Overview
The Assistant WASH Officer leads the implementation of water and sanitation programs in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, ensuring compliance with UNHCR standards and strengthening service delivery to persons of concern.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the implementation of the WASH program of UNHCR.
- Support the overall management of UNHCR’s WASH implementing partners.
- Facilitate and support the WASH handover during the transition phase.
- Coordinate the direct implementation works under WASH unit.
- Provide technical guidance to partners and stakeholders.
- Strengthen service delivery to persons of concern (PoC).
- Ensure compliance with the UNHCR WASH Manual, Technical Guidelines, engineering standards, and relevant national standards.
- Apply UNHCR policies, standards, and procedures relating to WASH in UNHCR’s AoR.
- Provide technical guidance and support to partners to ensure quality, cost-effectiveness, sustainability, and environmentally sound interventions.
- Support the WASH handover process during the transition period.
- Support engagement with development partners and government counterparts.
- Contribute to strategic and operational planning processes within the AoR.
- Support technical design, cost estimation, preparation of Bills of Quantities (BoQs), and oversight of construction and maintenance activities.
- Liaise with implementing and operational partners, as well as relevant governmental and non-governmental counterparts.
- Regularly review the quantity and quality of water and sanitation services in the AoR and maintain updated performance records and indicators.
- Conduct field verifications, monitor implementation progress, and support evaluations of WASH, reporting findings to the supervisor.
- Strengthen partner capacity, particularly in WASH standards.
- Promote community participation throughout all phases of the WASH project cycle.
- Coordinate closely with health, protection, shelter and site development, community services, and other sectors to ensure integrated programming.
- Provide timely inputs for regular reports analyzing challenges and progress in WASH service delivery.
- Record and track feedback from camp management, field teams, and community services regarding water availability, quality, sanitation conditions, and related resolutions.
- Support the establishment and monitoring of complaint and feedback mechanisms to strengthen accountability to affected populations.
- Develop and monitor workplans and implementation schedules (master and detailed chronograms), reporting any delays or cost implications.
- Supervise partner construction and maintenance activities in UNHCR-managed and supported areas.
- Provide data inputs to WASH and shelter monitoring systems.
- Perform other related duties as required.
- Provide technical support in the design, supervision, and operational monitoring of WASH interventions.
- Ensure compliance with technical standards, protocols, and guidelines in WASH sector.
- Monitor the effective operation of faecal sludge and solid waste containment, collection, and treatment systems.
- Closely monitor the operationalization of the solarization of water supply systems in Teknaf and provide timely progress updates and cost-benefit analysis demonstrating impact.
Required Experience
- Strong experience in design, supervision and monitoring the implementation of WASH infrastructure projects in the Rohingya refugee camp, covering areas such as water supply, solid waste management, faecal sludge management, community engagement, hygiene promotion, program implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and coordination.
- Expertise in technical design, drawings, preparation of BoQs, and construction supervision.
- Knowledge of water and wastewater hydraulics and related physical, chemical, and biological processes.
- Experience in solid waste and faecal sludge management systems, vector control, and hygiene promotion strategies.
- Understanding of the linkages between WASH services and public health outcomes.
Qualifications
• Minimum Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering; Environmental Engineering, water resource development, water and sanitation management; or other relevant field.
