Environmental Health Coordinator

BACKGROUND:  IRC entered Nigeria in October 2012 in response to a widespread flood disaster. IRC’s Emergency Response Team, with local partner CISCOPE (Civil Society Coalition for Poverty Eradication), implemented a project to support livelihoods and improve WASH in Kogi State from February to May 2013. This was followed by a 3-month nutrition and food security program in the same location from October 2013 to January 2014. Beginning of January, IRC shifted geographical location to the North East, in Adamawa state to provide humanitarian response to the conflict-affected populations. Currently, IRC has two operational offices in Adamawa state with one based in the state capital of Yola providing emergency response to internally displaced populations hosted in IDP camps, camp like settings and host communities and the second based in Mubi town and providing humanitarian support to returnee populations and IDPs from conflict stricken neighbouring states.

 

The IRC is finalizing prospects to expand humanitarian interventions to the neighbouring state of Borno that hosts the largest number of IDPs in the North East region: IRC aims to operationalize an office in the new site in the last quarter of 2015.

 

A multi-sectoral approach is being employed through the implementation of sectors: Health and Nutrition; Environmental Health; Child Protection; Education; Women’s Protection; Food Security and Protection. These programs are driven in partnership with strategic local NGOs: Center for Women and Adolescent Empowerment; Goggoji Zumunchi Development Initiative and Caring Center for Empowerment and Peace Initiative.

 

Scope of Work:

The Environmental Health (EH) Coordinator is responsible for the strategy development, program design, and technical support to ensure quality implementation, standardization, monitoring and evaluation of all activities in the WASH sector. The EH Coordinator will strengthen sector activities and provide technical oversight of the program across all sites of implementation in the North East of Nigeria. S/he will focus on emergency response capability, with the ability to respond to a fluid programming context, and deliver key services rapidly and effectively.

 

The EH Coordinator reports to the Senior Program Coordinator (SPC) and is based in Adamawa state, Nigeria.

 

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES:

Program Management & Development

• Oversee the technical aspects of the implementation and coordination of the EH program; providing support to the program managers and field teams to develop work plans to guide implementation of approved grants;
• Support the program manager and field teams in the technical design, implementation and monitoring of the work plans ensuring that activities reflect the commitments IRC made to the donor and the community;
• Develop and/or improve monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for the EH program, ensuring that the EH teams in the field actively monitor set indicators and effectively address concerns of the target communities;
• Coordinate and participate in the development of new proposals and initiatives for the IRC EH program in accordance with the country program strategic plan;
• Coordinate and participate in the development of budgets for program proposals in conjunction with the grants and finance departments;
• Work with the Senior Program Coordinator and the EH team to strengthen the WASH sector in Nigeria, defining the strategic direction of EH programming and establishing a Country Sector Strategy that fits into the IRC2020 strategy;
• Support emergency needs assessments in response to the developing humanitarian situation.
• Together with field teams, develop programs and proposals for rapid and timely support of populations affected by conflict;

 

Staff Support

• Work with the SPC and Human Resources to ensure technical aspects of the Performance Management System documentation for the program teams is in place and followed up regularly.
• Provide ongoing training and technical support and guidance to the program manager and ensure all EH staff adhere to best-practice principles in all aspects of program implementation.

 

Grants Management and Reporting

• Review progress in achieving program objectives and targets in collaboration with the program manager.
• Participate in Grants Opening, Mid-Term and Closing meetings.
• Develop technical aspects of internal and external reports within agreed deadlines using IRC and donor formats, as required.
• In collaboration with the program manager, review Budget vs. Actual expenditure for EH programs on a monthly basis. Bring any over/under expenditure issues to the attention of the Senior Management Team in a timely manner and jointly develop corrective plans in collaboration with the SPC and the Grants team.

 

Representation and Coordination

• In coordination with the SPC, actively develop and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders, including donors, government actors, UN agencies, international and local NGOs, and other relevant actors.
• Establish networks with UN, INGOs, and local partners to promote technical capacity and develop strategic partnerships, including active participation in cluster meetings.
• Represent the EH program with national authorities, non-state actors, UN agencies, NGOs, and donors.

 

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

1. MSc or equivalent in Civil, Environmental Engineering or Public Health (MPH) degrees, with Water and Sanitation specialization preferred.
2. Experience working in humanitarian and insecure environments. Minimum of five years overseas professional experience in program design, implementation in the field of environmental health.
3. Experience in emergency response.
4. Demonstrated experience in project design and development, including needs assessment and proposal development.
5. Demonstrated experience in capacity building
6. Demonstrated experience in project management, including budget management
7. Understanding of protection principles as well as conflict sensitivity
8. Experience in working with and coordinating with the UN, donors, INGOs and other stakeholders
9. Strong interpersonal, intercultural and communication skills.
10. Excellent analytical and writing skills
11. Excellent oral and written skills and computer skills.
12. Additional qualities: ability to handle pressure well, ability to improvise, flexibility, adaptability to transitions

 

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

 

Adamawa is security phase 3 (ORANGE) so the Technical Assistant will be expected to respect the various security protocols in place in country.  Phase 3 requires clear contingency planning in place with staff prepared should hibernation or evacuation be called. 

 

This is an unaccompanied position and accommodation is shared housing in IRC guesthouse.

 

 

 

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