Assistant Maintenance Technician - Plumbing

Requirements

• Craft Certificate or Trade Test in Plumbing from a recognized institution (e.g., NITA, TVET, Kenya Water Institute).
  
• Basic training or certification in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) or First Aid is an added advantage
  
• Minimum of 3 years of hands-on experience in plumbing and drainage maintenance in an institutional, commercial, industrial or campus facility.
  
• Experience with complex water pump systems and utilities infrastructure in a busy Campus/institutional setting is highly desirable.
  
• Practical exposure to Civil and General works, including masonry, carpentry, building finishes, welding, or related trades is highly desirable, to enable the role holder to effectively support the Maintenance Technician – Building, during periods of absence.
  
• Experience working with or supporting external contractors and service providers on facilities-related projects will be an added advantage.
  

Plumbing Maintenance & Repairs:

• Install, maintain, and repair potable water and wastewater piping systems, sanitary fixtures, valves, and plumbing fittings.
  
• Resolve leaks, blockages, and water flow issues, ensuring uninterrupted water supply and sanitation.
  
• Respond promptly to emergency plumbing calls and urgent repair needs in a safe and efficient manner.
  
• Assist in providing technical input and advisory support on the selection, installation, and upkeep of plumbing systems and related infrastructure.
  
• Handle reactive and ad-hoc plumbing maintenance requests, ensuring timely service delivery and quality workmanship.
  

Water Utilities & Equipment Maintenance:

• Operate, inspect, and maintain water-related equipment including: Water pumps, booster systems, pressure vessels, float switches, valves, and filters: Overhead and underground water tanks, reservoirs, and rainwater harvesting systems
  
• Monitor water usage patterns and report irregularities, low pressure, or outages to the Facilities team.
  
• Support the development and execution of annual preventive maintenance schedules for water supply and storage systems.
  

Drainage Systems & Wastewater Management:

• Conduct routine inspections, cleaning, and maintenance of: Stormwater drainage systems – surface drains, gullies, soak pits, culverts: Foul water drainage systems – inspection chambers, manholes, sewer lines, grease traps
  
• Identify and promptly address blockages, overflows, or hazards in all drainage systems.
  
• Monitor the condition and levels of on-site septic tanks and coordinate with licensed service providers for timely exhaustion and desludging.
  
• Support vendor coordination and supervision during drain clearance, sewer repairs, and septic maintenance activities, ensuring safety and environmental compliance.
  

Vendor & Contractor Oversight (Support Role)

• Escort and assist external service providers and contractors carrying out plumbing, drainage, or water system-related work.
  
• Supervise work execution on site by external contractors engaged by the institution to ensure compliance with quality, safety, and performance standards.
  
• Liaise with vendors to verify service scope, report deviations, and assist in closing work orders.
  

Preventive Maintenance & Inspections

• Participate in routine and preventive maintenance inspections for plumbing and drainage infrastructure.
  
• Conduct condition checks on fixtures, pipelines, and water equipment to detect early faults.
  
• Assist in preparing surfaces, access points, or materials in advance of scheduled maintenance activities.
  

Key Management & Access Control

• In the absence of the Maintenance Technician - Building, take responsibility for the control, issuance, and tracking of facilities keys related to pump rooms, tank enclosures, and other utility areas.
  
• Maintain a key register, ensuring all key movements are logged and authorized in accordance with established security protocols.
  
• Make authorized copies of new or existing keys when required, and report any lost, damaged, or misused keys to the Facilities Manager.
  
• Uphold campus access control and security standards, ensuring keys are safely stored and access is restricted to authorized personnel only.
  

Work Order Execution & Documentation

• Execute assigned maintenance tickets and work orders accurately and on schedule.
  
• Maintain records/reports of tasks completed, materials used, follow-up needs, and observations during repairs.
  
• Provide regular updates to the Supervisor on work progress and any unresolved issues.
  
• Record and track plumbing materials used per work order for accountability and replenishment planning.
  
• Raise material requisitions and purchase requests for plumbing supplies required to execute maintenance works.
  
• Inspect plumbing materials received against approved requests before use or storage.
  

Safety, Tools & Housekeeping

• Comply with all relevant Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) protocols during tasks.
  
• Wear and maintain Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and ensure safe use of plumbing tools and materials.
  
• Keep workspaces, stores, and service areas clean, organized, and hazard-free.
  
• Report any tool breakages, safety hazards, or material shortages for timely corrective action.
  
• Ensure plumbing materials and consumables are safely stored to prevent damage, wastage, or safety hazards.
  

Other Responsibilities

• May be required to stand in/support for/the Maintenance Technician – Building, during periods of absence, coordinate day-to-day plumbing and drainage service delivery, task allocation, and contractor engagement, and act as the point person for emergency responses involving plumbing or water infrastructure.
  
• Identify and mitigate potential risks within your work area
  
• Take reasonable care of own occupational health and safety and that of others as obliged by CIFOR-ICRAF’s Occupational Health and Safety Policy and cooperate with CIFOR-ICRAF in complying with requirements under any statutory health and safety provisions of relevant Country laws.