The UNICEF Pacific Multi-country office is hiring a WASH Officer for Field Office for the Federated States of Micronesia, based in Pohnpei. The Officer will provide professional technical, operational and administrative support to the development, implementation and monitoring of the WASH results of the country programme. Apply now!

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to commitment. 

UNICEF works across 14 Pacific Island countries and territories: Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. Together, these countries are home to approximately 2.3 million people, including 1.2 million children and youth, living across more than 660 islands and atolls spread over 17.2 million square kilometers of the Pacific Ocean—an area comparable in size to the combined landmass of the United States of America and Canada.

Among these countries, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu are classified as Fragile States under World Bank/OECD criteria. While all 14 Pacific Island countries and territories have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, only around one-third are currently on track in meeting their reporting obligations. Explore the different areas of our work here: UNICEF Pacific Islands and in the short video: Work for UNICEF in the Pacific.mp4

How can you make a difference? 

Under the supervision of the WASH Specialist and Chief Field Office, the WASH Officer provides professional technical, operational and administrative assistance throughout the WASH programming process, through the application of theoretical and practical technical skills in researching, collecting, analyzing and presenting programme information while learning organizational rules, regulations and procedures to support the development, implementation and monitoring of the WASH output results of the Country Programme.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Programme development and planning:

  • Research and analyze regional/national political, WASH, health, and social and economic development trends. Collect, analyse, verify and synthesize information to facilitate programme development, design and preparation.
  • Prepare technical reports and inputs for programme preparation and documentation, ensuring accuracy, timeliness and relevance of information.
  • Assist in the development/establishment of WASH-related outcome and output results, as well as related strategies, through analysis of WASH sector needs and priorities.
  • Provide technical and administrative support throughout all stages of programming processes by executing/administering a variety of technical programme transactions, preparing materials/documentations, 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 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, suggest solutions on routine programme implementation and alert appropriate officials and stakeholders for higher-level interventions and/or decision. Keep record 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 minutes/reports on results for follow up action by higher management and other stakeholders.
  • 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. Follow up on unresolved issues to ensure resolution.
  • Prepare inputs for programme and donor reporting.

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, Private Contractors 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:

  • Draft inputs for the preparation of WASH emergency preparedness, including the drafting of required supplies and services, long-term agreements, partnership agreements, and coordination mechanisms.
  • 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. 

5. Networking and partnership building:

  • Build and sustain close working partnerships with government counterparts and national stakeholders through active sharing of information and knowledge to facilitate programme implementation and build capacity of stakeholders to achieve WASH output 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 meetings/events on WASH programming to collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on UNDAF operational planning and preparation of WASH programmes/projects and to integrate and harmonize UNICEF output results and implementation strategies with UNDAF development and planning processes.
  • 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…

Minimum requirements:

Education: 

  • A university degree (Bachelors) in one of the following fields: 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.

Work Experience: 

  • A minimum of one year of professional experience in WASH-related programmes for developing countries.
  • A good understanding of national government WASH related policies plans and strategies, and institutional arrangements. 
  • Knowledge of latest guidance and best practices for WASH programming in the Pacific context especially WASH in health care facilities and WASH in schools is highly desirable. 

Language Requirements: 

  • Fluency in English is required and knowledge of a local language.

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

The 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 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is either a role with direct contact with children, a role that works directly with identifiable children’s data, a safeguarding response role, or an assessed risk role. Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) apply.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable male and female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions 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 does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

In regard to higher educational qualifications, UNICEF only considers degrees 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/

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

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Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify. Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.