WASH Project Coordinator/Specialist

About the Company

Afghanaid is a British international NGO (www.afghanaid.org.uk) that has been working in Afghanistan since 1983. Headquartered in Kabul, Afghanaid implements projects directly in 8 provinces and through partners in a further number of provinces and maintains a marketing and fundraising office in London. Afghanaid works in some of the most remote areas of the country and through a range of programme interventions supports development of basic services, such as water and sanitation, access roads, education facilities and other community infrastructure; strengthens livelihoods through improved natural resource management, agricultural and small enterprise development, and improved access to markets; and provides humanitarian assistance in times of emergencies. Gender mainstreaming, local governance and community development are integrated into all of Afghanaid’s work. The results achieved have earned Afghanaid the respect and recognition of stakeholders as an effective and collaborative charity.

Job Summary

Job profile

Under the supervision of the Project Manager / Director of Programme, the Project Coordinator / WASH Specialist will lead the overall planning, technical design, coordination, implementation, monitoring and reporting of the integrated WASH and MPCA project in Sang-e-Takht District, Daykundi Province.

The post holder will ensure the quality and timely delivery of project activities, lead the development of WASH technical guidelines and manuals, supervise project staff, monitor budgets and expenditure, and maintain effective coordination with government authorities, humanitarian clusters, community representatives and other stakeholders.

The position will ensure that all activities comply with Afghanaid policies, AHF requirements, relevant technical standards and humanitarian principles, while promoting gender equality, disability inclusion, safeguarding and accountability to affected populations

Key Responsibilities:

Project Management and Coordination

oCoordinate and supervise project activities, ensuring timely implementation in line with the approved work plan, budget and project objectives.

oDevelop monthly and quarterly work plans, procurement plans and implementation schedules in coordination with relevant teams.

oCoordinate with relevant government departments, WASH and Cash Working Groups, humanitarian partners, community representatives and other stakeholders to ensure complementarity and avoid duplication.

oEnsure compliance with Afghanaid policies, donor requirements, humanitarian standards and relevant government regulations.

oKeep the Project Manager / Director of Programmes informed of progress, challenges, risks and opportunities.

Technical WASH Support and Quality Assurance

oDevelop and update WASH technical guidelines, implementation manuals, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and training materials in line with WASH Cluster standards and organizational requirements.

oProvide technical guidance and oversight for the construction of gender-segregated shared household latrines and disability-accessible sanitation facilities.

oEnsure appropriate technical designs, bills of quantities (BoQs), procurement specifications and quality control of construction materials and works.

oSupervise hygiene promotion, sanitation awareness, hygiene kit distribution and community sanitation campaigns.

oEnsure gender, disability inclusion, protection, environmental considerations and community participation are integrated into all WASH activities.

oProvide technical support and capacity building to field staff, including engineers, hygiene promoters and social organizers.

MPCA Implementation and Stakeholder Engagement

oOversee MPCA implementation, ensuring transparent beneficiary selection, verification, cash distribution and compliance with Cash Working Group guidance.

oEnsure coordination with financial service providers, community committees and relevant stakeholders to facilitate safe and accountable cash transfers.

oSupport market monitoring, post-distribution monitoring and appropriate follow-up actions based on findings.

Staff Management and Supervision

oSupervise and support project staff, assess performance and identify capacity-building needs.

oConduct regular field visits to monitor implementation quality, provide technical support and address operational challenges.

oPromote teamwork, accountability, safeguarding, PSEA and gender-sensitive programming.

oEnsure project staff receive appropriate training on technical standards, community engagement and organizational policies.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting

oConsolidate monthly and quarterly progress reports and submit them to the Project Manager / Director of Programmes.

oWork closely with the Monitoring and Evaluation team to monitor indicators, verify results and document lessons learned, case studies and success stories.

oEnsure regular monitoring of construction quality, latrine functionality, hygiene promotion, cash distributions and beneficiary satisfaction.

oEnsure timely reporting to the relevant clusters, AHF and other stakeholders through the required reporting mechanisms.

oEnsure effective operation of complaint and feedback mechanisms and follow up on community feedback.

Person Specification

Education and Professional Qualifications

o University degree in Civil Engineering, Public Health, Environmental Health, Water and Sanitation, or a related field.

Work Experience

o Minimum five years of relevant experience in humanitarian or development projects, preferably in WASH project management and coordination.

o Proven experience in sanitation construction, hygiene promotion, technical supervision and project implementation.

o Experience in developing technical guidelines, manuals, SOPs and training materials is highly desirable.

o Experience in cash assistance, stakeholder coordination, budget monitoring and donor reporting is an advantage.

Professional Skills, Competencies and Values

o Strong technical knowledge of WASH standards, sanitation infrastructure and hygiene promotion.

o Excellent project management, coordination, leadership and team supervision skills.

o Strong reporting, planning, budgeting and problem-solving abilities.

o Good communication and interpersonal skills, with fluency in Dari and Pashto; English is an advantage.

o Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Word and Excel.

o Commitment to gender equality, disability inclusion, safeguarding, PSEA and accountability to affected populations.

o Ability and willingness to travel and work in remote and potentially insecure locations.

Please create your portal account and submit your application by filling the Afghanaid standard job application form by no later than 15th November 2026. Your covering letter and CV should be in PDF format. Your covering letter should be no more than 1 standard A4 page in length and explain how you meet the essential and desirable position requirements and why you feel you would be a suitable candidate for this role. Your CV should be no more than 4 pages and include 3 professional references including your current employer. Afghanaid has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

Afghanaid is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

We invite qualified candidates to apply for the position through the Afghanaid HR portal. Please click on the link below to complete your application.

Link for the Afghanaid HR portal: https://afghanaid.odoo.com/jobs

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are unable to respond to every application. If you have not heard from us within 2 weeks of the deadline, then you have not been successful for shortlisting.

Note: Priority will be given to candidates from the local area. Local candidates are highly encouraged to apply for this position.