WASH specialist (emergency with disaster risk reduction responsibility)

Purpose of the position

The WASH – Emergency Specialist will work under the direction and guidance of the Regional Advisor WASH, to coordinate and support Country Offices in Eastern and Southern Africa Region for formulation, design, planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluation of WASH programme and interventions and as well as to improve WASH preparedness, coordination and response for emergency situations as per the Core Commitment for children and within the Humanitarian Reform/Clusters framework. The incumbent will promote and assist countries in addressing the issue of climate change and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in order to strengthen sustainable development.
She/he will support Country Offices identifying gender inequalities and in implementing programmes to eliminated inequalities.

Key expected results

- Timely sectoral analysis, input, support and collaboration to the Situation Analysis in the Region and its periodic update made to advise and assist Country Offices for effective programme planning, development and management addressing the issue of climate change and for Disaster Risk Reduction DRR.
- Strengthen and support WASH Sector/Cluster in achieving an operational and sustained level of preparedness and response capacity to potential crisis situations (emergency preparedness and response plan – EPRP and act as a rapid response support for WASH emergencies and during possible early warning assessments when requested
- Knowledge management effectively promoted through drafting/finalizing key WASH programme documents and reports including those on DRR, sharing good practice, lessons learned, and facilitating knowledge/information exchange within the Region.
- Quality of rights-based WASH programmes effectively promoted, and coherence, synergy and value added to programme management process through results-based management in the Region.
- Proper and timely technical assistance provided to Country Offices in the Region to carry out programme delivery, emergency response, evaluation and reporting efficiently, rigorously and transparently in compliance with the established guidelines and procedures.
- UNICEF’s global goals and the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) effectively promoted through advocacy and policy dialogue in the WASH sector.
- Effective communication and networking achieved through partnership and collaboration with other UN agencies, donors and specialized NGOs, including assistance to exchange of practical experiences and new conceptual developments and advocacy actions and sectoral leadership of the IASC WASH Cluster.
- The incumbent will assist the Regional Advisor in managing and administering the WASH component/programme in the Regional Office.

Qualifications and experience

Education:
- Advanced university degree in relevant fields such as public health, water supply, social sciences, environmental sciences or a field relevant to international WASH related development assistance. Additional training in Health Education or Communication for Development (Programme Communication), an asset.
- A first level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience:
- Eight years of progressively responsible professional work experience in the UN or other international development organization, national government or the private sector.
- Field work experience.
- Background/familiarity with Emergency (preparedness and response) and the IASC Cluster approach.

- Language Proficiency:
- Fluency in English and another UN language

Competencies

- Has highest-level communication skills, including engaging and informative formal public speaking
- Creates and encourages a climate of team-working and collaboration in a multi-cultural environment
- Consistently achieves high-level results, managing and delivering projects on-time and on-budget
- Has high-level leadership and supervisory skills; provides others with a clear direction; motivates and empowers others; recruits staff of a high caliber; provides staff with development opportunities and coaching
- Sets, develops and revises organizational strategy and develops clear visions of the organization’s future potential
- Analyzes and integrates diverse and complex quantitative and qualitative data from a wide range of sources
- Quickly builds rapport with individuals and groups. Actively nurtures good relationships with people across all organizational levels and boundaries, and with government leaders and stakeholders
- Identifies urgent and potentially risky decisions and acts on them promptly; initiates and generates organization-wide activities
- Negotiates effectively by exploring a range of possibilities