About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible.
In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions
into action - helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.

Project/ Department Summary

Mercy Corps works in places of transition, where conflict, disaster, political upheaval, or economic collapse present opportunities to build a more secure, productive, and just communities. Providing emergency relief in times of crisis, we move quickly to help communities recover and build resilience to future shocks, and promote sustainable change by supporting community-led and market-driven initiatives. Recognizing both the great potential and the complex challenges faced by Afghanistan, since 1986 Mercy Corps has been implementing a range of humanitarian assistance and development programs tailored to the specific needs of the country and of those communities where we work.

Mercy Corps has implemented several key programs in the South and North of the country in key sectors such as agriculture and food security, skills development, renewable energy, natural resources management, community infrastructure, and job creation. More recently, Mercy Corps completed a WASH program focused on some of the major IDP/returnee settlements in and around Herat city in Western Afghanistan. Mercy Corps is currently preparing to implement a new program “Lifesaving integrated emergency response to vulnerable crisis-affected populations in Afghanistan” in the Herat, Kandahar, and Balkh provinces. This 23-month program is expected to provide access to water and sanitation facilities, promoting Hygiene and providing emergency response MCPA and winterization.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient, and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct eLearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

General Position Summary

The WASH Coordinator will oversee the implementation of all support water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) activities throughout Herat Province. This position with supervisory and managerial responsibilities, including direct project management responsibilities for the WASH activities in Herat province. Reporting to the Multisectoral Program Manager, s/he will oversee and develop the high-quality design and implementation of emergency response activities to effectively address the humanitarian gaps and needs while building a base for later activities of early recovery. S/he is responsible for ensuring that activities run smoothly by providing technical leadership, supervising, training, and mentoring the WASH team members, and coordinating the implementation of WASH activities with other activities under same project.

Essential Job Responsibilities:

Program Management

• Manage implementation of the WASH activities in Herat province;
• Manage and update WASH project management monitoring trackers and tools as part of the master trackers and tools.
• Oversee the successful implementation of WASH project activities, ensuring that teams are following work plans, that activities are on schedule, and those project deliverables are completed according to the grant agreement.
• Conduct technical assessments and feasibility studies for WASH infrastructure projects, such as water supply systems, sanitation facilities, waste management, and hygiene promotion.
• Prepare and oversee the implementation of WASH infrastructure projects, including budgeting, procurement, contracting, supervision, reporting, and evaluation.
• Develop and maintain WASH infrastructure documentation, such as designs, drawings, specifications, manuals, and records.
• Create and manage procurement requests for WASH activities, follow-up with support functions including finance and payment requests.
• Manage contractors and suppliers to ensure compliance and project success.
• Identify priorities in terms of assessments, designing and overseeing Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) and other surveys;
• When security permits, conduct field assessments, make recommendations about the needs and vulnerabilities of the target populations in regard to water, sanitation, and hygiene issues, and develop and implements feasible yet sound technical solutions.
• Work closely with Cash and NFI Coordinator and WASH specialists.
• Conduct regular monitoring of project activities and project impact, per Mercy Corps Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning and in accordance with existing related guidelines; (HAP, SPHERE and donor regulations)
• Actively participates in the preparation of tender and contracts, including technical specifications of works to be performed by contractors;
• Write monthly reports and other donor-based reports or organizational-based notes for the WASH activities;
• Work closely with vendors and contractors for WASH activities, as well as participate in vendor assessment and selection;
• Assist in proposal/concept note development and report writing as necessary;
• WASH Budget management;
• Ensure that communities are informed about our projects and what we do, are aware of their entitlements, are comfortable giving feedback and that feedback is used to improve the quality of our projects;
• Engage community members and local partners in the verification of beneficiary households that promote accountability;
• In coordination with Cash and NFI Coordinator identify the locations for hygiene kits and other WASH kits for the distribution.
• Lead teams for WASH assessments prior to the interventions and ensure MOUs are developed and signed prior to any intervention,
• Liaising with local authorities and relevant sectorial departments to clarify project details and roles and responsibilities, 
• Ensure all records including meeting minutes, field visit reports, trackers, donor correspondence, project pictures, BOQs and other project documents are uploaded on the share drive.
• Adhere to all Mercy Corps areas of operations and transport/logistics information related to programming.
• Carry out any other task as requested by the supervisor.

Team Management

• Ensure staff are provided with timely and constructive feedback to improve their performance and enable them for future growth,
• In coordination with WASH Specialist provide support and technical oversight to the field teams and mentor field staff in the planning and implementation of WASH activities.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence;
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews;
• Hire, Supervise, train, and mentor the new team members as necessary;
• Provide team members with information, tools, and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives;
• In coordination with WASH Specialist provide technical direction and advice in emergency response in an insecure environment, and develop work plans in collaboration with the team;

Finance and Compliance Management

• Ensure WASH forecast sheet is timely updated,
• Updating procurement plan at the inception of the award and on a quarterly basis,
• Ensure procurement plan and forecast sheet are in line against approved budget,
• Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to emergency programming;
• Ensure internal and donor compliance through strong knowledge of rules within grant agreements;
• Ensure all necessary purchase requests are accurately prepared and submitted on time;
• Ensure documentation and filing of project activities in compliance with Mercy Corps policies and procedures.

Influence, Representation & Coordination

• Represent Mercy Corps at local coordination meetings, WASH cluster meetings, and other relevant meetings.
• Ensuring activity info and FTS are fully updated,
• Representing Mercy Corps in WASH technical workings groups.
• Develop and maintain working relationships and coordinate with relevant international and local agencies active in the water and sanitation sector of emergency response, and, other humanitarian and human rights organizations, local authorities and local partners,
• Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met
• Liaise with local officials including the Local and the Directorate of water, Municipality, Directorate of Health, local NGOs and project partners, community leaders and other community members to ensure support for and acceptance of Mercy Corps projects in the AOR;

Security

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership;
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies;
• Stay informed of incidents as they arise through the field and are raised through the program coordination mechanism.
• Liaising with operations and liaison teams for access letters and relevant approvals,

Accountability to Beneficiaries

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards, guiding relief and development work, whilst actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: Community Mobilization and Hygiene Promotion Officers, WASH Officer and Assistants.

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Multisectoral Program Manager.

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Cash and NFI coordinator, WASH specialist, CARM, MEL, Operations, Finance Teams, Security, and other sectorial leads.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Engineering, Public Health, Architecture, Program Management.
• 4-6 years of relevant WASH experience.
• Previous experience (min 2 years) in a managerial leadership position
• Experience in management of humanitarian projects (min 2 years), throughout the full project management cycle.
• Experience in complex and diverse settings, with time sensitive deliverables in unstable environments
• Experience in budget management, report writing and program coordination.
• Strong experience of mentoring a team, identifying talent and capacity building
• Knowledge of humanitarian standards and codes, including SPHERE
• Knowledge of participatory approaches and community sensitization and mobilization
• Demonstrated ability to manage and communicate effectively with and ethnically diverse team in a sensitive environment
• Demonstrated flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving
• Experience with the humanitarian, implementation and compliance of BHA programs
• Ability to effectively represent Mercy Corps and it interests to key stakeholders including relevant government institutions, including national and international NGOs
• Excellent oral and written skills in English and Dari are required, Pashto is desired.
• Previous experience in similar contexts
• Advanced computer skills in basic, office programs

Submission Guideline:

To apply for this position, please submit your CV and Cover letter, with the vacancy number and position title (MCA091-2024 Application for (WASH & Infrastructure Coordinator) in the subject line, by emailing to af-vacancieskbl@mercycorps.org.

The deadline for submission is the close of business on 28- March -2024, applications received after the closing date and without a subject line will not be given consideration so, please make sure you put the vacancy number and title on the subject of your email, or your application will be disregarded by the system.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates whose application responds to the above criteria will be contacted for the written test/interview.

Note: Please note that MCA will provide office space and facilities only and is not providing any lodging facilities for its Team Members/Employees in HQ and field offices and it is the employee’s responsibility to arrange the lodgings for themselves if they work in a field office other than their home province.

Ps. Females are highly encouraged to apply for the MCA Open positions.