Assistant Maintenance Technician - Plumbing at World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)

Overview

• To support the maintenance, repair, and operational continuity of plumbing systems, water utilities, drainage infrastructure, and related water equipment across the campus. The role ensures reliable water service, effective drainage, and safe water storage. The role also stands in for the Maintenance Technician – Building, when required, and reports to the Facilities Manager.

Duties and responsibilities

Plumbing Maintenance & Repairs:

• Install, maintain, and repair potable water and wastewater piping systems, sanitary fixtures, valves, and plumbing fittings.
• Resolve leaks, blockages, and water flow issues, ensuring uninterrupted water supply and sanitation.
• Respond promptly to emergency plumbing calls and urgent repair needs in a safe and efficient manner.
• Assist in providing technical input and advisory support on the selection, installation, and upkeep of plumbing systems and related infrastructure.
• Handle reactive and ad-hoc plumbing maintenance requests, ensuring timely service delivery and quality workmanship.

Water Utilities & Equipment Maintenance:

• Operate, inspect, and maintain water-related equipment including: Water pumps, booster systems, pressure vessels, float switches, valves, and filters: Overhead and underground water tanks, reservoirs, and rainwater harvesting systems
• Monitor water usage patterns and report irregularities, low pressure, or outages to the Facilities team.
• Support the development and execution of annual preventive maintenance schedules for water supply and storage systems.

Drainage Systems & Wastewater Management:

• Conduct routine inspections, cleaning, and maintenance of: Stormwater drainage systems – surface drains, gullies, soak pits, culverts: Foul water drainage systems – inspection chambers, manholes, sewer lines, grease traps
• Identify and promptly address blockages, overflows, or hazards in all drainage systems.
• Monitor the condition and levels of on-site septic tanks and coordinate with licensed service providers for timely exhaustion and desludging.
• Support vendor coordination and supervision during drain clearance, sewer repairs, and septic maintenance activities, ensuring safety and environmental compliance.

Vendor & Contractor Oversight (Support Role)

• Escort and assist external service providers and contractors carrying out plumbing, drainage, or water system-related work.
• Supervise work execution on site by external contractors engaged by the institution to ensure compliance with quality, safety, and performance standards.
• Liaise with vendors to verify service scope, report deviations, and assist in closing work orders.

Preventive Maintenance & Inspections

• Participate in routine and preventive maintenance inspections for plumbing and drainage infrastructure.
• Conduct condition checks on fixtures, pipelines, and water equipment to detect early faults.
• Assist in preparing surfaces, access points, or materials in advance of scheduled maintenance activities.

Key Management & Access Control

• In the absence of the Maintenance Technician - Building, take responsibility for the control, issuance, and tracking of facilities keys related to pump rooms, tank enclosures, and other utility areas.
• Maintain a key register, ensuring all key movements are logged and authorized in accordance with established security protocols.
• Make authorized copies of new or existing keys when required, and report any lost, damaged, or misused keys to the Facilities Manager.
• Uphold campus access control and security standards, ensuring keys are safely stored and access is restricted to authorized personnel only.

Work Order Execution & Documentation

• Execute assigned maintenance tickets and work orders accurately and on schedule.
• Maintain records/reports of tasks completed, materials used, follow-up needs, and observations during repairs.
• Provide regular updates to the Supervisor on work progress and any unresolved issues.
• Record and track plumbing materials used per work order for accountability and replenishment planning.
• Raise material requisitions and purchase requests for plumbing supplies required to execute maintenance works.
• Inspect plumbing materials received against approved requests before use or storage.

Safety, Tools & Housekeeping

• Comply with all relevant Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) protocols during tasks.
• Wear and maintain Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and ensure safe use of plumbing tools and materials.
• Keep workspaces, stores, and service areas clean, organized, and hazard-free.
• Report any tool breakages, safety hazards, or material shortages for timely corrective action.
• Ensure plumbing materials and consumables are safely stored to prevent damage, wastage, or safety hazards.

Other Responsibilities

• May be required to stand in/support for/the Maintenance Technician – Building, during periods of absence, coordinate day-to-day plumbing and drainage service delivery, task allocation, and contractor engagement, and act as the point person for emergency responses involving plumbing or water infrastructure.
• Identify and mitigate potential risks within your work area
• Take reasonable care of own occupational health and safety and that of others as obliged by CIFOR-ICRAF’s Occupational Health and Safety Policy and cooperate with CIFOR-ICRAF in complying with requirements under any statutory health and safety provisions of relevant Country laws.

Requirements

• Craft Certificate or Trade Test in Plumbing from a recognized institution (e.g., NITA, TVET, Kenya Water Institute).
• Basic training or certification in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) or First Aid is an added advantage
• Minimum of 3 years of hands-on experience in plumbing and drainage maintenance in an institutional, commercial, industrial or campus facility.
• Experience with complex water pump systems and utilities infrastructure in a busy Campus/institutional setting is highly desirable.
• Practical exposure to Civil and General works, including masonry, carpentry, building finishes, welding, or related trades is highly desirable, to enable the role holder to effectively support the Maintenance Technician – Building, during periods of absence.
• Experience working with or supporting external contractors and service providers on facilities-related projects will be an added advantage.