ACBAR

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.

Program / 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.

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 a sustained global impact.

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 and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. 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.

 As a safeguarding measure, Mercy Corps screens all potential US-Based employees. This is done following the conclusion of recruitment and prior to assuming full employment.

Our screening process is designed to be transparent and completed in partnership with new Team Members. You will have the opportunity to disclose any prior convictions at the conclusion of the recruitment process before the check is initiated. We ask that you do not disclose any prior convictions in your application materials or during the recruitment process.

The WASH Technical Manager will be an integral part of the Program Performance and Quality (PaQ) unit and will be responsible for offering specialized support and guidance in the conceptualization, execution, quality assurance, and strategic development of WASH programming across our operational areas in Afghanistan. This role is pivotal in scaling up WASH initiatives, in adherence to Mercy Corps' global and local WASH standards and aligned with Afghanistan strategies.

The position serves a key role in securing new funding and actively participating in strategy discussions, situational/ needs analyses, and responses related to WASH-based interventions in Afghanistan. Working closely with program teams, the WASH Technical Manager will assist in crafting innovative WASH initiatives that effectively address the unique needs of vulnerable populations in Afghanistan.

The WASH Technical Manager is expected to offer hands-on technical support while working closely with various program implementers and senior management teams and provide technical support and inputs to the development of new WASH Programs. This role requires a high level of operational understanding and will offer practical/technical support in the daily management of WASH Programs. As such, the position necessitates at least 40% travel to field locations across Afghanistan for direct oversight and coordination.

Essential Job Responsibilities

TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT:

Technical Support and Strategy Development:

• Develop Mercy Corp’s WASH Capacity Statement in adherence to Afghanistan context ensuring compliance across programs, and field offices.
• Conduct periodic site visits to the field offices for project and program monitoring, delivering actionable feedback to optimize the efficiency and sustainability of WASH-based interventions.
• Collaborate with the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) team to implement qualitative evaluation methodologies, contextualizing learning for WASH-based programming within the Afghanistan setting.
• Monitor adherence to globally recognized WASH standards, identifying and rectifying discrepancies in alignment across various programs.
• Evaluate and integrate lessons learned and emerging best practices into new program designs with special focus on Afghanistan’s socio-political landscape.
• Conduct quality assurance of donor reports concerning WASH programs, ensuring all donor requirements are met and contextualized to Afghanistan.

PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT:

• Collaborate with field and Program teams to provide technical input during proposal development, ensuring the specific needs of Afghanistan are considered.
• Under the guidance of the Sr PaQ Manager and DoP, liaise with donors to present tailored WASH-based approaches, coordinating with regional and hub offices to create compelling concept notes and proposals.
• Ensure that budgets specifically address the unique technical resource requirements for delivering WASH-based programming in Afghanistan.

HR AND CAPACITY-BUILDING:

• Offer tailored training and capacity building on WASH to field staff, linking with subject-matter experts as needed and making use of localized resources.
• Assist in identifying technical capacity gaps in the field offices and facilitating technical WASH staff recruitment and training as required.

INTERNAL NETWORKING AND COORDINATION:

• Coordinate WASH -based interventions with other peer organizations active in Afghanistan, aligning the designs and implementation of WASH programming to the local and cluster priorities and strategies.
• Foster peer networks among field offices to develop a community of practice focused on WASH-based interventions within Afghanistan.
• Stay abreast of organizational policies, global objectives, and training opportunities, ensuring alignment with the Mercy Corps’ global vision.

EXTERNAL NETWORKING & REPRESENTATION:

• Build and manage relationships with WASH technical cluster in regional and national levels, tailoring these collaborations to the Afghan context.
• Represent the organization's WASH-based programming at regional and national levels, staying updated on policy shifts that might offer opportunities or challenges.
• Ensure Mercy Corp’s provide updates of its WASH programming using the reporting hub.

SECURITY:

• Strictly adhere to country-specific security protocols and procedures.
• Proactively ensure team awareness and compliance with security policies, particularly in the context of Afghanistan.

ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING:

• Dedicate 5% of work time to learning activities beneficial to both the individual and Mercy Corps, with an emphasis on continual improvement and adaptation to Afghanistan's evolving humanitarian landscape.

ACCOUNTABILITY TO BENEFICIARIES:

• Uphold the highest standards of accountability, ensuring that beneficiary communities in Afghanistan are actively involved in the design, monitoring, and evaluation of WASH programming.

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering with at least five years’ experience working for NGOs focusing on WASH-based programming.
• Strong commitment to capacity-building of staff, with a willingness to adopt a participatory and consultative management approach that is culturally sensitive.
• Strong understanding of local governance and community structures.
• Demonstrated expertise in market-based programming that ensures optimization of the efficiency and sustainability of the WASH programming in adherence to the local and cluster standards.
• Strong understanding of the cluster and coordination system in Afghanistan related to WASH programming.
• Strong report writing skills, particularly in crafting proposals and donor reports that meet the requirements and challenges of working in Afghanistan. Advanced analytical skills and computer literacy are required.
• A mature understanding of rights-based approaches and participatory concepts, with practical experience in similar humanitarian contexts like Afghanistan.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, capable of clear communication and negotiation at all levels. Cultural sensitivity, tact, and diplomacy are essential, especially within the Afghan context.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team, demonstrating patience, adaptability, flexibility, and the capacity to work in a stressful and potentially volatile environment typical of Afghanistan.
• Willingness to travel regularly to other offices in Afghanistan, such as Kandahar and field visits in Herat, and to adjust travel plans based on security conditions.
• Fluency in spoken and written English and Dari and/or Pashto
• Comprehensive knowledge of humanitarian response standards, including Sphere and the Core Humanitarian Standard, with a specific understanding of how these standards apply in the Afghan context.

o apply for this position, please submit your CV and Cover letter, with the vacancy number and position title (MCA101-2024 - Wash Technical Manager  ) in the subject line, by emailing  af-vacancieskbl@mercycorps.org.

The deadline for submission is the close of business on 21- May-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.

af-vacancieskbl@mercycorps.org