Re-advertisement: WASH Specialist, NO-3, Fixed Term, Gonaives, Haiti

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, Health and Care

How can you make a difference?

The WASH Specialist reports to the Chief Field Office for guidance and general supervision. In collaboration with the WASH section, he/she coordinates and monitors decentralized programme interventions in North Area and is responsible for the roll out of capacity building for Government Departmental and district structures (OREPA, URD, Health, Nutrition, Education, Child Protection) as well as NGO partners. Primary responsible for the supervision, monitoring and capacity building of programme partners, brief the Chief Field Office and Chief WASH on potential issues, and propose mitigating strategies. Manages relations with Departmental and district level and other implementing partners in the supported Departments including Protection, Education and Health counterparts. Proactively look for best practices and other field innovations and keeps the whole decentralized programme under solid equity focus. Works closely with WASH Section in Port au Prince (Emergency, Water, Hygiene and Sanitation thematic).

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Programe development and planning

• Draft the WASH inputs for the situation analysis. Provide timely, comprehensive, and current data to inform WASH policy and program development, planning, management, and implementation. Keep abreast of WASH sector development trends for maximum efficiency and effectiveness in program design, management, and implementation.
• Participate in strategic WASH program planning discussions. Prepare WASH donor proposals, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s Strategic Plan, UNICEF’s global WASH strategy and the Country programme, as well as government plans and priorities, and the role of other external support agencies.
• Assist in formulating the WASH outcome and output results, related indicators, baselines, targets, and means of verification. Prepare required documentation for program reviews.
• Work with colleagues and partners to discuss strategies and methodologies for achieving WASH output results in the Field Office and the Country Office.
• Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes and ensure integration, coherence, and harmonization of WASH with other UNICEF sectors to achieve the WASH output results.
• Draft assigned sections of the annual work plan in close cooperation with government and other counterparts.

2. Programme management, monitoring, and delivery of results

• With other external support agencies, strengthen regional government WASH sector monitoring systems, focusing on WASH outcomes (behaviors), using bottleneck analysis tools available in the sector (WASH-BAT, CSOs, SDAs).
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, program reviews and annual sectoral reviews with government and other counterparts and prepare reports on results for required action/interventions at the higher program management level.
• Prepare/assess monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths/weaknesses in programs and management, and identify and document lessons learned.
• Monitor and report on the use of sectoral program 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 for program implementation 

• Actively monitor UNICEF-supported activities through field visits, surveys, and exchange of information with partners to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems, and take timely decisions to resolve issues and refer to relevant officials for timely interventions.
• 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 program implementation.
• Plan to use technical experts from the Country Office, Regional Office, and HQ, as and where appropriate in the WASH program, through remote support and on-site visits.
• Participate in WASH program meetings, to review progress with the government, other sector agencies, and implementation partners involved at various stages of WASH program implementation, to provide expert advice and guidance. 
• Draft policy papers, briefs, and other strategic materials for use by management, donors, UNICEF country and regional offices, and headquarters.

4. Humanitarian WASH preparedness and response

• Ensure preparedness in the FO area: monitor contingency stock, prepare requisitions for supplies, services, long-term agreements, and partnership agreements, including standby partnership agreements, to ensure UNICEF is in a readiness mode and deliver on its commitments for WASH in case of an emergency.
• Actively Contribute to the coordination humanitarian of the regional WASH Sector, and ensure robust, quality, and timely in emergency response.
• Take up support roles in emergency response and early recovery, as and when arises needed.

5. Networking and partnership building 

• Build and sustain close working partnerships with government counterparts and national stakeholders through the active sharing of information and knowledge to facilitate program implementation and build the capacity of stakeholders to achieve WASH output results.
• Prepare materials for WASH program 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 into United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) development planning and agenda setting.

6. Innovation, knowledge management, and capacity building

• Lead the development, implementation, monitoring, and documentation of WASH action research and innovation (technical or systems).
• Prepare learning/knowledge products covering innovative approaches and good practices to support overall WASH sector development.
• Create and deliver learning opportunities for UNICEF WASH staff to ensure our sector capacity remains up-to-date with the latest developments.
• Contribute to the systematic assessment of WASH sector capacity gap analysis in collaboration with government and other stakeholders, and support the initiatives to strengthen capacities systematically.
• Participate as a resource person in building 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: Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Geology, Hydrology, Sanitation Engineering, Public Health, or another relevant technical field.   Additional relevant post-graduate courses that complement/supplement the main degree are a strong asset.
• Five years of professional work experience in social development, management, monitoring, and evaluation for an international organization/UN agency. Background/familiarity with Emergency (preparedness and response), especially cholera, is an asset.
• Fluency in French and good working knowledge of English are required. Knowledge of the local language (creole) is an asset

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

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. (8) Nurtures, leads and manages people

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
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 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.

Remarks:

*This is a re-advertisement of WASH Specialist, NO-3, Fixed Term, Gonaives, Haiti.

Candidates who applied previously do not need to re-apply. 

Please note that this is a non-family duty station. The successful candidate for this emergency recruitment MUST be available to commence work within 31 days of receiving an offer.

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

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female are encouraged to apply.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also 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.