WASH Officer Hygiene Promotion Job at Save the Children International (SCI)

WASH Officer – Hygiene Promotion Job at Save the Children International (SCI), Borno State

Save the Children International (SCI) is inviting applications from qualified and experienced professionals for the position of WASH Officer – Hygiene Promotion under its Programme Operations team in Borno State, Nigeria.

The successful candidate will support the implementation, monitoring and reporting of hygiene promotion activities under an UNOCHA-funded integrated humanitarian response. The role will focus on improving community hygiene practices, preventing hygiene-related diseases, strengthening community hygiene structures and integrating WASH activities into Health, Nutrition and Child Protection programmes.

This opportunity is suitable for candidates with at least three years of relevant experience, preferably in humanitarian or recovery WASH programmes.

Job Overview

• Organisation: Save the Children International (SCI)
• Position: WASH Officer – Hygiene Promotion
• Job Identification: 18175
• Job Category: Programme Operations
• Location: Borno State, Nigeria
• Employment Type: Full-Time
• Grade: 4
• Contract Type: National
• Required Experience: Minimum of 3 years
• Reporting To: WASH Coordinator
• Application Deadline: 16 November 2026, 12:59 a.m. (Nigeria time)
• Application Method: Online application

About the Role

The WASH Officer – Hygiene Promotion will support the delivery of inclusive, evidence-based and accountable hygiene promotion interventions across SCI project locations in Borno State.

Working closely with the WASH Coordinator, WASH Infrastructure Officer, relevant programme teams, implementing partners, community structures and government authorities, the successful candidate will provide technical guidance and capacity strengthening to improve hygiene practices and community participation.

The role will also support the integration of hygiene promotion into Health and Nutrition services, Child Protection activities, child-friendly spaces and other relevant community settings.

Key Responsibilities

1. Hygiene Promotion and Integration with Health, Nutrition and Child Protection

• Plan, implement and supervise hygiene promotion activities across project locations.
• Integrate hygiene promotion into Health, Nutrition and Child Protection programmes.
• Design and deliver culturally appropriate hygiene education sessions on handwashing, safe water handling and storage, household water treatment, sanitation, food hygiene, menstrual health and environmental cleanliness.
• Train and mentor SCI staff, implementing partners, community hygiene promoters and community structures.
• Engage community leaders, women, young people, persons with disabilities and government authorities.
• Conduct hygiene risk assessments, baseline surveys and behavioural observations.
• Support emergency hygiene promotion during disease outbreaks, flooding and displacement.
• Contribute technical inputs to hygiene item distributions, monitoring, evaluations, advocacy and donor proposals.

2. WASH Infrastructure and Hygiene Integration

• Work with the WASH Infrastructure Officer and other programme teams to assess water, sanitation and hygiene needs at supported facilities.
• Provide technical inputs on hygiene requirements for water and sanitation facilities.
• Monitor the functionality, cleanliness, accessibility and maintenance of WASH facilities.
• Identify infrastructure defects and communicate them to the responsible technical officer.
• Sensitise communities and facility users on the proper use and maintenance of water points, latrines and handwashing facilities.
• Coordinate with facility managers, contractors and community structures to ensure infrastructure interventions support sustained hygiene practices.
• Document facility-level hygiene gaps, user feedback and recommended corrective actions.

3. Programme Monitoring, Accountability and Safeguarding

• Prepare weekly and monthly field activity plans.
• Develop and implement hygiene promotion monitoring tools in collaboration with the MEAL team.
• Collect, verify, analyse and report programme data accurately.
• Monitor indicators such as people reached through hygiene promotion, community hygiene groups supported, hygiene kit distribution and improvements in hygiene practices.
• Conduct field monitoring, behavioural observations and post-distribution monitoring.
• Identify implementation challenges and recommend corrective actions.
• Prepare weekly, monthly and other required programme reports.
• Ensure affected communities have access to safe, accessible and confidential feedback and complaints mechanisms.
• Promote gender-sensitive, disability-inclusive and culturally appropriate programming.
• Ensure compliance with child safeguarding, Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA), data protection and other SCI policies.
• Maintain confidentiality and report safeguarding concerns through established channels.
• Ensure transparent and impartial beneficiary selection and distribution processes.

Qualifications and Requirements

Applicants should possess:

• A degree or postgraduate certificate in Public Health, Environmental Health, Water Engineering, Sanitary Engineering, Social Sciences or a related field.
• At least three years of relevant professional experience, preferably in humanitarian or recovery WASH programmes.
• Previous experience working with local or international NGOs in humanitarian or development programmes.
• Experience implementing community-based hygiene promotion, community mobilisation and behaviour-change interventions.
• Strong field implementation, monitoring and reporting skills.
• Good understanding of community dynamics, cultural norms and participatory approaches to sustainable behaviour change.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, listening and facilitation skills.
• Ability to work with government authorities, implementing partners and multidisciplinary programme teams.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and organisational skills.
• Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, email and electronic data collection or reporting tools.
• Demonstrated commitment to humanitarian principles, safeguarding, accountability and inclusion.

Desirable Experience

The following will be an added advantage:

• Familiarity with Sphere standards, WHO guidance and relevant national WASH policies.
• Experience supporting community hygiene groups and training hygiene promoters.
• Experience conducting hygiene promotion campaigns and community dialogues.
• Experience coordinating with state and local government WASH authorities.
• Experience supporting hygiene kit distributions, hygiene assessments and post-distribution monitoring.
• Ability to adapt hygiene promotion messages for children, women, adolescents, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.
• Experience working in multicultural and multidisciplinary environments.

Key Competencies

Save the Children expects the successful candidate to demonstrate its core values:

• Accountability: Taking responsibility for decisions, resources and results while ensuring partners meet agreed standards.
• Ambition: Setting challenging goals and encouraging continuous improvement.
• Collaboration: Building effective relationships with colleagues, communities and external partners.
• Creativity: Developing innovative solutions and adapting to changing needs.
• Integrity: Demonstrating honesty, transparency and high ethical standards.

The role also requires strong technical expertise, effective communication, leadership, teamwork and the ability to deliver results.

Child Safeguarding and Equal Opportunities

Save the Children is committed to protecting children from abuse and ensuring safe programme delivery. The position is classified as Child Safeguarding Level 3, and the recruitment process will include rigorous background checks.

The successful candidate must comply with SCI safeguarding, health and safety, equal opportunities, diversity and Do No Harm policies.

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How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates should submit:

1. An updated CV.
2. A cover letter.

Both documents must be combined into one single document before submission.

Applicants should also include details of their current remuneration and salary expectations.

Applications should be submitted through the official Save the Children recruitment portal.

Application Link

Application Deadline

16 November 2026

Closing Time: 12:59 a.m. (Nigeria time).

Only applications submitted through the official recruitment portal should be considered.