Job category: Engineering, Water and Sanitation
Employment type: Full time
Reporting to: WASH Team Leader
Location: Ethiopia
Salary: As per Oxfam benefit package
Deadline: January 12, 2026
Date posted: 1 day ago
About Oxfam Great Britain
Oxfam is an international confederation of 17 organizations working with partners and local communities in more than 90 countries to fight poverty and injustice.
Oxfam believes poverty is not inevitable. It is an injustice that can be overcome. Through humanitarian response, long-term development, advocacy, and campaigning, Oxfam works to save lives, strengthen livelihoods, and ensure the voices of vulnerable people influence decisions that affect them.
Oxfam is committed to safeguarding, integrity, equality, and accountability. All staff and volunteers are expected to uphold Oxfam’s values, code of conduct, and safeguarding policies.
Job summary
The Senior Public Health Engineering Officer leads and manages Oxfam’s WASH activities within the Gambella Refugee Response. The role provides technical leadership, administrative oversight, and staff management to ensure high-quality delivery of public health engineering interventions.
The position contributes to the health and resilience of refugee and host communities by integrating PHE activities into Oxfam’s broader humanitarian response, livelihood, resilience-building, and emergency preparedness programmes, while also supporting Oxfam Ethiopia’s wider objectives.
Key responsibilities
Programme planning and leadership
Lead the planning, implementation, and coordination of public health engineering activities in humanitarian responses
Develop strategic approaches to address emerging WASH needs in complex and dynamic contexts
Provide technical leadership and supervision to PHE and PHP teams
Support proposal development and ensure activities are informed by robust assessments
Technical support and implementation
Guide selection and implementation of appropriate WASH response options
Ensure effective integration of WASH activities with cash-for-work and livelihood components
Support integrated planning and monitoring with PHP Assistants
Ensure timely processing of supply requests and coordination with logistics teams
Oversee contractors and partners to ensure quality and timely delivery
Capacity building and supervision
Line manage PHE Assistants and support their performance and development
Facilitate training and capacity-building for staff and partners
Provide mentorship to improve public health promotion quality and effectiveness
Coordination and partnerships
Establish and maintain strong relationships with local authorities, partners, and community stakeholders
Ensure participatory approaches throughout the project cycle
Collaborate with UN clusters, government bodies, and NGOs
Monitoring, reporting, and learning
Support data collection, analysis, and interpretation
Provide evidence-based advice to the WASH Coordinator
Prepare timely and high-quality technical and narrative reports
Capture lessons learned and best practices for knowledge management
Gender, protection, and compliance
Ensure all PHE activities integrate gender and protection considerations
Promote participation of women and vulnerable groups in decision-making
Ensure compliance with organizational policies, donor requirements, and humanitarian standards
Identify and mitigate operational and safety risks
Our values
Equality
Empowerment
Solidarity
Inclusiveness
Accountability
Courage
Job requirements
Education and experience
Degree in Civil Engineering, Water Resources and Irrigation, Hydraulic Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or related fields
Minimum of 5 years of relevant practical experience in WASH or PHE programming
Significant field experience may substitute for formal qualifications
Technical and professional experience
Proven leadership in emergency and development PHE programmes
Strong experience in the Gambella Refugee Response or similar humanitarian settings
Advanced skills in design, costing, contract management, and supervision
Experience working with UN clusters, government authorities, and NGO partners
Strong project cycle management experience
Skills and competencies
Excellent leadership, mentoring, and capacity-building skills
Strong analytical, negotiation, and problem-solving skills
Fluent English and Amharic (written and spoken)
Strong communication and cross-cultural management skills
Ability to work under pressure in rapidly changing environments
Proficiency in CAD, WaterCAD, EPANET, Pro-CAD, and related software
Strong commitment to humanitarian principles and gender-sensitive programming
Required skills
Negotiation
Conflict resolution
Ability to build lasting relationships
How to apply
Internal applicants:
https://jobs.oxfam.org.uk/internal/vacancy/24263/description
External applicants:
https://jobs.oxfam.org.uk/jobs/vacancy/24263/description