WASH Technical Assistant

Job Posting Organization:
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is an independent humanitarian organization that assists people forced to flee. Established to respond to crises, NRC operates in 31 countries, providing emergency and long-term assistance to millions of people each year. The organization advocates for the rights of displaced individuals and works to improve international and local capacities to prevent, prepare for, respond to crises, and recover from them. NRC also manages the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre in Geneva, which is a global leader in reporting and advocacy for internally displaced persons. NRC is committed to ensuring equal opportunities and aims for a diverse workforce in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, nationality, and physical ability. The organization emphasizes adherence to its core values of dedication, innovation, inclusion, and accountability, which guide its actions and relationships.

Job Overview:
The WASH Technical Assistant position is designed to provide administrative and technical support to the WASH teams. The role is crucial in ensuring adherence to NRC policies, tools, manuals, and guidelines. The assistant will independently implement procedures and activities within their function or core competencies, demonstrating initiative to solve daily problems in accordance with agreed procedures, priorities, and standards. The position involves preparing and developing situation reports as required by management, ensuring proper filing of documents, and preparing quantitative and estimated bills of quantities for construction/rehabilitation works of water sources, latrines, showers, and other identified community EHA infrastructures. The assistant will facilitate and supervise construction and/or rehabilitation works of water and sanitation facilities and participate in preliminary activities such as needs assessments, beneficiary identification, and technical document design. Additionally, the role includes supporting capacity building for local masons and workers, conducting physical-chemical and bacteriological analyses of constructed/rehabilitated water points, and promoting the sustainability of WASH interventions through technical training on management and maintenance of facilities.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The main responsibilities of the WASH Technical Assistant include ensuring adherence to NRC policies, tools, manuals, and guidelines; assisting in the implementation of the program portfolio according to the action plan; independently implementing procedures and activities within their function; demonstrating initiative in problem-solving; preparing and developing situation reports; ensuring proper document filing; preparing quantitative and estimated bills of quantities for construction/rehabilitation works; facilitating and supervising construction and/or rehabilitation of water and sanitation facilities; participating in preliminary activities such as needs assessments and beneficiary identification; supporting capacity building for local masons and workers; conducting analyses of constructed/rehabilitated water points; promoting sustainability of WASH interventions; collecting and sharing weekly evidence and verification sources; providing feedback to supervisors on ordered goods and materials; and sharing field observations to improve the program.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess general professional skills including readiness and ability to travel and work regularly in the field, proficiency in French both written and spoken, and mastery of local languages in the intervention area. A technical diploma of 2 years in a field related to construction, civil engineering, or hydraulic engineering is required. Knowledge in water quality analysis (using kits) and experience in participatory methodologies for community construction work is desired. Familiarity with technical drawing tools (AutoCAD, Sketchup, ArchiCAD, epanet, etc.) and office tools such as Excel and Word is essential. Good planning and activity monitoring skills are necessary, along with professional experience in WASH technical expertise, focusing on community mobilization, awareness-raising, and capacity building. A thorough understanding of the humanitarian context in the assigned territories and health zones, knowledge of standards such as SPHERE, and experience in community capacity building are also required.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a technical diploma of 2 years in a relevant field such as construction, civil engineering, or hydraulic engineering. This educational foundation is essential for understanding the technical aspects of the role and for effectively contributing to the WASH projects.

Experience:
The position requires professional experience in the WASH sector, with a focus on technical expertise related to community mobilization, awareness-raising, and capacity building. Candidates should have experience working in humanitarian contexts and familiarity with participatory methodologies for engaging communities in construction work.

Languages:
Proficiency in French is mandatory, both written and spoken. Knowledge of local languages in the intervention area is also required, as it facilitates communication and engagement with the communities served by the WASH programs.

Additional Notes:
The position may involve working in regions with significant health, safety, and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security risks. NRC takes these risks seriously and has procedures in place to mitigate known risks, although they cannot be completely eliminated. The organization is committed to equal opportunity employment and aims for a diverse workforce. The contract duration and seniority level are not specified in the provided information.