Regional Advisor WASH, West Africa at Oxfam

Job Purpose

To consolidate Oxfam’s position as a leading public health agency by promoting innovation and learning across the region, building the technical capacity of country teams and partners to design and implement quality public health programmes, and ensuring that WAF country programmes and the region are prepared to meet public health needs in category 2 and 3 disasters in a timely and effective way.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Strategic:

· Support the RHC by acting as the lead on strategic thinking for WASH programmes in the region, and work closely with the RHC to develop and implement WASH aspects of the Regional Humanitarian Strategy for HECA

· Support Country Programme Managers and other senior managers by providing strategic advice on public health issues in relation to emergency preparedness, response, and rehabilitation

· Work closely with other advisors and the Regional Programme Managers to provide integrated and coherent support to country programmes

Capacity-Building:

· Manage the public health component of the capacity - building projects and initiatives in WAF region.

· Proactively identify WASH staff with potential in the region and contribute to their development through coaching, mentoring, identification of secondments and other development opportunities.

· Provide training in public health programming for Oxfam staff and partners when required.

Assessments:

· Carry out assessments of the public health situation during emergency situations. This will include a broad overview of public health risks as well as an in depth assessment of need in relation to water, sanitation, community mobilisation and health promotion.

· Provide assessment reports with key recommendations for the design and implementation of water, sanitation, community mobilisation and health promotion activities.

· Build the capacity of Oxfam staff and partners in conducting assessments on public health issues.

Emergency Programme Implementation:

· Give technical input to country teams, Oxford and the RHC to assist in “go/no-go” decision-making

· When required, assist with the start-up of new humanitarian response programmes and provide ongoing support to programme managers and the WASH team as required throughout programme implementation.

· As necessary facilitate the recruitment, training and supervision of public health engineers and health promoters. This may involve coordinating the mobilisation of HSPs and providing support with the production of job descriptions, work schedules, training plans and appraisals

· As a member of a multidisciplinary Oxfam Regional Humanitarian Team, monitor the effectiveness of activities and the continuing level of humanitarian need in the region.

· In certain cases, be deployed during the first phase of a large-scale emergency response as an acting senior public health coordinator

Technical/Programme Advice:

· Act as a resource person for WASH staff in the region on hardware and software technical questions, in particular related to innovation, R&D, and new technologies in public health engineering

· Promote the integration of key cross-cutting issues in public health programming including HIV/AIDS, protection concerns, gender, and conflict-sensitivity.

· Promote adherence by public health staff and programmes to relevant standards and guidelines, including Sphere, NGO/Red Cross Code of Conduct and Oxfam’s global emergency guidelines and protocols

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning:

· Assist public health programmes in developing proper systems for the collection and analysis of public health information and data

· Upon request conduct or participate in learning events associated with public health programmes (learning reviews, real-time evaluations, project evaluations etc.)

· Document cases of best practice in the region, and promote information-sharing and learning across country programmes and between the region and Oxford

Representation and Networking:

· Act as the focal point for global public health initiatives, coordinating between Oxford and countries in the region

· Represent Oxfam in external public health coordination meetings and other events with government officials, UN, donors, and other NGOs.

Technical Skills, Experience & Knowledge

Essential

· University degree in water and sanitation, engineering, or public health or equivalent

· Strong practical experience of water and sanitation programming in multiple developing countries, including significant experience in complex emergency contexts

· Experience in integrated public health programming (combining water and sanitation with public health promotion), and a demonstrated understanding of health promotion approaches and methodologies

· Fluency (written and oral) in either English or French and working knowledge of the other

· Enthusiasm for and commitment to Oxfam International’s values and mission, and commitment to promoting gender equity and the interests of marginalized people in all advocacy work

· Ability and willingness to travel extensively to remote and conflicting affected areas sometimes for prolonged periods

Desirable

· Experience in delivering training and developing staff and partner capacity. Ability to take on a coaching and mentoring role.

· Knowledge of an additional regional language/ spoken in West African would be desirable

Key Behavioural Competencies (based on Oxfam’s Leadership Model)

Competencies

Description

Decisiveness

We are comfortable to make transparent decisions and to adapt decision making modes to the context and needs.

Influencing

We have the ability to engage with diverse stakeholders in a way that leads to increased impact for the organisation We spot opportunities to influence effectively and where there are no opportunities we have the ability to create them in a respectful and impactful manner.

Humility

We put ‘we’ before ‘me’ and place an emphasis on the power of the collective, nurture the team and play to the strengths of each individual. We are not concerned with hierarchical power, and we engage with, trust and value the knowledge and expertise of others across all levels of the organization.

Relationship Building

We understand the importance of building relationship, within and outside the organization. We have the ability to engage with traditional and non-traditional stakeholders in ways that lead to increased impact for the organisation.

Listening

We are good listeners who can see where deeper levels of thoughts and tacit assumptions differ. Our messages to others are clear, and consider different preferences.

Mutual Accountability

We can explain our decisions and how we have taken them based on our organizational values. We are ready to be held to account for what we do and how we behave, as we are also holding others to account in a consistent manner.

Agility, Complexity, and Ambiguity

We scan the environment, anticipate changes, are comfortable with lack of clarity and deal with a large number of elements interacting in diverse and unpredictable ways.

Systems Thinking

We view problems as parts of an overall system and in their relation to the whole system, rather than reacting to a specific part, outcome or event in isolation. We focus on cyclical rather than linear cause and effect. By consistently practicing systems thinking we are aware of and manage well unintended consequences of organisational decisions and actions.

Strategic Thinking and Judgment

We use judgment, weighing risk against the imperative to act. We make decisions consistent with organizational strategies and values.

Vision Setting

We have the ability to identify and lead visionary initiatives that are beneficial for our organization and we set high-level direction through a visioning process that engages the organization and diverse external stakeholders.

Self-Awareness

We are able to develop a high degree of self-awareness around our own strengths and weaknesses and our impact on others. Our self-awareness enables us to moderate and self-regulate our behaviors to control and channel our impulses for good purposes.

Enabling

We all work to effectively empower and enable others to deliver the organizations goals through creating conditions of success. We passionately invest in others by developing their careers, not only their skills for the job. We provide freedom; demonstrate belief and trust provide appropriate support. We give more freedom and demonstrate belief and trust, underpinned with appropriate support.