Senior WASH Assistant /Asistente de Agua, Saneamiento e Higiene (Temporal) - Guayana City

Duties and Qualifications

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Senior WASH Assistant

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
The Senior WASH Assistant works under the supervision of the Head of Field Office in technical coordination with the Shelter Cluster in Caracas. S/he will contribute to the development, guidance and oversight of the implementation of WASH strategies for refugee settlements. The incumbent will support WASH related activities in the refugee settlements working closely with the multi-functional teams including colleagues from protection, health, settlement planning, field and others.

The Senior WASH Assistant provides technical guidance, works in collaboration with partners and other external stakeholders, reviews ongoing activities and generally contributes to improving WASH service delivery to persons of concern (POC) to adequate levels at each site in accordance with the UNHCR WASH Manual and Technical Guidelines, and applicable UNHCR and/or national standards.

S/he will follow a rights-based and community focused approach to programme design and implementation. The incumbent will follow the five principles for protection, accountability and WASH as outlined in UNHCR¿s WASH Manual.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR¿s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.


4. Duties

- Assist in giving technical guidance and support to partners on all WASH-related issues to ensure quality, cost-effectiveness, sustainability and environmental sound WASH interventions.
- Liaise with implementing and operating partners and relevant governmental and non-governmental counterparts as requested.
- Review regularly the quantity and quality of water and sanitation services offered in the AoR (Area of Responsibility) and maintain the records of WASH performance indicators for all locations.
- Undertake field verifications, monitor development and support the evaluation of activities and approaches adopted by partners in WASH and related sectors, reporting the results to the supervisor for sharing with other technical units.
- Build and maintain relationships with other sectors, particularly site planning, health and community service, to locate, plan, implement and monitor WASH activities.
- Provide requested inputs to ensure that regular and accurate reports that analyse the challenges encountered in providing WASH services for beneficiaries are prepared and circulated.
- May be called to participate in the preparation of all reports for management, boards, donors, budget reviews, programme analysis, monthly, annual reports etc. in a timely manner.
- Contribute to providing technical inputs during strategic and operational planning cycles of UNHCR within the AoR.
- Participate in WASH sector, infrastructure coordination, camp coordination and cross-cutting sector meetings e.g. health, environment, as required by the supervisor.
- Contribute to or compile documents and reports related to WASH activities and construction under the AoR.
- Record feedback from UNHCR camp management, field and community services colleagues on issues with water availability, access, quality, sanitation issues, and ensure follow-up.
- Support the management in provision of WASH facilities required (UNHCR managed and supported areas), including activities such as technical design, cost estimations of technical activities, development of bill of quantities for construction of all associated WASH works, and all operational and maintenance considerations.
- Provide project management support for UNHCR WASH activities
- Promote and participate in the establishment of a complaint mechanism/system to improve the WASH accountability.
- Ensure existence of and follow master and detailed chronograms, reporting to the sector any issue resulting in delays or extra costs.
- Supervise UNHCR partners' construction and maintenance of WASH in UNHCR managed and supported areas.
- When called upon, assist in negotiations with local authority counterparts, partners and POC.
- Provide inputs for country operation¿s plan and other submissions and reports as requested.
- Monitor WASH activities in the AoR on behalf of UNHCR and make recommendations to the supervisor and the UNHCR management team.
- Provide data inputs for the WASH monitoring system.
- Perform other related duties as required.

5. Minimum Qualifications

Education & Professional Work Experience

Years of Experience / Degree Level

For G5 - 2 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 1 year relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Fields of Education
Engineering or Architecture are an asset

Desirable certificates and/or Licenses

Agriculture Civil Engineering Environment Natural Resources Management
Hydrology Project management Public Health Community Dvpt/Social Work
Social Sciences Urban Planning Architecture Water resource development
Water/Sanit Mgmt Water Supply


Relevant Job Experience

Essential
Experience in area of WASH including surveys, programme implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and coordination.

Desirable
Knowledge and understanding of water and wastewater hydraulics and physical, chemical and biological properties; solid waste management practices, vector control and hygiene promotion/awareness raising strategies. Knowledge and understanding of relationship between water, wastewater, solid waste and vector control to public health indicators, and value of hygiene promotion/awareness raising and behaviour change methodologies.


Functional Skills

SP-Sphere Handbook
WA-WASH-related Technologies
WA-WASH Assessment including survey, implementation, monitoring and coordination
SP-Vector Control
MD-Public Health Epidemiology
IT-Computer Literacy
IT-Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
EX-Experience with Inter/Non-Governmental Organization (INGO/NGO)
SP-Environmental Sanitation Language Requirements UNHCR's hiring language for Venezuela is English. Candidates must have certain degree of English knowledge. Additional Information Pre-selected candidates might be invited to sit in a written test. Only pre-selected candidates will receive a notification. Applications received out of the established deadline (01/07/2020), will not be considered.

UNHCR is committed to have a diverse workspace. All suitable candidates interested to apply, are invited to send their application regardless of gender, civil status, race, colour, ethnicity or nationality of origin, religious believes or sexual orientation. The application to UNHCR positions is free of charges (application, interview, recruitment, training, etc.). For any additional consultation regarding this vacancy please contact the HR Unit at vencahr@unhcr.org