Public Health Engineering Team Leader at Oxfam

Location: North Eastern States, Nigeria

Project Background

• Violence across the Lake Chad basin as a result of the emergence of the group Boko Haram in Nigeria and military operations against it over the past 7 years has escalated in recent months exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation.
• Oxfam has been responding with Water-Sanitation-Hygiene Promotion (WASH) services in an emergency response in the North Eastern part of Nigeria since October of 2014.
• The project is expected to provide services to the Internally displaced people, host communities, and returnees in constructing and restoring WaSH facilities in those areas with high influx of Internally Displaced People and newly accessible areas to promote return to place of origin with the emphasis on construction of sanitation facilities and rehabilitation and construction of boreholes equipped with solar powered submersible pumps either hand pumps concomitant with a public health promotion/education program.

Team Purpose

• To protect public health of IDPs and host communities in Borno, Adamawa, Gombe and Yobe States in North East Nigeria through delivery of an integrated WASH response

Job Purpose

• To co-lead with an International PHE team leader a PHE water and sanitation team and to develop the implementation of planned activities and contributing to Oxfam PH strategies for the Lake Chad Basin emergency response in North East Nigeria

Key Responsibilities

• To lead and carry out assessments and surveys for water, sanitation, solid Waste disposal, drainage situation in the planned camps! host communities. This includes preparing ToP, assembling team and arranging tools, checklist, etc as necessary.
• To provide assessment reports with key recommendations and designs of what needs to be done in coordination with PHP national and international team leader and logistics manager.
• To line manage and supervise PHE5 for water and sanitation under a workable and accountable management structure.
• To prepare in close harmonization with the International PHE TL the work plan/chart for water and sanitation activities within the parameters of the approved proposal and budget and recommend any changes based on the assessment or actual situations on the ground that affects achieving objectives.
• As necessary support the international PHE TL in recruitment, training and supervising public health engineering staff. This may involve the writing of job descriptions, work schedules, training plans and appraisals.
• Design, estimate and B&Q of the water and sanitation activities to be undertaken in coordination with the officers, report immediately any changes required in design and cost beyond the scope of approved budget.
• Prepare contracts for contractors , respecting tendering procedures , bid analysis and guarantee supervision and monitoring of delivered works to meet Oxfam standards (in close cooperation with Logistics)
• Collate, prepare and submit bulk supply and purchase order and follow up with logistics and finance with the help of the International PHETL and officers.
• To ensure that PHE team has adequate programme support (logistics, financial and institutional) to deliver planned activities and monitoring quality and impact.
• To undertake innovation works relevant to the programme and report on the development and progress (especially on type of material/design on water, sanitation and hand washing facilities).
• Participate in PHE team briefing/debriefing, weekly PHE/PHP joint meeting and represent in monthly programme meetings. Ensures that all meeting and briefings are productive & action oriented.
• Prepare together with the officers and assistants the bi-weekly sitreps
• To ensure that all work is carried out in a way that is sensitive to community needs and gender issues.
• Ensure that all PHE staffs are aware of Oxfam's performance management systems, that objectives are set and monitored.
• Also ensure that all PHE staffs are aware of and abide with key internal and external protocols and principles (e.g. Code of Conduct, People in Aid, Oxfam's draft sexual conduct policy).
• Represent Oxfam at the various coordination meetings at inter NGO, camp and community levels ensuring compatibility with overall commitments and policy/programme priorities in public health.
• Prepare regular reports; contribute to donor reporting and evaluations.

Skills and Competence
Essential:

• Relevant qualification in Public Health Engineering.
• At least 3 years practical experience in appropriate community health and environmental programmes. Some of this time should have been in refugee emergency relief programmes, drilling boreholes and designing pipe network.
• Demonstrated experience of programme integration and commitment to humanitarian principles and action to crosscutting issues including gender and diversity into public health promotion programme,
• Assessment, analytical, planning, negotiation, oral and written reporting skills.
• Good training and supervisory skills
• Ability to work in the field in potentially contentious situations with local community leaders and partners and draw on local knowledge.
• The post holder should be at ease In working with local people. Well developed interpersonal, team skills and proven ability to be flexible in demanding situations, rapid changing circumstances and wide ranging roles and responsibilities.
• The ability to present concise reports, sometimes at short notice, reflecting the problems and possible solutions for particular situations.
• Knowledge of assessment and reporting methods. Ability to manage time effectively.
• Good spoken and written English essential. Speaks local language.
• Computer knowledge and skills of using Microsoft word, power point and excel.
• Knowledge of different working standards/qualities including sphere.
• Sympathy with the aims and objectives of Oxfam.
• Commitment to humanitarian principles and action, and to Oxfam's equal opportunity and gender policies.
• To be familiar with and abide by the NGO/UNHCR, Code of Conduct, the People in Aid Code, Oxfam International procedures and other regulatory codes
• Desirable
• Borehole construction,camp and host community WASH experience

Salary
National C2 salary scheme.