Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Specialist (International Humanitarian Register)
Australian Red Cross is seeking skilled Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) professionals to join our International Delegate (aid worker) Register. From the Delegate Register, WASH Delegates can be deployed internationally to support operations of the International Committee of The Red Cross (ICRC) and provide professional assistance to communities impacted by humanitarian disasters or conflicts. Deployments typically last for 12 or 24 months and are salaried.
Please note that recruitment to the Delegate Register does not guarantee employment with Red Cross. It does however place the individual on standby to deploy, and enables suitable preparation and training for deployment, should the need arise.
If you are interested in working internationally with Red Cross as a WASH Delegate, we encourage you to read the below role profile which provides additional information on the requirements of this position, to consider your suitability. Please note that we are only able to consider applications from candidates who are citizens or permanent residents of Australia.
Applications close 31 July 2026. Applications will be reviewed as they are submitted, so we do not recommend delaying your application to the closing date.
Australian Red Cross’ International Delegate Register
The Red Cross and Red Crescent (RCRC) Movement is the largest humanitarian network in the world. It comprises the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (Federation) and 192 National Societies. The RCRC mandate is to protect and support populations experiencing conflicts, disasters and other vulnerabilities.
ARC maintains an active register of highly screened and trained humanitarian workers (referred to as delegates within the Red Cross) who are deployed to international crises when local capacity is overwhelmed or where additional specialist resources are required. Deployments take place through fixed-term contracts, with delegates seconded into the operations of the ICRC or Federation.
In all activities, Australian Red Cross’ delegates, staff, volunteers and members are guided by the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
Humanity • Neutrality • Impartiality • Independence • Voluntary Service • Unity • Universality.
To read more on these principles, visit https://www.redcross.org.au/about/fundamental-principles/
Position Summary
As a neutral, independent and impartial humanitarian actor, the ICRC carries out building and engineering projects to relieve suffering by working to ensure that people caught up in armed conflict have access to clean water, shelter and other essential services for a safe and healthy living environment. On both sides of the front line, they restore services such as water supply, sanitation and power, and renovate public infrastructure that has been damaged as a direct, indirect or cumulative result of conflict.
Within the ICRC Water and Habitat Department there are 4 sub-specialties,
- WatHab Manager
- Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Specialist
- Construction Technical Specialist
- Energy Technical Specialist
Technical Competencies for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Specialist
The WASH Specialist delegate manages medium to large sized water, sanitation or hygiene projects and ensures their successful delivery within constraints of scope, quality, time and budget. Prepares, designs, procures, implements and commissions identified construction projects. Manages relationships with the partners involved. Manages project resources and ensures project reporting.
Additional information on ICRC’s Water and Habitat operations and the sub-specialities can be found here and here.
Essential Qualifications
- University degree (or equivalent) and professional experience in hydraulics, architecture, civil engineering, environmental engineering or related fields.
- Project Management qualification (e.g. PMP, PRINCE2, CertIV) or equivalent demonstrated experience is required.
Other Essential Requirements
- Citizen or permanent resident of Australia.
- Fluent spoken and written English required (CEFR standard C1 or C2).
- Level B2 (CEFR standard) in a second language (French, Arabic, Spanish or Russian) strongly preferred.
- Significant (5+ years) professional experience managing WatHab sub speciality operations.
- Previous humanitarian and/or development experience in low-income countries or countries impacted by disaster or conflict (non-government organisations, international organisations or charity).
- Contract management experience including service delivery and consultant contractors.
- People management expertise, including leading employees and volunteers.
- Digital Literacy, including ability navigate digital devices (laptops, smartphones), analyse web-based information and work effectively with the Microsoft Office suite of applications.
- Ability to drive a manual car.
- Ability to adapt to and function effectively in challenging living conditions and potentially unstable security environments.
- Ability to work effectively while under pressure and within multicultural teams.
- Excellent organisation skills, able to prioritise a complex workload and to work autonomously as needed.
- Availability to deploy for assignments unaccompanied for a period of 12-24 months.
Technical Competencies
Water and Sanitation
- Has proficient knowledge of water and sanitation technologies and design processes. Has relevant experience designing and implementing medium to large water and sanitation projects in diverse operational environments.
- Prepares and/or reviews comprehensive Project Proposals and technical documents of medium-level water and sanitation systems, while being able to anticipate risks, propose mitigation measures and liaise effectively with stakeholders.
- Prepares and/or reviews advanced Feasibility Studies, in-depth needs assessments and analysis of complex water and sanitation systems, in line with the strategic vision of the Delegation and the WatHab department.
- Understands the interconnectivity of essential services in urban settings and uses analytical skills to identify humanitarian needs and define project objectives that align with the rest of the WatHab program.
- Develops comprehensive risk management and O&M plans and draws on lessons learned and disseminates them effectively.
- Prepare testing method statements and consolidate testing and commissioning reports.
- Promotes multidisciplinary approaches – involving stakeholders at various hierarchical levels and builds relationships and partnerships with relevant regional stakeholders.
Hygiene and Infection, Prevention and Control
- Has proficient knowledge of hygiene, community mobilisation and IPC processes. Has relevant experience designing and implementing programs to improve hygiene in diverse operational environments.
- Develops, manages and reviews hygiene baseline and monitoring surveys at national level in coordination with high-level institutional stakeholders. Is able to design, implement and monitor nationwide hygiene awareness campaigns and align the program to the strategic goals of the Delegation.
- Actively coordinates the procurement and distribution of hygiene items and leads the discussion with relevant stakeholders and suppliers to ensure quality and efficient distribution.
- Actively contributes to the development of new hygiene promotion training material, and coach hygiene dissemination best practices to hygiene promoters and relevant stakeholders.
Behavioural Competencies
Teamwork and Collaboration
- Creates and fosters an inclusive team environment of collaboration and engagement to enable the team meet set objectives;
- Manages conflicts in a transparent and fair manner and focuses on finding solutions;
- Promotes regular opportunities for team development and ensures the team's efforts are recognized both formally and informally.
People Management
- Pro-actively drives and champions diversity, including gender balance, within the team;
- Ensures an inclusive work environment in which staff feel connected, respected and have opportunities to grow for optimal delivery;
- Articulates what “great looks like”, models and sets performance standards using real life examples;
- Empowers individuals and managers to act independently and be accountable for effective performance management, including setting and achieving stretching and challenging goals;
- Coaches, facilitates and fosters individual growth to enable consistent development across teams.
Beneficiary and Client Focus
- Develops proposals for action consistent with global initiatives, maintaining a sense of purpose and focus on beneficiaries’/clients’ needs;
- Explores, anticipates and addresses the long-term beneficiary/client needs;
- Draws on feedback to identify patterns and opportunities, make improvements and contribute to institutional learning.
Candidate Assessment
All candidates will be assessed based on technical and core competencies specific to this role. Candidates may be further invited to take part in a competency-based interview, assessment centre and psychological assessment.
Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse & Harassment (PSEAH) & Child Protection
Australian Red Cross reserves the right to conduct background checks on all candidates, including police, working with children checks, personal reference checks and other checks Australian Red Cross considers necessary. Candidates who do not pass a work with children check, or whose backgrounds checks suggest they may pose a risk to the safety and wellbeing of others will not be considered for this position.
Australian Red Cross participates in the global Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (MDS), and is committed to preventing sexual misconduct or child abuse by individuals moving between humanitarian organisations across the globe. Australian Red Cross is also a child safe organisation. To uphold this commitment, Australian Red Cross will share sexual misconduct or child abuse concerns or investigations upon request with other participating organisations. Additionally, as part of our recruitment process, Australian Red Cross may contact previous employers to ask about any sexual misconduct or child abuse concerns or investigations. Visit The Misconduct Disclosure Scheme for more information
Operational Constraints
In line with the principle of neutrality, please note that staff seconded to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) cannot be deployed to any country of origin. Delegates must be in good health and agree to participate in health clearance processes prior to any assignment.
Applications close 31 July 2026. Applications will be reviewed as they are submitted, so we do not recommend delaying your application to the closing date.
For more information on this role, or working internationally with Australian Red Cross, contact Alice Fahey
[email protected]
Red Cross strives to create a safe and inclusive culture with wellbeing at its centre. We embrace diversity and welcome Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and people with diverse lived experiences, abilities, genders, ethnicities, ages, and sexual orientations. We are a child safe organisation with zero tolerance of any harm to children. Our vision is to be trusted as the leading humanitarian organisation making a genuine difference in the lives of people and communities.
Thank you for considering a career at Red Cross. We also have great opportunities to volunteer. Click here to find out more.
