and share with WASH coordinator for response planning.
• Mobilize community members to actively participate in environmental health interventions.

2. Design

• Design appropriate sanitation facilities for the target communities and the health facilities.
• Design and implement a context specific health promotion strategy for the operation area.
• Implement appropriate environmental health requirements; waste management, safe water supply and hygiene promotion, in IRC facilities.

3. Monitoring

• Develop and implement a monitoring plan for all environmental health activities in the area of jurisdiction.Identify forums for community involvement in monitoring of environmental health activities.
• Integrate environmental health into primary health care activities

4. Supervision and Training

• Directly supervise the WASH assistant(s) and Community Volunteers.
• Develop and implement capacity building plans for WASH assistant(s) and community volunteers.
• Develop and implement context specific training guides on hygiene promotion for community volunteers.

5. Reporting

• Provide timely reports on the field trips, monitoring visits and assessments to the Senior WASH officer.
• Compile weekly, monthly and other circumstantial reports as may be required; including donor reports.

Qualifications:

• Degree/Diploma with 7 years working experience in the field of public health or water engineering or other related disciplines; plus relevant work experience in community water, Sanitation and hygiene programs for displaced populations.
• Be able to use a wide variety of software, including Word, Excel and Power Point.
• Ability to work independently in a result oriented multi-tasking and multi-cultural environment and manage conflicting priorities.
• Proven practical experience in the planning and execution of water and sanitation projects. Possibly experience in social work and / or humanitarian assistance.
• Demonstrated experience of integrating gender and diversity issues into WASH Programming.
• Fluency in English, oral and written with strong report writing skills.