WASH Specialist (PHE), P-4, TA, WASH Programme Group, Homebased (#00125134)

Contract

This is a P-4 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 7 years of experience, depending on education. More about P-4 contracts and their salaries.

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 hope…

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 — not only will 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.

How can you make a difference?

The WASH Specialist level 4 GJP will be used at HQ level in support to Public Health Emergencies (PHE) at HQ and field levels.

The WASH Specialist (PHE) will provide expertise on public health emergencies (PHE) in the field and at HQ level. This includes working with HQ, Regional and Country offices in developing plans and activities to strengthen UNICEF's capacity to deliver effective WASH support in emergency situations, provision of technical assistance to Regional and Country Offices to ensure adequate and appropriate support, both in addressing acute emergencies and in programming to mitigate the impact of chronic and complex emergencies, and contributing to improved approaches and systems for emergency WASH response within UNICEF.

At HQ level, the WASH specialist (PHE) will support the WASH in Emergency and Fragile Contexts (WiEFC) Unit in positioning of WASH in PHE; participating and contributing in the Global Taskforce on Cholera Control (GTFCC) meetings; preparing and reviewing miscellaneous documents on Infection, Prevention and Control, Cholera costed plans tools, etc, in addition to other activities related to PHE. As part of a global agreement with WHO, the WASH Specialist (PHE) works very closely with the WHE Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and the Water, Sanitation and Health (WSH) team at WHO, and co-lead the WASH in Public Health Emergencies Working Group.

When deployed to affected country offices, responsible for supporting the Country team by providing guidance and direction on emergency/PHE WASH issues and ensuring implementation of high impact WASH interventions in acute and chronic emergencies as outlined in UNICEF's technical guidelines. The incumbent will be exposed to difficult working conditions, limited infrastructure, stressful situations and long working hours.

Summary of results-based key functions/accountabilities:

1. Support to the Senior Advisor for WiEFC
2. Programme development and planning
3. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results
4. Advisory services and technical support
5. Advocacy, networking and partnership building
6. Humanitarian WASH preparedness and response

7. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

8. Support to the Senior WASH Advisor

• Advise the Senior Advisor for WiEFC in establishing the annual work plan and annual workplan outputs, and activities. Monitor workplan implementation, to ensure that WiEFC output results are achieved to schedule and performance standards. Report critical issues to the Senior Advisor for WiEFC for timely action.
• Provide technical advice to WiEFC Unit staff on all aspects of programming and implementation.

2. Programme development and planning

• Draft the WASH inputs for the situation analysis. Provide comprehensive and current data to inform WASH policy and programme development, planning, management and implementation. Keep abreast of WASH sector developments, for maximum efficiency and effectiveness in WASH programme design, management and implementation.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues and partners to discuss WASH priorities, resources, strategies and methodologies to ensure the most strategic use of the collective resources of external support agencies.
• Participate in strategic WASH programme planning discussions and the formulation of the WASH outcome and output results, related indicators, baselines, targets and means of verification, ensuring alignment with the UNICEF’s Strategic Plan, UNICEF’s global WASH strategy, and the role of other WASH external support agencies.
• Prepare WASH donor proposals, ensuring alignment with the WASH output results.

3. Programme implementation, monitoring and delivery of results

• Draft documentation for programme reviews and analytical statements on progress and constraints of WASH outcome and output results.
• Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes for the achievement of the WASH output results. Ensure effective collaboration with other UNICEF sectors, where needed.
• Monitor, report and certify 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 issues to the Senior Advisor for WiE, for timely resolution.
• Prepare sectoral progress reports for management, donors and partners.

4. Advisory services and technical support

• Participate in strategic discussions to influence PHE strategies including positioning of UNICEF in PHE, GTFCC WASH Working Group and other fora.
• Draft policy papers, briefs and other strategic materials for use by UNICEF regional offices and headquarters.
• Review of miscellaneous documents related to cholera and PHE including cholera costed plan tool, IPC roadmap and strategy, positioning papers and the like.
• Support Regional and Country offices on all matters related to cholera/PHE and emergencies at large.

5. Advocacy, networking and partnership building

• Build and strengthen strategic partnerships with UN agencies, donor agencies, WASH institutions, NGOs, research institutes and the private sector to stimulate coordination and collaboration.
• Produce materials for WASH programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships and support fund-raising.
• Participate in discussions, ensuring that UNICEF’s position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated in the planning and agenda setting.
• Interact with global and regional initiatives and partnerships for PHE.

6. Humanitarian WASH preparedness and response

• Manage all aspects of UNICEF’s preparedness for WASH in Public Health Emergencies.
• Ensure that all UNICEF WASH staff are familiar with UNICEF’s procedures for responding in an emergency.
• Take up leadership/managerial role in an emergency response and early recovery when deployed.

7. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Manage the implementation, monitoring and documentation of WASH action research and innovation (technical or systems), ensuring rigorous monitoring and wide sharing of results.
• Prepare learning/knowledge products, covering innovative approaches and good practices, to support overall WASH sector development.
• Support the professional development of UNICEF WASH staff, to ensure our sector capacity remains up to date with latest developments.
• Initiate and contribute to the systematic assessment of WASH sector capacity gap analysis, in collaboration with stakeholders, and support the design of initiatives to strengthen capacities systematically.
• Participate as a resource person in capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders.

Impact of Results

The support provided by the level 4 WASH Specialist will enable the WiEFC Unit to achieve the WASH-related output results of the AWP. This, in turn, will contribute to the achievement of the outcome results of the WASH Section. When done effectively, the achievement of the outcome results will improve child survival, growth and development and reduce inequalities globally.

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 required in addition to in-depth knowledge of disease epidemiology.
• DEVELOPMENTAL: A minimum of eight (8) years of professional experience in WASH-related programmes for developing countries is required.
• HUMANITARIAN: At least four (4) years of work in PHE and humanitarian situations (with UN-Govt-INGO), is required.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered as an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS)

Please click Here to view UNICEF's core values and Here to view our competency framework.

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

i) Core Values

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

ii) Core competencies

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1)
• 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)
• Drives to achieve impactful results (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

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 including 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, 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 promoting 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.

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 may 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.

“UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/”

For more information on remuneration and benefits, please visit UNICEF’s Entitlements’ page. If you would like to find estimates for entitlements, you may use the online Salary Estimate Calculator

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