JOB DESCRIPTION

Overview

WaterAid has been operating in Papua New Guinea (PNG) since 2004, working with local partners to increase access to gender sensitive, socially inclusive water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services. WaterAid PNG’s geographic focus is on Central Province in the Southern Region and East Sepik Province.

Since 2018, WaterAid has been working with district and provincial government stakeholders including the East Sepik Provincial Health Authority (ESPHA) and Wewak District Development Authority (DDA) to implement the Inclusive and Climate Resilience WASH for Wewak District program, funded under the Australian Government’s (DFAT) Water for Women Program, a district-wide program that aims to support government-led WASH service delivery in Wewak District. The project has been extended for a further two years to December 2024.

The WaterAid office in Wewak town leads on partner engagement and co-delivery of WASH projects in the district. The WaterAid Head Office in Port Moresby provides strategic and technical support and leads on engagement with national government.

WaterAid works through supporting local organizations and government and government authorities to design and demonstrate appropriate and sustainable WASH programs. WaterAid also seeks to influence policy change through government and other key sector actors to secure and protect the right of poor people to safe, affordable water and sanitation services.

Our Mission and Vision

WaterAid’s mission is to transform the lives of the poorest and most marginalized people by improving access to WASH. Our vision is that all Papua New Guineans should have access to WASH by 2030.

Our Values

Everything we do is shaped by our six values:

WASH in PNG

In 2015 the government launched the country’s first National WASH Policy, which has led to the setting of clear WASH targets and priority areas for action. PNG has also signed off on a new WASH in Schools policy (as of April 2018), which will help to draw attention to the urgent need for improved WASH facilities in schools.

The implementation of the National WASH Policy is being led by the development of five year District WASH Plans to drive service delivery in the districts. Several donors are currently working with the WASH PMU to resource the development of District WASH Plans and facilitate learning on the process. District WASH Plans should be supported with annual budgets, to be funded through District Service Improvement Program (DSIP) funding and other government grants.

The drive for district level service delivery within the framework of the national WASH policies creates new opportunities to increase access to WASH services. PNG is now one of only three countries globally that has safe water coverage of less than 50% and has the twelfth highest proportion of people using unimproved sanitation. The positive changes in the enabling environment therefore need to lead to better planning for WASH services and an increase in public expenditure on WASH services.

Purpose of the Role

The Climate & WaSH Officer position is to support the integration of climate change considerations including resilience and water security into the water, sanitation & hygiene (WaSH) programming primarily across the district and province, and supporting learning across our country program, and regionally.

Location

This position is based in Wewak, East Sepik Province

Line Manager

Head of Wewak Operations and Programs

Committee Membership

WaterAid PNG programs team

Documentation and Reporting

Monitoring and other organization and donor project and program reporting

1. Program Implementation

• Work closely with the Head of Wewak Programs & Operations and the District WaSH Coordination Body (DWCB) and East Sepik Provincial Government to advocate for and provide technical advice and support to integrate climate change considerations within WaSH governance, monitoring structures, and programming in the district and the province.
• Work constructively with local government and partners to co-develop and implement climate resilience awareness and community based training to achieve understanding of climate risk and behaviour change towards climate adaptation, and impacts on WASH services projects in East Sepik Province
• The officer will support the climate change adaptation and water security and water resource management activities and best practice across field projects, programmes and the design, evaluation and scaling up on common tools, methods, frameworks for change, awareness raising and capacity building for Climate Resilience in communities, schools and healthcare facilities in Wewak
• Provide technical advice and support on appropriate and innovative technical designs for WaSH infrastructure and technologies that adapt to and withstand climate risks for particular geographic locations.
• Ensure that programs and projects satisfy minimum criteria and standards defined in WaterAid Guidelines and PNG Government policy, law and regulation.
• Organise field trips to monitor the Community-Based Water Resource Management, Healthy Island / CLTS and Inclusive WASH implementation are integrated in the resilient WASH program and ensure that the Program Coordinator and Head of Programs and Operations- Wewak are regularly updated.
• Assist the partners to manage any disputes with local communities and keep the Program Manager informed of any risk of delay.
• Work with the Program Coordinator and Head of Programs and Operations - Wewak to prepare project plans, monitor progress and manage any risks that may be identified
• Work with the Operations Officer to prepare budget requests to cover project costs, as appropriate.

2. Monitoring Evaluation Knowledge and Learning

• Provide monitoring reports for key project outcomes and learnings
• Participate in reflection meetings concerning project delivery and contribute to a culture of continuous learning among WaterAid staff and our partners.
• Support the documentation of learning and work with the team to measure the impact of programs and the efficacy of program implementation.
• Assist partner organisations, program managers and the Program Director with monthly reporting and learning cycles.
• Identify and provide the WAPNG Communications Coordinator with key case studies and change stories from the field that demonstrate climate resilience in WaSH and coordinate on other media & communications activities as the need arises
• Collaborate with regional colleagues around learning events including participating in regional climate learning webinars, gathering resources to pilot approaches and initiatives locally, and presenting case studies and experiences at regional events as appropriate.

3. Equity and Inclusion

• Support local authorities to engage effectively with women, people with disabilities and marginalised members of the community throughout project planning and review processes.
• Work with WA colleagues, government partner’s other stakeholders and communities to ensure that all programming is socially inclusive and takes into account the rights and interests of marginalized groups and particularly women, girls and people with disabilities
• Promote a ‘Do No Harm’ approach amongst WaterAid staff and local partners.
• Ensure that WaterAid child safeguarding policies are adhered to when working with children.

4. Partner Management

• Maintain constructive working relationships with WaterAid’s local partners.
• Co-Facilitate and/or participate in regular meetings with partners to discuss project design and delivery, reflect on progress, identify risks and challenges and jointly propose solutions.
• Coordinate field visits with partners with sensitivity to security and accessibility issues.
• Assist the Head of Wewak Programs & Operations to identify the capacity building needs of partners and prepare plans to address, as appropriate.

5. Dealing with Complexity and Problems

The role requires engagement with a moderate degree of complexity, due to the need to:

• Coordinate with multiple stakeholders, including formal program partners, as well as community leaders, landowners and government agencies.
• Manage multiple project sites and ensuring WaterAid’s minimum program quality standards are adhered to.
• Assist the Head of Wewak Programs and Operations to oversee project budgets and ensure that risks concerning financial mismanagement and fraud are adequately managed.

Dealing with Complexity and Problems

The role requires engagement with a moderate degree of complexity, due to the need to:

• Coordinate with multiple stakeholders, including formal program partners, as well as community leaders, landowners and government agencies.
• Manage multiple project sites and ensuring WaterAid’s minimum program quality standards are adhered to.
• Assist the Head of Wewak Programs & Operations to oversee project budgets and ensure that risks concerning financial mismanagement and fraud are adequately managed.

Relationships

Internal

• WaterAid PNG
• WaterAid Australia (participation in learning events, technical country touch point for climate issues, presentation of case studies etc.)
• WaterAid global intranet (participation in webinars and other online learning platforms)

External

• Key government partners including the WaSH PMU (DNPM), NDoH & NDoE, NWS and OCC.
• WaSH & Climate Technical Working Group
• Local partners, as determined by grants and advised by the Head of Wewak Program & Operations

Physical Environment and Demands

• Some travel requirements within Wewak District for quarterly acquittals. Occasional travel to Port Moresby e.g. for training.
• Possible travel to other districts in the East Sepik Province, as needed.

Level of contact with children

• Moderate- especially for work with communities and schools

Qualification, Skills & Attributes (Key Capabilities/Selection Criteria

Applications for this role must comprise of:

• An application letter addressing the essential person specification criteria outlined above (maximum 2 pages).
• A curriculum vitae (maximum 4 pages). The CV must include three professional referees (referees will not be contacted until after interviews, with permission from the candidate).

Applications which do not address the Selection Criteria specified and the page limits will NOT be considered.

Late and incomplete applications will not be accepted.

WaterAid is committed to welcoming people from the widest possible diversity of backgrounds, culture and experience. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We will make any practical adjustments to enable people with a disability to participate fully in an inclusive working environment. Please let us know if require any special assistance in making your application or attending an interview.

Email applications to: pngcpjobs@wateraid.org.au with the subject line: “Climate & WASH Officer”.

Application closes on the 9.06.2023

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Note: WaterAid is a child safe organization. The successful applicant will be required to comply with our child protection policy.