WaSH Project Officer_ National Post

OXFAM PURPOSE: To work with others to find lasting solutions to poverty and suffering

JOB PURPOSE: To provide support to implement the Madad WaSH project that aims to contribute to effective, sustainable and multi-level water governance in crisis affected Lebanon, through empowering local and regional authorities and demonstrating cost effective system for water service provision by empowering governing authorities, promote sustainable water services and provide an enabling environment that promotes improved living conditions to vulnerable Lebanese and Syrian refugee communities. The Project officer is expected to support the Project manager in all project activities, and work closely with partner organisations to deliver, in good quality, solar water pumping system, and will carry out effective monitoring of activities, learning, and knowledge management.

REPORTING LINES:

Post holder reports to: WaSH Project Manager

Staff reporting to this post: None.

The post is expected to work closely with the Senior Communications and Advocacy officer, and receive support from the MEAL, finance, logistics and HR/Admin teams in executing the role.

BUDGET RESPONSIBILITY: None

BACKGROUND:

Lebanon is the second largest host of Syrian refugees after Turkey, with over a million registered in a country. The Joint Humanitarian Development Framework (JHDF) has identified WASH as a key priority sector. A WaSH consortium that consists of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Oxfam, World Vision International (WVI) and Gruppo di Volontario Civile (GVC) have come together to implement the project “Improving access to safe and affordable water to vulnerable communities” under the EU Madad Trust Fund programme “Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme for Syrian refugees and Lebanese host communities”. The project aims to contribute to effective, sustainable and multi-level water governance in crisis affected Lebanon, through empowering local and regional authorities and demonstrating cost effective system for water service provision. The project will target vulnerable Lebanese and Syrian refugee communities in the Bekaa.

The WaSH Project Officer position will support the WaSH Project Manager in implementing project plans and activities of the Oxfam components of the intervention (i.e. the technical lead on solar technologies and advocacy). The position will be based in Beirut, with regular travel to programme sites in the Bekaa region. He/she will work with consortium members, partner institutions and relevant external stakeholders, to implement solar water pumping systems and other project activities and events, ensuring effective monitoring of activities, learning, and knowledge management.

DIMENSIONS:

• Support in planning, implementing, monitoring and reporting of the project;
• Develop strong context awareness of local issues, contacts and key players;
• Anticipate problems and regularly provides creative solutions to challenges and conflicting priorities;
• Work closely with the Senior Communications and Advocacy Officer, while at the same time liaising with MEAL, finance, logistics and HR/Admin teams;
• Maintain effective relationships with partners, contractors, service provider and other stakeholders in support of the project at the field level;
• Organise and coordinate with partners, contractors, service provider and other stakeholders to implement project activities at the field level;
• Ensure a constructive relationship with NRC, WVI, GVC at field level;
• Implement gender justice and protection mainstreaming, where relevant;
• Under the supervision of the Project manager, ensure effective financial management of the activities with the support of admin and logistics teams;
• Ensure programme quality standards are being met;
• Participate, when necessary, in the monthly BWE coordination meeting in Bekaa.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Project Implementation and Monitoring

• Together with the Project Manager, develop project work plans, budget plans, spending plans, MEAL plans, and procurement plans;
• Under the supervision of the Project Manager, implement the project in collaboration with other Oxfam colleagues (WaSH, MEAL, and policy teams), consortium members, partner institutions and contracted parties;
• Support the preparation of project mid-term and final reports for the donor in collaboration with programme teams, technical coordinators, Funding Coordinator, and Support teams;
• In collaboration with the MEAL team, implement monitoring and evaluation activities, and the preparation of associated reports;
• Together with the Project Manager, ensure healthy and effective relationships with government institutions including the municipality and cooperating organizations through regular contacts, visits and fulfilment of project requirements
• Ensure effective working relationships with contractors and service providers;
• Under the supervision of the Project manager, and in collaboration with the partner organisations, prepare the terms of reference and tender documents for engineering works, particularly solar water pumping, and participate in tender evaluations;
• Provide site supervision and quality compliance, in collaboration with partner organisations, for all engineering works;
• Support in the preparation of capacity building activities and events for local stakeholders;
• Ensure effective communication, verbally and in writing, on all project activities and progress to the Project Manager on a regular basis, and to the WaSH Coordinator when requested;
• In the absence of the Project Manager, may be requested to manage the project.

Budget & Financial Management

• Participate in financial review meetings to plan and monitor the budget, and procurement and spending plans to ensure funds are spent within the time frame acceptable to Oxfam and the donor and ensuring rules and regulations of Oxfam/ donor are adhered to;
• Under the supervision of the Project Manager, ensure that donor contractual requirements are fulfilled, including by partners, throughout the entire project period;
• Support procurement processes, with support from Logistics, in line with programme spending and procurement planning.

External Representation and Consortium Coordination

• Attend relevant Consortium meetings, as requested by the Project Manager;
• Attend BWE monthly coordination meetings, as requested by the Project Manager;
• Represent the project to external stakeholders, primarily, partners, municipalities and BWE at a technical level;

SKILLS AND COMPETENCE:

(E = essential, D = desirable)

1. A Bachelor’s degree in relevant discipline in engineering or equivalent experience (E)
2. Master’s degree in relevant area (e.g. Engineering, development studies) (D)
3. Experience in Solar Technologies (D)
4. A minimum of 3 years progressive experience in an engineering – specifically in humanitarian/development programmes funded by different donors in the WaSH sector. (E)
5. Excellent understanding and knowledge of WaSH in general, and renewable energy in particular (E)
6. Experience in WaSH Projects. (E)
7. Good knowledge of implementing monitoring systems to track the effectiveness of programmes (D)
8. Good knowledge in and an ability to build cooperative, professional relationships with local stakeholders and peer organisations. (D)
9. Commitment to equal opportunity and gender policies. (|E)
10. Experience in implementing projects involving local stakeholders and partners (D)
11. Diplomacy, tact and negotiating skills. (E)
12. Good interpersonal and communication skills (E)
13. Proven ability to work independently as required. (E)
14. Sensitivity to cultural differences, and the ability to work in a wide variety of cultural contexts. (E)
15. Good written and spoken English and Arabic. (E)
16. Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications. (E)
17. Sympathy with the aims and Objectives of Oxfam. (E)