Shelter and Settlements Consultants
July 2021 | Based in any one of our global Alight locations | Short or long-term consultant
Hello Hello! So you’re interested in joining us? Welcome, we’re happy you’re here.
This year, American Refugee Committee became Alight. We’re the same organization with the same people doing the same critical work – providing health care and clean water, shelter, protection, and economic opportunity to more than 3.5 million people in 17 countries each year. But in solidarity with the people we serve who are too often defined by a single dark moment in their lives, we’re dropping the label ‘refugee.’
What is Alight’s Talent Community?
The talent community includes a team of Shelter and Settlements sector professionals, who are eager to take action with limited notice to work on short-term assignments. Community members will be contacted when opportunities arise to provide critical coverage while staff are on leave, during times of surge need, as well as new program startup.
The Terms of Reference (ToR) for each assignment will differ and may focus on assessments, proposal development, or project management.
When you Join Alight, you’ll find…
A team with deep experience in co-designing solutions that create new value around the world. We know we need to always be better, and we believe in the power and abundance of everyday people, everywhere, to change the world with us.
A culture of radical accountability to our customers –as we help build a meaningful life for and with the displaced, we ask them what they want and then deliver on it.
An organization that refuses to settle for anything less than delivering human-worthy services.
Essential Responsibilities and Duties
Design the quick to deploy, cost-effective, environmentally sound, and gender sensitive humanitarian shelter/housing or hosting solutions that provide safe and dignified living conditions to their users.
Design and implement safe, dignified and environmentally sound settlement plans and infrastructure in accordance with the geographic location, topography and type of soil, prevailing water drainage patterns, local building culture and culture of the people at the settlement, gender sensitivities and perspectives, and the environmental mitigation requirements, while observing the Disaster Risk Reduction best practices.
As an engineering professional, support any engineering design and project implementation needs by colleagues in other sectors, including construction of structures for emergency health clinics, warehouses, counseling rooms, etc.
Whenever possible, apply your amazing design skills to reduce the environmental footprint of the humanitarian operation. As a member of the UN Global Plan of Action/ Humanitarian Energy platform, Alight chooses the solar power or hybrid power solutions to meet the charging, lighting and other emergency power needs of the disaster affected people and the emergency humanitarian services.
Depending on the context, develop and implement or contribute to the design of the standard operating procedures for operation and maintenance of the settlements and structures, including the fire safety plans and participate in the camp/ settlement coordination efforts.
Co-Create & Collaborate in construction and management of the Shelter and Settlements projects with the men and women, boys and girls in the refugee and IDP settlements and/ or host communities where you work.
Engage local leaders, both men and women, and government officials in the process. Broad ownership often means greater chance for sustainability. Successful completion of the project is our common achievement.
Carry out the Human-centered Needs Assessments. You are committed to learn about the needs, interests, service demands of the people that we serve, as well as their culture and skills they might contribute to the project.
Co-create concept papers, proposals, and budgets in this collaborative spirit, working hand in hand with colleagues on the Rapid Response team
Conduct initial and in-service training for Shelter and Settlements teams and volunteers.
Establish and maintain a regular system of project monitoring and evaluation
Ensure adequate budget monitoring
Ensure the timely submission of technical and activities reports from partners.
Provide leadership and support to your local team through mutual support and mentorship, learning and shared responsibility for the project.
Experience we’re seeking
Broadly speaking, consultants will have the experience and skills outlined below:
You have an impressive international experience in Shelter and Settlements emergency response and a commitment to serve the affected people during the times of hardship. You are highly adaptable and work well in multicultural and security sensitive contexts
Alight appreciates a broad range of skills and experience. At the same time, this position requires a Civil Engineer with strong understanding of settlement or urban planning. We are also open to the people with a strong track record of managing the disaster response projects focusing on shelter & settlements, camp coordination, housing and infrastructure reconstruction (water, sewage and electrical power systems).
You are a dedicated emergency responder with a minimum of 3 years of international experience and multiple deployments in implementing and managing of the Shelter and Settlemnets/ infrastructure programs in disaster affected settings and/ or rural and remote environments
You are no stranger to interaction with the donors. Familiarity with the private, US government, UN, ECHO, multi-lateral donors and other funding institutions is your strength.
You are successful in proposal writing and development, and securing donor funding (UN, USG, EU, etc.)
You are familiar with and committed to maintaining the humanitarian service standards such as SHERE and the professional standards, civil engineering, settlement planning, Disaster Rusk Reduction and environmental protection.
You are super-organized and have amazing interpersonal and communication skills.
You are no stranger to the work in unstable security settings and you are able to adapt to changing requirements and circumstances on the ground, working independently and/ or in a team
You are a competent user of Microsoft Office applications, and have at least a basic command of engineering design software such as Auto Cad or similar.
Fluency in English; applicants with the ability to communicate in other languages (particularly French or Arabic) are at a distinct advantage
How do I join?
Candidates with relevant experience, who are available for short-term assignments, are invited to apply to join the WASH Talent Community. An Alight team member will reach out to you if your application is to be considered. Talent community members will be contacted about their interest and availability as relevant opportunities arise.
If you are looking to be part of a living, breathing, ever-changing organization full of disrupters and doers, then we want to meet you. We hope to hear from you soon!
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