Deadline extended: WASH Officer, NO-B (TA, 364 days) Chisinau, Moldova #119725 (for Moldova nationals only)

Contract

This is a NO-2 contract. This kind of contract is known as National Professional Officers. It is normally only for nationals. It's a staff contract. More about NO-2 contracts.

UNICEF’s mission in Moldova is to make sure every child in the country is healthy, educated and safe from harm, therefore having the best start in life and a fair chance to reach her or his full potential and benefit from the country’s prosperity. We believe children have a right to live in a more equitable society, where their voices are heard, and needs met as a matter of priority in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. More information on what we do in Moldova is available at: https://www.unicef.org/moldova/

Job organizational context

The conflict in Ukraine has created a regional humanitarian crisis. As of 22 March, over 3.6 million refugees from the Ukraine conflict have already fled their homes into neighbouring countries. Moldova is one of the main refugee-hosting countries and a transit country for onwards. As of 22 March, over 371,000 refugees have entered Moldova since 24 February 2022, with a proportion continuing to Romania, Poland and other countries, and around 105,000 refugees are on Moldovan territory, housed among relatives, in Refugee Accommodation Centres (RACs) and other temporary accommodation. Around 90% of the people arriving in Moldova are women and children.

Children and their families require access to WASH services, in addition to basic food, shelter and medical care as well as systematic protection services including to address gender-based violence, violence against children, separation from family and to access psychosocial care.

How can you make a difference?

Due to the urgent needs, UNICEF Moldova is hiring a WASH Officer, at NO-B level, to support with the nationwide emergency response to the refugee crisis related to the armed conflict in Ukraine.

In light of the needs for WASH services, the overall purpose of this assignment is to provide technical, financial and coordination support to the Government of Moldova in its efforts to ensure refugee children and their families have access to appropriate WASH services and supplies while in transit, at refugee accommodation centres, or in host communities. People affected by crises are more susceptible to illness and death from disease, particularly diarrheal and infectious diseases. Such diseases are strongly related to inadequate sanitation, unsafe water supplies and poor hygiene. The Ukraine refugee crisis is exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic with other possible peaks in infections which need to be mitigated.

Therefore, the first specific purpose of this assignment for the WASH Officer will be to support the National efforts in ensuring access to emergency WASH supplies and services for refugee children and families coming from Ukraine, on priority basis; while also significantly scaling-up both the current interventions as well as preparedness, in the eventuality of further conflict escalation, which would trigger a new (and possible) larger influx of refugees into Moldova.

Despite its Upper-Middle Income Country status, Moldova’s WASH services were sub-optimal already before the conflict, with -according to the latest JMP update (https://washdata.org/) - about 20% of the country’s population requiring support in improving WASH services, at household level, as well as in schools and health care facilities. The current refugee crisis is adding further strain on the existing WASH services across the country.

The second specific purpose of this assignment for the WASH Officer will thus be to support the National efforts in accelerating the specific SDGs towards ensuring safely managed WASH services. The incumbent will provide technical support in planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of specific activities in line with the National WASH Policy and Strategy, the UNICEF Core Commitments to Children, and global strategic approach.

In light of the two specific purposes of the assignment outlined above, the incumbent - under the supervision of WASH Specialist and in close collaboration with Health Officer and Education Specialist, as well as Emergency Coordinator - will provide technical and coordination support to the following WASH interventions, in light of the UNICEF Moldova HAC contributing to the Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRP), in close coordination with the National Authorities, the Accommodation and Transport Coordination Working Group, as well as key stakeholders and implementing partners:

1.1. Provide leadership of UNICEF’s WASH interventions and support national WASH coordination

• Provide effective leadership and coordination for UNICEF’s WASH interventions, in close coordination with the National Authorities, the RRP Accommodation and Transport sector and its WASH sub-group, as well as key stakeholders and implementing partners; this will enable the effective implementation of the UNICEF activities within the RRP framework, and specific further objectives and tasks presented in the present JD.
• Contribute to coordination between WASH humanitarian partners (UN agencies, national and international NGOs, etc.), through the establishment/maintenance and facilitation of WASH sub- working group in order to achieve complementarity of action between different WASH humanitarian actors, avoid overlaps and ensure linkage with other sector working groups.
• Ensure that UNICEF undertakes adequate WASH related contingency planning and preparedness for potential scale up of the emergency response; and coordinate implementation of agreed contingency planning in the emergency response to the refugee crisis, including the potential transition from emergency response to longer-term sustainable WASH interventions.
• Work closely with Operations Section in coordinating procurement and distribution of WASH supplies.
• Facilitate the identification of gaps in WASH services provision, especially for refugees in Moldova and vulnerable members of hoist communities, draft/recommend update UNICEF and RRP WASH response strategies and action plans based on lessons learned from WASH response activities and advocate for addressing the sectoral needs and critical gaps.
• Ensure that sector actors are aware of relevant policy guidelines, technical standards and assist WASH partners and sector working groups to ensure that WASH responses are in line with existing UNICEF and global policy guidance and technical standards.
• Organize and facilitate regular monitoring of WASH interventions and progress against implementation plans (HPDs, RWPs) paying specific attention to monitoring set indicators in order to ensure adequacy of WASH services in terms of quantity, quality, coverage (including sex and age disaggregation), etc. and access of disadvantaged and marginalized groups.
• Facilitate timely information sharing on UNICEF WASH activities with WASH partners.
• Facilitate/assist tracking of WASH supplies procured by UNICEF and its partners and monitoring of the end-use of donated supplies.
• Support the National system strengthening in charge of water, sanitation and hygiene to ensure that relevant national and local systems are equipped to assess, prevent and address risks and hazards at service delivery and user level; this includes supporting the concurrent/regular monitoring assessment of WASH needs (integrated into the cross-sectoral needs assessments within the RRP framework).
• In line with UNICEF Accountability towards Affected Populations (APP) policies and guidelines, support the establishment of opportunities for UNICEF programme beneficiaries and participants, especially children and their caregivers to provide views and feedback about quality of UNICEF and its partners’ WASH interventions.

1.2. Provision of safe water supply, adequate sanitation and hygiene messages and supplies to the refugees.

All of the below are to be considered in light of the fast-evolving needs and in close collaboration with the Accommodation and Transport Coordination Working Group, and other key partners such as UNHCR on site management/Shelter NFIs and potentially WFP on hot meals provision and kitchen/canteen management:

• Support the procurement and distribution of water bottles, installation of additional water distribution points (water dispensers most likely but depending on RACs specific needs), and/or water trucking thanks to the installation of temporary water tanks and distribution ramps, with water quality testing to ensure water safety.
• Distribution of hygiene items for beneficiaries (to be distributed per item as per need, avoiding kits which will not be useful) with priority on items for infants (diapers, wipes, cream etc.), for women and adolescent girls (sanitary pads etc.), cleaning supplies, as well as PPE for COVID (masks, hand sanitizers, etc.) for beneficiaries and staff.
• Support Authorities to conduct emergency repairs of WASH infrastructure in the facilities hosting refugees (including RACs) as well as local institutions providing services.
• Installation of temporary handwashing stations and provision of soap and other hygiene gender-/age-specific items (MHM, children).
• Provision of cleaning and disinfection service for larger border camps (Palanca and Otaci) and RACs (such as Moldexpo) including provision of cleaning material and consumables for smaller structures.
• Installation of (mobile) toilets and showers in cooperation with RRP partners, Local Public Authorities (LPAs) and border police (for border camp) through a framework agreement with a contractor to ensure a rapid response, including maintenance, servicing, cleaning and desludging; in in-camp settings as Palanca and Otaci, latrine constructions could be considered; facilities to be sex-segregated, secure, user-friendly, disability-friendly and gender appropriate.
• Provision of cleaning and disinfection services, as well as PPE for COVID (masks, hand-sanitizer, etc.) as appropriate and required.
• Production of culturally appropriate, gender- and age-sensitive information hygiene promotion messages (COVID-19 prevention, handwashing with soap, MHM etc.) and their timely diffusion for the adopt safe hygiene practices, through the different existing and most effective communication channels; training/capacity building of staff in centres (government employees, volunteers and NGO/INGO staff).
• Installation and provision of waste management material and consumables wherever needed.
• Supporting municipalities with practical solutions to ensure adequate waste management at sites as per identified needs.
• Establishing a monitoring mechanism and carry out the regular monitoring of the interventions to ensure the quality and timely implementation
• Establishing partnerships with national and local authorities and implementing partners for the programme implementation

1.3. WASH in health care facilities and learning environments

In selected and strategically identified health facilities and schools of communities hosting refugee families and children across the country in close collaboration with National Authorities, Local Public Institutions and relevant stakeholders, and in line with current and forthcoming new UNICEF Moldova CPD WASH in School and Health interventions:

• In continuation with previously conducted assessments, support the development of WASH in Schools and WASH in Health budgeted Action plan (in light of the current Ukraine Refugee emergency).
• Support Authorities with toilet repairs in health care and learning facilities with existing dysfunctional water and sanitation facilities, based on UNICEF and other agencies assessments’ findings.
• Support Authorities with the installation of new water and sanitation facilities in health care and learning facilities with non-existent ones (sex-segregated toilets and hand washing facilities with available soap, that are secure, user-friendly, disability-friendly and gender appropriate).

1.4. Support the acceleration of WASH services towards the achievement of the National WASH SDG targets

While the focus is primarily at the border crossings, "Blue Dots" and at the Refugee Accommodation Centers (RACs), attention will be gradually increased also to serve the increasing majority of refugees currently in Moldova hosted within communities, working closely with UNICEF Education and Health Sections, maintaining also close consultations with other Programme Sections:

• Support the strengthening of National systems for the improvement of households’ water and sanitation status, towards safely managed service levels.
• Support and conduct comprehensive studies on access to WASH in educational institutions, shelters etc. and based on the major findings, develop a longer-term costed plan for the Government on improving the access to WASH in schools and preschools.
• In cooperation with local LPAs, in selected and strategically identified communities hosting large numbers of refugee families and children, support specific community WASH interventions, including through sanitation marketing strategies, to effectively improve the household WASH status of the most vulnerable households.

To qualify as an advocate for every child, you will have:

Education

• A university degree in one of the following fields is required: public health, social sciences, behavior change communication, sanitary engineering or another relevant technical field.
• Additional relevant post-graduate courses that complement/supplement the main degree is a strong asset.

Experience

• A minimum of two years of professional work experience in WASH-related programmes for developing countries is required.
• Background/familiarity with emergency response is a strong asset.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.

Language Requirements

• Fluency in Romanian, and working knowledge of English is required. Knowledge of Russian and another official UN language or other language relevant for Moldova is an asset.

Technical Requirements

1. Rural water supply for low- and middle-income countries - including water safety, sustainability
2. Rural sanitation for low- and middle-income countries, incl sustainability; applying CATS principles
3. Urban sanitation for low- and middle-income countries, incl sustainability
4. Handwashing with soap
5. WASH-in-Schools and Health Centres
6. Menstrual hygiene management
7. National government WASH policies, plans and strategies
8. Analysis of national budgets and expenditure for basic WASH, and related advocacy

Basic knowledge of six of the eight components

1. Humanitarian WASH - preparedness
2. Humanitarian WASH - response and recovery

Basic knowledge of one component

1. Humanitarian WASH – coordination of the response

Basic knowledge

2. Programme/project management
3. Capacity development
4. Knowledge management
5. Monitoring and evaluation

Basic knowledge of all four components

1. Human rights and WASH
2. Gender equality and WASH

Basic knowledge

For every Child, you demonstrate:

Core Values

• Care
• Respect
• Integrity
• Trust
• Accountability
• Sustainability

Core Competencies

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
• Works Collaboratively with others (1)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.