Senior Public Health Engineer Officer- Beirut

Together we can beat poverty for good. Will you join us?

Public Health ENgineer – Senior Officer

Programmes

Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, adults and beneficiaries with whom Oxfam GB engages. Oxfam expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. Oxfam GB also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.  In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.

We are committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organisation and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.

Shaping a stronger Oxfam for people living in poverty.

About oxfam

Oxfam is a global community who believe poverty isn’t inevitable. It’s an injustice that can be overcome. We are shop volunteers, women’s right activists, marathon runners, aid workers, coffee farmers, street fundraisers, goat herders, policy experts, campaigners, water engineers and more. And we won’t stop until everyone can live life without poverty for good.

Oxfam GB is a member of the international confederation Oxfam.

our teamTo reduce public health risks and contribute to a life with dignity for People affected by the war (I
DPs and returnees) in South Lebanon through the construction of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities. job purpose

This position will be part of the emergency response  in the South of Lebanon Valley. The WaSH component will include both public health engineering and public health promotion activities with the aim of providing comprehensive WaSH assistance to vulnerable persons. The appointed person will support the provision of water and sanitation services and the construction and rehabilitation of WaSH facilities, ensuring they are completed to the agreed specifications and within the agreed project timeframes, as well as ensuring maintenance of built facilities and participating in assessments as required. The public health engineer is also expected to work effectively with the Oxfam WaSH partner organisation for ensuring complementary WaSH services are being delivered with high quality.

• The position will represent Oxfam in our areas of operation and be responsible for supervision of the efficient delivery of activities, including ensuring a high quality of construction work and ensuring that strict health and safety procedures are adhered to at all times. The selected candidate will be a key member of the site supervision team, which will consist of site engineers, tradespersons (masons and plumbers etc), and maintenance staff.
• The position may be requested to carry out assessments of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities and prepare recommendations and BOQ’s for required construction, repair or rehabilitation works.
• The position is expected to work effectively with the Oxfam WaSH partner, ensuring technical staff have the capacity to deliver in high quality. The selected candidate will be the key member of the public health engineering team to laisse with and support the partner engineer/s.
• In addition, and as needs arise, the position will be a part of the emergency response team, responsible for designing and installing light, rapid and simple toilet, shower, hand washing and water collection facilities. The scope of work will vary depending on the circumstances.
• The position will be expected to directly manage a team of PHE Officers, ensuring oversight of daily work activities and performance objectives and capacity building.
• The role will involve at least 60% presence on project sites, irregular work patterns and volumes.

core details

Location:

Beirut with frequent travel to South, Nabateih and Saida

Internal Grade:

D1

Division

International

Job Family:

Programme

Contract type:

Fixed Term

This role reports to:

Beirut and Mont Lebanon and South Response coordinator, with matrix management/ technical support from WASH Advisor based in Beirut

Staff reporting to this post:

Public Health Engineer officer and Assistants, as applicable.

Annual budget           for the post:

No direct budget holder responsibility but contribute to budget planning and monitoring.

Key relationships/interactions:

Other Project Staffs, Partner Staffs

Screening checks:

All successful candidates will be screened through Refinitiv World-Check One to comply with counter terrorism and financial sanctions regulations.

key responsibilities

Technical

Programme Implementation

• With the response coordinator, recruit, deploy and assess the assistant public health engineering staff required to deliver the programme of work.
• Provide direct management and oversight over the Public Health Engineer (PHE) activities, including work plans, spending and procurement plans, and monitoring progress and challenges of implementation.
• To work with the PHE team to ensure engineering activities are of high quality, and to provide technical backstopping and trouble shooting.
• Conduct meetings with local authorities, municipality representatives to present the project objectives, and project activities.
• Conduct needs assessment and focus group discussions in target areas in collaboration with local authorities to finalise project details.
• Conduct assessments of existing water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in other parts of Lebanon contexts, producing recommendations and BOQ’s for WaSH activities construction and rehabilitation work.
• Analyse assessment results and developing recommendations for project implementation.
• To assess emergency WASH-related needs especially taking into account the broader perspective of Public Health.
• Provide technical resources and support needed to complete scopes of work, including reviewing the quality of the work completed, the adherence to health and safety standards and ensuring the work stays within assigned schedules and cost targets.
• With the Response Coordinator, establish systems and controls for site supervision, including daily site checks and documentation of the ongoing work.
• Act as key focal person with contractors, ensuring positive, transparent and accountable working relationships.
• Maintain regular contact with the beneficiaries, including IDPs and Returnees representatives, peer group members, and the wider community members, with particular attention to vulnerable groups.
• Work with the programme team to define the methods of community participation that ensure the greatest possible participation of vulnerable groups. Mentor team members in engagement approaches and provide feedback.
• Support capacity building for community focal points and peer group members and facilitate consultations on project activities and integrate community feedback into project activities.
• Contribute to monitoring learning and developments of community focal points and groups, impact of activities and adapt project activities and approaches accordingly in coordination with the HPM and relevant technical advisors.
• To ensure full monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning practises are integrated into programme implementation, including closely monitoring of outputs, documenting lessons learned and monitoring and resolving non-compliance with the support of PMEAL team.

Programme approach:

• To be familiar with and abide by international humanitarian standards, including the NGO/Red Cross Code of Conduct, the People in Aid Code, Oxfam International procedures and ensure these are applied in the implementation of PHE activities, including raising awareness and building the capacity of Oxfam staff on these standards and how to action them.
• To be familiar with and abide by the Oxfam partnership principals and approach.
• Ensure accountability to beneficiaries, designing and implementing regular, transparent and two-way communication with Oxfam’s beneficiaries and key stakeholders, including refugee representatives and peer group members. This should include active community participation in the design, implementation and monitoring of activities with a specific focus on vulnerable/marginalised groups, ensuring feedback is incorporated into Oxfam’s programming.
• Reflect on national and international WASH programme experience to contribute to PHE /WASH learning reviews and actively participate in monthly programme quality meetings.
• To support the mainstreaming of gender into all activities including the introduction of mechanisms to enable women to participate in decision making around public health engineering issues.

Management

• Direct Management of Public Health Engineer officer and Assistants, as applicable
• Provide overall day to day support and management of the Public Health Engineer officers, Assistants and volunteers where applicable including performance management.
• Ensure that all members of the works supervision team contribute to maintaining a positive relationship with contractors, Partner staff, beneficiaries and other key stakeholders.

Coordination

• As requested, participate in WaSH working group meetings and relevant sector task forces (at sub-national level and at national level if needed), WaSH field-based meetings with other stakeholders, and coordination and communication with the Water Establishment and municipalities.
• Ensure appropriate internal and external representation, sharing regular reports to HPM and attending external meetings with key stakeholders e.g. Government, UN, NGOs.

Your commitment to Oxfam

• Required to adhere to Oxfam’s principles and values as well as the promotion of gender justice and women's rights
• Understanding of and commitment to adhere to equity, diversity, gender, child safety and staff health and wellbeing principles

How this will be assessed?[1]

Note to candidates: Shortlisted candidates will be assessed on our organisational values and attributes at the interview stage. The successful candidate(s) will be expected to adhere to our code of conduct. We encourage candidates to read and understand our code of conduct here.

Shortlisting

Interview

Technical Test

Key Organisational Attributes

x

Ability to demonstrate sensitivity to cultural differences and gender issues, as well as the commitment to equal opportunities.

Ability to demonstrate an openness and willingness to learn about the application of gender/gender mainstreaming, women’s rights, and diversity for all aspects of development work.

Commitment to undertake Oxfam’s safeguarding training and adherence of relevant policies to ensure all people who come into contact with Oxfam are as safe as possible

Organisational Values

x

Accountability – Our purpose-driven, results-focused approach means we take responsibility for our actions and hold ourselves accountable. We believe that others should also be held accountable for their actions

Empowerment – Our approach means that everyone involved with Oxfam, from our staff and supporters to people living in poverty, should feel they can make change happen

Inclusiveness – We are open to everyone and embrace diversity. We believe everyone has a contribution to make, regardless of visible and invisible differences

Essential - Experience, Knowledge, Qualifications & Competencies

Civil, Mechanical or Environmental Engineering degree qualified (or other relevant qualification) and have a strong background working with in the construction environment, ideally working in detailed knowledge of setting out procedures, dimensional drawings, and site supervision procedures. Experience could substitute for a formal qualification, but not vice versa

X

Over 4 years of WaSH relevant experience in humanitarian context with NGOs

X

Experience in working in infrastructure project (water pump station, water network)

Team and site project management experience.

X

Professional skills in CAD

X

The ability to present concise reports, sometimes at short notice, reflecting the problems and possible solutions for particular situations. Diplomacy, tact and administrative skills in order to work with people at managerial and, on occasions possibly senior government levels is important.

X

Good written and spoken English and spoken Arabic

X

Desirable

Master’s degree.

X

The post holder should be at ease in working with local communities and Syrian refugees.

X

Well-developed interpersonal and team skills and proven ability to be flexible in demanding situations.

X