WASH Advisor for DACAAR

DACAAR (Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees) has been working to provide Afghans with safe drinking water, sanitation facilities and hygiene education since 1986 and is today a leading agency in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector.

Over the years, DACAAR has installed more than 40,000 water points benefiting nearly 7 million people in rural areas of Afghanistan through its Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Programme (WASHP). In partnership with the Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology (CAWST) in Canada, DACAAR recently established a Water Expertise and Training Centre (WETC) which provides training and water quality testing services for community groups, governmental agencies, NGOs and the private sector.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

The WASH Advisor will provide technical support to both the WASHP and WETC, with time input divided in agreement with the respective Managers in regular work allocation meetings. Furthermore, the WASH Advisor will undertake any other duties as agreed with the Director.

TASKS

The WASH Advisor’s specific responsibilities will include, but not necessarily be limited to:

Proposal and report writing

• In liaison with the Grants Unit, assist WASHP and WETC staff in preparation of the technical component of project proposals and reports for submission to donors.

Action Research

• Support the WETC Researcher in evaluating technologies and implementation approaches against a variety of technical factors, including cultural and gender perspectives. • As part of DACAAR’s Best Practices Series write, together with the WETC Researcher, two new publications on biosand filtration for household water treatment (2011) and solar powered pumping for community water supplies (2012). • Prepare technical papers and articles together with WASHP and WETC staff on thematic issues for presentation at appropriate meetings, workshops and conferences.

Capacity Building

• Support the WASHP management in implementation of programme activities, including planning and quality assurance activities. • Support the WETC Manager in organising annual in-country WETC Learning Exchanges for implementing organisations and other key stakeholders. • Participate in Water and Sanitation Group (WSG), Water Technical Working Group (WTWG), WASH Cluster and other thematic meetings as directed by the WASHP/WETC Managers.

Groundwater Monitoring and Database support

• Support the WASHP hydro-geologists in the preparation of technical reports and papers on ground water monitoring activities conducted by the WASHP. • Support the analysis of data in the WASHP/WETC databases as an input to project planning.

Training

• Support WETC trainers in the preparation and conducting of training workshops in thematic areas, including biosand filtration; low cost sanitation; water quality testing; gravity pipeline systems; well construction; and operation and maintenance of rural water supplies.

Consulting Support

• Support the WETC Manager in the provision of technical support services to organisations working in the WASH sector via phone, email and site support visits.

Education Programme Development

• Support the WETC trainers in identification of new training topics and development of new training packages.

Water Quality Testing

• Support WETC water quality staff in the preparation of water quality reports and presentations.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum 5 years of international experience with WASH development projects, preferably with NGOs or other international organisations. Humanitarian experience and familiarity with humanitarian reform and the WASH Cluster approach an advantage. Work experience in Afghanistan an advantage.

• Bachelors degree in civil engineering, hydrogeology or similar. Masters degree in a WASH related subject an advantage.

• Fluency in written and spoken English. Knowledge of Dari/Pashto an advantage.

• Strong technical writing skills in English. Publication of applied research papers and technical articles an advantage.

• Working knowledge of MS Office. Knowledge of databases and computer aided design an advantage.

• Experience of preparing and conducting WASH training programmes an advantage.

FURTHER INFORMATION

For additional information about the position, you are welcome to contact the following:

Karoline Lund, Programme Coordinator, Tel: +45 24 26 03 69, Email: Karoline.lund@drc.dk

Arif Qaraeen, Director, Tel: +93 (0) 797 01 10 00, Email: dir@dacaar.org

Please note that applications are NOT to be sent to Ms. Lund or Mr. Qaraeen.

A copy of DACAAR’s latest annual report and more information about DACAAR’s activities can be viewed at www.dacaar.org

CONDITIONS

Duty station: Kabul, Afghanistan. The work will require travelling in rural areas in Afghanistan, subject to the security situation. For the time being, Kabul is classified as a non-family duty station.

Contract: One year (with possibilities for extension), with Danish Refugee Council (on behalf of DACAAR). Salary and conditions in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates (please refer to www.drc.dk under Vacancies). The position will be placed at level D2.

Commencement: As soon as possible after application deadline

APPLICATION AND CV

Only motivated applications that address the stipulated duties and meet the required qualifications, sent together with a CV, will be considered.

“CV-only applications” will not be considered.

Please send your application, in English and marked “DACAAR WASH Advisor”, no later than 22. July, 2011.

We only accept applications sent via our online application system on www.drc.dk under Vacancies/Current Vacancies/DACAAR WASH Advisor – Afghanistan. Applications sent directly to Ms. Lund or Mr. Qaraeen WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

Please contact Anne Oxholm, job@drc.dk, if you have questions to the application process or experience problems with your on-line application.