Senior Programme Associate (WASH expert)

BACKGROUND

WFP’s vision is that people in the Kyrgyz Republic will have substantially increased access to national social protection systems that safeguard and foster their ability to meet their food security, nutrition and associated essential needs, and to manage the risks and shocks they face, with ample opportunity to graduate from poverty and contribute to sustainable food systems, national disaster risk management efforts and social cohesion.

WFP, one of the largest UN agencies in the Kyrgyz Republic, will support and promote the inclusion of people with diverse and often intersecting vulnerabilities and inequalities, by supporting nationally led social and civil protection systems and programmes (strengthening the government’s ability for anticipatory action and ensuring that no one is left behind) and by modelling new approaches within complementary WFP interventions (which can be adopted or transitioned), leveraging WFP’s global expertise in promoting healthy diets and sustainable food systems, climate risk management, warehousing, food safety, smallholder market access and innovations such as private sector-oriented solutions, micro-insurance and digital public goods.

Derived from the UN Cooperation Framework and national priorities, promoting participatory community engagement and nutrition-sensitive approaches, the 2nd generation Country Strategic Plan (2023-27 EN|RU) continues WFP’s human capital development, capacity building and productive asset creation activities to enhance the resilience and livelihoods of the poor and vulnerable, with a focus on food systems strengthening across three core pillars: (i) Social Protection; (ii) Climate Change Adaption, Disaster Risk Management & Emergency Preparedness; and (iii) Schools as platforms for healthy diets. In addition, a contingent emergency response outcome can be activated in case of need.

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

Building on successful implementation in previous years, the WFP Country Strategic Plan (CSP) 2023–2027 focuses on the institutionalization and sustainability of an optimized national school meals model through strengthened systems, infrastructure, which includes complementary interventions in health, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). In partnership with the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, WFP provides policy support, advocacy, direct technical assistance, and mutual learning opportunities, leveraging the WFP-supported School Nutrition Unit within the Ministry of Education and Science and collaborating closely with the Ministry of Health.

In particular, ensuring access to safe water, functional sanitation facilities, and improved hygiene practices in schools is a key strategic focus, contributing to enhanced health, nutrition, and learning outcomes for schoolchildren. As the school meals programme advances toward full national ownership, WFP’s support increasingly focuses on capacity strengthening and system development to ensure a sustainable, cost-effective, and safe school feeding model. WASH interventions are central to this process, complementing school fe

eding operations by improving school-level infrastructure, promoting hygiene behaviours, and strengthening the management capacity of school staff and local authorities.

Within this framework, WFP, in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), implements the project “Establishment of a Sustainable Environment for Enhancing Health and Nutrition in Schools through the Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF) Programme in the Kyrgyz Republic (2025–2028)”. The project aims to enhance school environments by integrating WASH infrastructure and services with school feeding operations, promoting healthy behaviours among students and communities, and strengthening the capacity of schools and local authorities for sustainable WASH management.

The Senior Programme Associate (WASH expert) will play a key role in the planning, coordination, implementation, and reporting of WASH-related activities under the KOICA-funded project and other relevant WFP initiatives. The incumbent will ensure effective delivery of project components related to school WASH infrastructure improvements, hygiene promotion campaigns, water quality monitoring, and institutional capacity strengthening for sustainable WASH operations in schools. The WASH Specialist will also engage strategically with the Government and partners to integrate WASH components into national school feeding and social protection systems, contributing to improved health and nutrition outcomes for children across the Kyrgyz Republic.

Supervision: The Senior Programme Associate will be directly supervised by the Outcome 4 Manager and under the general supervision of the Head of Programme

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES (not all-inclusive, nor exhaustive):

1.       Provide specialized expertise and contribute towards the development of project activities, plans and processes within the specific technical area of work ensuring alignment with wider programme policies and guidelines.

2.       Provide efficient coordination and specialized project management support to a range of specific and/or defined programmes to ensure that the various activities are performed within the established targets following WFP’s policies and procedures. 

3.       Within the specific area of responsibility, prepare a variety of elaborated reports and substantial data analysis (e.g. food assistance needs, resource utilization, programme status, performance) and make recommendations to supervisors, ensuring deliverables adhere to corporate standards and quality control.

4.       Lead and ensure accurate, timely recording of data within the specific technical area of work (e.g. assistance programmes, food security and vulnerability assessments) and consistency of information presented to stakeholders. 

5.       Coordinate and liaise with internal counterparts on a range of complex matters to enable effective collaboration, implementation and monitoring of ongoing project activities.

6.       Foster relationships and support partnership-building with local partners, agencies, NGOs and government institutions to perform accurate food security analyses and to ensure efficient delivery of food assistance. 

7.       Support the capacity building of WFP staff, cooperating partners and national government within a specific technical area.

8.       Act as an escalation point for complex query resolution on all matters within the area of responsibility.   

9.       Manage a team of support staff, providing advice, guidance and training, to ensure individual and team objectives are delivered to agreed standards and deadlines.

10.    Follow standard emergency preparedness practices to ensure WFP is able to quickly respond and deploy needed resources to affected areas at the onset of the crisis.

SPECIFIC JOB REQUIREMENTS

Project Planning and Coordination

11.    Lead planning, coordination, and implementation of school WASH activities to enhance access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities. Conduct WASH needs assessments and prepare improvement plans for water points, toilets, handwashing stations, and waste systems, ensuring designs are gender-sensitive, disability-inclusive, and age-appropriate.

12.    Develop Bills of Quantities (BoQs) and technical specifications for WASH infrastructure and MHM supplies, in coordination with engineers, procurement teams, and local authorities.

13.    Plan and oversee the establishment of school WASH committees and capacity-building initiatives to ensure effective operation and maintenance of WASH facilities.

Capacity Building and Training

14.    Develop and deliver training materials and curricula on hygiene, sanitation, and menstrual hygiene management (MHM) for teachers, students, and community stakeholders.

15.    Conduct training of trainers (ToT) for cooperating partners and organize capacity-building workshops to strengthen the skills of WASH committees and local authorities in managing and maintaining school WASH services.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting

16.    Establish and apply monitoring tools to track WASH progress and ensure quality implementation through regular field visits and inspections.

17.    Compile data, lessons learned, and best practices, contributing to technical and donor reports to inform evidence-based planning and continuous improvement.

Stakeholder Engagement and Policy Alignment

18.    Coordinate with the Ministries of Education, Health, and water authorities, as well as UN agencies, NGOs, and development partners, to ensure harmonized implementation of school WASH interventions.

19.    Advocate for the integration of school WASH into education, health, and nutrition policies and strengthen local governance mechanisms for sustainability.

20.    Support the localization and application of national WASH and SHN standards in alignment with the Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF) Programme and WFP strategic objectives

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE:

•       Has participated in implementing technical programs (i.e. nutrition, etc.).

•       Has implemented programmes with increased level of responsibility.

•       Has provided input to policy discussions.

•       Has professional experience in WASH programming, preferably with a focus on schools or child-centered interventions.

•       Has proven experience in working with donors, implementing infrastructure (e.g. water points, toilets, handwashing stations), monitoring & evaluation, possibly rehabilitation / construction.

•       Has strong technical understanding of WASH infrastructure (water supply, sanitation, hygiene), facility design, BoQs (Bill of Quantities), construction supervision.

•       Has knowledge of national WASH policies, health & education sector linkages

•       Has skills in hygiene promotion, MHM (menstrual hygiene management), disability inclusion.

•       Has experience in organizing training sessions, stakeholder workshops, and field coordination activities.

•       Has proven experience in participatory approaches, training delivery, and community engagement.

•       Familiarity with national WASH policies, standards, and coordination mechanisms is an asset.

•       Experience in school‐based WASH / hygiene / sanitation is an asset.

STANDARD MINIMUM ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS:

Experience: Seven years of progressively responsible work experience in development, government aid programme, general administrative work or other related fields.

Education: Completion of secondary school education. A post-secondary certificate in public health, environmental engineering, water and sanitation, education, or a related field is desirable.

Language: Fluency (level C) in both oral and written communication in English and proficiency in the duty station’s language(s). Russian or Kyrgyz, both considered an advantage.