WASH Officer

Contract

This is a UNV National Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV National Specialist contracts.

The climate driven challenges in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector in South Africa have been compounded by the cholera outbreaks in 2023 in South Africa. The flood in Eastern Cape, KwaZulu Natal (KZN) and in other provinces has resulted in people including children leaving home. All the issues strongly suggest a need to re-engineer WASH structures, but also to ensure full participation of children and youth in capacity building and any employment opportunities arising from these negative results. Under this urgency, UNICEF South Africa is recruiting a National UNV Specialist to support the implementation of climate resilient WASH and environmental health programme.

The objective of this project is to ensure children access to improved climate/emergency resilience of water, sanitation, hygiene and energy facilities in early childhood development centers, schools and health care facilities in cholera and flood affected areas and improve environmental health to foster healthy children.

The specific objectives are (1) to empower children and young people in water quality monitoring and climate resilient technologies; and (2) to strengthen and model climate-resilient technologies for water, sanitation, hygiene and energy to respond to health risks and naturally induced disasters.

Under the direct supervision of Chief of Health and Nutrition Specialist, the UN Volunteer will support the management, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the WASH programme within the country programme. The Specialist provides technical guidance and management support throughout the programming processes, to facilitate the administration and achievement of the WASH-related output results in the country programme. This requires technical expertise in critical areas beyond a UNICEF WASH programme towards stronger climate resilient and sustainable WASH services.

The UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks: 1. Programme development and planning • Participate in strategic WASH programme planning discussions; and • Work with colleagues and partners to discuss strategies and methodologies for the achievement of WASH output results.

2. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results • With other external support agencies, strengthen national government WASH sector monitoring systems, with a focus on WASH outcomes; • Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual sectoral reviews with government and other stakeholders; • Prepare reports on results for required action/interventions at the higher level of programme management; • Prepare/assess monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths/weaknesses in programmes and management and identify and document lessons learned; • Monitor and report on the use of sectoral programme resources (financial, administrative and other assets); • Verify compliance with approved allocations, organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity; • Report on issues identified to enable timely resolution by management/stakeholders. • Prepare sectoral progress reports for management, donors and partners.

3. Technical and operational support for programme implementation • Actively monitor UNICEF supported activities through field visits, surveys and exchange of information with partners, to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely interventions; • Provide technical and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners/donors on the application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes and best practices in WASH, to support programme implementation; • Participate in WASH programme meetings, to review progress, with government, other sector agencies and implementation partners, involved at various stages of WASH programme implementation, to provide expert advice and guidance; • Draft policy papers, briefs and other strategic materials for use by management, donors, UNICEF regional offices and headquarters.

4. Networking and partnership building • Build and sustain close working partnerships with government counterparts and national stakeholders through active sharing of information and knowledge to facilitate programme implementation and build capacity of stakeholders to achieve WASH output results; • Prepare materials for WASH programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships and support fundraising initiatives; • Participate in inter-agency discussions, ensuring that UNICEF’s position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated in the UNSDCF development planning and agenda setting.

5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building • Lead the development, implementation, monitoring and documentation of WASH innovation (technical or systems); • Prepare learning/knowledge products, covering innovative approaches and good practices, to support overall WASH sector development; • Participate as a resource person in capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders.

Accountability, Commitment and Motivation, Empowering others, Integrity, Knowledge sharing, Professionalism, Self-Management, Technological awareness, Working in teams,

WASH related programmes; • 5 years experience in WASH related programmes will serve as an added advantage; • Good written and verbal communication skills.

The Republic of South Africa is a large country of nine provinces with different climates, races, languages, creeds, cultures, religions and human activity. The landscape is also diverse, with mountains, plains, farmlands, bushveld scrub and arid deserts, each of the many different parts supporting its own distinctive plant and animal life. The country’s multi-cultural and multi-lingual society fuses to make this “Rainbow Nation” a rich and rewarding experience for you as a United Nations official and as a visitor. Pretoria is the duty station for most UN staff. Pretoria, also called Tshwane, is the administrative capital of South Africa. The country has good infrastructure although the Security Risk Management (SRM) level for South Africa is Medium.

UN Volunteers is entitled to the below benefits: • A Monthly Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA): R20 631,00 per month; • A once off entry lumpsum of $400 at the start of the assignment; • Medical insurance; Life cover, and annual leave; • Access to all learning platforms; • A once off exit lumpsum of R20 631,00 at the end of the assignment.