WASH Head of Department

Job Summary:

To guarantee the quality, relevance and scaling of WASH strategy and interventions at the mission, in conformity with Action Against Hunger and international standards and national policies;

Capacitate the WASH team to be technically and managerially stronger 

Skills Required:

Provinces to travel:

Skills Description:

• Applicant must have a broad experience of managing WASH programs in the field in coordination and, preferably, integrated with other sectors such as nutrition, health, food security and livelihoods, protection, etc.
• Experience in working with different donors including ECHO, GAC, AHF
• Proven capacity to work in a complicated security environment.
• Excellent diplomatic, communication, team management and organisational skills are required. 
• Solid interest and willing to build capacity of country WaSH team;
• Have the ability to shift priorities and multitask. 

Fluent in written and spoken English

Duties & Responsibilities:

Mission 1: Design, develop and evaluate actions in the field of WASH

The Head of WASH Department is responsible for:

Ensuring collection, quality control, monitoring, follow up and evaluation of data

Carry out detail and accurate WASH situation analysis

Ensure the timely preparation, review and submission of high standard proposals and concept notes including WASH component.

Provide technical backstopping for any WASH component of multi-sectoral integrated program, including emergency WaSH response, ERM, MHCP Gender and Protection.

Lead by example and encourage his/her team to identify WaSH needs, carry out gap analysis and design accurate response projects.

Develop strategy plan for the country WASH program.

Tasks :

Analysis of prevailing context of WASH in country.

Initiate studies and analysis of WaSH situation based on data provided by partners (NGOs, UN agencies, governmental departments)

Engage in teamwork with Heads of Departments of other sectors to develop an integrated and effective project.

Drawing up new concept notes and proposals for WASH programme in collaboration with Program Managers, Field Managers and Field Coordinators and link it with technical departments of Nutrition/Health, FSL, MHCP/Gender/Protection based on need.

Liaise with finance, HR and logistics departments to establish budget for new programmes in WASH

Develop and monitor budget allocated to the WaSH department.

Identify challenges, propose research projects and innovative ideas that contribute for the effective and efficient implementation of WASH projects

Assess, evaluate and build on good practices and experiences to AAH’s organizational strategic framework and ensure the implementation of such recommendations arising from assessments.

Liaise with Emergency Response Mechanism (ERM) team to ensure WASH soft and hard components are well covered in proposals, budget and implementation.

Mission 2: Monitor and coordinate programmes in the fields of WASH

The Head of WASH Department is responsible for:

Deciding to launch surveys in liaison with the DCD Program and bases for all WASH programmes

Contributing for the development of integrated (inter-disciplinary) approach programmes

Consideration of cross cutting issues such as protection and gender mainstreaming as a minimum in designs of WaSH related interventions.

Assuring quality in preparation of activity progress reports to meet specific requirements, standards and timeline.

Ensure quality donor reporting by supporting field teams prior to validation

Monitoring all the consolidated programme budgets relating to WASH allocated to the country.

Ensuring standard WaSH performance in all stages of the WaSH project cycle.

Tasks :

Develop/review tools, questionnaires and analysis reports for WASH related assessments, ensuring protection and gender mainstreaming 

Provide technical validation and monitor resources meant for WASH programme to ensure effective and timely use and undertake quality control.

 Monitor program implementation progress against key indicators through the review of qualitative and quantitative reports submitted by WASH Programme Managers using standard tools, such as activity progress reporting tool (APR).

Engaging with ERM team to discuss technical matters that ensures quality implementation of WASH interventions in the field.

When possible, appropriate and relevant, promote an integrated approach in the programmes to ensure a sound understanding of the causes of malnutrition vicious circle with other key sectors (Nutrition, Health, FSL, MHCP Gender & Protection).

 Organize, analyse and enforce the proper documentation of all data collected by WASH Programme Managers,

Provide information, briefings and updates to the Deputy Country Director of Programs & HQ technical advisor on technical issues, concerns and road maps as required.

Review internal and donor reports.

Mission 3: Develop and launch programmes in collaboration with governmental and local agencies

The Head of WASH Department is responsible for :

Development of AAH’s WASH strategy that considers road map and strategy given by the government and other key partners.

Developing and maintaining a harmonious and productive network of partnership with national representatives and programme partners (donors, government partners, INGOs, NGOs, etc)

 Establish MoUs that defines the terms of various partnership.

Making use of all available platforms to exchange information necessary for better coordination and collaboration.

Tasks :

Negotiate with local partners on organizing agreement protocols, action plans, training at all levels (local, regional and national)

Whenever necessary, initiate and update agreements and protocols to secure the efficient functioning of the programme (eg structural change, redefinition of roles etc)

 Coordinating the implementation of programmes with representatives of national and local government 

Linking up with partners and taking part in meetings with other agencies è with a view to defining partnership agreements

Analysing training needs and when necessary and possible, arrange training for AAH’s and partners WaSH team.

Lending technical support to the development of national and local strategy for WASH

Setting out a common strategy and action plan (AAH and partners) concerning specific projects

Collaborate with partners through information sharing, joint monitoring and build better partnership.

Define a country-specific strategy for technical advocacy in consultation with the Country Director, DCDP and HQ (if part of mission advocacy objectives)

Mission 4: Represent Action Against Hunger and its positioning in the field of WASH

The Head of WASH Department is responsible for :

Representing AAH in dealing with authorities, partners and actors concerning the matter of WASH.

Exercise and make authorities, partners and other peer actors fully aware of the AAH’s position and protocols.

Proactively support AAH’s commitment to gender equality, protection, including child protection and GBV and sensitivity to disability.

Tasks :

Develop and maintain relations with current and potential donors (visits to projects, presentation of AAH and its work, requests for funding) 

Represent AAH in meetings that concerns WASH with authorities and other agencies (clusters, forums) and participate in national networks of WASH.

Promote the strategy and protocols of AAH to local partners (NGO, MoH, etc.) in terms of WaSH programing.

Representing the areas of WASH in the national coordination of AAH

Produce and share technical, strategic and activity reports in the fields of WASH to relevant partners, coordination platforms and actors.

Producing and/or publishing information, both internally and externally, concerning technical progress in the fields of WASH in the country of intervention

Mission 5: Manage the WASH team in Kabul, be the Technical/Support Manager of the WASH Program Managers, capacitate WASH team

The Head of WASH Department is responsible for :

Evaluation of the technical performance and skills of Programme Managers

Developing the technical skills of WASH team including ERM team or any integrated team consisting of WASH component

Designing capacity building strategies based on gap analysis and target areas for learning in National and International levels, as per relevance.

Integrating capacity building and capitalisation strategies within WASH country strategy

Job Location:

Qualifications:

• University BSc/MSc Degree in Environmental, Hydraulic, Civil or other related engineering fields of study
• 5 years of work experience in WASH programs, emergency WaSH response and at least 2 years in senior management and / or coordination role  

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