About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries worldwide, we partner to put bold solutions into action – helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within now and for the future.

Mercy Corps works in places of transition, where conflict, disaster, political upheaval, or economic collapse present opportunities to build more secure, productive, and just communities. Providing emergency relief in times of crisis, we move quickly to help communities recover, build resilience to future shocks, and promote sustainable change by supporting community-led and market-driven initiatives. Recognizing both the great potential and the complex challenges faced by the Middle East, since 1989 Mercy Corps has been implementing a range of humanitarian assistance and development projects tailored to the region’s specific needs and those communities where we work.

 Mercy Corps has worked across Iraq’s 18 governorates since 2003, implementing relief and development projects more than a third of which has focused on the specific needs of refugees and displaced persons. Mercy Corps Iraq’s current goal is to work with new and existing civil society, public and private sector partners to meet immediate and long-term needs by strengthening communities’ ability to rebuild amidst increasing crises. Mercy Corps Iraq focuses on (1) a relief-to-resilience pathway to meet the needs of conflict-affected communities leveraging agency expertise in conflict management and civil society development, (2) a humanitarian response that empowers conflict-affected populations to meet their own needs, and (3) partnering with conflict-affected adolescents to address their diverse needs, promoting leadership and linkages with civil society.

Project/ Department Summary

Mercy Corps has been actively engaged in WASH and water resource management initiatives in Iraq, The Program team employs a professional approach to address the challenges vulnerable communities face. Through its dedication to improving access to clean water, promoting hygiene practices, and implementing sustainable water management strategies, Mercy Corps plays a crucial role in enhancing the well-being and resilience of communities in Iraq.

Iraq is grappling with a severe water crisis, particularly impacting the marshlands of southern Iraq. The situation is exacerbated by factors such as drought, irregular precipitation, climate change-induced temperature fluctuations, and neighboring countries diverting water resources. The Euphrates and Tigris Rivers, crucial for Iraq’s water supply, have witnessed a 30% decrease in water flows since the 1980s, which is expected to further decline to 50% by 2030. This decline has intensified the salinity of the Shatt al-Arab River and Bada’a canal in Basra.

Basra faces critical challenges with its undrinkable tap water since the 1990s, compelling households to rely on private water vendors. Only 11% of the population has access to clean drinking water, with the majority receiving just 10 hours of water per day. Despite water infrastructure being a post-2003 rebuilding priority, progress has been hindered by corruption and stalled mega infrastructure projects. Compact water treatment units (CWTUs) have become the dominant purification technology, supplying a significant portion of treatment capacity.

Nevertheless, these CWTUs face efficiency issues due to inconsistent inflows from Bada‘a canal—affected by dam construction, climate variability, and illegal water extraction. Inadequate investment in maintenance further curtails the operational life of CWTUs. The current initiative strives to overcome these problems by improving water infrastructure, enhancing CWTUs’ functional efficiency, and revitalizing the DoW Technical Capacity Unit to ensure sustainable and reliable access to clean water in Basra.

For that Mercy Corps proposes a 12-month intervention to directly benefit 100,060 community members (49% female) in Basra governorate. The primary project goal is to ensure equitable and sustainable access to safe drinking water services through enhanced, climate-resilient water supply systems and water resources and improved governance systems that are adaptive to climate change with consideration of most affected communities. To achieve this goal, Mercy Corps will take a governance-first approach that focuses on strengthening the local systems (community, government, and ecological) responsible for managing and safeguarding critical water supply services and water resources.

General Position Summary

Mercy Corps seeks a dedicated Engineer to take on a pivotal role in leading initiatives to transform water access and sustainability in Basra governorate, Iraq. In this position, the successful candidate will spearhead a 9-month project directly impacting over 65,025 community members. The focus will be on fostering community equity, engaging relevant stakeholders, and addressing urgent water challenges and climate change.

As an Engineer in this role, your primary responsibility will be to oversee the design and implementation of climate-resilient water supply systems, contributing to equitable access to safe drinking water. You will work closely with the project management team to align these activities with governance improvement efforts, and community engagement processes. Your technical expertise will be vital in supporting the capacity-building of government entities, communities and strengthening the sustainability of water and ecological systems.

Key responsibilities include Contributing technical expertise to coordinate project milestones, supporting financial oversight through precise project requirements and cost estimations. Engineer will play a crucial role in engaging with stakeholders, contributing to risk management, and ensuring the technical aspects of projects deliver impactful results that meet Mercy Corps’ global standards and cater to local needs.You should be able to navigate the complex socio-political landscapes, dedicate efforts to community inclusion, and adapt the technical solutions for water treatment systems.

This role calls for an engineer who is innovative, ready to contribute to the advocacy for integrated water resource management, and leverages experience in supporting humanitarian projects with a commitment to making a lasting impact within marginalized communities. 

Essential Job Responsibilities

As the Engineer for the Water Crisis Intervention initiative in Basra Governorate, your role will be pivotal in ensuring the success of water infrastructure upgrades. Your responsibilities will encompass a range of technical and managerial tasks. Here are the key responsibilities for the Engineer position:

Technical Oversight:

• A Project Engineer is responsible for providing expert technical oversight in areas requiring specialized knowledge of hydraulic systems and water management processes, ensuring all technical aspects adhere to industry standards and project specifications.
• Provide technical expertise in civil or mechanical engineering, specializing in water infrastructure projects.
• Oversee the planning, design, and execution of water infrastructure upgrades, ensuring compliance with established engineering standards.
• Develop technical bill of quantities BoQs and technical design in collaboration with local authorities.
• Lead the design, development, and implementation of climate-resilient water supply systems, ensuring they meet quality and safety standards.
• Implement and enforce quality control measures to guarantee the reliability and safety of water supply infrastructure.
• Ensure all technical activities adhere to Mercy Corps’ global standards and local and international technical norms and regulations.
• Conduct both rapid and detailed technical assessments of various water and sanitation systems at locations including but not limited to water treatment plants and municipal networks
• Support and oversee hydrological surveys and other technical studies and reports.
• Analyze data and prepare reports on findings from technical assessments, site visits, and consultation with local authorities and community members.
• Facilitate the tender and contract development process, supporting the Procurement Department as needed.

Compact Water Treatment Units (CWTUs) Management:

• Manage the installation, operation, and maintenance of Compact Water Treatment Units (CWTUs) in targeted locations.
• Optimize the operational efficiency of CWTUs, addressing challenges related to irregular water flows, illegal tapping, and other technical issues.
• Engage with external experts and designers to enhance the technical, financial, and managerial competencies of governmental water service entities, guaranteeing the provision of reliable and sustainable water services.
• Identify and record any issues present in the water supply network within the assigned project region and report these issues to the appropriate government entities for resolution.

Monitoring and Quality Assurance:

• Conduct attentive monitoring and testing of all rehabilitation work, ensuring it meets high-quality standards.
• Collaborate with project managers, department engineers, and contractors to implement necessary field corrections.
• Oversee the ongoing activities through contractors and ensure implemented activities align with contracts.
• Liaise with the contractor on all timelines, deadlines, and technical details of all rehabilitation and construction projects.
• Document implementation of WASH infrastructure work and track progress towards program targets, keeping all team members apprised of achievements, delays, and issues.
• Work closely with the MEL team, ensuring all aspects of the project are well understood and develop harmonized strategies to monitor activities.

Capacity Building and Training:

• Develop and conduct capacity-building training sessions on water infrastructure operation and maintenance, leveraging your engineering expertise in collaboration with the Mercy Corps team.
• Work closely with the Project Manager and other MC team members to enhance the technical skills of the project team and relevant stakeholders.
• Identify capacity-building needs for the local authorities, especially operational teams working on tareted water projects, and develop a detailed plan to implement capacity-building.

Coordination with Stakeholders:

• Collaborate with government stakeholders, relevant clusters, and agencies during the planning and implementation phases.
• Provide technical input and support during joint site visits, site selection, community engagement, community awareness, and needs analysis, contributing to the effective implementation of the program.
• Ensure all technical details related to the WASH projects have been discussed and consulted with government authorities.

Problem-solving and Troubleshooting:

• Identify and address technical challenges in real time, utilizing your problem-solving skills to ensure the smooth execution of water infrastructure projects.
• Collaborate with the Project Manager to implement practical solutions to challenges arising during the project lifecycle.

Collaboration with Support Units:

• Create and manage procurement requests, follow up with support functions, including finance and payment requests.
• Collaborate with the Program Development and Grants Unit for technical communications with donors.
• Liaise with the Program Quality Unit, Finance, and Procurement units as necessary to ensure technical and operational coherence.

Your role as an Engineer will be instrumental in translating engineering expertise into tangible improvements in water infrastructure, contributing to the overall success of the Water Crisis Intervention initiative in Basra.

Organizational Learning: As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our

understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient, and relevant to the communities they

serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps

as well as themselves.

Accountability to Beneficiaries: Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward

accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and

development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design,

monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Success Factors

The successful program coordinator will have excellent communication and interpersonal skills,

multi-tasking, demonstrated attention to detail, and will be committed to working long hours. S/he will be highly

motivated, with initiative, and capable to work without direct supervision. S/he will be willing to conduct field

travels and work in an ethnically and culturally diversified team. S/he must know how to prioritize tasks and deliver outputs on time. S/he must have excellent writing English skills.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening, and evolving

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills to be collectively stronger and have a sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants, or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary-General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct eLearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: Program Officers

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: INTA’ASH Project Manager

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Program, M&E, Operations, and Finance Teams

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Engineering. Water engineering, Civil engineering or related degree.
• Minimum of three years of professional experience in implementing emergency response WASH programs in a humanitarian setting or any relevant.
• Strong familiarity with Iraqi water and sanitation standards and international WASH SPHERE standards
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to achieve cooperation and agreement amongst diverse groups with competing priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and tasks efficiently and calmly.
• Excellent time management skills and resourcefulness with strong attention to detail.
• Knowledge of WASH in emergencies and ability to develop training on the topic.
• Ability to engage with local communities and government authorities.
• Physically able to spend long periods in the field in harsh conditions.
• Ability to think independently, problem-solve, and suggest solutions and mitigations with minimal guidance.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Honest and committed to compliance with all policies and procedures in all aspects of work.
• Sound strategic thinking and planning skills with an eagerness for innovation.
• Strong technical writing skills in Arabic and English.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCES

Successful candidates should meet the education and experience requirements in the position descriptions for the vacant positions. S/he must be self- motivated, creative, tolerant, and able to work in difficult, stressful environments and follow Mercy Corps procedures. S/he must respect diversity and gender equality at the workplace.

Success Factors

The successful candidate will have an ability to interact effectively with international and national personnel both in a technical advisory and training capacity and will also have an ability to support programmatic objectives with timely and meaningful information. A demonstrated ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities is essential, as is an impeccable, professional standard of M&E and reporting and a willingness and ability to ensure compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures. Multi-tasker with the proven ability to organize and prioritize competing priorities. Proven ability to learn quickly, take initiative, and be accountable for results. Demonstrated ability to lead and communicate effectively with team members of varied experiences and work styles, follow procedures, and meet deadlines, The MEL Manager must be willing to travel regularly to Mercy Corps project sites

Living /Environmental Conditions

This position is based in Erbil, Iraq. Travel within Iraq is required to support Mercy Corps Iraq’s offices and programs. Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corps’ vision. Mercy Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer regardless of background. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCES:

Successful candidates should meet the education and experience requirements in the position descriptions for this vacancy.

S/he must be self- motivated, creative, tolerant, and able to work in difficult, stressful environments and follow Mercy Corps procedures. S/he must respect diversity and gender equality at the workplace.

Interested candidates should submit their CVs to the email address below:

[email protected] . Any Resume will be sent without mentioning the job and Location applied for in the subject line will not be considered.

ALL APPLICATIONS/ CVs SHOULD BE RECEIVED BY July 14, 2024 AT 4:00PM

Potential candidates for the post will be contacted for an interview and processed according to Mercy Corps Human Resources policies and procedures. Please note that only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for potential interview. Any documents submitted will remain with Mercy Corps and will not be returned to candidates.

Female Candidates are encouraged to apply for This Position.  Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global Impact.

Mercy Corps Iraq offers a variety of arrangements that enable women to excel in their careers.

Mercy Corps Iraq ensures a safe and inclusive working environment for women and men through field security training and measures to provide secure working arrangements on-site and in the office.