The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world’s largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 50 countries and more than 25 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you’re a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.
The IRC has been operating in Thailand since 1975 and currently provides assistance to displaced persons in Tak, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi and Mae Hong Son provinces.
Job Overview/Summary:
IRC provides primary health care and environmental health services in several refugee camps in Thailand. IRC and community-based partner organizations provide preventive and curative health care services in the camps, including primary health care, reproductive health, neonatal care, and health education. As a critical component of disease prevention, the IRC ensures access to safe water improved sanitation and hygiene promotion. Environmental health activities include maintenance of water supply infrastructure and chlorination systems, support to the maintenance of household sanitation including latrine desludging and replacement, solid waste disposal services, drainage works, vector control, hygiene promotion, provision of WASH services in health facilities to ensure quality of care. Under the direct supervision of the Senior Health Manager, Environmental Health (EH) Officer is responsible for implementing and monitoring environmental health related activities / WASH related activities in Ban Don Yang refugee camp.
Major Responsibilities:
- Serve as the focal point for all activities related to camp water supply and treatment, sanitation and waste management, and vector control in the camp.
- Ensure that water supply and treatment activities comply with appropriate national and international standards
- Supervise the operations, maintenance, and enhancement of the water system and infrastructure, including sedimentation systems, small-scale check dams, pumping stations, water treatment facilities, and distribution pipelines within the camp.
- Record essential data from the water system for analysis to ensure quality standards are met and to identify areas for improvement.
- In coordination with Community Health Officer, monitor household water information to include water consumption (liters/person/day) and quality, as well as household sanitation data to include latrine coverage, waste disposal habits and existence of vectors.
- Supervise construction or maintain household toilet and public toilet, ensure that following the standard required.
- Supervise the operation of solid waste management and maintenance of solid waste infrastructure, including solid waste collection points, disposal pits, and high-temperature incinerators.
- Lead the implementation of the 3Rs principle (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) and organize waste separation campaigns. Conduct training sessions for camp residents to promote sustainable waste management practices and environmental awareness.
- Supervise activities related to WASH in health facilities to ensure that Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures are implemented effectively and maintained at high standards. This includes providing training and conducting IPC assessment on bi-annually basis.
- In coordination with the Community Health Officer, ensure that vector control, disease surveillance and outbreak control activities are properly targeted and implemented.
- In collaboration with Community Health Worker team, assist in implementing annually KAP survey.
- Serve as technical advisor and focal point for all IRC construction related activities and maintenance of IRC facilities in Ban Don Yang Camp.
- Collect data and maintain records related to camp sanitation systems.
- Participate in WASH/EH meetings, providing necessary information and updates. Additionally, participate in or support training sessions related to WASH/EH topics, ensuring effective communication and knowledge sharing within the team and with relevant stakeholders.
- Assist and support the Senior Health Manager as necessary in monitoring EH program budgets and spending plan to ensure expenditures are on track and utilized requirements and regulations.
- Initiate procurement to ensure adequate supplies of chemicals, fuels, lubricants and spare parts for water supply/treatment systems and sanitation activities are maintained in local stocks.
- Write routine progress reports and keep supervisor informed on the water and sanitation situation in the camp.
- Assist with any other duties as requested by supervisor.
Key Working Relationships:
Position Reports to:Senior Health Manager
Position directly supervises: Camp-based assistants of Environmental Health team of Ban Don Yang camp, Kanchanaburi Province
Indirect Reporting: Senior Health Coordinator
Technical Support by: Environmental Health Manager
Job Requirements:
Education: Bachelor of water supply, sanitation or construction engineering, public health and Environmental Health education is a plus
Work Experience: Minimum 3 years working experience working in Environmental Health in a refugee setting or in developing country is plus
Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:
- Knowledge and experience in waste management, water treatment processes, water quality monitoring, excreta disposal, solid waste, and vector control activities
- Construction skills (concrete, wood and brick construction and soil mechanics)
- Capable of training and motivating community support
- Experience supervising personnel.
- Competent in Windows, MS office programs, emails, and relevant health databases (HMIS, DHIS etc.).
- Experience in environmental health / WASH services delivery and ability to develop WASH activities from a community development approach; experience in monitoring and supervision of WASH / EH activities.
- Experience in working with multicultural staff and ability to work with sizeable multi-cultural team delivering assistance involving a wide array of program stakeholders.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
- Experience in implementation of communicable disease outbreaks investigations and response is an advantage.
- Professional demeanors.
Language Skills: Fluency in English. Burmese, Thai, or Karen is a plus
Working Environment:
The position is a National Position based in the IRC Sangkhlaburi office in Kanchanaburi province with frequent and regular travel to the refugee camp (Band Don Yang) as well as with travel to the refugee camps and the Thailand-Myanmar border area as required.
Application Deadline: 15 July 2024
Standard of Professional Conduct:The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.
Commitment to Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: The IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful, and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. The IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of the IRC persons in any work setting. We aim to increase the representation of women, people that are from country and communities we serve, and people who identify as races and ethnicities that are under-represented in global power structures.