BACKGROUND: Oxfam America is an international relief and development organization that creates lasting solutions to poverty, hunger, and injustice. Its activities encompass relief and development in humanitarian emergencies, as well as campaigning to change the global policies and practices that keep people in poverty.

A cholera outbreak began in Haiti in late October 2010 for the first time in over a century. The index cases began the rural Artibonite department about 100km from the capital Port-au-Prince. By the first ten weeks of the epidemic cases had spread to all of Haiti’s 10 departments.

The Ministry of Health of Haiti (Ministère de la Sante Publique et de la Population, MSPP) reported that the cumulative number of cholera cases was 231,070 and deaths due to cholera were at 4,549, as of February 9, 2011. The overall case fatality rate country-wide was 2.0%, with the highest case fatality rate, 6.7%, in Nippes. In addition, cholera was not yet under control in the South.

PURPOSE OF POSITION: To support Oxfam America’s Cholera Response Program in Haiti’s Nippes and South departments, providing technical support to the cholera response team.

TERM: 6 months.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Provide technical leadership and knowledge for water and sanitation activities of the cholera response program, including but not limited to overseeing staff, working with communities, and planning and implementing water and sanitation activities.
• Collaborate as much as possible with: MSPP, DINEPA, DPC, CASECs and ASECs, other local authorities, and implementing partners.
• Initiate the implementation of new PHE activities in collaboration with the technical teams of our partners and those of Oxfam affiliates
• Contribute to the elaboration of the strategy and bring expertise and technical guidance to the technical teams of our partners and those of Oxfam affiliates
• Define technical approaches and solutions for urban and rural water and sanitation, purification and distribution of water, latrine de-sludging, drainage, and re-filling activities. Provide recommendations for the longer term, particularly for the exit strategy, linking humanitarian response with rehabilitation and development.
• Work with the PHP Officer to ensure effective coordination and integration of hygiene promotion activities with the delivery of water and sanitation services and facilities at community, household, school and CTC/CTU level as appropriate.
• Create channels for dialogue between the water and sanitation response and the affected population, to ensure appropriate technical interventions and allow Oxfam to be held to account for the quality of the cholera response water and sanitation program.
• Provide recommendations and ensure sound management of both material and financial resources for water and sanitation activities, in collaboration with staff from our partners and other affiliates as well as the rest of the cholera response team.
• Provide technical support for water quality testing to Oxfam partners and staff of other Oxfam affiliates.
• Coordinate externally on water and sanitation activities at the municipal level in close collaboration with Headquarters’ PHE and PHP specialists.
• Provide technical analysis on the relevance of our actions and the quality of our PHE interventions.
• Support Oxfam America and partners in the recruitment and training of national water and sanitation engineers.
• Ensure that programming is designed and implemented in a consultative, participatory, and gender sensitive manner.

QUALIFICATIONS:


Required:


Education: Training in Public Health Engineering (environmental engineering, mechanical or civil engineering or public health)





Experience and Core Competencies:


• 3-5 years of practical experience in developing countries in appropriate community health programs or similar environments; some of this time should have been in emergency relief programs or response; special attention will be given to urgent humanitarian response to the outbreak of cholera.


• Experience in team coaching and technical support


• Good capacity to live in community


• The ability to travel and work in difficult circumstances


• Proven analytical and planning skills and the ability to think strategically


• Good reporting skills


• Flexibility


• Diplomacy, tact and negotiating skills


• Familiarity and compliance with the NGO/Red Cross Code of Conduct, the People in Aid Code, and other regulatory codes/protocols (e.g. Sphere Minimum Standards and InterAction Field Co-operation Protocol)


• Commitment to humanitarian principles and action


• Excellent written and spoken French and Haitian Creole essential.





Preferred:


• Good command of English


• Experience in cholera outbreaks


• Familiarity with Oxfam International procedures

EXPECTATIONS FOR THE POSITION:
• The incumbent will stay abreast of professional standards, trends and issues affecting this set of responsibilities, demonstrating continuous learning of the field in line with Oxfam America’s mission.
• S/he will work effectively and collaboratively to build a team-based culture of work, treating all persons with dignity and respect, and will be familiar with and committed to Oxfam America mission and goals.

Cv + letter of Reference

2011-04-13