WASH Specialist, P4 - Multiple Duty Stations , MENA #86489

UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to protect the rights of every child. UNICEF has spent 70 years working to improve the lives of children and their families. Defending children's rights throughout their lives requires a global presence, aiming to produce results and understand their effects. UNICEF believes all children have a right to survive, thrive and fulfill their potential – to the benefit of a better world.

Purpose of the Position

The WASH Specialist reports to the Senior Emergency Specialists/Chief of Field Office (Level 5) for general guidance and direction. The Specialist manages the  WASH programme, and will be responsible for the development, preparation, management, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the WASH programme. The Specialist provides technical guidance and management support throughout the programming processes, to ensure the achievement of the WASH-related output results in the hub. The Specialist provides authoritative advisory services to partners and sector support agencies, and interacts with partners at senior levels and with senior staff in the International Development Banks. The Specialist also provides technical guidance and leadership to the WASH cluster and substantial technical and strategic inputs to preparation of cluster strategic objectives, HNO, HRP, HF and other important response plans and as deemed necessary. The Specialist provides advisory services to implementing partners, and interacts with WASH sector agencies, the inter-cluster coordination members, OCHA staff, donors' representatives and others and as dictated by the programme context

 

Key Expected Results

 

      1. Programme development and planning

• Develop 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 internal and external 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 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 relevant UNICEF's plans, 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.

2. Programme management, 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.

• With other external support agencies, analyze national government WASH sector programmes and projects, with a focus on WASH outcomes (behaviors), using bottleneck analysis tools available in the sector (WASH-BAT, CSOs, SDAs).

• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual sectoral reviews with partners and prepare reports for the Senior Emergency Specialist and RO management.

• 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 Emergency Specialist, for timely resolution.

• Prepare sectoral progress reports for management, donors and partners.

 

       3.  Advisory services and technical support

• Advise NGOs, UN agencies and WASH sector donor agencies on WASH strategies and best practices.

• Draft policy papers, briefs and other strategic materials for use by management, donors, UNICEF regional office and headquarters.

• Plan for the use of technical experts from the Regional Office and HQ, as and where appropriate in the WASH programme, through remote support and on-site visits.

 

4.  Advocacy, networking and partnership building

• Build and strengthen strategic partnerships with UN agencies, donor agencies, WASH institutions, NGOs  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 inter-agency 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 WASH.

 

       5.  Humanitarian WASH preparedness and response

• Manage all aspects of UNICEF's preparedness for WASH in emergencies.

• Ensure the coordination arrangements for humanitarian WASH are in place, for instant robust coordination in case of an emergency.

• Take up leadership/managerial role in an emergency response and early recovery, as and when the need arises.

 

       6.  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 as relevant, 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 government and other stakeholders, and support the design of initiative to strengthen capacities systematically.

• Participate as a resource person in capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders.

 

       7. Cluster Coordination Responsibilities. In coordination with Co-lead agency.

•  Maintaining an effective coordination mechanism.

• Identify and establish contact with all relevant sector stakeholders. Invite these stakeholders to participate as partners in the work of the cluster as appropriate.

• Convene and facilitate meetings of the cluster, increasing or reducing their frequency as needed. Ensure that cluster meetings are well-managed and action and results-oriented, with decisions clearly communicated to relevant partners and stakeholders.

• Represent the cluster in inter-cluster coordination, Humanitarian coordination, and Donors' update fora, as appropriate.

• Preparedness and capacity development.

• Together with cluster partners, undertake capacity mapping and gap identification exercises.

     8. Needs assessment, analysis, prioritization and planning.

• Contribute to needs assessments and analysis among cluster partners and participate in joint inter-cluster needs assessment exercises as appropriate.

• Facilitate the development of an overall strategy and response plan for the cluster and ensure that such strategy is reflected in relevant documents.

• Oversee the formation of Technical Working Groups to address specific sector challenges.

 

     9.  Information management, monitoring, evaluation and reporting.

• Ensure that updated and relevant cluster-specific information is included in general inter-cluster reporting including common web platforms, Situation Reports and other reporting mechanisms.

      8.  Advocacy and Resource Mobilization

• Together with cluster partners, identify core advocacy concerns for the sector and contribute key messages to the broader advocacy initiatives of the DRHC.

• Following thorough and transparent consultation within the cluster, provide leadership and strategic direction in the assessment and prioritization of project proposals and common funding criteria for inclusion in HPF requests and other inter-agency funding appeals; ensure that agreed cluster strategies and priorities are adequately reflected in appeal documents.

• Connect with donors to advocate for the different sector needs including orientation sessions and presentations.

 

 

Qualifications of Successful Candidate

Education

An Advanced University Degree in public health, social sciences, behavior change communication, sanitary engineering or other specialist field related to WASH is required.

*A First Level University Degree with an additional two years of relevant professional work experience is acceptable in lieu of an advanced degree.

Work Experience

A minimum of 8 years professional work experience in WASH-related programmes for developing countries, including at least one year of relevant work experience in a developing country.

Experience in WASH programme management and/or cluster coordination.

Experience in Urban WASH programme management is preferable.

 

Language

Fluency in English and Arabic is required.

 

Competencies of Successful Candidate

Core Values

• Commitment
• Diversity and inclusion
• Integrity

Core Competencies

• Communication (II)
• Working with people (II)
• Drive for results (II)

Functional Competencies

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

 

 Technical requirements

• Rural water supply for low- and middle-income countries - including water safety, sustainability

• Rural sanitation for low- and middle-income countries, incl sustainability; applying CATS principles.

• Urban sanitation for low- and middle-income countries, incl sustainability

• Hand washing with soap

• WASH-in-Schools and Health Centers

• Menstrual hygiene management

• National government WASH policies, plans and strategies

• Analysis of national budgets and expenditure for basic WASH, and related advocacy Expert knowledge of three components and basic knowledge of five components

• Humanitarian WASH - preparedness

• Humanitarian WASH - response and recovery In-depth knowledge of both components

• Humanitarian WASH – coordinating the response In-depth knowledge of concept and UNICEF role

• Programme/project management

• Capacity development

• Knowledge management

• Monitoring and evaluation Expert knowledge of two components and basic knowledge of the other two components

• Human rights and WASH

• Gender equality and WASH In-depth knowledge

 

Remarks

* The successful candidate for this emergency recruitment MUST be available to commence work within 31 days of receiving an offer.

Employment is conditional upon receipt of medical clearance, any clearance required, the grant of a visa, and completion of any other pre-employment criteria that UNICEF may establish. Candidates may not be further considered or offers of employment may be withdrawn if these conditions are unlikely to be met before the date for commencement of service