Duty Station : Sittwe Office, Rakhine State

Reports to : WASH Project Manager

Direct Reports : N/A

Overall purpose of the role:

The WASH Specialist/Hygiene Promotion Specialist (WASHS/HPS) works as part of DRC’s team in Sittwe/Mrauk Oo under the direct supervision of the WASH Project Manager. This position is based in Sittwe, and it involves regular travel to Mrauk U, working predominantly with DRC WASH team members and sometimes with men, women, and girls and boys in camps, villages, and temporary IDP sites. The primary responsibility of this position is to lead the technical quality of hygiene promotion activities in the WASH team across Rakhine state, mainly safeguarding and improving the public health of the affected population by promoting safe hygiene practices, including appropriate use and maintenance of WASH facilities and services. The WASH Specialist/Hygiene Promotion Specialist (WASHS/HPS) will also ensure appropriate community involvement in the design and delivery of essential WASH services and facilities. Additionally, the WASH Specialist/Hygiene Promotion Specialist (WASHS/HPS) will support implementing the WASH projects in Rakhine State.

Geographic scope: Area (Rakhine)

The WASH Specialist/Hygiene Promotion Specialist (WASHS/HPS) works as part of DRC’s team under the direct supervision of the WASH Project Manager and the guidance and support of the Area Program Manager. The role is based in Sittwe, and regular field visits to the camps and villages from Sittwe, Minbya, Mrauk U, Pauktaw and Kyuaktaw shall be conducted. The position holder will be required to work with women and girls who have been internally displaced in camps as well as villages and other conflict-affected communities.

Responsibilities:

Ensure DRC WASH Hygiene Promotion programming is aligned with regional and internal strategies:

• Provide technical guidance, coordinate, and monitor the hygiene promotion activities
• Ensuring effective coordination and integration of Hygiene Promotion Activities with the delivery of water and sanitation services and facilities
• Promoting safe Hygiene Promotion practices, including appropriate use and maintenance of WASH facilities and services.
• Ensuring appropriate community involvement in designing and delivering essential WASH services and facilities.
• Collaborate with other sectors to conduct integrated WASH activities, provide hygiene items, and support the beneficiaries in high-risk referrals in coordination with compliance teams and frameworks.
• Attending Peer Support Network meeting including regional and national Cluster meetings as well as WASH Cluster Hygiene Promotion TWG.
• Develop strong relationships with WASH and related actors within Rakhine State, including CSOs.
• Work with other sectors within the DRC to identify and implement joint working opportunities
• Work with WASH PM Officers to develop and translate of Interagency and DRC’s existing WASH Hygiene promotion tools and materials
• To perform any other work-related activities as agreed with your line management.

Provide direct technical supervision to WASH Team colleagues to ensure the quality of the programming:

• Develop and lead the hygiene promotion component of the WASH projects in coordination with WASH PM and Project Officers in line with the WASH standards.
• Provide capacity building (including training and mentoring) for the DRC WASH team, partner staff, and camp-based Incentive Workers in providing community public health and hygiene management, including organizing public health and hygiene practices in the community, IDP camps, and schools.
• Support the WASH Manager and WASH Officers to monitor the capacity of the incentive workers and design appropriate training materials
• Conduct capacity-building assessments with partners, jointly develop capacity-building plans with partners, and provide and coordinate technical capacity-building for the partners within the team.
• Ensure the effective integration and mainstreaming of gender into all households/camp-level programming
• Design and develop hygiene awareness leaflets, brochures, and messages for the dissemination of hygiene promotions
• Develop proper solid waste management within the community across the intervention area and ensure communal environmental cleaning practices
• Conduct WASH good practices to mitigate the risk of water-borne diseases and the importance of hand washing when handling food.

Ensure that the WASH Hygiene promotion program is evidence-based:

• Regularly review the WASH IMS data to gather evidence to inform current and future programming
• Design hygiene promotion assessment tools and support to conduct assessment in coordination with the WASH and MEAL team
• Identify evidence/knowledge gaps and work with MEAL to suggest options to rectify
• Regularly review and share emerging evidence from international standards and tools, including WASH Minimum Standards, IASC guidelines support tools and materials
• Provide input, hygiene promotion WASH related activities achievement for weekly, monthly and donor reports
• Work closely with the WASH Manager and WASH Officers to produce Hygiene-related success stories
• Ensure program integration and learning, sharing, and adoption of best practices for other DRC programs
• Maintain coordination with village, camp groups, WASH committees,
• Ensure the WASH latrines sanitation, wastewater garbage management hygiene practices are in place in the intervention areas

Partner Relation

• To provide technical support to partner organizations and closely work with them on hygiene promotion activities.
• Develop a capacity-strengthening plan and organize relevant training as needed.

Administration

• Fill and submit Purchase Requisitions, Travel Authorizations, and any other DRC administrative forms as needed
• Coordinate with other DRC departments to ensure the effective use of the logistical and financial resources.
• Represent DRC in the coordination meetings with partners to figure out the feasible ways on the partner’s challenges

Experience and technical competencies: (include years of experience)

• Bachelor’s degree or higher or equivalent education in a relevant field is required.
• At least 3 years’ experience in a related field
• Knowledge of one or more of the following: engineering with basic construction knowledge, public health, health or Hygiene Promotion, Community development. Education or community water supply and sanitation.
• Strong knowledge of WASH in Emergency and Sphere standard.
• Previous experience in working with IDP camps/sites, conflict-affected communities, running GBV prevention curricula, raising awareness, and providing services in camp and village settings.
• Have previous experiences working on Gender-Based Violence areas and building staff capacity
• Experience working in challenging environments with good personal resilience
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Understanding of operational context in Rakhine State
• Excellent personal, and organizational skills, including time management and ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure
• Willingness to travel to the field and work in difficult environments according to travel requirements
• Computer skills (Microsoft package) preferable and other technical skills such as Auto-CAD is a plus
• Good English communication skills, both written and verbal

All DRC roles require the post-holder to master DRC’s core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.
• Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.
• Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity: You act in line with our vision and values.

Conditions

Contract: DRC will offer the successful applicant a DRC’s Employment contract included 3-month probation with the possibility of extension. Salary and conditions will be in accordance with DRC’s Terms of Employment. The position is placed in Employment Band G-2, Non-management. This position is open for Myanmar National only.

Further information

For further information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult our website www.drc.dk

Application and CV

Interest? Click to apply position. Please send your application, in English, no later than 19th July 2024.

CV only applications will not be considered. We only accept applications sent online.

(Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and shortlisted candidates may be contacted for interview/an offer made before the advertised closing date)