WASH Specialist, P3, Mekelle, Ethiopia (Tigray Response)

Contract

This is a P-3 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 5 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 74,649 USD and 97,747 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, access to water

Due to the increasingly high-level of humanitarian need across Tigray region, all UNICEF programmes, including WASH, are expanding their capacity for effective humanitarian response and coordination. As WASH Cluster lead and provider of last resort, this is a significant workload which includes managing rapid and effective responses for WASH emergencies. Mekelle and surrounding areas still host large numbers of IDP’s, and needs are high, necessitating the immediate requirement to effectively monitor the activities of all UNICEF WASH partners operating in the area. The Specialist reports to the UNICEF Cluster Coordinator in Mekelle.

How can you make a difference?

Under the technical guidance of the Chief of WASH, and general supervision of Chief of Field Office Mekelle, the Emergency WASH Specialist reports to the Cluster Coordinator in Mekelle and supports the Emergency response activities in Mekelle and surrounding areas and is responsible for monitoring, evaluating and reporting on the progress of WASH in emergency programmes/projects related Tigray Region. The Emergency WASH specialist provides technical guidance and management support throughout the programming processes, to facilitate the administration and achievement of the Emergency WASH-related output results for Tigray response.

In coordination with sub-national and local authorities, and in line with national agreed strategies and prioritization, provide leadership and facilitate coordination processes between humanitarian actors at Shire level, as well as to ensure proper communication with the national cluster and other sectoral coordination platforms as appropriate. In support of the sub-national and local governments, as appropriate, act as interface between humanitarian WASH partners and duty bearers to ensure WASH related needs of the affected population are properly covered.

Key tasks and accountabilities:

Support to programme development and planning

• Support the preparation, design and updating of the situation analysis for emergencies to ensure that current and comprehensive data on WASH issues are available to guide UNICEF’s strategic policy, advocacy, intervention and development efforts on WASH in emergency programmes.
• Alert of new crisis: through UNICEF field offices and via the WASH Cluster, the Health Emergency Operation Cells / Regional Health Bureaus, and the IOM Displacement Tracing Matrix (DTM) keep a close watching brief on humanitarian situation and raise an alert of any new displacement or water borne disease outbreak.
• Assessments: Following the alert, lead and activate RRM committee comprised of WASH RRM specialist, WASH Section Chief/Specialist, WASH Cluster Coordinator, and Field Operations Emergency Specialist. to assess the information available to determine if a rapid assessment is required. This will be done in collaboration with the WASH Cluster and other existing rapid response mechanism lead agencies (IOM, IRC, etc.) and the SWAN consortium. If a rapid assessment is required, RRM Coordinator to arrange and deploy staff/partner organizations to the affected sites to gather information on needs within 48 hours for 2-3 days. Results will be shared within UNICEF as well as OCHA and the relevant Clusters to ensure a coordinated humanitarian response.
• Participate in strategic programme discussion on the planning of WASH in emergency programmes. Respond to emergency appeals and formulate, design and prepare programme proposals for the sector, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s Strategic Plans and Country Programme and coherence/integration with the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), regional strategies and national priorities, plans and competencies.
• Work closely and collaboratively with internal colleagues and partners to discuss strategies and methodologies, and to determine national priorities to ensure the achievement of concrete and sustainable results.
• Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes and to ensure integration, coherence and harmonization of programmes/projects with other UNICEF sectors and achievement of results as planned and allocated.

Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results

• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual reviews with the government and other counterparts to assess progress and to determine required action/interventions to achieve results.
• Prepare and assess monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths and weaknesses in programme management.
• Identify lessons learned and use knowledge gained for emergency planning and timely intervention to achieve goals.
• Actively monitor programmes/projects through field visits and surveys, and exchange information with stakeholders to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems, and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.
• Monitor and verify the optimum and appropriate use of sectoral programme resources (financial, administrative and other assets) confirming compliance with organizational rules, regulations, HACT procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity, ensuring timely reporting and liquidation of resources.
• Prepare requisitions for supplies, services, long-term agreements and partnership agreements to ensure UNICEF is prepared to deliver on its commitments for WASH in case of an emergency.
• Prepare regular and mandated programme reports for management, donors and partners including Post Distribution Monitoring, to ensure accountability to the affected population as well as on protection/gender issues to ensure the flow of information and communication crucial for the planning and implementation of emergency WASH RRM
• Identify availability of resources in emergency prone areas and establish logistics plans to be implemented during an emergency operation, to ensure a timely and effective emergency response.

Technical and operational support to programme implementation

• Response: In consultation with the WASH Cluster and based on the findings of assessments/information, manage calls for proposals and engagement of pre-identified partners to deploy for a rapid life-saving response of up to 3 months.
• Support the WASH Cluster to continue advocating for emergency partners to mobilize for a longer--term response to begin after the initial RRM response.
• Arrange/coordinate availability of technical experts with Regional Office/HQ to ensure timely and appropriate support throughout the programming process.
• Participate in WASH in emergency programme meetings including programme development and contingency planning to provide technical and operational information, advice and support.
• Draft policy papers, briefs and other strategic programme materials for management use in preparation and response to emergencies.

Networking and partnership building

• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with OFDA, relevant government counterparts, OCHA, Other Clusters, donors, and academia through active networking, advocacy and effective communication to build capacity, exchange knowledge/expertise and to reinforce cooperation to achieve sustainable and broad results on WASH in emergency programmes.
• Prepares inputs for appeals and updates related to emergencies. Works with program sections and senior management to mobilize donor response and recovery/rehabilitation-related funding, including annual or multi-annual humanitarian appeals and documents (e.g., pitch documents). Communicates and advocates on the situation and needs of children through local and international media, as appropriate.
• Participates in all humanitarian and recovery related fora and keeps management informed of all humanitarian developments in the country in terms of policies, strategy, situation developments, potential threats and opportunities/issues in partnership.

Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Apply and introduce innovative approaches and good practices to build the capacity of partners and stakeholders on WASH in emergencies and to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable programme results.
• Keep abreast, research, benchmark, and implement best practices in WASH in emergency management. Assess, institutionalize and share best practices and knowledge learned.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programmes and projects.
• Organize and implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders to promote sustainable results on WASH in emergencies and related programmes/projects.

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

• 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.

  Additional relevant post-graduate courses that complement/supplement the main degree are a strong asset.

• A minimum of five years of professional experience in programme planning, management, and/or research in WASH is required.

  Experience of managing/Coordinating a WASH RRM in a developing country is an advantage.

  At least one-year deployment mission in a humanitarian situation (with UN-Govt-INGO) is required.

  Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
• Please refer to the attached Terms of reference for Technical requirements.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) core competencies of communications, working with people and drive for results.

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

• Leading and Supervising (I)
• Formulating strategies and concepts (II)
• Analyzing (III)
• Applying technical expertise (III)
• Relating and networking (II)
• Deciding and Initiating action (II)

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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:

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.