WASH Delegate - hydrogeologist/water resources specialist

Duty station: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (please note that this is an international mobile staff position)

Time period: one year

Starting date: asap

Status: family posting

We are seeking an experienced WASH Delegate with a specialization in hydrogeology/water resources to support the Ethiopia Red Cross Society (ERCS) and the Netherlands Red Cross (NLRC) in implementing WASH programming in Ethiopia as part of the 2025–2030 Partnership Framework Agreement (FPA). This role will play a key part in advancing ERCS and NLRC’s shared strategic priorities, with a primary focus on Water Management, Localization (Financial Sustainability), and Digitalization, while ensuring the integration of cross-cutting themes such as Protection, Gender, and Inclusion (PGI) and Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA). As the technical lead for the Water Management strategic focus area, you will work closely with other technical focal points to ensure a comprehensive and sustainable approach to WASH interventions. The role requires a dynamic professional with expertise in WASH programming, capacity building, partnership development, and strategic planning to strengthen ERCS's ability to deliver sustainable and impactful WASH services across Ethiopia.

Where are you going to work?

This position is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with extensive field support missions. Your office is situated in the Office of the ERCS Headquarters. You report to the Ethiopia Country Representative.

What are your core tasks going to be?

In this position, you will be the technical lead for WASH of the NLRC delegation office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, supporting the ERCS Health and Care Unit. You will oversee all NLRC-WASH funded projects and support ERCS. You will hold direct budget holder responsibility for projects under your portfolio.

The WASH Delegate will primarily support the Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) in strengthening WASH programming, ensuring high-quality interventions, and building sustainable WASH services. The role includes providing technical advisory support to ERCS and NLRC projects with WASH and movement partners, developing operational guidelines, mentoring and coaching, and supporting water supply services, including borehole drilling and applying cost-recovery models where applicable. The delegate will also contribute to climate-adaptive water management, WASH in Emergencies (WiE), urban and peri-urban water services, and integrated water-livelihood approaches while ensuring environmental water sustainability.

Specific roles and responsibilities:

1. Support ERCS in strengthening WASH Programming in Humanitarian and Chronic Crisis Contexts in Ethiopia

• Support ERCS in developing and implementing integrated safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs in humanitarian settings in Ethiopia.
• Enhance ERCS's WASH in emergency (WiE) response capacity by supporting the establishment and strengthening of the ERCS National Surge capacity.
• Develop and implement climate-resilient Water Management programming that aims to help communities adapt to climate change, mitigate water-related disaster risks, and minimize the impact of future crises.
• Strengthen WASH interventions through sustainable and inclusive programming to improve health, livelihoods, food security, gender equity, and community empowerment.
• Support ERCS with the development of sustainable water management systems in urban and peri-urban settings.
• Foster partnerships with private sector actors, municipal/government authorities, and humanitarian organizations to enhance service delivery, infrastructure development, and long-term sustainability.

1. Ensure integration of Cross-Cutting themes in WASH Programming

• Ensure quality programming through a robust monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework to track progress, impact, and learning.
• Support ERCS in strengthening the integration of WASH and Protection, Gender, and Inclusion (PGI) to promote equitable access to WASH services and mainstream Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) and Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (PSEAH).
• Promote documentation, knowledge sharing, and learning to improve best practices and inform future programming.

1. Finance and Reporting

• Overall project management of WASH programming in Ethiopia.
• Oversee that quality narrative and financial reports are submitted timely, meeting NLRC and donor requirements.

1. Planning and Resource mobilization

• Responsible for developing the WASH programming in Ethiopia, in close coordination with ERCS and NLRC HQ and field team.
• Support with the development of WASH resource mobilization efforts for Ethiopia with support from NLRC HQ and country levels.

What do you bring?

Required

• Advanced degree in Hydrogeology, Environmental Engineering, Water Resources Management
• Minimum 5 years of experience in WASH programming, including emergency response, climate-based water management, and sustainable water management.
• Project management experience, including budgeting, proposal writing, and stakeholder engagement.
• Experience working and living in another country/context than your country of domicile.

Preferred

• Experience working with Red Cross Red Crescent-National Societies or similar humanitarian organizations.
• Knowledge of climate adaptation strategies in water management.
• Expertise in one of the following areas; technical water supply systems management; borehole drilling; development and/or support with water utility management on a cost-recovery basis.

Your talents (competencies)

• Strong analytical problem-solving skills, ability to anticipate barriers and opportunities.
• Strong cultural awareness, able to work in different cultural and politically complex contexts
• Strong team player who can involve colleagues in finding agreed solutions to common issues.
• Strong communication skills, with an effective communication style which opens and develops partnership dialogue, as well as ensures open and strong communication with the partner, various team members, other departments, and stakeholders.

What we offer you

• A full time appointment (based on 40-hour work week) for 1 year, with the possibility of extension depending on funding
• A flexible and human-centred working environment in a unique organization with an immense international network and a significant impact in the humanitarian sector.
• Well balanced employment conditions with space for initiative and development.
• Please note that this is an International mobile staff position. This means that you will need to be eligible to be dispatched to Ethiopia

Join us!
We look forward to receiving your motivation letter and your resume in English with reference to HR Advisor Shelly Jonker before 6 April 2025 through the apply button on this page. Want to know more about this role? You can contact Portfolio and Partnership Coordinator Lisa Zitman at lzitman@redcross.nl.

An initial assessment of candidates short-listed is part of the selection procedure.

For more information about the work of the Netherlands Red Cross, visit www.rodekruis.nl, or check our socials:   Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and X

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