Temporary Appointment – WASH Officer (Emergencies), NO-2, UNICEF Eastern Caribbean Area Office, Post #125122, *Open to Nationals of Eastern Caribbean Countries*

 

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, A FUTURE

How can you make a difference?

Duration of contract: 364 days

Background:

UNICEF promotes the rights and welfare of all children and adolescents in everything we do. Together with our allies, we work in 190 countries and territories to transform this commitment into practical actions that benefit all children, especially focusing our efforts on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded, worldwide.

Natural hazards have long shaped the vulnerability of children across the Eastern Caribbean, one of the world’s most disaster-prone areas. In the Eastern Caribbean Area (ECA) UNICEF is the co-lead Agency with the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) for the WASH Cluster/Sector Area of Responsibility. Considering the potential impact of natural hazards and the likelihood of these to increase in intensity in the years to come, UNICEF ECA is invested in strengthening its capacity in emergency preparedness and response, climate change adaption and mitigation and resilience-building, particularly in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).

This Temporary Appointment (TA) is established in the context of a significant increase in UNICEF emergency response activities in the Eastern Caribbean. The WASH Officer (Emergencies) will support the coordination of UNICEF’s emergency preparedness and response to emergencies as well as support the wider programming in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and climate change in the Eastern Caribbean.

The position will support both the coordination of the emergency preparedness and response, including sector coordination and programme pillars, and also support development of a solid foundation for climate change programming in the Eastern Caribbean. This position will be in a key strategic position to support UNICEF in driving the preparedness, disaster risk reduction and resilience as well as responding to emergencies.

Purpose of the Job:

The WASH Officer (Emergencies) reports to the Programme Specialist – Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Engagement, who is responsible for leading the development, preparation, management, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Outcome 4: Climate Engagement and Resilience, which includes the multi-country office emergency preparedness and response. The WASH Officer (Emergencies) will work in close coordination and guidance of the Emergency Specialist with areas pertaining to WASH in emergency preparedness and response guided by UNICEF’s Core Commitment for Children (CCCs), they will also work closely with the Immediate Response Team (IRT) and will be guided by the Emergency Specialist if an emergency response is required.

The WASH Officer (Emergencies) will provide technical advisory support to governments, lead the WASH sector/cluster coordination in collaboration with the national government and inter-cluster mechanisms, and support UN agencies, and key stakeholders (e.g., WASH Committees/technical working groups). This position is expected to also coordinate UNICEF’s WASH in emergency preparedness and response at sub-regional and national coordination meetings in response to emergencies. It is aimed to make the humanitarian WASH sector better organized and more accountable, integrating gender and inclusion, so that it can be a better partner for the affected people, host governments, local authorities, local civil society and resourcing partners.

Work relationships: In this humanitarian response, UNICEF partners with a variety of actors to deliver the crucial aspects of protection and assistance for persons of concern. This includes operational partners, a wide range of government, UN and CSO/NGO partners who contribute expertise and financial resources to the collective response. In addition, UNICEF concludes project partnership agreements through which partners are funded by the agency in varying operational modalities. The inclusion of all partners, funded by UNICEF or not, in all aspects of the programme cycle is an important component in emergency operations. Joint assessments, joint planning, joint monitoring, and joint advocacy are invaluable opportunities to reduce the gaps in the response and enhance quality and accountability to affected populations.

Summary of Key Functions/Accountabilities:

1. WASH in emergency preparedness and response
2. WASH and Coordination
3. WASH in Emergencies – Monitoring and Reporting
4. Networking and partnership building

Key Functions, Accountabilities and Related Duties/Tasks:

WASH in emergencies preparedness and response

Planning and Quality Implementation:

• Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes and ensure integration, coherence and harmonization of WASH and Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability (CCED) with other UNICEF sectors, for the achievement of the WASH and CCES output results, with a key focus on Caribbean Safe Schools Initiative (CSSI) and in line with the CCCs.
• Strengthen national government WASH and CCES sector monitoring systems, using analysis tools available in the sector (e.g.WASH-BAT, CC-DRM). 
• Support UNICEF development and implementation of the UNICEF WASH Response Plan (targets, indicators, activities, budget), ensuring quality response implementation of the implementing partners and accounting for specific needs of women, men, boys, girls and persons with disabilities.
• Support UNICEF in identifying and implementing strategies and mechanisms to scale up the WASH preparedness and response in case of an emergency.
• Ensure effective and coherent analysis of implementation/progress, including identifying and recommending appropriate actions to cover gaps, involving all relevant partners.
• 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.
• Ensure that all UNICEF national coordinators are familiar with UNICEF’s procedures for responding to an emergency.
• Participate in inter-agency discussions, ensuring that WASH planning and response is fully considered and integrated in the United Nations Emergency Technical Team (UNETT) contingency planning, as well as integrated in the Caribbean Safe Schools Initiative.

Coordination:

• Contribute to the coordination arrangement for humanitarian WASH, for instant robust coordination in case of an emergency in line with the CCCs and cluster/sector coordination requirements.
• Support the development and training in the use of WASH in emergency templates, needs assessments for the Caribbean Disaster Management Agency (CDEMA) and national WASH Committees/technical working groups, including use of innovative approaches to ensure timely and efficient collection of information.
• Ensure appropriate WASH coordination mechanisms at national level/s are in place and meeting minimum standards, including effective links, communication.
• Ensure effective links with other working groups or sectoral coordination platforms at the national level as well as with local government units, including identifying opportunities for collaboration that can contribute to the improvement of the humanitarian situation.
• Coordinate and participate actively with WASHLAC to ensure that ECA and WASH actors within the region continue to foster regional capacities, learning and information sharing.
• Work closely and collaboratively with colleagues and partners to discuss implementation issues, provide solutions, recommendations and/or to 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 to assess programmes/projects, and to report on 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), verifying compliance with approved allocations, organizational rules, regulations, procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity. Report on critical issues and findings to ensure timely resolution by management and stakeholders. Follow up on unresolved issues to ensure resolution.
• Prepare regular and mandated sectoral programme/project reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of programme progress.

Capacity Building

• Support the establishment of WASH and climate change and resilience (CCR) capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of national disaster management offices/agencies, WASH Committees/working groups and stakeholders, with a focus on systems strengthening.
• Support as a resource person, if required, in the training and development of WASH in emergencies templates, assessments and other tools in coordination with key co-leads and CDEMA.
• Contribute to the systematic assessment of WASH and CCES sector capacity gap analysis, in collaboration with government and other stakeholders, and support the design of initiative to strengthen capacities systematically and sustainably.
• Conduct regular programme field visits and surveys and exchange information with partners/stakeholders to assess progress and provide technical support. Take appropriate action to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for resolution. Report on critical issues, bottlenecks and potential problems for timely action to achieve results.
• 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 child protection, to support programme implementation.

WASH and CCR Coordination

• In emergencies, the WASH Officer (Emergencies) will have the joint responsibility with PAHO, and the national governmental coordinator/focal points, in supporting coordination of the national response in the implementation of the WASH sector core functions.
• Establish and maintain appropriate humanitarian coordination mechanisms, ensuring linkages to corresponding ministries and WASH actors.
• Strengthen pre-existing sectoral coordination through increased predictability and accountability.
• Build complementarity on partner actions: avoiding duplication and gaps.
• Ensure adequate resources are mobilized and are equitably allocated for the effective functioning of the WASH sector and its response.
• Effective and comprehensive integration of relevant cross-cutting issues, including age, gender, environment.
• Maintain flexibility within WASH coordination mechanisms to respond to changes in the operating environment, evolving requirements, capacities and participation.
• Effectively use and transfer information to, from and between WASH sector participants and other stakeholders.
• Interact with other sectors established in a national or sub-national response (including through CDEMA coordination), government counterparts, and relevant authorities for operational planning, engagement and active contribution of operational partners.
• Be accountable to the affected population (AAP) through effective and inclusive consultative and feedback mechanisms.
• Monitor performance of the core WASH sector functions.
• Effective communication, reporting, engagement and coordination with the national WASH sector.
• Advocate for gaps in humanitarian response of the WASH sector

WASH in Emergencies Monitoring and Reporting

• Support implementing partners with a Monitoring Plan and tools that capture project progress, public health risk monitoring by community health works, and AAP/feedback from beneficiary children, women, men, persons with disabilities throughout the design, implementation and monitoring of the WASH programme (with sex and age disaggregated data).
• Follow up with the timely delivery of assistance and procurement of supplies, and other related to WASH interventions and end-user monitoring.
• Assist with reporting (UNICEF and OCHA situation reports, other reporting requirements) and effective information sharing to highlight needs, responses, issues in the implementation and demonstrate the closing of gaps.

Networking and partnership building

• Support UNICEF Specialists to roll-out key advocacy plans and partnerships, including Water and Climate, COP28.
• Collaborate with UNICEF Partnership Specialist to support engagement with private sector on the Business and Community Resilience (BCR) approach – with the aim of establishing partnerships to mobilize business core expertise, operational capacities and networks in emergency response.
• Together with the Social Policy Specialist ensure assistance in WASH is in line with market-based programming and promotes integration between cash and voucher assistance in WASH implementation.
• Build and sustain close working partnerships with government counterparts and national stakeholders through active sharing of information and knowledge – and highlighting UNICEF’s work on WASH and CCR.
• Prepare materials for WASH and climate change and resilience programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships and support resource mobilization and leveraging.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have the following minimum qualifications:

• A university degree in one of the following fields is required: public health, social sciences, behaviour change communication, sanitary engineering, Utility Engineering, Environment or Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, climate change or another relevant technical field.
• At least 2 years progressively responsible humanitarian work experience with UN, governments, and/or NGO, including programme management and/or coordination in the first phase of a major emergency response relevant to the cluster.
• Knowledge of climate change’s current international and national frameworks, commitments and plans is an asset
• Proven ability to coordinate across multiple stakeholders in an emergency.
• Formal training or past experience in WASH cluster coordination.
• Excellent presentational skills.
• Fluency in English is required. Spanish 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

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (1)
Works collaboratively with others (1)
Builds and maintains partnership (1)
Innovates and embraces change (1)
Thinks and acts strategically (1)
Drive to achieve results for impact (1)
Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

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:

*Bearing in mind the necessities of service and programmatic priorities, this post is open to nationals of the Eastern Caribbean countries including Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.  Candidates must be citizens of any of these countries to be considered eligible for this post.  Please note that National Officers (NOs) are expected to serve in the country of their nationality; therefore the nationality of the selected candidate will determine the duty station of the post.  Being locally recruited staff, candidates are personally responsible for any travel and accommodation arrangements required to start her/his appointment.  Candidates are advised that depending upon the nationality and duty station of the most technically qualified and suitable candidate and contingent upon the availability of office space in that country, the post may be considered as work from home.

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

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  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.