WASH EXPERT

Job Description

Our Profile

People in Need is a non-governmental, non-profit organization founded on the ideals of humanism, freedom, equality and solidarity. We consider human dignity and freedom to be fundamental values. We believe that people anywhere in the world should have the right to make decisions about their lives and to share the rights expressed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The People in Need organization was established in 1992 by a group of Czech war correspondents who were no longer satisfied with merely relaying information about ongoing conflicts and began sending out aid. It gradually became established as a professional humanitarian organization striving to provide aid in troubled regions and support adherence to human rights around the world.

Throughout our over 25 years of its existence, People in Need has become one of the biggest non-profit organizations in Central Europe. In addition to humanitarian aid and human rights, it now also targets education and helps people living in social exclusion.

We are part of Alliance 2015, (https://www.alliance2015.org/  a strategic network of seven European non-governmental organizations engaged in humanitarian aid and development projects. This collaboration increases effectiveness, both in working in the target countries and in campaigns aimed at influencing the attitudes of politicians and the general public in Europe. In our over 16 years operation in Ethiopia, has focused on projects in five main areas of interest: Education and Social protection, Environment, Livelihood and Agriculture, Water, sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and Emergency programs.

More information at https://www.peopleinneed.net/  or HERE.

PIN currently is seeking energetic, disciplined, responsible WASH Expert

PIN currently invites applicants for the position of WASH Expert

Length of Contract: Definite until September 30/2025

Main focus:

Promote and ensure quality implementation of WASH components in development and emergency projects  

• Collect and disseminate knowledge and experience in the field of WASH program in Ethiopia.  
• Partnership, advocacy and Networking on Water report technology in Ethiopia.
• Provide technical support on electromechanical, construction, hydraulic engineering for WASH projects
• Act as an advisor on TVET colleges electromechanical workshops activities, job creation in electromechanical field, business development and business plan
• Participate on training manuals development on electromechanical fields
• Advise on trainings of WASH governance
• Advise town water utility
• Provide technical support and advise on rural water supply schemes
• Participate on new proposal development and act as a resource person for engineering aspect

Core tasks & Responsibilities: WASH Projects under development & emergency programs:  

• Based on request of individual program/projects managers, the WASH Technical Expert will provide: 
• Support with implementation, monitoring and technical support on the PIN’s WASH projects under development and emergency programs.  
• Training of project team/ beneficiaries on the areas of his expertise.  
• Support need assessments, baselines, endline, projects monitoring, evaluation.   
• Training of relevant government experts related with WASH as requested by PgM and   PM of development and emergency programs
• Responsible for the promotion and management of Water Report as assigned by Program managers 
• Support PIN ETH country program in developing effective and relevant WASH interventions and funding proposals ensuring evidence-based project design both for emergency and development programs.  
• Reviews the quality of projects and programs, helps to identify gaps and provides guidance to program team for improvement (evaluation of training programs, methods, materials, and choose those that best fit each situation for the project goal and indicators achievement; follow up, preparation and validation of short and long-term training.  
• Proactively maintains regular communication with PMs of both development and emergency programs, participate in regular program/project reviews and contribute his/her inputs.   
• Step in as acting PM if needed e.g. Project Manager is not hired yet for a new project with the WASH component
• Support in developing the necessary TOR and contents and curriculum of training programs planned for WASH projects that could feet with development and emergency WASH projects

Knowledge Management, Support Positioning and NETWORKING:

• Knowledge and use of tools, guidance documents and quality standards required for the improvement of PIN´s work in WASH sector
• Work and focus on quality assurance measures for development and emergency WASH projects in our implementation areas and work with project team towards ensuring project quality and standards for WASH
• Proactively follow and investigate the new national trends and policies in Professional WASH sector under development and emergency settings
• Archiving of all relevant WASH related policies, materials, project outputs (materials, experience, etc.) to ELO and/or SharePoint 
• Supports development of sectorial/program strategies (on country program level) and visibility materials for development and emergency WASH components
• Participates in project baselines, midterm and/or final evaluations including through support to the development of tools and analysis of data, highlighting good practices and lessons learnt and identifying future opportunities for programming, and search for innovative solutions.   
• Identify the most effective approaches, key lessons learnt and most useful resources related to WASH and ensure that relevant PIN staff are aware of them and use them.  
• Ensure networking with organizations working in WASH field and pursue partnership opportunities on regional and/or national level; and mapping of all actors (partners, donors, clusters, forums, etc.) working/supporting WASH in Ethiopia 
•  Participates in country and regional-level WASH Cluster, Sector, Working Groups and/or Strategic Advisory Groups and engages in sector-wide coordination, standardization and capacity building efforts.  
• Facilitate know-how sharing (incl. documentation) among project team working on WASH Program as well as participate on know-how and experience sharing with other PIN´s CPs 

Specifically, WASH Technical Expert will have the following key roles and responsibilities: - 

Job Responsibility #1: Rural Water Scheme Management, Town Water utilities technical and social supports, TVET WASH support (30% time): -

• Supporting and monitoring for the realization of the Water User Associations Federation /WUAFs/ strategy for Sustainable Water Services in our intervention areas (development & emergency) i.e. in South Ethiopia, Central Ethiopia, Sidama, Oromia and other Regions.  
• Ensure that PIN Staffs (project field Officers and field coordinators) and the Government Water Office/Department/Bureau’s involved staff /Community Participation/ Mobilization Experts, Schemes Operation & Maintenance & Administration Heads, PIN Focal Persons and others have clear understanding on the processes of realizing WUA proclamation.  
• Ensure that PIN staff and the involved governmental Water Office Staff provide quality support and monitoring for planning and accomplishment processes by Water User Associations Federations /WUAFs/ 
• Check that annual objectives setting by WUAFs are properly and timely supported by Project field Officers and the Government Water Office/Department/Bureau’s involved staff /Community Participation/ Mobilization Experts.  
• Check that field officers strictly review and endorse alignment of monthly activity and visit plans of FOs and Community Participation/ Mobilization Experts to support WUAFs and accomplishment reports of the set targets achieved the minimum percentage and proper actions are taken on those who do not meet the targets/percentages. 
• Prepare a monthly action planning and report the achievements for emergency and development WASH projects activities in the previous month and present to the monthly coordination meeting; document and share notes/minutes of such meetings.  
• Join regularly the regional Community participation in visiting the targeted Woreda and Federations and in evaluating the achievements of the past period.  
• Conduct regular visits with the regional team to point out the innovations and difficulties encountered in target Woreda and Partner like IRCON and Geotechnica and others.  
• Participating in the elaboration and update of PIN Water Services Management Strategies both for emergency and development contexts 
• Follow up and support timely collection and proper financial management by WUAFs including monitoring and support the level of collaboration between PIN Team and the Woreda Water Offices through specific MoU and Non-MoU Approaches with regular field meetings including for financial management monitoring for WUAFs.  
• Facilitate financial management trainings for concerned members of WUAFs in collaboration with Woreda and Regional Finance/Cooperative Office/Department through Woreda/region Water Office/Department 
• In collaboration with concerned internal/external staff, ensure that internal audit committee members of WUAFs have received due training and discharging their internal control responsibilities properly 
• Following that strategic plans elaborated with PIN and the WWO are well applied for financial management and overall management and leadership of WUAFs. 
• Promoting preventive maintenance for the rural and urban water schemes & establish recording repair of history & promoting scheduled maintenance of the water facilities. 
•  Ensure timely diagnosis and maintenance of schemes including Regular visits and evaluations of WUAF and Multi-Village water structures 
• Ensure that Water Agents (operators and plumbers) are capable and conducting diagnosis and proper maintenance as well as taking appropriate actions such as cutting water supply to Water User Associations /WUAs/ that do not respect internal rules, mainly water service payment to WUAFs as per their tariff.  
• WUAFs’ data entry, analyses and key performance reporting including ensuring that annual objectives plan; monthly activity & visit plans and achievement reports of PIN Staff with WUAFs are done and collected, scanned and stored in the SharePoint drive timely.  
• Conduct accomplishment data entry and analysis for each WUAF, Woreda and present the results in tables and graphs with power BI for every quarter and present to the coordination team for discussions and making decisions.  
• Facilitate regular meetings between PIN and its partner GOs and NGOs to exchange experiences, lessons and best experiences on the results of the water services activities and strategies 
• Ensure that reports and data transmitted by WWOs and WUAFs are delivered on time and accurate through sample visits to Federation and multi-villages services 
• Support local stakeholders in compilation and analyses of data regarding water services activities while ensuring good relationship building for the partnership 
• Develop propositions and relevant formats/guidelines/training to improve PIN WASH strategy and methodology based on the outcomes of meetings with stakeholders in the emergency and development contexts
• Create linkages between technical and social components of Water Supply Program; Strong social inclination (knowledge of community-based approach, training of community-based associations…) 
• Facilitate the development of simply understandable tariff setting and business planning process that WUAFs can apply to understand the investment cost of their schemes and the necessary cost recovery for O&M. 
• Ensure that performance-based contractual agreement is in place between WUAs and WUAFs and that WUAFs are delivering quality and timely services of water to WUAs.
• Developing the Water Services Strategy: including the main propositions and prepare relevant formats, guidelines, and training materials.
• Communicates and advocates governmental stakeholders to share PIN strategy and innovations concerning WUAF and multi-village structures strengthening.
• Support the executing water utility tasks with harmonizing the policies, strategies, roles and responsibilities of utilities stakeholders.
• Coordinate, facilitate and manage the utility integrated database management for utility; providing technical support on the asset management utility and capable of the utility to have excellent technical skills on asset management and provide technical support on customer service and billing.
• Providing technical support on leakage management (both real losses and apparent losses management), providing technical support water safety & quality of water supply system of utility.
• Project Planning, Implementation, and monitoring, closely working with WASH governance (customer forum, Water Board, WaSH forum), community and local government, and reporting while ensuring quality of Project delivery.
• Play a key role in development of new WASH project proposals and concepts in the on PT, Sanitation, TVET-WASH and TWU and any relevant WASH related new project ideas for emergency and development programs in future.
• Participate on training materials development (curriculum development) together with regional TVET and job creation bureaus, TVET colleges, regional water mines and energy bureaus and PIN WASH staffs.

Job Responsibility #2:  Project Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (15% time):  

• Ensures that development and emergency projects team develop realistic and strategically focused quarterly implementation plans which are oriented toward accomplishment of the projects, and are supported by individual operation plans of the field project staff.
• Monitors the implementation of PIN’s and partners’ Projects and documents progress on Project objectives and areas for correction, and ensures that appropriate follow-up actions are taken.
• Ensures gender impacts of the project are timely and appropriately monitored, analyzed, and reported through monitoring and evaluation system.
• Coordinates with implementing partners and government offices in planning and monitoring activities at the national level, and in the Technical Working Group of the Project. 
• Ensures monitoring data is collected and used in a timely manner to ensure critical sequencing and implementation of activities and ability to adapt interventions and timing as appropriate. 
• Ensures M&E information is used to identify gaps and to develop timely strategies to advance accomplishment of the Project. 
• Monitors and adjusts strategies to maximize program quality and impact for development and emergency WASH projects.  
• Participate on regular project assessments, review session and PPRS of WASH projects 

Job Responsibility #3:  Program Implementation and Technical Support (25% time) 

• Facilitates detailed implementation plans for PIN operational areas and works closely to ensure the completeness and adequacy of Implementation Plans. 
• Works with Field Offices and Program Department staff to assess and identify technical assistance needs and to identify and secure potential technical assistance providers. 
• Ensures that appropriate technical, administrative and financial support is provided by the respective departments and sections of the CP to enhance the capacity of the Project team.  
• Ensure that Project reports make explicit reference to approaches used to address unequal gender relations. 
• By discussing with PgMs and PMs, he will lead and take responsible for training programs for communities, government partners and community members and deliver necessary reports for completed trainings delivered and also conduct post training assessments 

Job Responsibility No. 4: Partnership, advocacy, Networking and Learning (25% time) 

• Establishes and maintains formal and informal communication mechanisms with government, community Partners, donors, and other stakeholders particularly in the WASH sector. This includes participating in the relevant WASH working groups & Clusters active in Ethiopia. 
• Actively participates in Project Coordinating Committee and Technical Working Group to ensure that new information, innovations, and lessons are shared and capitalized on.  
• Participates in the documentation and dissemination of lessons learned & best practices (publication, short videos, etc) and participate in the development of capacity statement documents for emergency and development WASH projects
• Manage integration of projects /programs, resources and operations from all funding streams and ensure timely and quality implementation of all projects/program activities as per the annual operation plans as well as successful achievement of proposed outcomes & intended impact. 
• Provide guidance on development and empowerment of local institutions (Community Based Organizations, Community Care Coalition, Faith Based Organizations, volunteers and others). 
• Enforce stewardship and accountability by ensuring that resources are efficiently and effectively utilized for the intended purpose within the set timeframe ensuring that there is value for money for every activity done. 
• A sound understanding of project cycle management and the applied tools with ability to identify indicators that track what is trying to be achieved by putting in place a simple system to monitor and review progress towards the objectives. 
• Lead the implementation of management decisions/recommendations in order to meet quality standards and promote alignment with strategies and standards.  
• Facilitate networking, relationships and participation with wide stakeholders such as UN agencies, INGOs, government, churches, faith-based organization and community-based organizations, etc. from grass root to regional level. 
• Build strategic partnerships, networks, coalitions and alliances at the zone/regional level that can be linked with the national level strategic engagements to promote advocacy, lobbying and influencing initiatives. 
• Document evidences, lessons and learning from WATER REPORT response and advocacy engagements and link with national level advocacy initiatives. 
• Develop a mapping of resource needed for PIN and work with emergency and development program team at the HQ to develop concepts/proposals for funding to execute PIN strategy.  
• Provide support to the donors visiting the county for effective and efficient coordination of information sharing and messaging. 
• Empower community to see the bigger picture of their lives, change the mind set towards development so that they can avoid dependency syndrome, own their development without depending on donor support or hand outs and to realize that they have potential, capacity and resources that can be used to change their lives.  

Job Responsibility #5:  Perform other duties as assigned (5% time) 

• Focal person for the transformer follow-up at EEU 
• Responsible for Water report  
• Perform other assignments corresponding to actual needs of the development and emergency projects, program or mission up on the request of line manager/CMT member. 

­General obligations and responsibilities

• The Employee is obligated not to purvey any information concerning any of PIN activities to outsiders (including former PIN employees, who may no more be informed about current process in PIN).
•  PIN is a relief and development organization whose aim is to help and assist needy people. The Employee’s position within the institution requires contacts with outside; he or she therefore conveys a certain image of the PIN. PIN expects its Employees to behave in appropriate manners at all times and in all places. All members of staff should ensure their attitudes correspond to PIN principles, both during and after working hours.
• The Employee takes over the responsibility for all entrusted material or cash. The Employee is obligated to cover all damages or losses caused by his carelessness. The Agreement of Liability of Assets has been signed separately.

Accountability and Safeguarding including Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (SEAH)

• Carry out the duties in accordance with the PIN Code of Conduct and Key policies.
• Participate in training and awareness raising (CoC and KP, Safeguarding…).
• Ensure that his/her team members attend training and awareness sessions and carry out the duties in accordance with PIN Code of Conduct and Key policies. 
• Ensure that due diligence and/or capacity assessments of partners include an assessment of partners’ implementation of key safeguarding and risk policies/ procedure including the prevention of SEAH.   
• Create and maintain a fulfilling and protective environment. 
• Other assignments corresponding to actual needs of the project, program or mission up on the request of line manager/CMT member  

Benefit

• Standard work schedule of 40 hours per week from Monday to Friday
• Per diems for working and Accommodation outside of the duty office depending on the location
• Transport Allowance
• Bank loan facilities
• 20 days of paid annual and after 5 years of work an extra paid day for every year
• Extra days of paid leaves for selected holidays
• Medical insurance, including spouse and children
• Accident insurance for all injuries during work time based on the law
• Pension contribution of 11 % from PIN
• Paternity leave of extra 2 paid days above the mandatory 3 days
• Maternity leave according to the law and extra financial motherhood support
• Monthly mobile phone hybrid tariff
• PIN supports fast career growth and internal mobility
• International environment with opportunities to learn from other PIN’s country programs
• Extensive Capacity Building program, both internal and external trainings, including the Induction training
• Internal online learning opportunities, such as access to PIN’s e-learning platform and webinars
• Annual staff retreat
• Friendly and fair work environment with small collective where everyone knows each other

Job Requirement

• Minimum BA/BSC Degree in the field of Electromechanical engineer, electrical or mechanical engineering and environmental Engineering With Experience WASH and TVET.
• Four years and above Experience in WASH Sector.