WASH Officer (P-2) - Darien, Panama - Temp Appointment

Overview

Facilitate WASH program development, implementation, and monitoring for children in emergencies

You have:

• An advanced university degree in public health, social sciences, behavior change communication, sanitary engineering, or relevant technical field is required.
• A minimum of two years of professional work experience in WASH-related programmes for developing countries is required.
• Fluency in Spanish and working knowledge of English is required, knowledge of another official UN language is an asset.
• Basic knowledge of rural water supply, rural sanitation, urban sanitation, handwashing, WASH-in-Schools, menstrual hygiene management, national government WASH policies is required.
• Basic knowledge of humanitarian WASH preparedness, response, recovery is required.
• Basic knowledge of programme/project management, capacity development, knowledge management, monitoring, and evaluation is expected.
• Basic knowledge of human rights and gender equality related to WASH.

Contract

This is a P-2 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 2 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 75,594 USD and 102,675 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, a champion

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the Organization does — in programmes, in advocacy, and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential without discrimination, bias, or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic, and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education, and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — will not only give more children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

Purpose for the Job:

The WASH Officer reports to the Child Protection Officer , who is at Level 2 for guidance and general supervision. The WASH Officer provides technical, operational, and administrative assistance throughout the WASH in Emergency programming process. The Officer prepares, manages, and implements a variety of technical and administrative tasks, related to the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the WASH output results of the country programme.

How can you make a difference?

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Programme development and planning
2. Programme management, monitoring, and delivery of results
3. Technical and operational support for programme implementation
4. Humanitarian WASH preparedness and response
5. Networking and partnership building
6. Innovation, knowledge management, and capacity building

1.Programme development and planning

• Draft the WASH inputs for the situation analysis. Provide timely, comprehensive, and current data to inform WASH policy and programme development, planning, management, and implementation. Keep abreast of WASH sector development trends for maximum efficiency and effectiveness in programme design, management, and implementation in emergencies.
• Participate in strategic WASH sector in programme planning discussions. Prepare WASH donor proposals, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s Strategic Plan, UNICEF’s global WASH strategy, Children on the Move in Mexico and Central America´s Humanitarian Action for Children Appeal, and the Country programme, as well as contingency government plans and priorities and the role of other external support agencies.
• Assist in the formulation of the WASH sector into outcome and output results, related indicators, baselines, targets, and means of verification. Prepare required documentation for programme reviews.
• Work with colleagues and partners to discuss strategies and methodologies for the achievement of WASH output results in the country programme and Humanitarian Action for Children Appeal.
• Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes and ensure integration, coherence and harmonization of WASH with other UNICEF sectors for the achievement of the WASH sector into output results.
• Prepare required documentations/materials to facilitate review and approval processes.

2. Programme management, monitoring, and delivery of results

• Work collaboratively with colleagues and partners to collect/analyze/ share information on implementation issues, provide solutions on routine programme implementation and alert appropriate officials and stakeholders for higher-level interventions and/or decisions. Keep records of reports and assessments for easy reference and/or to capture and institutionalize lessons learned.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual sectoral reviews with government and other counterparts and prepare reports on results for required action/interventions at the higher level of programme management.

• 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

• Undertake field visits and surveys, collect, and share reports with partners/stakeholders. Report critical issues, bottlenecks, and potential problems to supervisor, for timely action.
• 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.

4. Humanitarian WASH preparedness and response

• Prepare requisitions for supplies, services, long-term agreements, and partnership agreements to ensure UNICEF is prepared to deliver on its commitments for WASH sector and according to Humanitarian Action for Children - HAC.
• Contribute to the coordination arrangement for humanitarian WASH, for instant robust coordination in emergency.
• Study and fully understand UNICEF’s procedures for responding in an emergency.
• Take up support roles in emergency response and early recovery as and when the need arises.

5. Networking and partnership building

• Build and sustain close working partnerships with government counterparts and national stakeholders through the active sharing of information and knowledge to facilitate programme implementation and build the capacity of stakeholders to achieve WASH sector results.

• Draft communication and information materials for WASH programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances and support fund-raising for WASH.

• Participate in inter-agency discussions, ensuring that UNICEF’s position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated in the UNDAF development planning and agenda setting.

• Research information on potential donors and prepare resource mobilization materials and briefs for fund raising and partnership development purposes.

6. Innovation, knowledge management, and capacity building

• Assist in the development, implementation, monitoring and documentation of WASH action research and innovation (technical or systems).
• Assist in the preparation of learning/knowledge products, covering innovative approaches and good practices, to support overall WASH sector development.
• Assist in creating and delivering learning opportunities for UNICEF WASH staff, to ensure our sector capacity remains up to date with latest developments.
• Participate as a resource person in capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education****:

• An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: public health, social sciences, behavior change communication, sanitary engineering, or another relevant technical field.
• A first level university degree in combination with two extra years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree
• Additional relevant post-graduate courses that complement/supplement the main degree are a strong asset.

Work Experience****:

• DEVELOPMENTAL: a minimum of two years of professional work experience in WASH-related programmes for developing countries is required.

• Experience in humanitarian situations (with United Nations, Government or International NGOs are an asset.

  Language Proficiency

• Fluency in Spanish and working knowledge of english is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, or Russian) 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 expenditures 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...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others (8) Nurtures, leads and manages people.

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’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates are encouraged to apply.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

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 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.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Potential interview questions