Qualifications

1.      Background and Justification

Purpose of the Position

The Technical Officer Water, Sanitation, and Health (WASH) Officer P3 position at WHO South Sudan is designed to support the organization’s public health initiatives by developing, implementing, and managing water, sanitation, and hygiene programs across the region. This role involves assessing WASH needs, coordinating with local and international partners, ensuring the integration of WASH services with other public health efforts, and contributing to policy development and strategic planning. The officer will also play a crucial role in capacity building, providing technical support and training to local staff and partners to enhance WASH practices, thereby aiming to improve overall public health outcomes and reduce the incidence of waterborne diseases in South Sudan.

2.      Job Description

Objectives of the Programme and of the immediate Strategic Objective

The WHO Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Programme in South Sudan aims to enhance the capacity of the health system to effectively prepare for, detect, and respond to health emergencies. Key objectives include improving surveillance and early warning systems, strengthening health infrastructure, enhancing coordination among health stakeholders, building local capacities, and promoting community engagement in emergency response efforts. The immediate strategic objective of the EPR Programme focuses on reducing health-related mortality and morbidity by ensuring rapid, coordinated, and effective response activities during emergencies. This involves not only immediate relief and disease prevention efforts but also a strategic enhancement of the overall emergency response mechanisms to establish a more proactive and resilient health response system.

3.      Organizational context

Under the supervision of the Team Lead, the guidance of the EPR Team Lead, and the WHO Head of Country Office, and in collaboration with counterparts at the regional office, HQ, other WHO staff, and partners, the incumbent serves as a specialist in assessing the national water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) situation. This role requires maintaining continuous communication with a wide range of WHO personnel and responders, as well as various officials from the Ministry of Health (MOH). The incumbent provides expert advice on prioritized actions and plays a key role in the design and implementation of water and sanitation action plans within the Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) framework. This includes identifying needs, resources, and gaps, and negotiating access to common logistics facilities at the country level.

4.      Summary of Assigned Duties:

The following terms outline the responsibilities and expected contributions of the Technical Officer in advancing WHO’s mission to improve water, sanitation, and health standards in South Sudan, ensuring that programs are effective, sustainable, and aligned with both national needs and international health objectives.

·         Assessment and Monitoring:

o    Conduct regular assessments of the water, sanitation, and hygiene needs throughout South Sudan.

o    Monitor ongoing WASH projects and initiatives to ensure they meet WHO standards and local needs.

·         Program Development and Implementation:

o    Develop and implement comprehensive WASH programs and strategies in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and other partners.

o    Design action plans that effectively address identified needs, resource gaps, and logistical challenges in the delivery of WASH services.

·         Capacity Building:

o    Provide technical training and support to local health workers and partners in WASH practices.

o    Enhance the capabilities of local communities and health workers to manage and sustain WASH initiatives.

·         Policy and Advice:

o    Offer expert advice and guidance to the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders on best practices and innovations in WASH.

o    Contribute to the development of national policies and guidelines related to water, sanitation, and hygiene.

·         Coordination and Collaboration:

o    Collaborate closely with WHO regional offices, headquarters, and other stakeholders to align WASH initiatives with global health standards and practices.

o    Ensure effective coordination among various health actors and stakeholders involved in WASH projects.

·         Emergency Preparedness and Response:

o    Integrate WASH services with emergency preparedness and response activities to ensure rapid deployment during health crises.

o    Participate in emergency response teams and provide WASH expertise in outbreak situations.

·         Reporting and Documentation:

o    Prepare detailed reports on the status of WASH initiatives, outcomes, and challenges for WHO management and external donors.

o    Document lessons learned and best practices for future reference and improvement of WASH services.

·         Advocacy and Representation:

o    Represent WHO at national and international forums related to WASH.

o    Advocate for increased awareness, funding, and support for WASH programs from stakeholders and donors.

5.      Recruitment Profile

Competencies:

·         Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences.

·         Ensuring the effective use of resources.

·         Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond.

·         Communication.

·         Teamwork.

Functional Knowledge and Skills

·         Possesses deep understanding of water, sanitation, and hygiene practices and standards.

·         Experienced in the technical and logistical aspects of implementing WASH programs in resource-limited settings.

·         Demonstrated ability to plan, manage, and execute complex WASH projects effectively.

·         Skilled in managing budgets, timelines, and resources for optimal project outcomes.

·         Capable of designing and leading training programs for local health workers and community leaders, focusing on sustainable WASH practices.

·         Strong analytical abilities to assess needs and program effectiveness, with a talent for developing innovative solutions to WASH challenges.

·         Experienced in working with government entities, NGOs, and international organizations, with a proven ability to coordinate multiple stakeholders.

·         Knowledgeable in integrating WASH services with health emergency response mechanisms.

·         Excellent communication skills for diverse audiences and robust advocacy skills to promote WASH initiatives and secure support.

·         Understands and respects the cultural and political context of South Sudan, with flexibility to adapt strategies in challenging environments.

Education Qualifications

Required

Master’s degree in Environmental Health, Public Health, Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or a related field relevant to WASH

Desirable

Degree or training in public health, water, sanitation, and hygiene, computer applications in water and sanitation project design, and related database systems.

Experience

Essential

At least five (5) years of relevant experience, at the national and international levels, in the design and implementation of water and sanitation assessment and/or the design and management of related projects in emergencies.  Experience in developing and promoting collaborative actions with national authorities.

Desirable

Some experience or a sound knowledge of WHO mandate and goals or in UN organizations/agencies, international institutions, health cluster partners, recognized humanitarian organizations or NGOs.

Use of Language Skills

Excellent knowledge of English. Working knowledge of another WHO official language would be an asset.

Other Skills (e.g. IT)

Good computer skills in Microsoft Office.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION  

Additional Information (For HR use only):

· This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.

– Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

– A written test may be used as a form of screening.

– If your candidature is retained for interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/

diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO 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 through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will

require individual review.

– For information on WHO’s operations please visit: http://www.who.int.

· The WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The WHO recruits workforce

regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, cultural,

ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics.

The WHO is committed to achieving gender parity and geographical diversity in its workforce. Women, persons with

disabilities, and nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States (https://www.who.int/careers/diversityequity-

and-inclusion) are strongly encouraged to apply for WHO jobs.

Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process.

Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to reasonableaccommodation@who.int

· An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. WHO prides itself on a workforce that

adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter (https://

www.who.int/about/who-we-are/our-values) into practice.

– WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other types of abusive

conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to

play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA,

sexual harassment, and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA,

sexual harassment, or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background

verification of short-listed candidates.

– WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

– Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any

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the Consultant. The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security

contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in each location/jurisdiction in which the

work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.

– Please note that WHO’s contracts are conditional on members of the workforce confirming that they are vaccinated

as required by WHO before undertaking a WHO assignment, except where a medical condition does not allow such

vaccination, as certified by the WHO Staff Health and Wellbeing Services (SHW). The successful candidate will be asked

to provide relevant evidence related to this condition. A copy of the updated vaccination card must be shared with WHO

medical service in the medical clearance process. Please note that certain countries require proof of specific vaccinations

for entry or exit. For example, official proof /certification of yellow fever vaccination is required to enter many countries.

Country-specific vaccine recommendations can be found on the WHO International Travel and Staff Health and Wellbeing

website. For vaccination-related queries please directly contact SHW directly at shws@who.int.