WASH Officer -Gode, (For Ethiopian nationals only)

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, Water

Ethiopia is situated in the Horn of Africa and is the second most populous country on the continent with an estimated population of 115 million. It borders six African countries: Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan, and covers 1,104,300 square kilometers. Approximately 85 percent of the population lives in rural areas. Ethiopia represents a melting pot of ancient cultures with Middle Eastern and African cultures evident in the religious, ethnic, and language composition of its people.

Over the past two years, children and their families across Ethiopia faced multiple and complex emergencies, such as the conflict in the northern Ethiopia and the drought, which resulted in millions of people in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. UNICEF has programmes in Child Protection, WASH, Health, Nutrition, Social Policy, and Education and serves over 15 million children in Ethiopia. Join UNICEF Ethiopia to contribute to improving the lives of children and women.

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How can you make a difference?

Under the guidance and supervision of the WASH Specialist based in the Jijiga Field Office, the incumbent provides technical, operational, and administrative assistance throughout the WASH programming process in the zones covered by the Gode sub-office, mainly Shabelle, Nogob, Afder, Liben and Dawa zones, with occasions support to other zones as required. The incumbent also prepares, manages, and implements a variety of technical and administrative tasks, related to the development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the WASH output results of the country programme.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Programme development and planning

• Draft updates for WASH in the situation analysis, to inform the development of WASH-related outcome and output results. Research and report on trends in WASH, for use in programme development, management, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Prepare technical reports and inputs for programme preparation and documentation, ensuring accuracy, timeliness and relevance of information.
• Contribute to the development/establishment of WASH-related outcome and output results, as well as related strategies, through analysis of WASH sector needs and priorities.
• Provide technical and administrative support throughout all stages of programming processes by executing/administering a variety of technical programme transactions, preparing materials/documentations, complying with organizational processes and management systems, to support progress towards the WASH-related outcome and/or output results in the country programme.
• Prepare required documentations/materials to facilitate review and approval processes.

2. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results

• Work collaboratively with colleagues and partners to collect/analyze/ share information on implementation issues, provide solutions on routine programme implementation, and alert appropriate officials and stakeholders for higher-level interventions and/or decisions. Keep records of reports and assessments for easy reference and/or to capture and institutionalize lessons learned.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews, and annual sectoral reviews with government and other counterparts and prepare reports on results for required action/interventions at the higher level of programme management.
• Monitor and report on the use of sectoral programme resources (financial, administrative, and other assets), verify compliance with approved allocations, organizational rules, regulations/procedures, donor commitments, standards of accountability, and integrity. Report on issues identified to enable timely resolution by management/stakeholders.
• Prepare inputs for sectoral progress reports for management, donors, and partners including the weekly updates, monthly situation reports, and bi-annual RAM reporting.
• Supporting UNICEF WASH Partners with technical, financial, and administrative processes in program implementation.

3. Technical and operational support for programme implementation

• Undertake field visits and surveys, collect, and share reports with partners/stakeholders. Report critical issues, bottlenecks, and potential problems to supervisor, for timely action.
• Provide technical and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners/donors on the application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes and best practices in WASH, to support programme implementation.
• Help organize and support field missions for monitoring, donor visits, and media visits including security and logistic arrangements.
• Participate in WASH programme meetings, to review progress, with government, other sector agencies and implementation partners, involved at various stages of WASH programme implementation, to provide expert advice and guidance.
• Support drafting policy papers, briefs, and other strategic materials for use by management, donors, UNICEF regional offices and headquarters.

4. Humanitarian WASH preparedness and response

• Draft requisitions for supplies, services, long-term agreements, and partnership agreements to ensure UNICEF is prepared to deliver on its commitments for WASH in case of an emergency including the CCC and relevant national and global humanitarian standards.
• Study and fully understand UNICEF’s procedures for responding to an emergency.
• Take up support roles in emergency response and early recovery, as and when the need arises.
• Support as a provider of last resort and direct implementer as required in emergencies.
• Support in drafting preparedness and contingency plans.

5.  Networking and partnership building

• Build and sustain close working partnerships with government counterparts and national stakeholders through active sharing of information and knowledge to facilitate programme implementation and build capacity of stakeholders to achieve WASH output results.
• Draft communication and information materials for WASH programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances and support fund-raising for WASH.
• Participate in inter-agency and sector partner meetings to integrate and harmonize UNICEF output results and implementation strategies with relevant development and planning processes.

6. Innovation, knowledge management, and capacity building

• Assist in the development, implementation, monitoring, and documentation of WASH action research and innovation (technical or systems).
• Assist in the preparation of learning/knowledge products, covering innovative approaches and good practices, to support overall WASH sector development.
• Assist in creating and delivering learning opportunities for UNICEF WASH staff, to ensure our sector capacity remains up to date with the latest developments.
• Participate as a resource person in capacity-building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders.

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

• A University Degree preferably in Civil Engineering, Public Health, or a related field and/or WASH disciplines.
• At least 2 (two) years of progressively responsible experience in WASH and/or a related field with significant experience at the field level.
• Demonstrated experience in Cholera response.
• Experience in Programme management and coordination; experience in cluster coordination is highly desirable.
• Experience in water chlorination and testing is highly desirable.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language of the duty station is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of

• Care
• Respect
• Integrity
• Trust
• Accountability
• 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…

• Builds and maintains Partnerships (Level 1)
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (Level 1)
• Drive to achieve results for impact (Level 1)
• Innovates and embraces change (Level 1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (Level 1)
• Thinks and acts strategically (Level 1)
• Works collaboratively with others (Level 1)

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

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 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 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.

Remarks:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government 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.

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