Action Against Hunger/Action Contre La Faim (AAH/ACF) is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that was created in France in 1979. AAH/ACF has been active in Afghanistan in the medical, nutrition, food security, and water and sanitation fields since 1995.  AAH/ACF improved access to health and nutrition services for the most vulnerable people, who live in remote areas without a local health system. In particular, the country team supported pregnant and breastfeeding women and children under five, who are at greater risk of malnutrition. Nutrition programs rely on an integrated approach, addressing both primary and underlying causes, in order to have a lasting impact on nutritional status.  The country team worked at community level, in villages and at provincial level, strengthening the public health system. It also worked at national level to ensure reliable information about the nutritional situation reached the wider humanitarian community. Covid-19 prevention was integrated into all interventions and additional response activities were implemented, such as the disinfection of health facilities and public places, cash assistance, psychosocial support and the distribution of hygiene kits to affected populations.

Objectives of the post

To guarantee the quality, relevance, and scaling of WASH strategy and interventions at the mission, in conformity with Action Against Hunger and international standards and national policies;

Mission 1: Design, develop and evaluate actions in the field of WASH

The Head of WASH Department is responsible for:

• Ensuring collection, quality control, monitoring, follow up and evaluation of data
• Carry out detail and accurate WASH situation analysis
• Ensure the timely preparation, review, and submission of high-standard proposals and concept notes including the WASH component.
• Provide technical backstopping for any WASH component of a multi-sectoral integrated program, including emergency WaSH response, ERM, MHCP Gender, and Protection.
• Lead by example and encourage his/her team to identify WaSH needs, carry out gap analysis, and design accurate response projects.
• Develop a strategy plan for the country's WASH program.

Tasks :

• Analysis of the prevailing context of WASH in the country.
• Initiate studies and analysis of the WaSH situation based on data provided by partners (NGOs, UN agencies, governmental departments)
• Engage in teamwork with Heads of Departments of other sectors to develop an integrated and effective project.
• Drawing up new concept notes and proposals for the WASH program in collaboration with Program Managers, Field Managers, and Field Coordinators and linking it with technical departments of Nutrition/Health, FSL, MHCP/Gender/Protection based on need.
• Liaise with finance, HR, and logistics departments to establish a budget for new programs in WASH
• Develop and monitor the budget allocated to the WaSH department.
• Identify challenges, propose research projects and innovative ideas that contribute to the effective and efficient implementation of WASH projects
• Assess, evaluate, and build on good practices and experiences to AAH’s organizational strategic framework and ensure the implementation of such recommendations arising from assessments.
• Liaise with the Emergency Response Mechanism (ERM) team to ensure WASH soft and hard components are well covered in proposals, budget, and implementation.

Mission 2: Monitor and coordinate programs in the fields of WASH

The Head of the WASH Department is responsible for:

• Deciding to launch surveys in liaison with the DCD Program and bases for all WASH programs
• Contributing to the development of integrated (inter-disciplinary) approach programs
• Consideration of cross-cutting issues such as protection and gender mainstreaming as a minimum in designs of WaSH-related interventions.
• Assuring quality in the preparation of activity progress reports to meet specific requirements, standards, and timelines.
• Ensure quality donor reporting by supporting field teams before validation
• Monitoring all the consolidated program budgets relating to WASH allocated to the country.
• Ensuring standard WaSH performance in all stages of the WaSH project cycle.

Tasks :

• Develop/review tools, questionnaires and analysis reports for WASH-related assessments, ensuring protection and gender mainstreaming  
• Provide technical validation and monitor resources meant for the WASH program to ensure effective and timely use and undertake quality control.
•  Monitor program implementation progress against key indicators through the review of qualitative and quantitative reports submitted by WASH Programme Managers using standard tools, such as the activity progress reporting tool (APR).
• Engaging with the ERM team to discuss technical matters that ensure quality implementation of WASH interventions in the field.
• When possible, appropriate and relevant, promote an integrated approach in the programmes to ensure a sound understanding of the causes of malnutrition vicious circle with other key sectors (Nutrition, Health, FSL, MHCP Gender & Protection).
•  Organize, analyse and enforce the proper documentation of all data collected by WASH Programme Managers,
• Provide information, briefings and updates to the Deputy Country Director of Programs &  HQ technical advisor  on technical issues, concerns and road maps as required.
• Review internal and donor reports.

Mission 3: Develop and launch programmes in collaboration with governmental and local agencies

The Head of WASH Department is responsible for :

• Development of AAH’s WASH strategy that considers road map and strategy given by the government and other key partners.
• Developing and maintaining a harmonious and productive network of partnership with national representatives and programme partners (donors, government partners, INGOs, NGOs, etc)
•  Establish MoUs that define the terms of various partnerships.
• Making use of all available platforms to exchange information necessary for better coordination and collaboration.

Tasks :

• Negotiate with local partners on organizing agreement protocols, action plans, and training at all levels (local, regional, and national)
• Whenever necessary, initiate and update  agreements and protocols to secure the efficient functioning of the program (eg structural change, redefinition of roles, etc)
•  Coordinating the implementation of programs with representatives of national and local government 
• Linking up with partners and taking part in meetings with other agencies  è with a view to defining partnership agreements
• Analysing training needs and when necessary and possible, arrange training for AAH’s and partners WaSH team.
• Lending technical support to the development of national and local strategy for WASH
• Setting out a common strategy and action plan (AAH and partners) concerning specific projects
• Collaborate with partners through information sharing, and joint monitoring and build better partnerships.
• Define a country-specific strategy for technical advocacy in consultation with the Country Director, DCDP, and HQ (if part of mission advocacy objectives)

Mission 4: Represent Action Against Hunger and its positioning in the field of WASH

The Head of the WASH Department is responsible for :

• Representing AAH in dealing with authorities, partners, and actors concerning the matter of WASH.
• Exercise and make authorities, partners, and other peer actors fully aware of the AAH’s position and protocols.
• Proactively support AAH’s commitment to gender equality, and protection, including child protection and GBV and sensitivity to disability.

Tasks :

• Develop and maintain relations with current and potential donors (visits to projects, presentation of AAH and its work, requests for funding) 
• Represent AAH in meetings that concern WASH with authorities and other agencies  (clusters, forums) and participate in national networks of WASH.
• Promote the strategy and protocols of AAH to local partners (NGO, MoH, etc.) in terms of WaSH programming.
• Representing the areas of WASH in the national coordination of AAH
• Produce and share technical, strategic, and activity reports in the fields of WASH to relevant partners, coordination platforms, and actors.
• Producing and/or publishing information, both internally and externally, concerning technical progress in the fields of WASH in the country of intervention

Mission 5: Manage the WASH team in Kabul, be the Technical/Support Manager of the WASH Program Managers, capacitate WASH team

The Head of WASH Department is responsible for :

• Evaluation of the technical performance and skills of Programme Managers
• Developing the technical skills of WASH team including ERM team or any integrated team consisting of WASH component
• Designing capacity building strategies based on gap analysis and target areas for learning in National and International levels, as per relevance.
• Integrating capacity building and capitalisation strategies within WASH country strategy

Tasks:

• Overseeing overall planning and dispatching of work as well as individual action plans for the WASH team in Kabul
• Providing support to the WASH team in Kabul on routine matters.
• Organising and leading meetings with the WASH team in Kabul
• Appraise Kabul WASH team technical performances and skills of WASH PMs.
• Providing technical support to the WASH team, ensuring gender and protection are mainstreamed and programmatic integration is supported
  • Identifying training needs among the team members, in collaboration with field managers and other technical departments
• To tailor trainings, sensitisations, workshops and seminars/conferences to the needs identified
  • Creating, organising and leading training sessions
  • Set goals and objectives for project managers to facilitate capitalisation of trainings including capacity building of project team
• Liaison with the Field Managers to deal with any problems within the WASH Program team.

Qualification and previous experience:

• University BSc/MSc Degree in Environmental, Hydraulic, Civil, or other related engineering fields of study
• 5 years of work experience in WASH programs, emergency WaSH response, and at least 2 years in a senior management and/or coordination role  
• Applicant must have broad experience in managing WASH programs in the field in coordination and, preferably, integrated with other sectors such as nutrition, health, food security and livelihoods, protection, etc.
• Experience in working with different donors including ECHO, GAC, AHF
• Proven capacity to work in a complicated security environment.
• Excellent diplomatic, communication, team management, and organizational skills are required. 
• Solid interest and willingness to build the capacity of the country WaSH team;
• Have the ability to shift priorities and multitask. 
• Fluent in written and spoken English

Qualified and interested candidates should submit a cover letter and full CV with three Referees indicating the vacancy announcement to the address:

Human Resources Department AAH office

or can also be emailed to:

vacancies@af-actionagainsthunger.org indicating the job tile and vacancy number of the position in the email subject line.

Eligible candidates are invited to apply the earliest possible deadline is set for 02 May 2024. 

Female applicants are highly encouraged to apply.

Do not submit academic certificates with the application. These will be requested if the candidate is selected. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for the written test/interview.  

Action Against Hunger/Action Conter La Faim is an equal opportunity employer.  We strongly encourage women and people with disabilities to apply.  ACF/AAH has zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation, sexual harassment, and abuse (SEA).