WASH Officer @Malteser International

Malteser International, the international humanitarian relief agency of the Sovereign Order of Malta, is currently recruiting for a WASH Officer position in Nigeria. The organization has a long-standing global presence spanning over 60 years, providing humanitarian assistance to communities affected by conflicts, disasters, and emergencies across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Its work is guided by humanitarian principles and a commitment to serving people in need regardless of religion, origin, or political belief.

In Nigeria, Malteser International has been operational since 2017, with a strong focus on humanitarian response activities in the Northeast, particularly Borno State. Its Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) interventions are designed to improve living conditions for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host communities. These interventions include the provision of safe drinking water, rehabilitation of boreholes and hand pumps, construction of sanitation facilities, hygiene promotion activities, and distribution of non-food items (NFI). The organization adopts a participatory, gender-sensitive, and inclusive approach that integrates WASH with broader food security, nutrition, and livelihood support.

The WASH Officer position is based in Benue State, Nigeria, with an expected contract start date in July 2026 and an initial duration through December 2026, with the possibility of extension depending on project needs and performance. The role is field-based and focuses on ensuring the effective delivery of WASH interventions in line with project objectives, donor requirements, and humanitarian standards.

The primary responsibility of the WASH Officer is to oversee the planning, coordination, and implementation of WASH activities in assigned field locations. This includes developing monthly work plans, coordinating staff movements, preparing procurement and financial requests, and ensuring timely execution of project activities. The officer is also expected to work closely with relevant departments to ensure smooth operational delivery and accountability in all field operations.

A major part of the role involves technical supervision of WASH infrastructure projects. This includes monitoring contractors to ensure that construction and rehabilitation works for water and sanitation facilities meet Malteser International’s technical standards and comply with donor and humanitarian guidelines. The WASH Officer is also responsible for ensuring quality control in all water and sanitation systems implemented under the project.

Community engagement is another critical component of the position. The officer is expected to facilitate the establishment and training of Water User Committees, support hygiene promotion campaigns, and strengthen community participation in WASH service delivery. These efforts aim to promote sustainable behavior change and improve ownership of WASH infrastructure at the community level.

The role also requires continuous monitoring of field conditions, including security risks, humanitarian needs, and operational challenges. The WASH Officer must provide timely updates to management and ensure that risks are effectively communicated and mitigated. Additionally, the officer contributes to project monitoring and evaluation activities, including data collection, reporting, documentation, and coordination with MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning) teams and implementing partners.

Representation and compliance responsibilities are also central to the role. The WASH Officer represents Malteser International in the field and ensures adherence to organizational policies, including the Code of Conduct and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEAH) standards. The role may also include additional responsibilities assigned by supervisors in line with program needs.

Applicants are required to hold at least a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Civil Engineering, Water Resources, Infrastructure, or a related field. Experience in emergency WASH programming is essential, particularly in community mobilization and implementation of humanitarian WASH activities in line with Sphere and WASH Cluster standards. Additional competencies include experience in hygiene promotion, training, non-food item distribution, planning, reporting, and community engagement.

A strong understanding of behavior change approaches, gender inclusion, and protection principles is also required. Candidates must possess strong written and spoken English skills, while knowledge of local languages is considered an advantage. Preference may be given to candidates already based in Benue State due to the field-based nature of the role.

Malteser International offers remuneration in accordance with its salary structure, along with benefits such as group life insurance, health insurance coverage (single or family plans), and a 13th-month salary. Additional leave entitlements include annual leave, compensation leave, academic leave, wedding leave, and compassionate leave, depending on eligibility.

Overall, the WASH Officer position represents a key field implementation role within Malteser International’s humanitarian operations in Nigeria, focusing on improving access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services in vulnerable communities. The role combines technical engineering oversight, community engagement, and humanitarian coordination to strengthen public health outcomes in emergency-affected settings.

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