The Opportunity
The WASH Officer will lead the implementation of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) activities in Abala Woreda and Town Afar Region. The role involves overseeing water supply system rehabilitation and expansion, water quality monitoring, hygiene promotion, sanitation campaigns, community mobilization, and environmental cleaning activities.
The position will strengthen community water management structures, supervise hygiene promoters, and coordinate cash assistance for hygiene and menstrual health kits for vulnerable households, girls and women. Working closely with government stakeholders, contractors, engineers and communities the WASH Officer will ensure quality project delivery, accountability, and sustainable WASH services under the ECHO-funded humanitarian project while contributing to the achievement of project objectives throughout the project cycle.
Key responsibilities included:
- Conduct WASH needs assessments, baseline surveys, and technical assessments to identify service gaps and community priorities.
- Develop designs, drawings, bills of quantities, cost estimates, specifications, work plans, budgets, procurement plans, and implementation schedules.
- Integrate gender, disability inclusion, protection, environmental sustainability, PSEA, and accountability into project design and delivery.
- Supervise the rehabilitation and expansion of water systems, pipelines, and distribution networks, and the construction of inclusive latrines and handwashing facilities.
- Monitor water quality and support safe water treatment, disinfection, and chemical management.
- Strengthen WASH committees (WASHCOs) in operations, maintenance, financial management, repairs, and sustainable service delivery.
- Plan and deliver hygiene promotion, sanitation campaigns, CLTS, behaviour change communication, and menstrual hygiene support.
- Develop IEC/BCC materials and train, mentor, and supervise hygiene promoters and other community structures.
- Conduct field monitoring, technical inspections, functionality assessments, and post-distribution monitoring; identify gaps and recommend corrective actions.
- Collect, verify, analyze, and document programme data and indicators, disaggregating by sex, age, and disability where appropriate.
- Prepare timely technical and donor reports, and maintain complete records of assessments, construction, water quality, beneficiaries, and project results.
- Coordinate with government offices, partners, WASH stakeholders, service providers, and communities; support reviews, monitoring visits, sustainability planning, and handover.
Safeguarding Children and Program Participants (Safeguarding) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI)
- Understands and puts into practice the responsibilities under Safeguarding and GEI policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), ensuring that concerns are reported and managed per the appropriate procedures.
- Ensures that all staff in the unit/function/department are properly inducted on and understand their role in upholding Plan International’s safeguarding and GEI policies;
- Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in day-to-day work.
- Ensures that Plan Ethiopia contributes to Plan International’s global efforts to ensure safeguarding and GEI, including making sure that relevant reporting and data are submitted.