WASH Specialist, NOC, (TA), 364 days, Fada N'Gourma, Burkina Faso

The WASH Specialist reports to the Chief Field Office for guidance and general supervision. The Specialist supports the development, preparation, management, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the WASH programme within the country programme. The Specialist provides technical guidance and management support throughout the programming processes, to facilitate the administration and achievement of the WASH-related output results in the country programme

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, Water!

Humanitarian situation in Burkina Faso has been one of the fastest growing crises since 2019. As of 31 December 2021, the country had 1,579,974 displaced persons in Burkina Faso.

In order to address this humanitarian situation, UNICEF is intensifying its WASH response through its partners, sectoral coordination and collaboration with technical services through a strategy combining humanitarian WASH responses and interventions to build resilience and sustainability within the Nexus framework.

UNICEF Burkina Faso is looking for motivated, and energetic professional with a wide WASH competence and experience to help achieve further WASH goals in the country. Join our team and help create a better world for every child.

The CPD 2018-2020 and its extension until 2022 of the Burkina Faso CO was developed in 2017. The nature and scope of strategies led to the current staffing structure of the CO and of the WASH section. However, the situation has quite dramatically changed with the mounting insecurity in the Sahel region and later in the Northern and Eastern regions in Burkina Faso with a steady degradation of the security context and an increasing number of internal displaced people due to insecurity. The Centre-North region alone account for almost 35.8 per cent of the IDP population, followed by Sahel (32.5 per cent), the Nord (10.5 per cent) and the Est (9.4 per cent) regions.

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF Burkina Faso wants to recruit a WASH Specialists in TA position that focusses on WASH preparedness and response in the Est region. The WASH Specialist reports to the Chief Field Office for guidance and general supervision. The Specialist supports the development, preparation, management, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the WASH programme within the country programme. The Specialist provides technical guidance and management support throughout the programming processes, to facilitate the administration and achievement of the WASH-related output results in the country programme.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Programme development and planning

• Draft updates for WASH in the situation analysis, to inform the development of WASH-related outcome and output results. Research and report on trends in WASH, for use in programme development, management, monitoring, and evaluation. 
• Prepare technical reports and inputs for programme preparation and documentation, ensuring accuracy, timeliness and relevance of information.
• Contribute to 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, provide solutions on routine programme implementation and alert appropriate officials and stakeholders for higher-level interventions and/or decisions. Keep records 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 reports on results for required action/interventions at the higher level of programme management.
• 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.
• Prepare sectoral progress reports for management, donors and partners

3. Technical and operational support to 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 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 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.

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 on UNDAF planning, 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.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programmes and projects.
• Organize and implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders to promote sustainable results on education and related programmes/projects.

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…

• 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 a strong asset.
• a minimum of five years of professional experience in WASH-related programmes for developing countries is required.
• One year of deployment in a developing country is required.
• At least one three-month deployment mission in a humanitarian situation (with UN-Govt-INGO) is required.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
• Fluency in French is required.
• Good working knowledge in English and knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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.

Remarks:

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

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.   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.