WASH Technical Advisor

WASH Technical Advisor

Blumont

Arlington, VA, United States

ROLE PURPOSE:

The WASH Technical Advisor will join Blumont’s Project Quality and Learning (PQL) Division based in Arlington, Virginia. S/he is responsible for providing technical leadership, implementation support, and guidance for WASH projects across humanitarian, stabilization and development interventions. S/he will work closely with Blumont’s Business Development Department and program teams (with the global teams and HQ) to help design and provide technical support for the WASH portfolio, working closely with the humanitarian, governance and stabilization, WASH, infrastructure, and private sector development technical advisors where there is project overlap. S/he will represent Blumont in key forums, ensure program quality and learning, build capacity of teams, lead on business development, and contribute to the organizational learning across the WASH portfolio.

The role reports to the Technical Director.

In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Business Development

To start, approximately 80% of the position will be dedicated to new and follow-up business development to grow the portfolio after which point the role will be split between supporting program implementation and business development.

• Act as the technical lead on proposals, guiding their development, ensuring the technical approach is in line with international best practices, and writing technical sections as required.
• Maintain relationships with governmental and institutional donors, and other key stakeholders for partnering, networking, consultation, and new business development.

Project Quality and Learning

Upon award of some WASH projects, the role will shift to more of a balance between continuing to support business development efforts and providing support and oversight to the WASH portfolio.

• Provide technical guidance for the effective implementation and quality of WASH projects globally. This includes defining the technical specifications and supervision of WASH projects and programs, development of systems-based, sustainable WASH, water resource management and climate change schemes and practices.
• Provide support and guidance as needed to the Infrastructure Technical Advisor in the preparation of technical specifications, Bills of Quantities, bidding documentation, and assessments of contractors' technical capacity.
• Promote systematic program learning to ensure that lessons learned are identified, documented and shared across country programs and the overall WASH portfolio.
• Lead in the development and facilitation of a WASH Technical Community of Practice to ensure global best practices are leveraged across all Blumont’s projects.
• Provide technical support to projects through technical backstopping, review and refinement of implementation SOPs to ensure alignment with global best practices, and review and support in program reports and other donor deliverables.
• Support to country programs to ensure WASH tools, guidelines and procedures required are in place, understood, and utilized by Blumont staff and partners.
• Lead on organizational learning products and tool development including manuals, white papers, and guidelines.
• Support Monitoring and Evaluation teams to make sure learning effectively informs current and future programming.
• Ensure that gender equality and safeguarding is mainstreamed throughout Blumont’s projects.

Capacity Building

• Lead on identifying global technical staff capacity gaps and developing capacity building plans to improve program quality.
• Support the continual professional development of the global team’s technical staff through a combination of approaches – remote training, on the-job support and guidance, in-person training, technical backstopping, advice etc.

Representation

• Represent Blumont at key WASH-related forums in Washington DC including relevant coordination mechanisms, technical working groups, seminars, workshops, and donor meetings.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum 10 years of international experience working in WASH with robust knowledge of international norms, minimum standards, and best practices in overseas with the global team.
• A Master’s Degree in Public Health, Civil or Environmental engineering or other related WASH or International Development fields.
• Demonstrated strong technical knowledge of and experience in WASH, water resources management and climate change.
• A track record in the solution design, development, and writing of successfully awarded proposals.
• Demonstrated capacity for strategic thinking and ability to respond effectively to changing contexts and new challenges.
• Strong experience in capacity building and mentoring of others. Demonstrated high level facilitation, coaching and mentoring skills.
• Excellent written communication skills including experience in proposal writing and donor reporting.
• Commitment to respect cultural differences and the ability to work effectively with people from a range of background and experiences.

Success Factors:

• Demonstrated experience in leadership roles overseeing a WASH portfolio.
• Experience successfully working in and providing creative technical solutions for post-conflict and/or post-disaster environments is an asset.
• Knowledge of international and region-specific WASH technical standards and related best practices.
• Experience providing capacity building, mentoring and training using both remote and in-person approaches.
• Deep understanding of broad range of WASH requirements and issues including their social, economic, and environmental impacts.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

• 10%-20% of time to the MENA region, and potentially other locations.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Normal Office Conditions.

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