Palestine - wash program manager (m/f) - gaza

About us

Desired start date: 15 /12/2026

Duration of the mission: 7 months (3 rotations)

Location: Gaza

SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL (SI) is an international humanitarian aid association which, since more than 40 years, has been providing assistance to populations affected by armed conflicts and natural disasters by meeting their basic needs for food, water and shelter. Particularly committed to the fight against diseases linked to unsafe water, the leading cause of death in the world, SI's interventions provide expertise in the field of access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene promotion, but also in the essential area of food security and livelihoods. Present in 26 countries, the SI teams – 3200 people in total, made up of expatriates, national staff, permanent staff at HQ, and a few volunteers - intervene with professionalism and commitment while respecting cultural norms.

La mission Solidarités International has been operating in Gaza since February 2024. Despite being a new actor, SI was able to quickly start delivering and establish itself as a strong emergency responder in the WASH sector, with a focus on hard-to-reach areas not covered by other partners. Its ability to deliver, propose innovative solutions in the face of a highly restricted and restrictive operational environment allowed SI to rapidly secure funding and scale up its operations across 2025.

In Gaza strip, SI works to improve access to safe drinking water by rehabilitating or installing reverse osmosis units, distributing water via tankers and water points, and deploying mobile systems to pump water from existing wells. It also monitors water quality, provides shelter, winterization and hygiene kits to the most vulnerable households, promotes good hygiene and water management practices, and implements pilot activities in home gardening.

A year and a half in the response and with the changes in the operational environment triggered by the ceasefire brokered on 10th of October (reduced intensity of conflict, operational scale-up of humanitarian partners), SI is in the process of reviewing its positioning to remain operationally relevant, increase outreach and impact. The organization’s work relies on strong partnerships with local Palestinian organizations such as UFA and MA’AN. Its institutional and financial partners include CDCS, Choose Love, ECHO and FIFSAN.

Job description

General objective: The WASH program manager is responsible for implementing and achieving the objectives defined in the operation proposals. (S)he is responsible for overseeing operational teams assigned to the program. (S)he guarantees the good performance and the quality of the programs' activities implemented, and, where appropriate, proposes adjustments or developments to ensure relevance.

The main challenges:

• SI has established operational presence in Gaza early 2024 and runs operations with national teams possessing limited humanitarian experience and seniority with the organization.
• The operational volume of the base has rapidly increased in an extremely challenging, restricted and rapidly changing operational environment, requiring constant adaptation.
• Entry of goods into Gaza strip remains extremely limited. While situation has improved since 10th of October, local markets remain poorly supplied, and international procurement greatly restricted for humanitarian partners.
• If sustained, the ceasefire brokered on 10th of October offers an opportunity to progressively transition away from pure humanitarian assistance, towards early recovery type of programming.
• Despite improvements since 10th of October, the security situation remains very fluid, and the operational environment associated with high levels of stress and difficult living conditions.

Priorities for the 2/3 first months:

• Partnership management and coordination: Structure and strengthen collaboration with national and international NGOs.
• WASH sector coordination: Lead programme-level coordination with the WASH Cluster.
• Project management and performance monitoring: Ensure that project management tools are accurate, complete and regularly updated, with particular attention to target achievement, activity tracking and budget-versus-actual expenditure.
• Monitoring, evidence and reporting: Ensure the systematic archiving and organisation of Means of Verification (MoVs) and supporting documentation.
• Programme strategy and operational guidance: Finalise and consolidate programme strategies and operational modalities for key activities, including distributions, water trucking and blade installation, ensuring clear implementation approaches and alignment with programme objectives and field realities.
• Programme quality and adaptation: Support the mission in reviewing ongoing activities, identifying opportunities to improve programme quality and effectiveness, and adapting implementation approaches in line with evolving field needs, operational constraints, monitoring findings and community feedback.

Security constraints: Security constraints are very high in Gaza, with a context marked by high-intensity military activities including air strikes, land and naval bombardments, as well as risks associated with medium and light infantry weapons. Social tensions are also very high, linked to the war, difficult living conditions and the collapse of economic activity, leading to looting, inter-family dispute as well as criminal acts. Since the ceasefire brokered on 10th of October 2025, the security situation has improved and explosive violence (airstrikes, shelling) has sharply reduced. The situation however remains very fluid and a worsening of the situation remains a possible scenario.

Votre profil

DIPLOMAS AND EXPERIENCE

Experience in the humanitarian sector: 5 years

Experience on a similar position: 3-4 years

SKILLS

TECHNICAL SKILLS

• Solid experience in WASH emergency/early recovery programming.
• Technical expertise in shelter/construction is an asset.
• Experience in water and solid waste management networks is an asset.
• Experiencing in partnership - preferably with local organizations.
• Good analytical skills and proactive, solution-oriented approach to work.
• Experience in protracted crisis context (being able to switch between short/medium/long term solutions).
• Pack MS Office – excellent mastery of Excel included. GIS desirable.

TRANSVERSAL SKILLS

• Solid management skills and experience.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Ability to adapt to a rapidly changing environment.
• Experience working with SI (or a similar organization) is an asset.
• Prior experience working in Palestine is an asset.

LANGUAGES

• Fluent in English, written and spoken.
• Arabic is an asset.

SI will offer you

A salaried position: According to experience, starting from EUR 2365 gross per month (2150 base salary + 10% annual leave allowance paid monthly) and a monthly Per Diem of USD 750. SI also covers accommodation costs and travel expenses between the expatriate's country of origin and the place of assignment.

Breaks: Rotation system at time of the job advert. 14 days out of the Gaza Strip every 8 weeks in.

Insurance package: Expatriates benefit from an insurance package which refunds all healthcare expenses (including medical and surgical expenses, dental care and ophthalmological expenses, repatriation) and a welfare system including war risks. Essential vaccination and antimalarial treatment costs are refunded.

LIVING CONDITIONS: The position is based in Deir-el-Balah, where Solidarités International has its office and guesthouse (like most INGOs). Since the ceasefire brokered on 10th of October, living conditions have improved and markets are increasingly functional. At the time of position opening it was possible to find most basic food items in Deir el Balah market - including fruits and vegetables - although at high prices. Electricity in SI office and guest house is entirely solar-powered which, especially in winter, could be associated with temporary shortages. Despite improvements in the security and economic situations, the working environment remains associated with high levels of stress and limited opportunities to relax. There is however increasing international staff presence in Gaza hence opportunities to socialize over the weekend, within established security procedures.

How to apply

Do you recognize yourself in this description? If yes, please send us your CV and cover letter! Please note that CV-only applications will not be considered, and that the vacancy may close before the deadline. Thank you for your understanding.

To learn more about Sl: www.solidarites.org

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Solidarités International (SI) est déterminé à prévenir et à combattre tout type d’abus – tout acte d’exploitation, d’abus et/ou de harcèlement sexuels (SEAH) à l’encontre des membres des communautés bénéficiaires ou de ses collaborateurs et collaboratrices, atteinte aux personnes et/ou aux biens, fraude, corruption, conflit d’intérêt non déclaré, financement d’activités portant atteinte aux droits de l’homme - qui pourrait être perpétré dans le cadre de ses interventions. SI applique une tolérance zéro à l’égard de tout type d’abus, particulièrement des actes de SEAH. Solidarités International est un employeur équitable qui combat toute forme de discrimination. SI ne demandera jamais une rétribution quelconque en vue de participer à un processus de recrutement.

Solidarités International (SI) is determined to prevent and fight all type of abuse – all act of exploitation, abuse and/or sexual harassment (SEAH) against members of beneficiary communities or collaborators, fraud, corruption, violation of persons and/or property, funding of activities harmful to human rights – that could be perpetrated in the frame of its interventions. SI implements a zero-tolerance policy regarding acts of abuse, notably acts of SEAH. Solidarités International is an equitable employer committed to find all forms of discrimination. SI will ever ask for any remuneration to take part in a recruitment process.