WASH Specialist – Systems Strengthening (P-4), FT, PG WASH, New York HQ # 117170

This role will support countries, in complex humanitarian crises to meet their commitments under the CCCs, and their responsibility as the Cluster Lead Agency for nutrition.

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. 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 personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

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

Under the Strategic Plan 2022-2025, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) is an integral part of Goal 4 ensuring that “every child lives in a safe and clean environment”. UNICEF supports WASH programming across a range of countries, from stable to fragile contexts, and with emphasis on technical support to strengthening the quality and sustainability of WASH services and systems for families and communities. Our interventions range from policy and planning, though leadership, evidence and advocacy to service delivery and we work at sub-national to global levels. 

Key priorities for UNICEF WASH under this strategic plan include a shift in how we work with service delivery across households and institutions (humanitarian and development), systems strengthening including a focus on financing WASH, climate resilience and how we work in the WASH development – humanitarian– peace nexus.  Organization wide indicators for WASH systems strengthening and Finance are being systematically tracked for the first time under Result Area 2 of Goal 4.

For every child, a hope….

This role will support countries, in complex humanitarian crises to meet their commitments under the CCCs, and their responsibility as the Cluster Lead Agency for nutrition.

To reach the planned results we are looking to strengthen our capacity with a Specialist in WASH Systems Strengthening / Finance including providing technical expertise in governance including budgeting and financing; planning, monitoring and review; and capacity development. Some of these programming shifts include in-depth analysis of sector systems, evidence generation, strengthening capacity within the WASH network on systems and finance in these areas as well as supporting on resource mobilization and increasing attention to address existing vulnerabilities and disparities. This also includes supporting  partnerships, including with WHO on global systems monitoring by GLAAS.   

The WASH Specialist on system strengthening /finance will provide strategic support in guiding, monitoring and reporting on UNICEF WASH Result Area 2 2, and development of the WASH workforce in these topics. They incumbent will also support the overall work being done via the Results and Resources / Scaling up Outputs, in close partnership with the regional networks. , The post will support the Senior Adviser and Director towards achieving UNICEF’s Strategic Plans targets, standards of performance and accountability framework for the most vulnerable children and families in development and humanitarian programming contexts. The WASH Programme Group Team sits in UNICEFs Programme Group

How can you make a difference? 

• Participate and steer strategic discussions to influence WASH systems and finance strategies, including the positioning of UNICEF work in this area in various bilateral and platform partnerships.
• Support Regional and Country offices on matters relating to system/finance WASH work.
• Interact with global and regional initiatives and partnerships for WASH systems and finance work.
• Prepare learning/knowledge products, covering innovative approaches and good practices, to support overall WASH sector development around WASH systems/finance.
• Support the professional development of UNICEF WASH staff around WASH systems/finance, to ensure our sector capacity remains up to date with latest developments in these areas.
• Advise the Senior Advisor on establishing the annual work plan and annual workplan outputs, and activities. Monitor workplan implementation, to ensure that Results and Resources / Scaling up output results are achieved to schedule and performance standards.
• 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.
• Participate in strategic 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 UNICEF’s Strategic Plan, UNICEF’s global WASH strategy, and the role of other WASH external support agencies.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree (Master’s Degree or higher) in public health, social sciences, behavior change communication, civil or environmental engineering, finance, business or another relevant technical field is required.
• A minimum of 8 (eight) years of professional experience at the national/and or international levels in WASH-related programmes for developing countries is required.
• At least five years of work in WASH systems and or WASH Finance (with UN-Govt-INGO), is required.
• Experience with international deployment in a developing country is desirable.
• Fluency in English (written and verbal) is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

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.

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 including 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 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. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will 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.

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

“UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications 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/”

For more information on remuneration and benefits, please visit UNICEF’s Entitlements’ page.  If you would like to find estimates for entitlements, you may use the online Salary Estimate Calculator

• 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.
• Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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.