Environmental Health Supervisor at Medecins Sans Frontieres

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Supporting the Environmental health Manager/PMR in the implementation and supervision of Environmental health activities, including tools and materials employed according to MSF standards and protocols, in order to improve health and living conditions of the target population.
• Ensuring the day-to-day implementation and administration of assigned Environmental Health activities at project level, including but not limited to, water supply, excreta disposal, waste management, vector control, and dead bodies management
• Ensuring that the MSF procedures and protocols are followed by the Environmental Health teams to guarantee the operational quality of the project.
• Ensuring the maintenance and repair of technical equipment in the project to guarantee an adequate running of Watsan activities.
• Ensuring the distribution of the materials and tools used in water treatment, hygiene and sanitation (e.g. physical organization and inventory of stocks, receiving and processing orders for water, sanitation and hygiene material, check that the amounts received are recorded, and check monthly consumptions, etc.);
• Supporting the Environmental Health Manager/PMR in ensuring an appropriate emergency preparedness and response capacity (physical verification of stocks, contacts, transport means, staff training). Ensuring appropriate assistance to the project response team and if required, participating in emergency activities or exploratory visits
• Supporting the Environmental Health Manager/PMR in the team planning (e.g. staff rosters and admin, HR processes, etc.) and informing and involving the Environmental Health Manager/PMR in case of any major management or technical issue, and providing all required reporting
• Planning and supervising the HR processes (recruitment, training, performance evaluation, tasks definition and internal and external communication) of the staff under his/her responsibility in order to ensure both the sizing and the amount of knowledge required for the activity.
• Participating in data collection and reporting as required

MSFOCB /Context Specific Accountabilities

• Anambra State’s health context is characterised by endemic infectious diseases and periodic outbreaks, closely linked to environmental health conditions. Malaria remains prevalent.
• The state lies within a Lassa fever–endemic zone, with sporadic cases reported seasonally. Cholera, acute watery diarrhoea, and typhoid fever occur intermittently, particularly during the rainy season, reflecting ongoing water and sanitation challenges. Measles outbreaks are periodically reported, largely due to gaps in routine immunisation.
• Environmental health risks are driven by limited access to safely managed water, poor sanitation, flooding, erosion, and uneven waste management, especially in peri-urban and rural areas. These factors contribute to the transmission of water-borne, vector-borne, and zoonotic diseases. Overall, disease burden and outbreak risk in Anambra State remain closely tied to WASH conditions, environmental exposure, and surveillance capacity.
• The MSF project, with its main base established in Awka town, aims to increase access to a comprehensive package of care for survivors of violence, including clinical management, psychosocial support, and referral services, while also strengthening emergency preparedness and response (EPREP). One health facility at the primary health care level will be initially identified to establish and pilot survivor of violence (SV) services. The EPREP component will cover the South-East region.

Specific Accountabilities
Environmental Health & WASH Activities:

• Supervise and coordinate environmental health interventions, including water quality monitoring, sanitation, waste management, and hygiene promotion.
• Develop and support in the design and construction of Environmental Health installation( Boreholes rehabilitation/drilling and well construction
• Guide the technical choice of Environmental Health materials and good knowledge of local market in terms of materials, technicians, contractors, local law and institutional actors
• Organise and carry out “Insecticide Residual Spraying” (IRS) regularly with his/her team and If is it necessary place different chemical/insecticide for rodents, etc. in needed location.
• Implement the SOP put in place and ensure compliance with MSF standards and organisational protocols for environmental health and infection prevention and control (IPC).
• Support identified health facilities in identifying and mitigating environmental health risks
• Work closely with the nurse in charge of IPC

Outbreak Prevention & Surveillance:

• Support early detection and prevention of outbreaks related to water-borne, vector-borne, and environmentally linked diseases (e.g. cholera, Lassa fever, etc.)
• Participate in outbreak preparedness and response activities, including risk assessments and rapid response actions.
• Strengthen facility-level practices to reduce exposure to environmental and zoonotic health risks.

Emergency Preparedness & Response (EPREP):

• Contribute to EPREP planning, including contingency planning, stock readiness, and response coordination.
• Support emergency interventions during outbreaks, floods, or other public health emergencies.

Capacity Building:

• Mentor environmental health staff as relevant.
• Conduct training and on-the-job coaching on WASH, IPC, waste management, and environmental health best practices.
• Monitor performance and provide regular feedback to health staff.

Monitoring, Reporting & Coordination:

• Collect, analyze, and report environmental health data and indicators.
• Contribute to project reports, situation updates, and needs assessments.
• Coordinate with relevant stakeholders, e.g. health authorities, community leaders, and partner organizations

Transversal:

• Ensure that all environmental health and WASH activities in facilities or communities serving survivors of sexual violence integrate a gender-sensitive approach, including safe latrine design, management of menstrual hygiene, and protection of privacy, safety, and dignity.

Minimum Required Skills and Qualifications

Educational Qualification:

• Essential: Degree or diploma in Environmental Health, Environmental Science, or a related field.
• Desirable: Specialization in water and sanitation

Experience:

• Essential: Minimum of 2–3 years’ experience in environmental health or WASH programming; previous experience in technical works and organizing of multiple activities, preferably with MSF or similar work environment
• Strong knowledge of WASH, IPC, waste management, and environmental health risks.
• Familiarity with the local context in Anambra State and South-East Nigeria
• Experience working in outbreak-prone or emergency contexts.
• Experience with gender-sensitive approaches, including safe latrines and menstrual hygiene management.

Skills

• Ability to explain the various mechanisms of disease transmission through water, sanitation, and excreta, including waterborne, faecal–oral, and vector borne
• Skilled in mentoring and capacity building of staff and community volunteers.
• Fluency in Igbo and English
• Proficient in computer applications relevant to reporting, data collection, and programme management