THE ORGANIZATION
The Water Trust empowers rural communities in Uganda to reduce preventable death and debilitating disease by enabling access to safe water and a healthy, clean environment. Since 2008, The Water Trust has partnered with more than 900 communities in Masindi and Kiryandongo, benefitting more than 300,000 people. The Water Trust aims to increase the scale of its operations and pioneer new approaches to increasing the impact and sustainability of water, sanitation, and hygiene programs. With recent grants from USAID, The World Bank, charity: water and other leading funders, The Water Trust is scaling its operations and looking for a Technical WASH Assistant to support the organization’s efforts to increase access to safe, sustainable water for rural communities.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Technical WASH Assistant position is responsible for effectively supervising construction and rehabilitation projects of rural water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure, and monitoring the functionality and water quality of historical investments. The ideal candidate will have strong engineering expertise, at least two years’ experience in WASH Projects with an international NGO, and a track record of developing processes and systems that improve efficiency and quality in the construction industry. This is an excellent opportunity for an early-career professional with strong engineering skills, a passion for WASH, and with an interest in learning and contributing to a growing organization. Women are strongly encouraged to apply as we work toward a world of greater gender equality in engineering and and water, sanitation, and hygiene.
MAJOR FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Support the WASH Manager -Technical to design and implement technical and operating standard procedures and best practices of WASH infrastructure.
- To assist in the identification of community water and sanitation needs.
- To develop technical specifications and bills of quantities (BOQs) for works.
- Conduct water quality testing and sanitary inspections at water points.
- Effectively plan, manage, implement, monitor, evaluate and report the technical program activities focusing in WASH infrastructure and water quality within budget and set standards through the coordination, supervision and training of external contractors.
- Develop, facilitate and support the existing structures (e.g. Water and Sanitation Committees, Self-Help Groups, and Hand Pump Mechanics) to ensure the sustainable management of WASH infrastructure.
- Establish and ensure productive relationships with local and district authorities and community members at all levels toward strong coordination and solutions for sustainable community managed WASH infrastructure.
- Effectively reporting on construction supervision, such as the timely filing of reports with supporting documentation (e.g., photos, GPS coordinates).
- Assists in the compilation of monthly technical reports and donor reports.
- Assist in updating the organizational database in relation to water point issues, functionality, and other indicators.
QUALIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS
- Higher Diploma or National Diploma in Civil, Water Resources engineering or Geology minimum.
- Minimum 2 years’ experience from working with WASH technical projects in a humanitarian/recovery/development context.
- Prefer candidates with 2-3 years’ work experience in community-based water and sanitation programs; work experience with an NGO is desirable.
- Must have knowledge of water supply, hygiene, sanitation requirements and protocols.
- Familiarity with international minimum standards of water supply, hygiene, sanitation service delivery (i.e., SPHERE) is an advantage.
- Must have previous experience in training and Training of Trainers.
- Excellent communication skills – written and spoken – in English required.
- Fluency in one or more of the national/regional languages (Runyokitara (Runyoro), Kiswahili, Luo preferred).
- Must be willing to work as a team member, take direction, and share technical skills with colleagues and counterparts.
- Computer literacy in word processing and spreadsheets is required,
- Must be able to work under pressure.
- Experience working in a humanitarian/recovery/development context.
- Documented past work results related to the position’s responsibilities.
- Strong planning skills and ownership of results.
- Strong relationship- and trust-building skills with colleagues and community members.
- Communicates effectively and with respect.
Desirable
- Knowledge of 4WD vehicle and motorbikes operation and maintenance with Valid Permit Class “A”.
- Advanced Information Technology knowledge such as familiarity with mWater, AutoCAD, GPS, ArcGIS, and Google Earth is strongly desirable.
- Ability to speak local languages in the project area (Swahili, Runyoro, Luo, Iteso, Lugbara, Lugisu).
- Willingness to travel to all locations for regular oversight and review.
How to apply
All applications should be submitted online here. Please submit your application by Monday, September 6, 2022, at 5 p.m. EAT. Incomplete applications will not be considered. No paper copy applications will be considered. Due to the number of applications received, we are not able to respond to each application. The Water Trust does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process nor request any information related to bank accounts.
We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.
We strive for a gender-balanced workforce, in particular in functional areas where women are typically underrepresented. Women are strongly encouraged to apply.