Wash and Shelter Technical Assistant, Jijiga, Ethiopia

Job Description

The WASH & Shelter Technical Assistant supports planning, implementation, quality assurance and monitoring of WASH and shelter activities to ensure safe, and sustainable services for affected populations. The role includes technical oversight of construction of water systems, shelter, water quality management, coordination with partners and authorities, procurement and contract support, and reporting.

Specific Responsibilities

• Support needs assessments, baseline/KAP surveys, mid-term and end-line evaluations.
• Translate annual operational plans into weekly, monthly and quarterly implementation schedules.
• Prepare timely technical reports, assessment findings, environmental impact assessments, progress updates and donor-required documentation.
• Represent NRC in WASH & Shelter sub-cluster, site-level coordination and other stakeholder meetings; liaise with local authorities, community leaders, NGOs/INGOs and implementing partners.
• Coordinate with other technical and cross-cutting teams to ensure integrated response and adherence to CC strategy, tools and guidelines.
• Facilitate community feedback mechanisms and ensure accountability to affected populations (AAP).
• Supervise and monitor WASH and shelter construction and maintenance works to ensure compliance with designs, NRC and international technical standards. Inspect sites, resolve technical issues and guide on repairs and maintenance.
• Prepare designs, bills of quantities (BoQs), specifications, take-off sheets, cost estimates and payment certificates.
• Support contract management, tendering processes and quality assurance for contractors and implementing partners.
• Ensure activities are planned and handed over to promote local capacity and sustainable operations.
• Supervise daily operations of water treating at reservoirs and testing at tapstands, ensuring effective disinfection (chlorination, and dosing), and jar testing.
• Implement routine water quality testing and produce weekly/monthly compliance reports.
• Ensure regular calibration, maintenance and proper functioning of testing instruments (photometers, sensors, meters).
• Manage procurement, inventory and stock control of reagents, water treatment chemicals, consumables.
• Coordinate joint water safety plans and household water storage/handling initiatives with partners.
• Train operators water quality test protocols, safety procedures and compliance with Sphere/NRC standards.
• Ensure all WASH & Shelter activities comply with NRC policies, donor regulations and relevant humanitarian standards and codes of conduct.
• Maintain technical quality of interventions and ensure documentation and reporting meet organizational and donor requirements.
• Perform any other tasks assigned by the WASH Project Coordinator to support project delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in civil/water engineering, Construction management, Architectural engineering or related field.
• Minimum 2 years' experience in water and construction, preferably in humanitarian settings.
• Proven experience in rural water supply systems, and operations.
• Proven experience in building construction
• Strong skills in Microsoft basic applications
• Advanced skills in Civil engineering software (e.g., AutoCAD, BIM, WaterCAD, Epanet)
• Technical report writing.
• NGO experience
• Fluency in English (written and spoken).
• Knowledge of Somali language.