WASH Technical Coordinator

All NRC employees are expected to work in accordance with the organisation’s core values: dedication, innovation, inclusivity and accountability. These attitudes and beliefs shall guide our actions and relationships.

Purpose of the role

The WASH Technical Coordinator will support program implementation and development, as well as provide technical advisory and capacity building to staff from the organization and its partners, including Regional Water Establishments, municipalities, and water committees. The WTC will work closely with WASH, Shelter, education, Food Security teams at NRC, engineers from WEs, and other technical stakeholders and communicate regularly with Project Managers.

What you will do

• Adhere to NRC policies, guidance and procedures
• Contribute to the development and implementation of Country, Area and sectoral strategies, initiate and participate in the development of WASH programming.
• Provide technical direction and ensure high technical quality of projects
• Ensure capacity building of project staff and transfer key skills
• Liaise and collaborate with relevant local authorities and other key stakeholders
• Promote the rights of vulnerable communities across the operation areas
• Ensure that NRC’s related activities are implemented within NRC’s Protection mainstreaming guidelines and report any breaches/concerns to the line manager and/or focal point for proper action.

Specifically you will;

Technical Oversight (50%)

• Provide QA/QC of engineering work within the Water Governance and Community Infrastructure Programs and other projects where relevant; recommend corrective action; backstop engineering staff where necessary.
• Participate in and guide the surveying and assessment of existing water schemes by technicians and WE engineers, support production and calibration of hydraulic models.
• Lead the design of rehabilitation and upgrade works implemented under different modalities; review and provide recommendations on designs prepared by external consultants elsewhere.
• Support the Project Managers in ensuring that the supervision of implementation of infrastructure works in the field complies with contracts, designs, standards, and good practices.
• Audit data produced by partner teams or RWE or received from external sources and ensure compliance with established models, structures, protocols, and SOPs; supervise regular ground verification exercises.
• Oversee the implementation and annual update of NRC’s framework for management of Environmental and Social risks
• Ensure adherence to safe and inclusive programming in all project activities and sites throughout the program cycle.

Process improvements and training (20%)

• Participate in and guide the technical component of the assessment of Water Establishments’ local office operation and maintenance teams, equipment, and practices.
• Support the appropriate equipment to be provided to WEs and match them with capacities identified; recommend for each local office the extent of outsourcing necessary and prepare a medium-term insourcing plan.
• Organize regular training for engineers and technicians focusing on surveying, maintenance, rehabilitation, design, modelling, and other relevant skills in-line with their educational backgrounds and skills.
• Ensure continuous coaching of engineers and technicians on all aspects of works implemented, aiming at the development of in-house capacity of WEs and partners to operate with increasing autonomy.
• Support field teams in the development and optimization of service improvement, operation, maintenance, contract management, and workforce management processes.

              Procurement Processes (15%)

• Participate in tender preparation, evaluation, and contracting led by the Procurement team and Program/Project Managers; lead the development of technical specifications within areas of expertise.
• Support Program/Project Managers in contract management and provide recommendations on good practices in supervising contracting works.
• Participate in negotiations with external service providers where relevant as a technical expert.

              Research for Development (15%)

• Provide support to and advisory on agency and sector-level initiatives
• Provide support to and advisory on the water and energy projects under development
• Participate in the development of other research for projects where relevant.

Professional competencies

Generic professional competencies:

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil, Hydraulic, Water, Environmental Engineering or equivalent.
• Proven track record of minimum 5 years’ work experience in water management, of which at least 3 years’ experience at more senior level in humanitarian/recovery context.
• Experience with the contract management of engineering consultants and implementing contractors related to infrastructure projects.
• Experience in working with international cooperation organizations in the water sector of at least 3 years.
• Experience with Water governance programming of at least 2 years, supporting or in partnership with Regional Water Establishments in Lebanon.
• Experience with (supervision of) design, implementation, operation, and maintenance of full water schemes of at least 2 years.
• Demonstrable ability and skill to independently formulate tender documents for third party technical consultants.
• Experience in renewable energy is an asset.
• Demonstrable ability and skill to work in partnership with a range of stakeholders and on different levels, including government, private sector and non-profit .
• Knowledge in community participation is an important asset for this role.

Context related skills, knowledge and experience:

• Fluency in Arabic and English, both written and verbal
• Experience working in complex and volatile contexts.
• Proven experience working in partnership with municipal or private utility companies in the fields of water in Lebanon.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the water sector in Lebanon including regulations, laws, and stakeholders
• Strong social, interpersonal and communication skills
• Demonstrated communications, writing, and presentation skills.
• Ability to work in goal-oriented and timely manner.
• Willingness to travel nationally.

Behavioral competencies

• Managing resources to optimize results
• Managing performance and development
• Communicating with impact and respect
• Strategic thinking

       NRC line managers must have the following Leadership profile: 

• Build meaningful relations
• Empower people
• Act with integrity 
• Deliver results

What We Offer

NRC is an equal opportunities employer and aims to have staffing diversity in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, nationality and physical ability.

We offer an opportunity to match your career to a compelling cause and a chance to meet and work with people who are the best in their fields.

We are also looking for people who share our values:

• To be dedicated in what we do;
• To be innovative with our solutions;
• To act as one unified and inclusive team;
• To be accountable to the donors that make our work possible; the people we exist to serve, and to each other… the members of our NRC family.