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. 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, a future

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbkJiMmvKqk

How can you make a difference? 

At Country Office level, the Chief WASH reports to the Representative or Deputy Representative for general guidance and direction. The Chief is responsible for managing and supervising all stages of the WASH programme from strategic planning and formulation to the delivery of the WASH outcome and output results.  The Chief is also responsible for leading and managing the CO WASH team.  The Chief WASH is accountable for ensuring that the WASH outcome and output results are achieved according to plans, allocations, results based-management approaches and methodology, UNICEF’s Strategic Plan, standards of performance and accountability framework. At Regional or HQ level, the Senior WASH Adviser worked under direct supervision of the Deputy Regional Director or Associate Director respectively. A role at the regional and HQ level focuses on demonstrating UNICEF’s strategic technical and management leadership in WASH generally, including in key areas as emergency preparedness and response areas, high level advocacy on WASH needs and issues, leveraging financial and other resources, build on evidence, analysis of data to mobilize resources and partnership for advancing WASH and UNICEF’s contribution to achieving sustainable, resilient and inclusive SDG results in diverse contexts to “Leave No One Behind".

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Managerial and technical leadership:

• Establish the annual work plan, determining priorities and performance measurements. Monitor workplan implementation, to ensure that WASH output results are achieved to schedule and performance standards.  Report critical issues to the Deputy and Representative or Associate Director for timely action.
• Establish the annual workplan outputs, activities and developmental priorities of the WASH section staff.  Provide timely guidance to enable the WASH section staff to perform their duties responsibly and efficiently.

2. Strategic guidance in programme development and planning:

• Oversee the preparation of the WASH inputs for the situation analysis.  Ensure that comprehensive and current data is used to inform WASH policy and programme development, planning, management and implementation. Keep abreast of global, regional and national WASH sector developments, for maximum efficiency and effectiveness in WASH programme design, management and implementation.
• Collaborate with colleagues and partners to discuss national WASH priorities, resources, strategies and methodologies to ensure the most strategic use of the collective resources of external support agencies.

3. Efficiency in programme management, monitoring and quality control of results:

• Prepare documentation for programme reviews and analytical statements on progress and constraints of WASH outcome and output results.
• 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.

 4. Advisory services and technical support:

• Participate in strategic discussions to influence national WASH policies and strategies, including the reduction of inequalities, contributing to global sector learning.
• Advise senior officials in government, NGOs, UN agencies and WASH sector donors on WASH policies, strategies and best practices.

5. Advocacy, networking and partnership building:

• Build and strengthen strategic partnerships with government counterparts, UN agencies, donor agencies, WASH institutions, NGOs, research institutes and the private sector to stimulate coordination and collaboration.
• Oversee the analysis of national budgets for WASH, cost analysis and value-for-money studies, to advocate for improvements in sector efficiency. 

6. Quality, timeliness and predictability of humanitarian WASH preparedness and response:

• Ensure the annual preparation/revision of UNICEF’s preparedness for WASH in emergencies. 
• Ensure the coordination arrangements for humanitarian WASH are in place, for instant robust coordination in case of an emergency. 

7.  Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building:

• Organize and lead the development, implementation, monitoring and documentation of WASH action research and innovation (technical or systems), ensuring rigorous monitoring and wide sharing of results.
• Determine priorities for learning/knowledge products, covering innovative approaches and good practices, to support overall WASH sector development.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Chief of WASH- Job Description

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

Minimum requirements:

• An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: civil or environmental engineering, public health, social sciences, health and hygiene behavior change communication, environmental or public health, water resource management or another relevant technical field.
• For non-technical degrees, additional relevant post-graduate courses that complement/supplement the main degree are required.

• A minimum of ten years of professional experience including in senior leadership and management positions at international level working in development, fragile and humanitarian contexts – preferably with experience in nexus programming. In addition, experience in HQ and/RO will be welcome.

• Direct, practical experience and demonstrable track record in leading the design and implementation of large-scale Water, Sanitation and Hygiene programme preferably with focus on climate adaptation and mitigation.

• Experience in leading and managing medium to large teams of WASH professionals with proven track record on systems strengthening and integration for accelerated program results will be desirable.

• Specific experience in leading and convening strategic partnerships with bilateral donors and non-traditional donors and multilaterals is required and working with IFI’s, managing partnerships and budgets and engagement with private sector will be an asset.

• Knowledge leadership experience in WASH and Climate and publication experience for a range of audiences (technical, academic, research and non-technical) is an asset.

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language 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.

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, 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.

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.

Eligible staff members on fixed-term, continuing or permanent contracts applying to IP TA positions in a duty station designated as L2/L3, may be able to retain a lien and their fixed-term entitlements, subject to approval by their Head of Office. The conditions of the temporary assignment will vary depending on the status of their post and relocation entitlements may be limited as per the relevant policies.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.