Senior Project Officer - SWASH (Plateau) at Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

Job Summary:

As a Senior Project Officer – SWASH, you will lead the coordination and implementation of integrated water, sanitation, and shelter interventions under the RAPID program, ensuring equitable access to safe, reliable, and sustainable services for targeted communities. The role focuses on overseeing WASH infrastructure development and rehabilitation, water supply systems, sanitation improvements, and shelter support activities, while promoting community ownership through participatory planning and capacity building of local structures and government partners. You will also guide the delivery of emergency shelter interventions and safer construction practices, ensuring quality implementation, sustainability, and alignment with CRS standards and accountability principles. This position is based in Plateau State

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Organize and lead the implementation of all assigned Shelter and WASH activities as outlined in the detailed implementation plan in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and good practices. Including, but not limited to:
• To develop, in collaboration with the relevant stakeholders, the necessary documentation to ensure the provision of Shelter solutions and WASH infrastructure in line with current Nigerian legislation and in accordance with the principles and standards set by the Shelter and WASH Clusters.
• To promote solutions that respect Local Building Culture, in collaboration with the target communities and international and local actors involved in the humanitarian shelter response  
• Together with the Shelter and WASH Infrastructure Project Officers, create and conduct training for local construction supervisors and crafts people (qualified contractors, artisans, carpenters, etc.) on local construction practices promoting Build Back Safer principles
• Support in the development of designs and BOQ for shelter, water supply and sanitation infrastructure ensuring these are sound from a qualitative, quantitative, and culturally appropriate point of view and follows SPHERE standards.  
• Organize and lead the implementation of all assigned shelter and WASH project activities as outlined in the detailed implementation plan in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and good practices.
• Support in the planning and implementation of all assessments. Ensure technical assessments are carried out to identify appropriate locations, sites and systems for new construction and rehabilitation of shelter and WASH infrastructure.
• Regularly monitor Shelter and WASH infrastructure officers to ensure the quality of contractors’ work is achieved according to planned timeline.  Carry out regular monitoring of constructions work and materials to ensure quality and safety.  
• Ensure learning properly accompanies project activities throughout the project cycle. Support accountability through coordinating project evaluation activities and guiding partners in their efforts to reflect on project experiences. Analyze implementation challenges and report any inconsistencies and/or gaps to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules.  
• Coordinate and oversee working relationships with all local project stakeholders and serve as the liaison between them and the project team to mobilize local actors and promote project activities and impact.
• Oversee and perform ad-hoc inspections of various processes and resources at project sites to ensure timely project activities implementation and adherence to established process standards and procedures. Ensure proper tracking of resource use for project activities through periodic budget reviews and follow-up with and assistance to implementing partner.
• Support and coordinate capacity building and technical support activities to ensure assigned project activities are implemented per project guidelines and standards.
• Coordinate provision of any logistical and administrative support to staff and partners.
• Ensure project documentation for assigned activities is complete with all required documents and is filed via the agency and donor requirements. Assist with preparation of trends analysis reports and documentation of case studies and promising practices 

Required Languages - English and Hausa languages are required. Proficiency in other local languages will be an added advantage. 

Travel - Must be willing and able to travel up to 40 %.

Location: Plateau State

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Analysis and problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment
• Good relationship management skills and the ability to work closely with local partners
• Proactive, results-oriented and service-oriented
• Attention to details, accuracy and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities 

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated understanding of Nigeria building regulatory environment  .
• Demonstrated familiarity with Housing Land and Property, humanitarian recovery shelter strategies, bid procedures, construction quality assurance and quality control system, operations and maintenance procedures for permanent shelter and various infrastructure projects 
• Experience working with partners, participatory action planning and community engagement.
• Staff supervision experience a plus.
• Experience monitoring projects and collecting relevant data.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).

Supervisory Responsibilities: Partner SWASH Officers

Key Working Relationships:

• Internal: SWASH Program Manager, CVA Manager ,DRR Manager, MEAL manager,  Nutrition SPO,  Protection SPO ,project officers, MEAL team, Finance team
• External: Partner Staff (Including CMs, FSP and Vendors, Community Stakeholders), LGA and state partners.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in construction-based engineering, architecture, or fields related to WASH, and Shelter and settlement programming are required.  
• Minimum 5 years’ experience working with INGOs in the field of water supply, sanitation, construction, or infrastructure projects.  
• Proven strong ability to provide technical assistance and expert advice to staff in infrastructure and related fields.  
• Experience in project management, planning, supervision, quality assurance and reporting.  
• Good knowledge and experience of working with local partners.
• Familiarity with SPHERE standards for shelter and WASH