PIH : Cross-Site WASH Lead/Specialist – Boston
JOB DETAIL
Description
Position Title: Cross-Site WASH Lead/Specialist*
Reports to: Senior Technical Lead, Project Development
Location: Remote, Site Based Roving (with up to 75% travel to Partners In Health care delivery sites in Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone)
Employment Type: Full Time, approximately 40 hours/week, salaried, exempt
Please submit a cover letter with your application that describes your specific motivation for working with Partners In Health as the WASH Lead.
Position Overview
The WASH Lead/Specialist* (WAter, Sanitation, and Hygiene) is a new role on Partners In Health’s (PIH) International Operations Team. This role will support PIH’s WASH professionals in developing and implementing WASH standards and protocols at PIH’s care delivery sites. The WASH Lead will have a particular focus on potable water supply, wastewater processing, and medical waste management.
The WASH Lead will work closely with PIH’s global Facilities and Infrastructure engineering group, clinical teams, and other program-supporting staff. We seek candidates who are proactive, organized, and detail oriented, with a service-oriented mindset and strong cross-cultural communication skills.
*Please note: the final title will be dependent on the successful candidate’s location to maintain consistency with internal, global site structures.
Responsibilities:
50% Remote and On-site Technical Assistance
- Provide technical leadership in the design, installation, maintenance, and repair of WASH infrastructure at PIH sites in Africa, Mexico, and Haiti. This scope of work includes but is not limited to: wells/boreholes, submersible and booster/lift pumps, water filtration and treatment systems, and water storage and distribution infrastructure.
- Support all aspects of facility-scale potable water and waste management projects, including scope of work development, needs/sizing model development and calculations, budgeting, procurement and contracting, and site supervision. Prepare system specifications and drawings, bills of quantity, and other technical documentation. Support PIH site teams in managing contractors and ensuring WASH project success (safety, quality, budget, and schedule).
- Conduct borehole capacity tests, calculate sufficient water supply + reserve on-site based on facility consumption projections, develop and train team on potable water treatment procedures (testing/chlorination), and procedures for monitoring, recording, and correcting levels of free residual chlorine. Establish system for periodic laboratory analysis of raw and treated water.
- Develop inventory of appropriate WASH equipment/spares for each facility: submersible, booster, and portable pumps and hoses and associated electrical materials, pipes/fittings/valves/plumbing fixtures (e.g., toilets/valves/faucets), water treatment and quality control, supplies and test kits (e.g., HTH/NaDCC chlorine powder, free residual chlorine “pool tester”)
- Collaborate with other PIH staff and partners to ensure seamless integration of WASH infrastructure with other facilities infrastructure (e.g., electrical infrastructure, biomedical equipment, etc.).
- Evaluate and recommend new technologies and equipment that can improve the safety and uptime of WASH infrastructure (e.g., 24/7 potable water availability).
- Participate in emergency response and disaster recovery efforts as needed.
25% On-site Technical Mentorship
- Train and mentor care delivery site WASH professionals and maintenance staff in best practices for WASH maintenance, repair, and project management (e.g., WASH managers, plumbers, hygienists, waste management technicians, etc.). Train and mentor waste management technicians on safe solid waste disposal procedures, including use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
- Develop a series of cross-site WASH trainings in potable water supply, wastewater processing and solid waste management. Deliver these trainings to PIH and Ministry of Health staff across PIH care delivery sites via a combination of remote and in-person sessions.
- Support site WASH professionals in supervising contractors during WASH projects, including new installations, system rehabilitation, and emergency repairs.
- Review existing WASH team structure and resources/equipment (e.g., technical standards, PPE, tools) and make recommendations for optimization.
25% Project Management
- Support the development of annual and multi-year WASH maintenance/repair standard operating procedures and budgets for care delivery sites.
- Assist care delivery site teams in pre-qualifying WASH contractors for major projects (e.g., borehole drilling, septic tank construction, incinerator installation, etc.) and performing market analyses to establish relationships with suppliers of high-quality WASH supplies (e.g., pumps, piping and valves, filtration and treatment systems, granulated chlorine, etc.) and a water analysis lab.
- Prepare regular reports on project status, performance, and budget as required.
Minimum Qualifications:
Required:
- 8+ years of experience in a WASH Manager or similar role, with direct experience managing WASH projects in the Global South, especially in Africa. Proven ability to manage facility-scale WASH projects from conception to completion ($100K+).
- Strong problem-solving skills and ability to troubleshoot and resolve complex issues related to potable water supply, wastewater processing, and solid medical waste management.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; experience working cross-culturally with remote colleagues in a non-hierarchical organization. Ability to collaborate with a diverse team, honoring the concerns and priorities of staff in care delivery sites.
- Ability and motivation to travel and work in remote environments across the Global South for extended periods.
- Experience using Microsoft 365 in a global remote-first organization and advanced Microsoft Excel skills (water consumption models, capital project budgets, Gantt charts, etc.).
Preferred:
- Bachelor’s Degree or formal professional certification (e.g. university-level coursework, MSF, WHO, Oxfam) in hydrogeology, hydrogeological engineering, civil engineering, public health, or infection prevention and control
- AutoCAD or similar drafting software experience
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS) experience
- Fluency in English required; working proficiency in other languages spoken at PIH sites a plus, particularly Haitian Creole, French, and Spanish
Organizational Profile
Partners In Health (PIH) is a non-profit, global health organization that fights social injustice by bringing the benefits of modern medical science first and foremost to the most vulnerable communities around the world. PIH focuses on those who would not otherwise have access to quality health care. PIH partners with the world’s leading academic institutions to create rigorous evidence that shapes more sound and all-inclusive global health policies. PIH also supports local governments’ efforts to build capacity and strengthen national health systems.
As of today, PIH runs programs in 11 countries (Haiti, Kazakhstan, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mexico, Navajo Nation, Peru, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, United States), where it provides direct care to millions of patients, through public facilities and community engagement.
Partners In Health (PIH) is committed to the fundamental principle of equal opportunity and equal treatment for every prospective and current employee. It is the policy of PIH not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, religion, creed, disability, sex and gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state or local law. PIH works in and with a number of governments in and outside the U.S., and to the extent applicable, this statement is intended to incorporate the prohibition of any unlawful discrimination covered by applicable laws in such countries, states and municipalities.
Partners In Health participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment. Employers can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9.
Pay and Benefits
The full pay range for this position is between $40,000 and $60,000/year with an expected starting salary of $45,000-$55,000 for candidates based outside the US. The full pay range for this position is between $70,000 and $90,000/year for candidates based in the US with an expected starting salary between $75,000-$85,000/year. Final salary may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market for the position, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Within the US, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans then in effect, eligible employees may enroll in a 401(k) plan with employer match, as well as participate in organization-sponsored medical, dental, vision, short-term and long-term disability insurance, and basic life insurance plans for the employee and the employee’s eligible dependents. Full time employees will receive 15 days of vacation, 12 sick days, 3 personal days, and 3 volunteer days in addition to paid time off during the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, the week of July 4th, and 11 additional holidays annually.
Level of Education: Bachelor Degree
Work Hours: 8
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Experience in Months: No requirements
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