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, hope

UNICEF in the State of Palestine (SoP) works to uphold the rights of children to access services and protection, from early childhood through to adolescence. Our objective is to ensure that every child in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, irrespective of background or circumstance, has an equal chance to fulfil their potential.

In the past years, UNICEF in the State of Palestine has achieved a high reach and engagement through its communication channels. UNICEF-SoP would like to build on this and continue engaging with our audience, who are not only seek information but are willing to have important conversations on crucial issues concerning children’s wellbeing and rights. 

How can you make a difference?

Under the overall direction and guidance of the WASH Manager - National WASH Cluster Coordinator, you will support leadership and representation of the Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group. You will facilitate the processes that will ensure a well-coordinated, strategic, adequate, coherent, and effective response by participants in the Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group that is accountable to those who are affected by the emergency. In your effort to provide an efficient and effective response to the humanitarian crisis, you will assist in building relationships with stakeholders, for securing the overall coordination of sectoral responses and for ensuring inter-sectoral collaboration at the national level whilst leading adequate coordination at the West Bank sub-national level.

You  will also be responsible for supporting UNICEF as a cluster lead agency to perform and strengthen its role as the last resort provider for the cluster to ensure an adequate and appropriate response.

As a result of the protracted nature of the situation in the State of Palestine, this position will combine the core cluster coordination functions with efforts to support UNICEF’s work on strengthening national systems, engaging communities, and planning and preparing for future emergencies in line with national and subnational preparedness and contingency plans and with early recovery plans for Gaza and the realization of the HDP nexus in the West Bank.

Your key functions/accountabilities

Coordination, representation and leadership

- Assist the establishment/strengthening and management of the National coordination mechanism that facilitates the effective achievement of the cluster functions (as outlined by the IASC Reference Module) and the requirements of the HPC (flash appeal, HNO, HRP and CCPM) and which builds on pre-existing coordination structures where appropriate and furthers the development of current or future national and subnational capacities.

- Lead the functionality of the West Bank sub-national Cluster ensuring alignment of work and priorities, effective communication, reporting, engagement, and coordination between the National and subnational.

- Coordinate with UNICEF WASH programme section, ensuring alignment of work and priorities, effective communication, reporting, and engagement., and overall coherence in light of UNICEF’s role as cluster Lead Agency.

- Ensure appropriate coordination and build partnerships with all relevant sector stakeholders, including government counterparts and national authorities, local, national and international organizations, other AoRs/ Clusters/Sectors/ Working Groups, and affected populations as appropriate.

- Build complementarity of partner actions within the Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group, pro-actively negotiating with partners to avoid and resolve duplication and gaps.

- Coordinate, collaborate and represent the Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group with stakeholders across all sectors, including through inter-cluster coordination fora, developing cross-sectoral relationships as appropriate.

Needs assessment and analysis

- Lead the planning and implementation of needs assessment and analysis, including representing the Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group in multi-sectoral needs assessments and joint analysis of need in the West Bank and supporting and backstopping National and/or Gaza level assessments.

- Analyze needs assessment data and work collaboratively with the Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group partners to create analytical products, including reports, briefs, or an HNO based on evidence-based information.

Strategic response planning

- Lead and coordinate strategic planning, response prioritization and the development of the sectoral response plan or flash appeal that is based on the HNO or other assessments for the West Bank; aligned with national priorities, policies and plans.

- Ensure all programme delivery modalities (in-kind, cash, voucher and services) are given equal consideration in the strategic response planning and establish and implement systematic measures for supporting their consideration and use.

- Provide relevant technical expertise and advice to National, West Bank subnational and Gaza subnational Clusters/ Sectors/ Working Groups partners to ensure activities are aligned with national priorities and communities' needs.

- Ensure that West Bank Cluster response planning is regularly updated according to evolving needs and that it establishes indicators by which performance of the Cluster can be measured, whilst aiding in the update on a National and Gaza subnational level when needed. 

- Engage with OCHA and other AoRs/ Clusters/ Sectors/ Working Groups to contribute to the development of the HRP/flash appeal, advocating for a response that reflects and addresses the concerns of the Cluster.

Resource mobilization and advocacy

- Support the National Cluster Coordinator in the mobilization of adequate resources to ensure the effective functioning of the Cluster and its response, as well as for the early recovery component.

- Monitor, analyze, and communicate information about the West Bank Cluster financial situation and resource mobilization and identify appropriate actions to address gaps or constraints.

- Advocate for improved sectoral outcomes, network with advocacy allies, and influence stakeholders' decision-making.

Implementation and monitoring

- Monitor, evaluate and report on the coverage, equity, quality, and progress of the response against the Cluster strategy, priorities, and agreed results.

- Plan and support gap and coverage analysis in the West Bank to identify spatial and temporal gaps, overlaps and coverage of the Cluster humanitarian response.

- Support the monitoring of the National Cluster adherence to IASC cluster approach principles, relevant humanitarian and sectoral agreements, standards, initiatives and guidelines and encourage partners to make improvements.

Operational peer review and evaluation

- Assist in leading and facilitating the annual cluster coordination performance monitoring (CCPM) exercise and annual review and contribute to other sectoral and humanitarian evaluations as appropriate.

Accountability to affected populations

- Be accountable to the affected population by promoting inclusive and consultative feedback mechanisms and encouraging the involvement of affected population in the response.

- Ensure the inclusion of cross cutting issues (age, child protection, disability, gender, gender-based violence (GBV) mitigation and response and HIV & AIDS) in Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group activities throughout the HPC.

- Encourage partners to demonstrate a positive and systematic approach to inclusion and diversity.

- Adhere to child safeguarding and PSEA policies including procedures for challenging and reporting incidents and ensure other members of the coordination team comply.

Strengthen national and local capacity

- Encourage participation of local and national actors in Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group activities and strategic decision-making, removing barriers to access.

- Aid in leading the development of a capacity assessment and capacity strengthening strategy for Cluster members and oversee implementation and harmonization of initiatives.

- Lead early warning, contingency planning, and emergency preparedness efforts for the West Bank Cluster, ensuring adequate cluster participation in inter-cluster early warning, contingency planning and emergency preparedness activities.

- Be responsible for Supporting UNICEF as a cluster lead agency to perform and strengthen its role as the last resort provider for the cluster to ensure an adequate and appropriate response.

- Contribute to efforts supporting UNICEF’s work on strengthening national systems, engaging national authorities, communities, humanitarian and development donors, and planning and preparing for future emergencies.

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

Education:

- An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: public health, social sciences, health and hygiene behavior change communication, WASH-related engineering or another relevant technical field. Additional relevant post-graduate courses that complement/ supplement the main degree are a strong asset.

Experience:

- A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in WASH-related programmes planning, management is required. Relevant experience in programme management in WASH related areas in a UN system agency or organization is considered an asset.

- Experience in effective management of human resources/teams in high stress/risk environments is an advantage.

- Experience in a mixed set of country contexts, in multiple geographic regions, including a deployment mission with UN, Government or INGO is strongly desirable.

- Experience in humanitarian contexts is required with experience in development contexts an added advantage.

Language Requirement:

- Fluency in English and Arabic is required. Knowledge of another official UN language, is considered 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.

This position is not considered an elevated risk role. However, UNICEF reserves the right to conduct further vetting/assessment within the scope of child safeguarding as appropriate. 

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 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.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

This is required for all posts requiring a higher education degree. “UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/

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

The VA is open to all (internal and external candidates)

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.

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.