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For every child, HOPE!

Consultancy Title: WASH Cholera Training Expert, Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station: Wash Section - Programme Division, NYHQ

Duration: July , 2025 to September 12, 2025

Home/ Office Based: NYHQ / Remote

About UNICEF 

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. For over 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/ Assignment:

Under the direct supervision of the WASH Specialist for Public Health Emergencies at UNICEF Headquarters, the consultant, contracted from July 1 to September 12, 2025, will review and complement a comprehensive training module package on WASH cholera preparedness, readiness, and response.

Scope of Work:

Cholera, caused by the ingestion of Vibrio cholerae O1, remains a major public health threat in low- and middle-income countries, with an estimated 1.3 to 4 million cases and up to 143,000 deaths annually. Cholera disproportionately impacts vulnerable populations lacking access to clean water and adequate sanitation, exacerbated by factors like climate change, underfunded WASH infrastructure, and conflict. Recent years have seen a resurgence of outbreaks, with 34 countries reporting cases in 2024, indicating a pressing need for improved preparedness and response measures.

Children under five are particularly at risk, especially those suffering from severe malnutrition, which creates a vicious cycle of susceptibility, worsening nutrition, and increased mortality. Effective cholera management requires timely treatment and robust prevention strategies, including improved WASH services, as 97% of cases reported over the period 2010-2021 occurred in areas with the poorest access to water and sanitation.

UNICEF, in collaboration with the US CDC, WHO and the Global Task Force on Cholera Control (GTFCC), plays a critical role in coordinating multisectoral cholera preparedness and response efforts globally. This includes developing training resources to enhance capacity building and response efforts.

The assignment focuses on reviewing and complementing a comprehensive training package for cholera preparedness, readiness, and response. Key tasks include:

•           Development of a training package based on a desk review of existing training materials.

•           Review and finalize the module content based on feedback from key experts.

•           Create learning objectives for modules and exercises to test knowledge on course content.

The training package will be a complete resource for delivering cholera training, including:

•           Facilitator guide with session plans and learning objectives- by topic/module

•           PowerPoints - by topic/module

•           Resource materials - by topic/module

•           Exercises/case studies/tools

•           Country context presentation templates and guide

•           Topic specific modules – including optional modules that can be added to the training

•           Training evaluation methods and tools

•           Promotion materials (Concept note; Overview PowerPoint; Introductory Webinar)

Each session will combine expert-led presentations and hands-on simulations to ensure participants can translate theoretical knowledge into actionable skills in outbreak settings. The theoretical component includes expert-led lectures on key topics such as:

•           Cholera history, epidemiology, transmission, and survival times

•           Health response overview, including role of CTCs, CTUs and ORPs

•           Multisectoral coordination

•           WASH Strategy during cholera outbreaks, transmission contexts and use of epidemiological data to design targeted WASH responses

•           Risk Communication and Community Engagement, Health and Hygiene promotion

•           IPC and WASH in CTCs, CTUs and ORPs

•           WASH interventions through Case Area-Targeted Intervention (CATI) and other service delivery mechanisms

•           Water point chlorination and water quality monitoring

•           Assessments, Monitoring and Evaluation of a WASH response during cholera outbreaks

The practical component includes hands-on exercises focused on activities in simulated cholera interventions such as:

•           Cholera data collection tools used for decision making (case investigation & transmission forms; Rapid Qualitative Analysis; CTC assessment tool; IPC checklist; KOBO collect, etc.)

•           Importance of line lists at CTCs/CTUs and how that data can be used for WASH response

•           Household disinfection techniques and how to demonstrate them to affected households.

•           Environmental cleaning for CTCs, CTUs and ORPs

•           Chlorine solution preparation, chlorination of water containers and water quality testing

A few additional modules and practical guidance will be developed to be offered on demand, such as: 

•           Water Quality Monitoring and chlorination strategies

•           Longer term Preparedness and strategic planning and advocacy (including Priority Areas for Multisectoral Interventions)

The consultant and the Training advisory group will be supported by a Training advisory group composed of WASH and Cholera experts from UNICEF and the US CDC. The final list of modules and practical exercises will be agreed upon between the consultant and the Training advisory group during the inception phase and will be detailed in the deliverable 1 (inception report). 

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

Deliverable 1: Based on discussions with the Training Advisory Group, develop an inception report that will provide a detailed agenda of the training and on overview of the expected content.

• Inception report / overview

15 July 2025

Deliverable 2: Develop and provide a draft training package on cholera preparedness, readiness, and response tailored for the WASH Sector.

This should include a facilitator’s guide, a slide deck for presentations, practical tools, and evaluation forms or feedback mechanisms.

• Draft Cholera training package

15 August 2025

Deliverable 3: Finalize the training package on cholera preparedness, readiness, and response tailored for the WASH Sector.           

• Final Cholera training package

12 September 2025 

Qualifications

Education:

Advanced university degree (Masters) or equivalent experience in Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) and Epidemiology or Public Health or Environmental Health, or other relevant disciplines 

Work experience:

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

•    A minimum of eight years of experience in emergency WASH and multi-sectoral AWD/cholera response or similar contexts.

•    Demonstrated knowledge of cholera guidance, and experience in developing training modules/curriculum, training materials etc.

•    Demonstrated experiences in facilitating cholera trainings.

•    Demonstrated knowledge of working on cholera at country level and at global level.

•    Experience working with UNICEF or other UN organization during cholera response is an asset.

Requirements: 

Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and

• Upload copy of academic credentials
• Financial proposal that will include/ reflect :
  • the costs per each deliverable and the total lump-sum for the whole assignment (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.
  • travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
  • Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
  • Indicate your availability
• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.  

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

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

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.

Remarks:  

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

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.