WASH Officer – Sanitation and Hygiene at International Rescue Committee in Nairobi, Kenya

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    WASH Officer – Sanitation and Hygiene

    Posted

    2 days ago

    Apply by

    3 Sept

    Full Time
    On Site
    Mid
    Charity, NGO & Non-Profit
    Health & Safety

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    Job Description

    The position holder is responsible for the technical oversight, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of hygiene and sanitation initiatives. This includes regular consultation with project stakeholders and management of relevant consultants, supplies on hygiene and promotion interventions. Ensure complementarity with other sectorial interventions, i.e. Health, Nutrition, DRR and livelihood as well as proper coordination, consultation and information sharing with partners and other stakeholders.

    Key Responsibilities

    • Support in the planning for and Design of the project hygiene and sanitation initiatives and methodology.
    • Support in the project assessments and proposal development for potential sanitation and hygiene promotions.
    • Design and develop relevant specifications for hygiene and sanitation including standard operating procedures SOPs, design reports, technical specifications.
    • Ensure that the hygiene and sanitation promotion activities of the project are implemented according to the approved SOPS, donor guidelines and humanitarian standards.
    • In collaboration with the WATSAN officer, ensure that hygiene and sanitation promotion activities accompany the water supply and sanitation interventions.
    • Working with the WATSAN Officer facilitate training WMCs, other Community structures SMCs, CHWs, CHEWs, Youth Groups and local authorities on improved hygiene/sanitation practices and management.
    • Ensure timely delivery of projects activities.
    • Ensure that up to date project documents are in place including approved work plans, log frame, detailed project implementation plan and financial forecasts.
    • Documentation of lessons learnt and good practices.
    • In consultation with MEAL, design and conduct all quantitative and qualitative assessments, KAP surveys, and follow-up assessments with concrete feedback findings.
    • Ensure laid down SOPs, technical, health and safety standards are adhered to in all projects.
    • Support in the development of technically sound proposals.
    • Uphold good relations of project stakeholders including the contractors, suppliers, site committees and clients.
    • Engage actively in relevant clusters and networks.
    • Co-ordinate and network with the relevant County Government ministries and departments, Community based organizations, Faith based organizations and NGOs and other relevant departments in providing technical support and assistance to WASH activities.
    • Liaise directly with communities, and community structures on hygiene and sanitation issues as well as other agencies particularly those carrying out similar activities regularly to ensure coordination and effective implementation of activities through guidance of the Supervisor/FC.
    • Under the guidance of the supervisor or head of field office contributes towards strengthening of integration of WASH programming with the other key IRC program Sectors.

    Required Qualifications

    • Degree in environmental health science, community development, social development public health, or related field.
    • A minimum of Three years' experience working/programming in WASH, humanitarian work or development.
    • Minimum of 3 years relevant work experience in WASH, Public health, community development
    • Strong skills in PHAST, CLTS, sanitation marketing, design for behavior change models essential.
    • Experience in community engagement approaches, participatory approaches, and community negotiation
    • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
    • Strong interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with a team.
    • Ability to conduct community WASH needs assessment, program planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of WASH activities.
    • Good understanding of SPHERE and other humanitarian standards
    • Good computer application skills MS-Office, application software to engineering designs.

    Job Details

    Job Function

    Health & Safety

    Minimum Experience

    3 years

    Education Level

    Bachelor’s Degree

    Area of Study

    Health Sciences

    Field of Study

    Environmental Health Science

    Languages

    English

    Additional Information

    How to Apply: Interested and qualified candidates should apply via the International Rescue Committee's career portal at their.cw1.myworkdayjobs.com.

    Show Your Community Hygiene Impact in the Interview

    This WASH role is about more than technical know-how—it's about earning trust in communities and turning hygiene habits into lasting change. Hiring managers will probe how you've handled real-world sanitation challenges, not just your certificates.

    1. Quantify your past WASH wins: Before the interview, pull concrete numbers from your previous projects—how many households reached, latrines built, or behavior change surveys conducted. Use these to show you can deliver at scale, not just talk theory.

    2. Master the CLTS and PHAST language: Be ready to explain how you've used Community-Led Total Sanitation and Participatory Hygiene and Sanitation Transformation in the field. Give a specific example of triggering a community and the follow-up you did to sustain change.

    3. Prepare a mini project plan: Think through a 90-day plan for this role: how you'd assess the current hygiene situation, engage county health officials, and kick off community training. Presenting this shows you're already thinking like their officer.

    4. Show you know SPHERE inside out: Review the SPHERE standards for WASH—especially the indicators for hygiene promotion and sanitation access. Be ready to cite them when discussing program quality and accountability.

    5. Bring your MEAL toolkit: Since you'll design KAP surveys and assessments, have examples of tools you've used—questionnaires, focus group guides, or data analysis in Excel. Show you can turn feedback into program tweaks.

    6. Demonstrate stakeholder savvy: This role works with county governments, CBOs, and community groups. Prepare a story of how you navigated a tricky stakeholder relationship or got different groups to collaborate on a WASH project.

    7. Highlight your training facilitation skills: You'll train community health workers and local committees. Bring a sample training agenda or a photo of a session you led, and explain how you adapt materials for low-literacy audiences.

    8. Ask sharp questions about integration: Show you understand how WASH links with health, nutrition, and livelihoods. Ask the panel how they currently integrate these sectors and where they see gaps—this signals strategic thinking.

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    Tags

    WASH
    hygiene promotion
    sanitation
    community engagement
    PHAST