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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 for as long as we are needed. 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 professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture., coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

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

For every child, the right to Protection...

UNICEF Malawi supports the Government of Malawi to progressively realize the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, with a focus on rural and underserved populations, schools, healthcare facilities, and communities vulnerable to climate change. Through its Country Programme, UNICEF contributes to the delivery of sustainable and climate-resilient WASH infrastructure, including solar-powered water supply systems and improved institutional WASH facilities. In collaboration with government ministries, district councils, NGOs, and other development partners, UNICEF plays a key role in strengthening technical capacity, supporting infrastructure design and implementation, and ensuring quality assurance for WASH services that are safe, inclusive, and sustainable.

How can you make a difference? 

The objective of this LTA is to secure ongoing technical support and engineering expertise on-demand for UNICEF Malawi's Country Programme in rural WASH infrastructure on an as-and-when-required basis. Specifically, the individual consultant will:

• Provide high-quality technical designs, review, and validation for solar-powered reticulated rural water supply systems.
• Provide design support, technical review, validation, and engineering oversight for institutional WASH facilities (schools, healthcare facilities, community institutions).
• Support UNICEF in the technical evaluation of proposed designs and feasibility studies by implementing partners and third-party contractors.
• Ensure all proposed infrastructure meets national guidelines, international best practices, and UNICEF's sustainability, safety, equity, and climate-resilience standards.
• Provide advisory services and capacity-building to national and local stakeholders, including government authorities and NGOs, related to technical aspects of solar water pumping systems and WASH infrastructure.

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

Work experience:

• • Minimum of 10 years professional experience designing, reviewing, or validating rural solar-powered reticulated water supply systems and institutional WASH facilities (schools, healthcare facilities) in developing contexts.
  • Demonstrated experience in providing technical advice, quality assurance, and validation of infrastructure designs, preferably within Malawi or similar Sub-Saharan African contexts.
  • Proven experience providing capacity-building, mentoring, or technical advisory services for government partners, NGOs, or development organizations.
  • Experience working on emergency preparedness and response related to WASH infrastructure is desirable.

Technical skills, knowledge and competencies:

• • Strong technical skills and demonstrated expertise in designing and validating solar-powered water pumping and distribution systems, including hydraulic calculations, system sizing, solar energy integration, and climate resilience.
  • Competent in engineering software applications and technical design tools relevant to water infrastructure (e.g., AutoCAD, EPANET, WaterCAD, Solar Pump Sizing Software).
  • Strong knowledge of international (UNICEF, WHO) and national standards, guidelines, and best practices for institutional WASH infrastructure design.
  • Excellent analytical, communication, reporting, and training skills, with a demonstrated ability to effectively communicate technical information clearly to diverse stakeholders.

Please refer to the attached full Terms of Reference  Terms of Reference_LTA for Engineering Services.pdf for more details on the consultancy and requirements.

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 promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

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.

HOW TO APPLY...

Interested consultants should provide the following:

1. Curriculum Vitae
2. Brief technical proposal (no longer than five pages) demonstrating the consultant’s understanding of the assignment and approach/methodology to the assignment
3. Financial proposal including a breakdown of your daily ‘professional fee’ and daily ‘field work fee’ (variable by district).  Financial Offer Template.xlsx Complete the attached form.
4. References details from at least 3 most recent supervisors, including a current supervisor, who can affirm and validate relevant engineering experience.

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.

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.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.