Faecal Sludge Management Specialist

Position overview

Based in the coastal town of Fort Dauphin in the southeast of Madagascar, this post will provide specialist knowledge of faecal sludge management (FSM) to support the implementation of an urban water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) initiative in southeast of Madagascar. The successful candidate will work within a combined Malagasy and international team to coordinate and implement a strategy for establishing FSM services for Project Malio, Phase II, an initiative that aims to improve town-wide WASH outcomes through education, institutional capacity-building, and infrastructure-provision. This exciting post would suit an early-career WASH specialist seeking essential in-country experience for developing and deploying innovative, locally appropriate FSM initiatives.

Title: FSM Specialist

Timeframe: 12 months

Probationary period: 3 months

Reporting to: Head of Programmes – Community Health, WASH and Education Infrastructure

Project background

Project Malio, Phase II is an urban WASH project that intends to improve the health of 60,800 people in Fort Dauphin, a city in southeast Madagascar, by creating and promoting use of the WASH services. In collaboration with the regional government, SEED will build the capacity of local latrine emptiers to develop a scalable FSM enterprise, whilst mobilising households to construct safe sanitation facilities. Combined with town-wide WASH education, this initiative aims to reduce open defecation, which contributes to the transmission of WASH-related diseases, amongst 6,400 community members by project end.

Primary responsibilities

Provision of technical assistance to guide the development and implementation FSM services; capacity-building with SEED project staff to ensure high-quality FSM activities; support for MEL and project reporting relating to the FSM initiative.

Duties and Responsibilities:

· Provide technical guidance to inform the implementation of FSM and other sanitation services, including training with local latrine emptiers, the construction of improved latrines, and the management of emptying services and faecal sludge disposal.**

· In collaboration with SEED staff and technical consultants, support in the completion of an environmental impact assessment for the establishment of a faecal sludge disposal site and ongoing site monitoring to ensure safe FSM. **

· Provide guidance in the selection and procurement of locally appropriate FSM equipment, including ongoing monitoring and assistance with latrine emptiers to promote the safe usage of these tools. **

· Working with the project’s Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Specialist, contribute to MEL strategies to inform the delivery of FSM services and disposal, including willingness/ability-to-pay surveys with community members and capacity evaluations with latrine emptiers. **

· In collaboration with the implementation team, manage the establishment of beneficiary feedback mechanisms, including community forums and a hotline with beneficiaries of FSM services, using input to inform FSM activities and address emerging needs.**

· Contribute to regular activity reports for donors and other stakeholders.**

· Work closely with the staff in other community health projects to exchange information and provide mutual support.**

· Any other tasks that the Head of Program deems necessary within the broad outline of the role.

Person specification:

· Master’s degree in engineering, community health, or related field.**

· Experience of working/volunteering internationally in a WASH capacity, with particular experience with FSM activities.**

· Experience in MEL, including participatory methods, is desirable.**

· Ability to work with and build the capacity of staff, beneficiaries, and partners to implement FSM activities.**

· Demonstrable experience of data analysis and report-writing is desirable.**

· Have the ability and desire to work with teams from different economic and cultural backgrounds and across multiple language barriers.**

· Have excellent communication skills, including a sound ability to adapt material for different audiences and across sensitive topics, such as sanitation behaviours.**

· Be able to work both independently and as part of a multicultural and multilingual team.**

· Have passion and motivation for the work and to enthuse staff and volunteers.**

· Demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to SEED’s ethos and approach and be a good ambassador for SEED at all times.**

· Demonstrate proven ability to recognise and appropriately deal with challenging situations.**

· Demonstrate an awareness of and comfort with increased social and professional responsibility, working at all times with cultural sensitivity and respect.**

· Demonstrate the ability, social skills, and confidence to give clear guidance and support to other members of the team in respect of the philosophy and procedures of SEED in order to protect both their safety and the reputation of the NGO.**

· Be able to work to and advocate for all of SEED’s policies and procedures, safeguarding those that SEED works with and reporting any concerns appropriately.**

· Be punctual and be able to work to tight deadlines in an organised manner and to a high standard.**

· Have a flexible and patient attitude.**

· Have excellent problem-solving skills.

· Knowledge of or willingness to learn French and/or Malagasy is desirable.

Allowance and practicalities

The post attracts contributions to the living expenses of the post holder. This consists of:

· 1,200,000MGA/month

· £1,000 towards the cost of flights;

· £400 towards the cost of insurance

· The successful candidate will need to bring their own laptop computer (non-tablet).