Role Purpose
The primary objective of the WASH Advisor will be to provide overall technical support to all projects and programmes related to WASH in Kenya and Madagascar, in both emergencies and development contexts with major focus on USAID BHA related responses.
The Role functions include leading in developing WASH programmatic strategy, programmatic design, leading in sectoral assessments and supporting implementation of quality programmes in both response, early recovery and resilience. This work also encompasses support in fundraising, master budgeting, internal and external coordination, and capacity development of both WASH co-ordinators, officers and other teams in addition to support to both National and County Government actors, consortia and other partners in the area of WASH.
The Advisor will play a pivotal role in providing adequate technical support supervision and monitoring to the field operations teams to ensure technical quality throughout the project implementation cycle.
He/she will work with other members of Programme Development and Quality and Impact(PDQ-I) and Operations teams to promote and disseminate good practices and lessons learned in technical aspects in projects, especially BHA projects. The Advisor will also support field teams in County/ies level advocacy on WASH.
In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly.
Key Areas Of Accountability
Technical Delivery:
- Provide technical and thought leadership for the WASH team and support in developing and review of engineering designs, hygiene promotion programmes, standard technical guidelines and proactively promote high quality WASH technical approaches within country programmes.
- Working closely with Programme Development Team to support fundraising for the WASH sector, including development of high-quality concept notes and proposals, and engagement with donors’ technical Advisers, targeting institution donors like BHA, private sector, among others.
- Lead on WASH technical assessments and standard surveys both internally and externally, in coordination with other SC thematic areas and/or other external agencies, ensuring assessment findings are documented and that all assessments and surveys include a specific analysis of children’s needs.
- Strengthen coordination and integration between, Health and Nutrition, Education and CP FSL, Shelter /Infra programmes and develop ideas for integration of hygiene promotion activities with health and nutrition interventions including adopting learning from previous WASH responses/hygiene promotion activities.
- Participate in technical project review meetings with field teams (Senior Program/Project Managers) of other sectors and consortium partners and internally share progress and corrective actions aimed at improving project and sector outcomes.
- Working with the PDQ Director, Operations, and other technical specialists, develop WASH sector response plans and master budgets and contribute to Save the Children’s overall response strategy.
- Review donor reports from the implementing teams, ensuring they are compliant with internal SC requirements and any relevant external donor requirements.
- Identify WASH programme supplies needs and coordinate with the Supply Chain Team and provide technical input to during procument process. Provide technical input to WASH construction and tender procurement.
- Provide technical support to save the children teams in designing, planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating WASH project activities that are integrated into other sectors. Ensure technical quality of programs and support team to analyse monitoring data to improve program design and implementation.
- Support evidence-based learning for programme development, innovation, improvement and advocacy, ensuring that lessons learned are properly documented, effectively disseminated and, incorporated into wider design and implementation of SCI’s work pro-actively discussing opportunities for innovation and integration within programme design opportunities including engaging with climate change, Gender especially SRH, Disabilities and Inclusion links.
- Working closely with the MEAL team to put in place accountability activities in WASH thematic area, ensuring that feedback from all relevant stakeholders is considered in WASH programme design. Competency in using relevant software for technical drawings as part of the requirements – this has been a pain point.
Capacity Building:
- Identify learning and training needs and develop/identify opportunities for Save the Children staff and partners.
- Oversee development of technical training material that will improve aspects of WASH work within Save the Children, at country level and lead on delivery of capacity-building objectives.
Representation & Advocacy & Organisational Learning:
- Ensure that Save the Children’s work is coordinated with efforts of other agencies and Government, and take a leadership role within Interagency Coordination forums, such as the WASH cluster, ensuring the specific needs of children are being addressed. Take the lead in technical working groups at national or sub-national level where needed.
- Take steps to document lessons learned, from WASH programmes, for wider dissemination.
- In collaboration Head of Advocacy, promote WASH advocacy activities that target decision-makers at all levels, to tackle WASH issues at national and county level.
- In collaboration with SC WASH colleagues, feed in learning, experiences and evidence to relevant global advocacy objectives.
- Identify opportunities and material to contribute to WASH communications and media work, acting as a spokesperson when required.
General:
- Demonstrate leadership in relation to Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child safeguarding, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.
- Ensure that the minimum standards of humanitarian relief are maintained in accordance with the Sphere Charter.
Contract Duration: 12 months
Qualifications And Experience
Essential
- Education to Degree level in Public Health, Water Engineering/ Civil Engineering, or a related subject,
- Post graduate training in these areas will be desirable
- Demonstrable, Solid experience in similar WASH programme work, with national level experience in addition to in emergency context is required.
- Recommended minimum of six years of relevant technical experience including two years at senior level
- Proven skills and experience in undertaking assessments and designing/writing quality technical proposals.
- Prior experience of working in an emergency response, and managing a WASH team at national level
- Previous experience of USAID WASH programme design, programme coordination, WASH donor engagement.
- Experience of and commitment to working through systems of community participation and accountability
- Specific experience of designing and managing BHA projects.
- Proven capacity to supervise, train and coach staff in WASH technical skills
- Experience of representation and ability to represent SC effectively in external forums.
- Experience of preparing successful funding proposals for donors
- Excellent communication skills including the ability to write clear and well-argued assessment and project reports and a high level of written and spoken English.
- Strong influencing skills and experience in advocacy
Commitment to the aims and principles of Save the Children. In particular, a good understanding of the SC mandate and child focus and an ability to ensure this continues to underpin our support.
How To Apply
