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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.

For every child, Hope

Under the Chief WASH management and guidance, and in close collaboration with the Emergency Manager based in Goma, the WASH Specialist ERT will lead and support WASH responses to humanitarian emergencies across DRC. The role of the WASH Specialist Emergency is an operational role. He/She will be part of a response team based in Goma.

How can you make a difference?

1. Programme development and planning

• Draft the WASH inputs for the situation analysis and humanitarian sitreps.  Provide timely, comprehensive and current data to inform WASH policy and programme development, planning, management and implementation. Keep abreast of WASH sector development trends, for maximum efficiency and effectiveness in programme design, management and implementation.
• Participate in strategic WASH programme planning discussions. Prepare WASH donor proposals and reporting, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s Strategic Plan, UNICEF’s global WASH strategy the Country programme and the HAC appeal, as well as government plans and priorities, and the role of other external support agencies.

2. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results.

• With other external support agencies, strengthen national government WASH sector monitoring systems, including WASH cluster reporting tools
• 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.

    3. Technical and operational support for programme 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/or 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 programme implementation.

    4. Humanitarian WASH preparedness and response

• Initiate, use, or strengthen early warning systems to enable a solid monitoring of WASH related emergencies and impacts.
• Lead needs assessments during emergencies and prepare timely and quality evaluation reports.
• Prepare 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.

    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.
• Prepare materials for WASH programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships and support fund-raising.

If you would like to know more about these positions, please review the complete Job Description here:  JD – WASH Specialist – EmergResponse T- VA.doc

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education:
  • An advanced university degree (Master’s) in one of the following fields is required: public health, social sciences, Water & sanitary engineering or another relevant technical field.
• Work Experience:
  • A minimum of (5) five years of professional experience in WASH Emergency-related programmes.
  • At least three years of experience in leading WASH emergency programs in a L3/L2 level emergency.
  • Proven solid experience in leading WASH programs in response to public health emergencies (cholera, ebola, etc.)
• Skills
  • Emotional Intelligence.
  • Managing complexity and change.
• Language Requirements:
  •  Fluency in French and English is required. Knowledge of a local language is an asset.

Desirables:

• Experience in supporting successful client-oriented work units.
• Prior experience in the development sector or UN system/ international NGOs would be an asset.
• Experience in a UN system agency, large private or public company, or experience working in a developing country and/or humanitarian/ emergency context.
• Additional relevant post-graduate courses that complement/supplement the main.
• Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of DRC.

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

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

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is either a role with direct contact with children, a role that works directly with identifiable children’s data, a safeguarding response role, or an assessed risk role. Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) apply.

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 measures to include a more diverse workforce, such as paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, 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.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, Female candidates are encouraged.

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.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

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

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.