Environmental Health Manager Maiduguri

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is one of the largest humanitarian agencies in the world, providing relief, rehabilitation and post-conflict reconstruction support to victims of oppression and violent conflict. IRC has worked for over seven decades and today is involved in over 42 countries worldwide. We address both the immediate, lifesaving needs of conflict affected people in an emergency and the reconstruction needs in post conflict societies. IRC is committed to a culture of bold leadership, innovation in all aspects of our work, creative partnerships and thorough accountability to those we serve.

IRC entered Nigeria in October 2012 response to a widespread flood disaster. IRC’s emergency response team, with local partner CISCOPE (civil society coalition for poverty eradication), implemented a project to support livelihoods and improve WASH in Kogi State from February to May 2013. This was followed by a 3-month nutrition and food security program in the same location from October 2013 to January 2014. IRC has been supporting programming in Adamawa state since early 2014. Since then, the IRC has expanded its operations to Borno and Yobe states courtesy of funding from ECHO, OFDA, DFID, LDS, SIDA, Europe Aid and SDC with projects on emergency WASH, nutrition, FSL and protection mainstreaming for IDPs and host communities in the two states.

Job Overview/Summary:

Under the supervision of the Senior Environmental Health Manager, the Environmental Health Manager will be responsible for IRC WASH component in restoring and strengthening health services in Borno state ensuring WASH intervention through health centers within Gwoza, Konduga, Magumeri, etc. LGAs in Borno are in accordance with IRC and donor requirement. S/he will reports to the Senior Environmental Health Manger and will work closely with other environmental health managers and IRC health team in Borno to ensure efficient use of resources, s/he will provide leadership and technical support to the IRC WASH team in Borno and ensure all WASH project are implemented within the standards and proposed project time frame.

Major Responsibilities:

Project implementation

• Ensure that all IRC WASH related activities across Borno meets the need of the beneficiaries and in line with sphere, IRC, donor regulations and in line with Nigeria’s standards.
• Ensure high quality implementation of the WASH component across health centers in Borno field sites, in a timely manner, within budget, and in full compliance with the donor contract and IRC rules and regulations.
• Ensure that WASH interventions are appropriately-planned, adequately resourced and implemented in according to the IRC integration strategy for WASH and other sector in line with accountability guidelines.
• Ensure good internal and external coordination, communication and spirit with the SPHCDA, WASH and Health teams across Borno state.
• Actively participate in external coordination with relevant agencies to ensure project quality and avoid work duplication.
• Establish good relations and coordination with WASH and Health humanitarian actors in LGAs of Borno state where the IRC is addressing the WASH needs in health facilities.
• In collaboration with the other IRC sectors including RH, Health, Protection, and WPE by ensuring that protection mainstreaming and menstrual hygiene management (MHM) cut across WASH activities in Borno whilst the quality and timeliness of all WASH outcome are met during project implementation.
• Work closely with M&E team in Borno to develop and improve M&E and feedback mechanisms for IRC WASH project in Health centers of Borno project, ensuring that the EH teams in the field actively monitor set indicators and effectively address concerns of the target communities.
• Work closely with Supply Chain department to develop and monitor procurement and distribution plans for all active grants in Borno on a monthly basis. Lead in all WASH assessment with in Borno location ensuring that proposals and reports are informed by the findings of the assessments.
• Actively participate in the internal and external reporting and proposal development for WASH in Borno by ensuring that all reports and proposal are submitted to EH coordination on time to allow for review before final submission to the country office.
• Review progress of EA063 grant on a weekly and monthly bases in Borno in achieving program objectives and targets in collaboration with the supervisor and Health team.
• Draft technical aspects of internal and external reports within agreed deadlines using IRC and donor formats, as required and share with the supervisor appropriately.
• In collaboration with the program support officer, other EH managers, review Budget vs. Actual expenditures for EH programs on a monthly basis. Bring any over/under expenditure issues to the attention of the EH Coordinator in a timely manner.

Human resources, finance, logistics and security

• Supervise a technical team of one Officer and two assistant in Borno by applying the IRC's performance management tools and by providing technical and non-technical management support and advice appropriately.
• Participate in the recruitment of new WASH staff andManage the WASH budget lines of related active grants
• Provide support to others WASH Managers in Borno by ensure that all IRC WASH spending in different grants is carried out and accounted for in a manner that is compliant with IRC procurement and financial regulations ensuring no overspending or under-spending.
• Provide support to others WASH managers by working with the logistics department to ensure that WASH teams receive the necessary support in terms of transport, procurement and warehousing.
• Ensure compliance with IRC security procedures for WASH interventions, as well as a high degree of security awareness and preparedness among the WASH teams. 

Technical guidance and training

• Spend significant time on WASH intervention sites to monitor activities and provide practical technical guidance to the team.
• Based on needs and gaps, provide formal and informal technical training to WASH Officers and assistants and identify external training opportunities as needed.
• Proactively liaise with the Senior EH manager for additional technical support.

Others

• Actively participate in the couching and capacity building of other Officers on report writing and proposal development.
• Ensure that all EH work meets the IRC standard within the targets LGAs in Borno by visiting the sites appropriately.
• Work closely with the senior environmental health manager Adamawa to coordinate activities with Borno and enhance consolidation and reports to the EH Coordinator.

Key Working Relationships: 

• Position Reports to: Senior EH Manager
  Position directly supervises: EH Infrastructure Officers and EH Infrastructure Assistants
• Indirect Reporting: EH Coordinator, Other Senior EH Manager

Working Environment:  

Security level yellow 4. The situation in Borno remains tense and unpredictable; concerns include AOG attacks in different location. There is active conflict in many parts of the country and a possibility for further expansion of the conflict and violence into other areas and other states.

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct.  These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability.  In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.