Catholic Relief Service (CRS) is a faith-based international development organization. CRS Ghana was established in 1958, a year after Ghana gained independence. In Ghana, CRS works with the nation’s people to tackle poverty on several fronts including improving health, nutrition, and care and support for people living with HIV; increasing access to water and sanitation; promoting agriculture to enhance food security; and increasing financial assets through Savings and Internal Lending Communities.

Job Summary

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has been working in Ghana since 1958 in Health, Agriculture, Peace Building, Water and Sanitation, Microfinance and Education programs.  Together with other strategic partners, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) seeks a Senior Technical Advisor for WASH Financing and Governance for a 5-year Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) program.

Primary Functions:

The Senior Technical Advisor Water/Sanitation Financing/Governance will be responsible for the construction of all USAID/W4H facilities including borehole drilling, both mechanical and manual and borehole rehabilitation. The individual will also be responsible for supervising the construction of small town water facilities by constructing overhead storage tanks and distribution by gravity, where possible.  The individual must have abilities in piecing together bill of quantities with its attendant financing and the skill in building capacities of volunteers in pump maintenance and in financial management.

Key Job Responsibilities:

•   Provide technical engineering support to WASH4Health infrastructural activities, in addition to those related to construction activities.
•   Maintain accepted WASH & Infrastructural standards for the sector and ensure that project staff, partner agencies and recipient communities understand and adhere to these standards.
•   Assist in designing various infrastructure technical templates including bill of quantities, bill of materials and reporting formats, based on a pre-determined list of community sub projects identified in the course of the implementation of the WASH4Health project (in schools, health facilities, communities and households)
•   Provide support to field engineers in the establishment of a database of market construction unit prices and material prices.
•   Assist in reviewing the technical specifications, engineering designs and work schedules to ensure consistency with the most appropriate technology and existing ministry /sector standards.
•   Assist in reviewing the bill of quantities and bill of materials in the WASH4Health community sub project proposals to ensure the estimated costs are reasonable and comparable to the market rates.
•   Review WASH4Health-funded sub projects both at proposal and implementation stages to ensure engineering quality and control including adequate safe guards against environmental impact.
•   Where implementation is outsourced in WASH4Health-funded contracts, review and advise on the bidding and tender documents and processes to ensure competitive bidding and conformity with the procurement procedures.
•   Ensure the projects are implemented with the set designs, BOQs and BOMs, and project budget lines are expended within approved limit as stipulated by individual donors’ guideline as far as construction work is concern.
•   Assist in reviewing the bill of quantities and bill of materials in the WASH4Health funded community sub project proposals to ensure the estimated costs are reasonable and comparable to the market rates.

Key Working Relationships:

•   CRS/Ghana's WASH4Health Team, Health Program Manager, Head of Programs and Country Representative, Regional Technical Advisor for Emergency and WATSAN and WATSAN Sector representatives (government and NGOs)

Qualification Required & Experience

•   Bachelor’s degree relevant to the field of public financing, business, administration or a related field. Advance Degree/Masters in these fields is an added advantage
•   Seven (7) years of working experience and proven expertise in general institution strengthening and partnership building, including effective institution strengthening public policy development, public participation and partnership building with Government at local and national levels.
•   Proven experience in undertaking activities aimed at increased political support and access to financial resources for water and sanitation improvement.
•   Demonstrated experience in understanding of decentralized governance system including experience advising executive and legislative branches of local government in budgeting, planning, management of services and/or policy development.
•   Excellent communication skills in English both oral and written.
•   Strong interpersonal skills.
•   Working experience in developing countries or work experience in Ghana is desirable.

Desirable

•   Experience in coordinating WASH and Health infrastructure.

Competencies

•   Set clear goals and  work  towards achieving them
•   Collaborates effectively with staff and stakeholders
•   Manages financial resources with integrity
•   Applies program quality standards to project design and organizational learning

Agency-Wide Competencies

•   Upholds a Spirit of Service and Integrity
•   Cultivates Constructive and Collegial Relationships
•   Models Principled Stewardship
•   Promotes continuous learning and innovation

Location: Accra and Tamale

How To Apply For The Job

Please submit cover letter, CV, as well as three work references (names and contact information only) to:-

GH_jobs@global.crs.org in a format: Application.CV.(Name). Senior Technical Advisor, WASH Financing and Governance.WASH4-HEALTH

Closing Date: 16 October, 2014

Note:  This position is contingent upon CRS being awarded the contract.