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UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

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For every child, the right to a future

How can you make a difference?

The WASH Specialist Level 3 post is situated in the UNICEF Uganda Country Office, where WASH, Environment and Climate Action are a strategic and growing component of the Country Programme. The post is required to provide dedicated technical, programme management and partnership support to the WASH portfolio, with special focus on the KOICA-supported climate-resilient WASH programme in Karamoja. The programme builds on UNICEF and KOICA’s longstanding partnership and supports expanded access to safe, inclusive and sustainable WASH services in schools and health facilities, while strengthening operation and maintenance systems, institutional capacity, evidence generation, monitoring, visibility and donor accountability. Given the scale, complexity and strategic importance of the KOICA programme, including its multi-year implementation, engagement with national and district government counterparts, coordination with KOICA and UNICEF teams, and alignment with national WASH and climate priorities, a dedicated P3 WASH Specialist post is necessary to ensure effective planning, quality assurance, timely implementation, results monitoring and sustained partnership management.

Purpose:

The WASH Specialist reports to the Chief of WASH, Environment and Climate Action (Level 5/4) for guidance and general supervision. The Specialist supports the development, preparation, management, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the WASH, Environment and Climate programme within the country programme. The Specialist provides technical guidance and management support throughout the programming processes, to facilitate the administration and achievement of the WASH and Climate-related output results in the country programme.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

Programme development and planning: Design evidence-based WASH and climate programmes.
Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results: Track implementation, resources and results.
Technical and operational support for programme implementation: Provide guidance and resolve bottlenecks.
Humanitarian WASH preparedness and response: Support emergency readiness and response.
Networking and partnership building: Strengthen partnerships, advocacy and resource mobilization.
Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building: Promote learning, innovation and capacity development.
Climate change mitigation, adaptation and engagement: Integrate climate resilience and sustainability.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Download File JD_WASH Specialist_P-3_TA.pdf

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

Minimum requirements

Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in Public Health, Social Science, Behavior Change Communication, Sanitary Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, International Development, Environmental Science, Climate Studies and any other related field.
Work Experience: At least 5 years of relevant work experience in WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), Programme Management, Monitoring and Evaluation, Partnerships, Environment and Climate Action, Partnership Management, Policy and Advocacy, Capacity Building, Knowledge Management and any other related field. At least 1 year of deployment in a developing country is required.
Skills: WASH Systems Expertise, Humanitarian WASH, Programme Management, Policy and Financing, Equity and Inclusion, Climate-Resilient Programming.
Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.

Desirables

Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is considered an asset.
Experience in Public Sectors, Public Health Environments, System Strengthening Work, Green Climate Funds and Renewable Energy Systems is considered an asset.
Experience in Donor Relations and/or Partnership Work and/or Familiarity including the Government of Korea and KOICA is considered an asset.
Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts 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

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

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

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.

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 are conditional on the selected candidates willingness to comply with current or future vaccination requirements, should UNICEF mandate it for personnel. Failure to comply with such requirements, where applicable and without a duly approved medical exemption from the relevant UN authority, will result in the cancellation of the selection or may lead to other administrative measures, including separation from service.

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 is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable 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.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

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.

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.

WASH Specialist (P-3), TA, (364 days), #00138507, Kampala - Uganda, ESAR