Lifewater International-Ethiopia hereby announces vacancy for the following position.

JOB SUMMARY:

As a part of the Vision of a Healthy Village (VHV) program, the WASH Engineering Team Leader is responsible for ensuring the best hardware is selected for each community, school, and health facility in the program, and that the designed system meets Lifewater hardware standards. They do this through assessing all community and school hardware, supporting building a hardware plan, updating or creating technical designs for unique systems, Preparing and reviewing Drawings, BOQs, supporting procurement planning, and documenting all processes through Lifewater’s Akvo system. Their accurate, detailed, and excellent research and planning, done more than one year before construction, is essential for programs to operate with efficiency and to provide best solutions to communities.

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:

• Play a lead role in all hardware planning, using Lifewater’s Hardware Planning Process, and in collaboration with Program Team members and the Engineering Manager. Use appropriate Akvo forms for all registrations and assessments of hardware.
  • Identify existing hardware assets in communities, primary schools, and health facilities. Register in Lifewater’s data system and assess for functionality and need for improvement.
  • Conduct detailed site assessments for all hardware that is being planned – evaluating existing hardware and options for new hardware – including community conversations regarding taste and preference.
  • Perform water quality testing at appropriate times during the assessment and planning process.
  • Recommend appropriate hardware for each community, primary school, and health facility in collaboration with the Program Manager and Engineering Manager.
  • In collaboration with the Program Manager and Engineering Manager, prepare hardware planning timelines for implementation.
  • Prepare technical designs and detail bills of quantities for unique systems, procurement plan and budget estimates for the proposed community water supply systems and school latrines / demonstration latrines in all intervention sites.
  • Ensure all the designs and quality of construction meets Lifewater standards as well as the government’s (national and regional) hardware standards.
  • Have all technical designs approved by Engineering Manager, Director of Engineering and Lifewater HQ prior to construction.
• Facilitate and ensure quality hardware construction.
  • Providing detailed notes and technical designs and in-person coaching to WASH Construction Engineers who are responsible for hardware construction.
  • Do spot checks of construction sites during construction and upon construction completion to ensure that designs are being constructed as planned.
• Proactively provide recommendations to management to update designs based on field learnings each construction season and from on-site monitoring in order to continually increase the quality of hardware construction.
• Coordinates with focal persons/experts at district water, education and health offices during hardware planning and monitoring
• Support Lifewater’s ‘software first’ approach by:
  • Coordinate with the SH promoters and volunteers to ensure that all the aspects of the safe water supply are integrated in WASH promotion and “software first” is applied before constructing water systems
  • Use participatory approaches as a far as possible throughout the program cycle, particularly in review of possible water and sanitation solutions, and identifying the best option for each community, school, and health facility.
• Support internal and external reporting.
  • Complete all Akvo reports at appropriate times.
  • Support the PM in preparing necessary and regular reports to appropriate government bodies about water points and school latrines, as well as associated water quality testing or monitoring data.

• Ensure the maintenance and proper care of all the tools and equipment.

LOCATION:

West Arsi Zone, various districts (Lifewater program areas), and Sidama Region, Bensa district

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:

One-year contract with possibility of extension and probation period of 60 working days.

NUMBER:

Two

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

• University Degree in Hydraulic Engineering, Water Engineering, Civil Engineering, Hydrogeology, or related Engineering field. A post graduate qualification preferred but not required. Additional training in WaterCad, AutoCad, Water quality testing, drilling, also preferred but not required
• Strong ICT skills especially Microsoft Office applications and other engineering software such as Water Cad, AUTO CAD, GIS, etc.
• Competence in writing high quality reports, exhibiting detailed and professional attributes
• Analytical skills and decision-making abilities even in complex and sensitive situations
• At least 5 years of experience for BSc and 3 years for MSc in delivering rural safe water solutions, including previous experience in WASH planning and design, construction works, planning and budgeting, supervision. Experience with boreholes, rainwater harvesting systems, gravity and on spot springs construction, and school latrines is required. NGO experience is preferred.

PERSONAL SKILLS AND QUALITIES:

• Commitment to the mission, vision, and core values of Lifewater International
• Flexible and adaptable to changing environments
• Honest and dependable in all areas, including finances
• Strong desire to live in and serve rural communities
• Ability to fluently speak and write in the English, Afan Oromo and Amharic languages