UNICEF is supporting health, nutrition, HIV prevention, education, access to safe drinking water, sanitation and protection for children and families caught in the conflict.

Ukraine's water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector faces critical challenges with 70-90% infrastructure deterioration, leaving approximately 10 million people (including 1.7 million children) without safely managed water services. Since opening its office in Kyiv in 1997, UNICEF has supported the Government of Ukraine in strengthening water and sanitation services. Building on operational experience gained during the 2014 conflict in Donbas, UNICEF has expanded its WASH response in 2022 by establishing six field offices across the country (Kyiv, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Lviv, Odesa and Poltava). Since then, UNICEF’s WASH programming has shifted from emergency lifesaving interventions and frontline repairs to a more strategic, integrated approach that addresses both immediate needs and long-term, climate-resilient recovery. While maintaining emergency response capacity in areas of active conflict, the programme now emphasizes systemic improvements, institutional capacity building, and environmental sustainability. The shift from reactive to proactive interventions includes greater investment in modernization, optimization and energy efficiency for water utilities, climate-smart infrastructure, water safety planning, groundwater monitoring, circular economy approaches to waste management, and youth engagement in environmental action.

Odesa field office is one of the six field offices across Ukraine with a portfolio of US$10-20 million supporting over 20 water utilities and heating companies in Odesa, Mykolaiv and Kherson oblast. This UNV assignment will reinforce Odesa WASH team to support the implementation of emergency projects in the water, sanitation and heating sector in Mykolaiv and Kherson Oblast and recovery projects targeting specific locations (Odesa and Mykolaiv Oblast).

Under the direct supervision of the WASH Manager of Odesa, the UNV is expected to undertake the following:

Programme development and planning

• Draft updates for WASH in the situation analysis, to inform the development of WASH-
related outcome and output results.
• Support in preparing technical reports and inputs for programme preparation and documentation, ensuring accuracy, timeliness and relevance of information.
• Provide technical and administrative support throughout all stages of programming
processes by executing/administering a variety of technical programme transactions,
preparing materials/documentation, complying with organizational processes and
management systems, to support progress towards the WASH-related outcome and/or
output results in the country programme.
• Prepare required documentation/materials to facilitate review and approval processes.

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 the 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.

Humanitarian WASH preparedness and response
• Draft 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.
• Study and fully understand UNICEF’s procedures for responding in an emergency.
• Take up support roles in an emergency response and early recovery, as and when the need arises.