Batch of 5 positions: WASH Officer, NO-2, TA (6Months), Bunia, Butembo, Kinshasa, DR of the Congo - WCAR
Apply now
Job no: 593881
Contract type: Temporary Appointment
Duty Station: Bunia
Location: Democratic Republic of Congo
Categories: WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene)
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.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is responding to its 17th Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak, confirmed in May 2026 and affecting Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu provinces. The situation remains complex and evolving, with transmission occurring in both community and health-care settings. Response efforts are led by national authorities in a context shaped by health system limitations, logistical constraints, insecurity, displacement, and diverse community perceptions influencing health-seeking behaviors.
UNICEF supports the Government through a multi-sectoral approach, focusing on community engagement, surveillance, infection prevention, and the continuity of essential services for vulnerable populations. This context requires strong coordination, adaptability, and cultural sensitivity to support effective and equitable response efforts, particularly for children and at-risk communities.
How can you make a difference?
MAJOR DUTIES AND KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Ensure the day-to-day operational coordination of the UNICEF WASH/IPC response in affected areas, in close collaboration with health authorities, Ministry of Health response teams, and operational partners.
-
Represent UNICEF in WASH/IPC coordination mechanisms at provincial and local levels (IPC Commission, WASH/IPC sub-pillar, Ebola Task Force, partner meetings, etc.) to ensure a harmonized and integrated response.
-
Lead and coordinate rapid WASH/IPC needs assessments and gap analyses in health facilities, schools, at-risk communities, IDP sites, and other priority locations.
-
Contribute to the operational planning of the UNICEF WASH/IPC response, including the identification of priorities, resource needs, intervention areas, and implementation modalities.
-
Identify, monitor, and support NGO operational partners involved in the response, ensuring quality, timeliness, results, and compliance of interventions.
-
Prepare and follow up on UNICEF partnership documents (SPD/ProDocs), including budgets, workplans, indicators, timelines, and required supporting documentation.
-
Ensure regular monitoring of partner-implemented activities through field visits, follow-up meetings, quality checks, and performance reviews.
-
Contribute to the development and updating of the WASH/IPC supply plan in coordination with Supply & Logistics teams and operational partners.
-
Ensure tracking of stocks, orders, requisitions, distributions, and prepositioning of WASH/IPC inputs and equipment required for the response.
-
Monitor last-mile distribution and implement robust End User Monitoring (EUM) mechanisms to verify proper receipt, use, and traceability of distributed kits and supplies.
-
Support the implementation of WASH/IPC activities in health facilities, schools, and communities, particularly in hygiene, disinfection, biomedical waste management, water supply, and infection prevention.
-
Organize and facilitate WASH/IPC training sessions, coaching, and technical supervision for health workers, partners, community teams, and local authorities.
-
Collaborate closely with RCCE/SBC teams to strengthen community engagement and awareness on WASH/IPC measures and Ebola prevention.
-
Ensure systematic integration of PSEA requirements in the WASH/IPC response and monitor partners’ compliance with UNICEF PSEA standards.
-
Contribute to the collection, consolidation, and analysis of operational data, as well as regular reporting (SitReps, HAC, donor reports, monitoring dashboards, and other reporting tools).
-
Provide regular updates on the response status, progress, operational constraints, gaps, and recommendations to support timely and informed decision-making.
-
Ensure that the WASH/IPC response is implemented in full compliance with UNICEF procedures, SOPs, and requirements, particularly regarding financial management, DCTs, supply management, End User Monitoring, accountability, and programmatic and financial tracking.
If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:
04 - ToR WASH Off NO2 - 3 DS - batch 5 posts.docx
To qualify as a champio for every child you will have…
Minimum requirements:
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in public health, environmental health, sanitary engineering, or a related field. Additional relevant postgraduate training that complements the main degree would be considered a strong asset.
- Work Experience: At least two (2) years of relevant professional experience in WASH, water quality, public health, environmental health, Ebola preparedness and response, management of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), management of hemorrhagic fevers, WASH/IPC, infection prevention, control protocols, or other related fields.
- Skills: IPC, partnerships management, CAT, PSEA, programme management, Menstrual hygiene management, monitoring and evaluation.
- Language Requirements: Fluency in French is required.
Desirables:
-
- Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, English, Russian or Spanish) or a local language
- Public health emergency, water supply, rural sanitation, urban sanitation, WASH in school,
- Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.
Technical competencies required:
- Demonstrate basic knowledge of six of the eight components below:
-
-
- Standards and protocols for Infection Prevention and Control (IPC)
- Knowledge and experience in WASH/IPC emergency response strategies in public health emergencies
- Rural water supply in low- and middle-income countries, including water safety and sustainability
- Rural sanitation in low- and middle-income countries, including sustainability; application of CLTS principles
- Urban sanitation in low- and middle-income countries, including sustainability
- Handwashing with soap
- WASH in schools and health care facilities
- Menstrual hygiene management
-
- Demonstrate basic knowledge of one of the three components below:
-
-
- PSEA measures and requirements
- Humanitarian WASH – preparedness
- Humanitarian WASH – response and recovery
- Demonstrate basic knowledge of the Humanitarian WASH component – coordination of response
- Demonstrate basic knowledge of the four components below:
-
-
- Programme/project management
- Capacity building
- Knowledge management
- Monitoring and evaluation
-
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…
(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.
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.
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 committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates are encouraged to apply.
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.
Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.
Visa residence requirements: i.e. UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.
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.
Advertised: W. Central Africa Standard Time
Deadline: W. Central Africa Standard Time