Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Water Officer

🎯 Role Definition

The Water Officer is a technical and operational specialist responsible for designing, delivering and maintaining water supply, sanitation and water resources activities across project sites. The role integrates field assessments, water quality monitoring, hydrogeological investigations, community engagement, and technical oversight of construction and rehabilitation of water infrastructure. The Water Officer ensures compliance with local and international water standards, supports emergency water responses, manages monitoring & evaluation (M&E) systems, and produces high-quality technical reports, tender documents and donor-ready deliverables. This position requires a practical blend of engineering/hydrogeology knowledge, GIS and data management skills, stakeholder coordination, and proven experience in WASH or water resources programs.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Junior Water Engineer / Field Technician
WASH Assistant / Community Water Technician
Hydrology Field Officer

Advancement To:

Senior Water Officer / Senior WASH Officer
Water Resources Manager / WASH Program Manager
Project Manager / Technical Advisor (Water Resources)

Lateral Moves:

Sanitation Specialist
Environmental Compliance Officer
GIS & Data Analyst (Water Resources)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead and conduct hydrogeological assessments and borehole siting studies using geophysical survey data, pump tests, and groundwater modelling to determine sustainable yield and abstraction strategies.
Design, review and approve technical specifications, drawings and Bills of Quantities (BoQs) for water supply systems (boreholes, wells, piped networks, kiosks, storage tanks) and ensure technical compliance during procurement and tendering.
Implement and oversee water quality monitoring programs, collecting samples, performing field and laboratory testing (physical, chemical, microbiological parameters), interpreting results and recommending corrective actions or treatment solutions.
Supervise construction, rehabilitation and commissioning of water supply and sanitation infrastructure, ensuring work is delivered to specification, on budget, on schedule and meeting health, safety and environmental standards.
Develop and implement Water Safety Plans (WSPs), standard operating procedures (SOPs) and preventive maintenance schedules for water systems to mitigate contamination risks and ensure continuity of service.
Monitor operation and maintenance (O&M) practices for community water schemes, set up spare parts inventories, train local technicians and support establishment of sustainable O&M financing mechanisms (tariffs, management committees).
Lead field-based community consultations, stakeholder engagement and behavior-change communication activities to promote hygiene, safe water use and community ownership of water and sanitation facilities.
Manage and maintain water-sector technical databases and GIS layers (schemes, catchments, boreholes, treatment units), produce maps and spatial analyses to inform planning and resource allocation.
Prepare high-quality technical reports, feasibility studies, environmental and social impact assessments, design memos and donor reports with clear recommendations and cost estimates.
Coordinate with local authorities, water utilities, regulatory agencies, NGOs and donors to align project interventions with national water policies, standards and emergency response plans.
Conduct capacity-building and training sessions for government counterparts, community water committees and field technicians on water system operation, water quality testing, basic repairs and record keeping.
Plan and execute routine and emergency water supply responses in humanitarian settings, including rapid assessments, trucking coordination, temporary distribution points and transitional water solutions.
Manage project budgets related to water works, prepare cost estimates, monitor expenditures, and support procurement of technical equipment, drilling services and laboratory supplies.
Perform sanitary inspections of water sources and catchment areas, identify contamination pathways and recommend mitigation measures such as fencing, drainage improvements and latrine placement.
Apply hydrological data and rainfall-runoff analyses to inform groundwater recharge strategies, watershed protection measures and climate resilience interventions.
Lead pump test design and analysis, interpret drawdown and recovery curves, and provide recommendations on pump selection, casing depth and well development practices.
Ensure compliance with environmental and social safeguard policies, integrate mitigation measures into planning, and monitor the implementation of corrective actions on construction sites.
Oversee water quality laboratory coordination, QA/QC procedures, chain-of-custody documentation and calibration schedules for field and lab instruments.
Develop, monitor and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) and M&E frameworks for water-related outcomes, ensuring data quality and timeliness for internal and donor reporting.
Provide technical input to cross-sectoral programs (agriculture, health, education) on irrigation water management, ecosystem impacts and integrated water resources planning.
Troubleshoot complex operational issues including pump failures, network leaks, storage contamination and treatment system upsets, and direct remedial field works or retrofits.
Support the development and implementation of sustainability plans including tariff models, local supply chains for spare parts and public-private partnerships for long-term service delivery.
Lead site risk assessments and contingency planning related to floods, droughts or contamination events, and maintain readiness for rapid water-system stabilization.
Mentor junior water staff and interns, conduct performance reviews, and contribute to recruitment, onboarding and technical capacity development within the water team.

Secondary Functions

Support routine data collection, cleaning and analysis for water project indicators; maintain M&E dashboards and provide data-driven recommendations for program adjustments.
Contribute to the organization’s water sector strategy, providing technical inputs on priority interventions, innovation adoption and long-term resource planning.
Collaborate with procurement teams to translate technical requirements into tender documents, evaluate technical bids and manage contractor performance.
Participate in project planning workshops, monthly coordination meetings and inter-agency WASH cluster activities to align technical approaches and share lessons learned.
Support grant writing and proposal development by providing technical costings, risk assessments and implementation schedules for water components.
Assist in the procurement and configuration of monitoring equipment (data loggers, field test kits, multiparameter sondes) and ensure staff are trained in their use.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Hydrogeological site investigation and borehole siting expertise, including pump testing and well yield analysis.
Water quality testing (field and lab): bacteriological (E. coli, coliforms), turbidity, residual chlorine, pH, conductivity, heavy metals.
Water system design and specification (piped networks, storage, distribution kiosks) and production of technical drawings and BoQs.
GIS and spatial analysis (ArcGIS, QGIS) for mapping water points, catchments and service areas.
Proficiency with engineering and modelling tools (HEC-RAS, SWMM, WaterCAD, EPANET) and basic hydraulic modelling.
Familiarity with WASH frameworks and standards (WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality, Sphere, national water regulations).
Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) methods for WASH: indicator design, baseline surveys, data collection tools (ODK/Kobo), dashboarding.
Project management and budgeting skills; experience preparing cost estimates, procurement documentation and contractor oversight.
Environmental and social safeguards implementation, risk assessment and mitigation planning.
Laboratory QA/QC procedures, chain-of-custody protocols and equipment calibration.
Practical knowledge of pump types, solar pumping systems, handpump maintenance and small-scale water treatment technologies.
Technical report writing and preparation of donor-ready deliverables and feasibility studies.
Familiarity with GIS-based asset management systems and water-sector databases.

Soft Skills

Strong stakeholder engagement and community facilitation skills; proven ability to work with government bodies, utilities and community groups.
Excellent written and verbal communication and report-writing skills aimed at technical and non-technical audiences.
Problem solving and analytical thinking with attention to detail and quality assurance.
Leadership and team management; experience mentoring field teams and coordinating multidisciplinary staff.
Ability to work under pressure in remote or humanitarian settings and adapt to changing field conditions.
Cultural sensitivity, diplomacy and negotiation skills in multi-stakeholder environments.
Time management and organizational skills with a results-oriented mindset.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Hydrology, Hydrogeology, Water Resources Management, or a closely related field.

Preferred Education:

Master's degree in Water Resources Management, Hydrogeology, Environmental Engineering, Public Health (WASH) or sustainable water systems.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Civil / Environmental Engineering
Hydrogeology / Hydrology
Water Resources Management
Public Health (WASH)
Environmental Science / Natural Resource Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3–8 years of progressively responsible experience in water supply, WASH or water resources projects; field-based technical roles preferred.

Preferred:

5+ years’ experience with borehole siting, drilling supervision, water quality monitoring and community water supply projects.
Experience working with government water utilities, international NGOs, UN agencies or consultancy projects.
Proven track record in M&E, donor reporting and managing multiple stakeholders in project delivery.

Certifications such as PMP, CIWEM membership, Chartered Engineer status, WSP training, or national drilling/water testing certifications are advantageous.