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For every child, Hope
The WASH Specialist – Sanitation and Hygiene is to be used in the Regional Office where the Regional Director is at the D2 level and WASH is an outcome result and a results area contributing to regional priorities. The WASH Specialist – Sanitation and Hygiene (P4) provides technical advice and support to Country Offices implementing WASH programmes and backstopping for the Regional WASH Advisor during absences. The Specialist reports to the Regional WASH Advisor (P5).


How can you make a difference
Purpose of the Job:
The WASH Specialist – Sanitation & Hygiene (S&H) reports to the Regional WASH Advisor (P5) for general guidance and direction. The S&H Specialist supports the Regional WASH Advisor in managing the WASH section, and in leading the technical support for the development, preparation, management, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the WASH Programme in the West and Central Africa region. The Specialist provides technical guidance and management support throughout the programming processes, to ensure the achievement of the WASH-related output results in the Regional Office Management Programme (ROMP) and the Key Result for Children (KRC) #8 on Ending Open Defecation. The Specialist provides authoritative advisory services to Country Offices and sector support agencies and interacts with government at senior levels and with senior staff in the International Development Banks.



Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks
Management support to the Regional WASH Advisor
• Advise the Regional WASH Advisor in establishing the annual work plan and annual workplan outputs, activities and developmental priorities, determining priorities and performance measurements, with a focus on sanitation and hygiene. Monitor workplan implementation, to ensure that WASH output results are achieved to schedule and performance standards. Report critical issues to the RO WASH Advisor for timely action.
• Provide technical advice to WASH section colleagues on all aspects of programming and implementation in Sanitation & Hygiene.
• Perform the full duties of the Regional WASH Advisor in his/her absence.

Advocacy, networking and partnership
• Advocacy, Strategic representation and partnership to improve Sanitation & Hygiene outcomes at regional level.
• Advocacy for the uptake of Climate Resilient and Safely Managed Sanitation Services, KRC 8 change strategies on Ending Open Defecation, and key sector priorities in particular with AU/AMCOW N’gor
• Declaration commitment and the Africa San movement,
• Advocacy and Visibility for WASH sector events: Global Handwashing Day, World Toilet Day, Menstrual Health Day, World Water Day, and other key events.
• Represent WCARO at Sanitation & Hygiene forums such as AMCOW AfricaSan International Task Force and other UNICEF engagements.
• Support Regional WASH Advisor to Manage Strategic Partnerships with key donors.


Programme development and planning
• Provide technical assistance and capacity development to country offices (COs) for Sanitation & Hygiene programme development, planning, implementation and monitoring, including in emergency contexts.
• Provide comprehensive and current data to inform WASH policy and programme development, planning, management and implementation in CO’s. Keep abreast of Sanitation & Hygiene sector developments, for maximum efficiency and effectiveness in providing technical assistance for WASH programme design, management and implementation.
• Work collaboratively with internal and external colleagues and partners to discuss regional and national WASH priorities, resources, strategies and methodologies to ensure the most strategic use of the collective resources of external support agencies.
• 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, the Safely Managed Sanitation Game Plan, the Shift Towards Climate Resilient Programmes, and the country programme as well as government plans and priorities, and the role of other WASH external support agencies.
• Review CO’s WASH programme, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s Strategic Plan, UNICEF’s global WASH strategy, the Safely Managed Sanitation Game Plan, country programme and government plans and priorities, with a view of positioning UNICEF strategically amongst other WASH external support agencies.
• Review and prepare as needed WASH donor proposals, ensuring alignment with the WASH output results in the country programme and Global WASH strategy.
• Develop CO’s staff capacity to deliver and monitor sanitation and hygiene programs and KRC8.


Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building
• Support Innovation, knowledge management and evidence generation in relation to sanitation and hygiene.
• Support the implementation, monitoring and documentation of WASH action research and innovation (technical or systems), ensuring rigorous monitoring and wide sharing of results.
• Prepare learning/knowledge products, covering innovative approaches in sanitation and hygiene good practices, to support overall WASH sector development.
• Disseminate Knowledge products and capacity development initiatives in the Region.
• Support the professional development of UNICEF WASH staff, to ensure the region’s WASH sector capacity remains up-to-date with latest developments.
• Participate as a resource person in capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders.


Advisory services and technical support
• Provide oversight and quality assurance for sanitation and hygiene program outcomes.
• Participate in strategic discussions to influence UNICEF CO’s programme and strategies, including the reduction of inequalities, sustainability, and movement up the sanitation ladder, contributing to global sector learning.
• Advise senior officials in government, NGOs, UN agencies and WASH sector donor agencies on WASH policies, strategies and best practices.
• Draft policy papers, briefs and other strategic materials for use by management, donors, UNICEF Country office and headquarters.
• Plan for the use of technical experts from HQ or others section of RO, as and where appropriate, through remote support and on-site visits.
• Report critical issues in CO’s WASH programme to the Regional WASH Advisor for timely action.


Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results
• Draft documentation for RO programme reviews and analytical statements on progress and constraints of
• WASH outcome and output results, in relation to sanitation and hygiene.
• Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes for the achievement of the WASH output results. Ensure effective collaboration with other UNICEF sectors, where needed.
• With other external support agencies, analyze regional and national WASH sector programmes and projects, with a focus on WASH outcomes (behaviors), using bottleneck analysis tools available in the sector (WASH-BAT, CSOs, SDAs).
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual sectoral reviews with government and other partners and prepare reports for the Regional WASH advisor and senior management.
• Monitor, report and certify the use of sectoral programme resources (financial, administrative and other assets), verify compliance with approved allocations, organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity. Report issues to the Regional WASH Advisor for timely resolution.
• Prepare sectoral progress reports for management, donors and partners.


Impact of Results
The support provided by the WCARO WASH specialist – Sanitation and Hygiene, will enable the Regional Office to achieve the WASH-related output results of the Regional Office Management Plan (Output 4.1 on Ending Open Defecation). This, in turn, will contribute to the achievement of the outcome results at country level. When done effectively, the achievement of the outcome results will improve child survival, growth and development and reduce inequalities in the region.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…


Minimum requirements
Education: An advanced university degree in one of the following fields: environment and sustainable development, public health, social sciences, behavior change communication, sanitary engineering or another relevant technical field.


Work Experience
• A minimum of 8 years of relevant professional experience in WASH-related programmes for developing countries is required.
• At least 5 years of deployment in a developing country is required.
• Experience in fragile contexts and emergency situation, experience in sub-Saharan countries
• Familiarity and experience with international financing institutions and international organizations
• Language Requirements: Fluency in French and English is required
Desirables:
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency.
• Portuguese and knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish) 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
• (8)Nurtures, leads and manages people


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 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.