Whole of Syria: Wash Cluster Co-Coordinator – Amman, Jordan

Fixed term | 12 months | ASAP

Acted

For the past 30 years, international NGO Acted has been going the last mile to save lives. Currently, Acted supports 20 million people across 43 countries to meet their needs in hard-to-reach areas – and pursues a triple mandate as a humanitarian, environmental and development aid actor. Acted relies on an in-depth knowledge of local territories and contexts to develop and implement relevant long-term actions, with a wide range of local and international partners, building together a “3ZERO” world: Zero Exclusion, Zero Carbon, Zero Poverty.

Acted Syria

Since 2012, Acted has been implementing projects with vulnerable communities in Syria with a two-fold approach: Acted provides life-saving support to vulnerable displaced persons, returnees, and host communities across Syria, through multi-sectorial rapid emergency services, and implements a wide range of resilience building interventions. Thus, Acted has been able to strengthen its links with Syrian local communities and to develop an in-depth knowledge of local dynamics. A team of 900+ is currently working in Syria.

You will be in charge of

The WOS WASH Cluster Co-Coordinator is to ensure a coherent and effective response to WASH needs being addressed by agencies engaging in WOS interventions, as required by the activation of the United Nations Cluster System. Together with UNICEF, the WOS WASH Co-Coordinator will lead this initiative by working closely with the WOS WASH Cluster stakeholders (communities, authorities, cluster institutions and INGOs and UN agencies) to provide an effective, timely and strategic collective response to the current situation.

The WOS WASH coordination team focuses on issues for which there is demonstrated need for greater coherence, or are linkages across Syria, to develop strategic frameworks across hubs, with a focus on advocacy and resource mobilization strategies and messaging for Syria as a whole, in addition to lead the HOC process. The WOS WASH Cluster Co-Coordinator works impartially, serving the needs of all members of the WOS WASH cluster, and should work closely with UN OCHA, coordination staff from the cluster lead agency UNICEF and other country cluster coordinators.

Main Duties

1. Cluster Coordination

• Assume overall responsibility for co-leadership of the WOS WASH Cluster;
• Work closely with other key members of the WOS WASH Cluster, including WASH Hubs coordination teams, National, Provincial or Local Governments, OCHA, UNICEF and all other cluster members;
• Secure commitments from humanitarian actors responding to or supporting the cluster response;
• Support both multi-sector and WOS WASH Cluster specific needs assessments and utilize existing secondary data sources to inform sector response planning;
• Identify gaps in the sector’s current coverage and advocate to address these gaps amongst humanitarian actors on behalf the affected population;
• Lead updating of the WOS WASH Cluster work plan, and co-ordinate the harmonization of response activities, ensuring that activities prevent overlap and duplication and thus maximize resources;
• Ensure that inter-agency response strategy for WOS WASH Cluster reflects key findings from needs assessments, identifying gaps, and formulating a sector-wide interagency response plan, taking into account the cross-cutting areas from other sectors or clusters.
• Ensure that information is shared amongst cluster members, and that information from other sectors and clusters is made available to cluster members in order to improve planning, integration and implementation;
• Ensure clear and effective communication occurs between the field and the national cluster;
• Contribute to regular OCHA sitreps, and take an active part in OCHA coordination meetings;
• Ensure, along with the Cluster coordinator, representation of the WOS WASH Cluster in all relevant external meetings and collect/share information as relevant;
• Ensure WOS WASH Cluster is explicitly included and prioritized in all multi-sector assessments and reports, including OCHA products;
• Track and monitor cluster members fundraising for WOS WASH Cluster specific interventions, and ensure that members are aware of funding opportunities;
• If the country response has access to Humanitarian Pooled Funds, work with members to identify key cluster priorities, assess submitted projects in regards to these priorities, their cost –effectiveness, and the needs of the affected population. Recommend the most effective projects for funding to the Humanitarian/Resident Coordinator regardless of submitting agency;
• Participate actively with the Cluster Lead Agency to global humanitarian planning activities such as Humanitarian Needs Overviews (HNOs) and Humanitarian Response Plan (HRPs);
• Form and chair any related Technical Working Groups that are requested by the cluster members;
• Consult and identify how the WOS WASH Cluster should facilitate the move towards early recovery and plan an exit strategy for the cluster;
• Ensure that NGO perspectives and the consensus view of NGO cluster members is represented within the Humanitarian Country Team and associated documents produced.

2. Capacity Building

• Carry out capacity mapping of all current and potential WOS WASH Cluster actors – WASH hubs coordination platforms, government, national and international humanitarian organizations as well as national institutions and the private sector;
• Promote and support training of humanitarian personnel and capacity building of humanitarian partners, based on the mapping and understanding of available capacity;
• Identify learning and training opportunities for WOS WASH cluster members and work in increase capacity in preparedness and response within the cluster
• Ensure that cluster participants are aware of relevant policy guidelines, technical standards and relevant commitments that the Government/concerned authorities have undertaken under international human rights law;
• Promote Protection main-streaming and regard for Do-No-Harm principles into the response of WOS WASH Cluster members. Liaise with the Protection, Child Protection, GBV, mine-action working groups where necessary;
• Where appropriate, ensure that capacity building of Acted program staff occurs to ensure on-going sustainability and quality of Acted’s WOS WASH Cluster response.
• Take steps to move the WOS WASH Cluster in line with the principles of the Transformative Agenda (e.g. accountability to the affected population, beneficiary participation)

Expected skills and qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in civil, environmental and/or water engineering, environmental studies, public health, social sciences or other related field;
• Fluent in English (written and spoken);
• Fluency in Arabic an advantage (written and spoken);
• At least 5 years of experience in humanitarian project field implementation;
• At least 3 years of experience in WASH related activities;
• Previous experience in Cluster coordination is high desirable;
• Demonstrated familiarity with the information management cycle and tools (e.g 4Ws) is desirable;
• Being a strong team player;
• Demonstrated experience with coordination and external representation;
• Familiarity with the IASC and cluster system, humanitarian system, and ability to understand donor and governmental requirements;
• Ability to organize and plan effectively;
• Ability to work in multi-cultural environment.

Conditions

• Salary between 2550 and 2750€ monthly (before income tax), depending on the level of education, security level, etc as well as a monthly living allowance of $300
• Accommodation and food provided in Acted guesthouse
• Pension, health insurance, life insurance and repatriation assistance (& unemployment insurance for EU citizens)
• Flight tickets every 6 months & visa fees covered
• Contribution to the luggage transportation: up to 100 kgs, depending on the length of the contract
• Annual leave of 25 to 43 days per year
• One week pre-departure training in Acted HQ, including a 4-days in situ security training
• Tax advice (free 30-minute call with a tax consultant)
• Psychological assistance

Please send your application (CV and letter of motivation) by email (jobs@acted.org) including the reference: Wash Cluster CC/WOS

Please note that Acted will never charge a fee for the recruitment process.