OVERVIEW

Oxfam is a global movement of people working together to end the injustice of poverty. We are shop volunteers, women's rights activists, marathon runners, aid workers, coffee farmers, street fundraisers, goat herders, policy experts, campaigners, water engineers and more. And we won't stop until everyone can live life without poverty for good.

Oxfam GB is a member of an international confederation of 21 organisations working together with partners and local communities in the areas of humanitarian, development and campaigning, in more than 90 countries.

The WASH Coordinator provides strategic technical leadership and coordination for Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) programming across the Southern Africa (SAF) Cluster. The role is responsible for ensuring that WASH interventions are technically robust, standards-compliant, inclusive, and aligned with Oxfam's humanitarian mandate, localisation agenda, and the broader 2026–2030 SAF Strategy. It supports the design, implementation, and adaptive management of integrated WASH programming that addresses immediate humanitarian needs while strengthening resilience, climate adaptation, and long-term systems change. Working closely with partners, programme teams, and the Humanitarian Action Programme Manager, the Coordinator ensures that WASH programming is partner-led, gender-responsive, protection-sensitive, and integrated with other technical sectors.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Strategic Technical Leadership for WASH Programming (25%)

• Provide strategic technical guidance on water supply systems, sanitation programming, hygiene promotion, public health integration, and climate-resilient WASH systems.
• Ensure WASH interventions are technically sound, inclusive, gender-responsive, protection-sensitive, and contextually appropriate.
• Strengthen consistency and quality across all WASH interventions.

2. Programme Design, Proposal Development & Implementation Support (20%)

• Provide technical input into proposals, concept notes, programme frameworks, and emergency response plans.
• Support design of humanitarian WASH programmes, resilience-oriented WASH systems, and multi-country initiatives.
• Strengthen implementation quality through technical oversight.

3. Partner Engagement, Localisation & Capacity Strengthening (20%)

• Strengthen partner capability in WASH technical design, implementation, compliance, monitoring, and problem-solving.
• Provide mentoring, accompaniment, and technical guidance.
• Promote partner-led implementation, localisation, equitable partnerships, and sustainable capacity strengthening.

4. Emergency Preparedness, Humanitarian Response & Surge Support (10%)

• Support preparedness planning, WASH contingency systems, emergency assessments, and surge readiness.
• Ensure WASH systems are integrated into humanitarian preparedness, rapid response, and recovery.
• Provide technical leadership during emergencies.

5. Quality Assurance, Standards Compliance & Programme Integrity (10%)

• Strengthen adherence to Sphere standards, Humanitarian standards, WASH technical norms, Safeguarding, and protection frameworks.
• Support technical audits, programme reviews, quality assurance processes, and compliance monitoring.
• Strengthen accountability to affected populations.

6. Evidence Generation, Learning, MEAL Integration & Adaptive Practice (10%)

• Support integration of WASH programming into MEAL systems, learning systems, research agendas, and adaptive management.
• Contribute to data collection, technical analysis, evaluations and learning documentation.
• Capture lessons learned and innovation.

7. Coordination, Knowledge Sharing & Cross-Cluster Integration (5%)

• Facilitate technical coordination between humanitarian teams, partners, operations, PQK systems, and thematic teams.
• Promote knowledge sharing across countries, programmes, and humanitarian systems.
• Strengthen internal technical consistency.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• Master's degree in Civil Engineering, Environmental Health, Water Resources Management, Public Health or equivalent qualification.
• 5 years of relevant experience in WASH programming, including experience in humanitarian or emergency contexts and working with partners.
• Proven experience working with national or regional partners supporting programme implementation including working across multi-country or multi-stakeholder environments.
• Strong technical expertise and ability to integrate programme design with influencing and policy work.
• Strong communication, analytical, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to build strong, credible relationships with internal and external individuals and organisations.
• Excellent personal communication skills, in written and verbal English, with strong influencing and persuasive skills.
• A high level of self-awareness, personal energy, stamina and flexibility.
• Proven experience as a team worker and demonstrably cooperative with members of other teams.
• Commitment to Oxfam's safeguarding policies to ensure all people who come into contact with Oxfam are as safe as possible.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Organisational Values

• Accountability: Our purpose-driven, results-focused approach means we take responsibility for our actions and hold ourselves accountable.
• Empowerment: Our approach means that everyone involved with Oxfam, from our staff and supporters to people living in poverty, should feel they can make change happen.
• Inclusiveness: We are open to everyone and embrace diversity. We believe everyone has a contribution to make, regardless of visible and invisible differences.

Languages

• Fluent in written and spoken English and ideally Portuguese.

WHAT WE OFFER

We offer a competitive salary and a range of additional benefits to staff including flexible working options, generous pension scheme, annual leave, additional leave allowances, company sick pay, life assurance and a range of other benefits.

From the day you join Oxfam we invite you to stretch and learn in your role. Our wide range of Learning & Development opportunities includes in-house courses, e-learning modules, on-the-job learning opportunities, coaching and mentoring, and much more.

HOW TO APPLY

Apply online through the link: https://jobs.oxfam.org.uk/jobs/vacancy/wash-coordinator-int11735/24911/description/

As part of your online application, please upload your up to date CV and Cover Letter explaining your suitability against the essential criteria in the job profile.

Application Deadline: 13th August 2026

SAFER RECRUITMENT

Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, adults and beneficiaries with whom Oxfam GB engages. Oxfam expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. Oxfam GB also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants' previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.