Chief WASH, P4, FT, Niamey, Niger #83376

The Chief WASH reports to the Deputy Representative for general guidance and direction. The Chief is responsible for managing and supervising all stages of the WASH programme from strategic planning and formulation to the delivery of the WASH outcome and output results. The Chief is also responsible for leading and managing the CO WASH team. The Chief WASH is accountable for ensuring that the WASH outcome and output results are achieved according to plans, allocations, results based-management approaches and methodology, UNICEF’s Strategic Plan, standards of performance and accountability framework.

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For every child, clean water.

Niger is a landlocked Sahelian country of 24 million population predominantly by young and rural people (81.3%). Children aged 0-14 is 51% of the total population and 20% for those aged 15-24. Although poverty has declined, inequality persists, as the progress made has been lost owing to a combination of many vulnerabilities. While two thirds of the country is a desert, it also experiences high population growth, accelerating natural disasters, the effects of climate change and significant insecurity in the cross-border regions of the central Sahel.

The current country program of UNICEF in Niger is aligned to the UNSDCF and covers the period 2023 – 2027 with the aim at ensuring all girls and boys, from birth through adolescence, survive, thrive, learn, develop to their full potential, are protected from all forms of violence and exploitation, and thus contribute to positive social change in their communities.

Niger is also particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, being ranked the second most vulnerable country in the world (ND-GAIN Country Index) and the seventh country where children are most at risk from climate change (UNICEF Children's Climate Risk Index, 2021).

Despite efforts to ensure access to water and sanitation for all, progress remains limited, particularly in rural areas and in IDP sites and host communities. According to the Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP, 2023), less than 50% of the population has access to basic drinking water, while 66% of the population still practices open defecation, with significant geographical and socio-economic disparities. Access to WASH services in schools and health/nutrition centres is also limited: in 2023, 75% of schools did not have access to safe drinking water, 57% did not have access to sanitation (JMP, 2023), and most schools and health centres did not have handwashing facilities.

How can you make a difference?

The Chief WASH reports to the Deputy Representative for general guidance and direction. The Chief is responsible for managing and supervising all stages of the WASH programme from strategic planning and formulation to the delivery of the WASH outcome and output results. The Chief is also responsible for leading and managing the CO WASH team. The Chief WASH is accountable for ensuring that the WASH outcome and output results are achieved according to plans, allocations, results based-management approaches and methodology, UNICEF’s Strategic Plan, standards of performance and accountability framework.

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks

1. Managerial leadership

• Establish the annual work plan, determining priorities and performance measurements. Monitor workplan implementation, to ensure that WASH output results are achieved to schedule and performance standards.  Report critical issues to the Deputy Representative and Representative for timely action.
• Establish the annual workplan outputs, activities and developmental priorities of the WASH section staff.  Provide timely guidance to enable the WASH section staff to perform their duties responsibly and efficiently.
• Manage the WASH team building and motivation.  Signal potential conflicts and take preventive action, in coordination with Human Resources staff.

2. Programme development and planning

• Prepare the WASH inputs for the situation analysis.  Provide comprehensive and current data to inform WASH policy and programme development, planning, management and implementation. Keep abreast of global, regional and national WASH sector developments, for maximum efficiency and effectiveness in WASH programme design, management and implementation.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues and partners to discuss national WASH priorities, resources, strategies and methodologies to ensure the most strategic use of the collective resources of external support agencies.
• Lead the development of the WASH outcome and output results of the country programme (or CCPD), along with related background, strategic analysis and delivery strategies, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s Strategic Plan, UNICEF’s global WASH strategy and the country programme as well as government plans and priorities, and the role of other WASH external support agencies.  Lead the development of output-related indicators, baselines, targets and means of verification.  Lead the development of the WASH content of the CPAP. 
• Develop and manage a fund raising strategy for WASH, aligned with the WASH output results in the country programme, and lead interactions with senior staff of donor agencies.

3. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results

• Prepare documentation for programme reviews and analytical statements on progress and constraints of WASH outcome and output results.
• Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes for the achievement of the WASH output results.  Ensure effective collaboration with other UNICEF sectors, where needed.
• With other external support agencies, analyze national government WASH sector programmes and projects, with a focus on WASH outcomes (behaviors), using bottleneck analysis tools available in the sector (WASH-BAT, CSOs, SDAs). 
• Manage monitoring and evaluation of the WASH programme and its components, programme reviews and annual sectoral reviews with government and other partners and prepare reports for CO management and WASH sector coordination bodies.
• Monitor, report and certify the use of sectoral programme resources (financial, administrative and other assets), verify compliance with approved allocations, organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity.
• Ensure timely donor reporting, negotiate any changes required to agreements with donors in a timely manner.  Ensure systems are in place for HACT compliance.

4. Advisory services and technical support

• Participate in strategic discussions to influence national WASH policies and strategies, including the reduction of inequalities, contributing to global sector learning.
• Advise senior officials in government, NGOs, UN agencies and WASH sector donors on WASH policies, strategies and best practices.
• Lead the preparation of policy papers, briefing notes and other strategic materials for use by management, donors, UNICEF regional offices and headquarters.
• Coordinate the use of technical experts from the Regional Office and HQ, as and where appropriate in the WASH programme, through remote support and on-site visits. 

5. Advocacy, networking and partnership building

• Build and strengthen strategic partnerships with government counterparts, UN agencies, donor agencies, WASH institutions, NGOs, research institutes and the private sector to stimulate coordination and collaboration.
• Oversee the analysis of national budgets for WASH, cost analysis and value-for-money studies, to advocate for improvements in sector efficiency.
• Produce materials for WASH programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships and support fund-raising.
• Represent UNICEF in inter-agency discussions, ensuring that UNICEF’s position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated in planning and agenda setting.
• Interact with global and regional initiatives and partnerships for WASH. 

6. Humanitarian WASH preparedness and response

• Ensure the annual preparation/revision of UNICEF’s preparedness for WASH in emergencies. 
• Ensure the coordination arrangements for humanitarian WASH are in place, for instant robust coordination in case of an emergency.
• Ensure that all UNICEF WASH staff are familiar with UNICEF’s procedures for responding in an emergency.
• In case of an emergency, ensure that UNICEF meets its commitments for WASH in the response and early recovery.
• Support government to strengthen WASH emergency preparedness.

7. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Organize and lead the development, implementation, monitoring and documentation of WASH action research and innovation (technical or systems), ensuring rigorous monitoring and wide sharing of results.
• Determine priorities for learning/knowledge products, covering innovative approaches and good practices, to support overall WASH sector development.
• Systematically plan, support and monitor the professional development of UNICEF WASH staff, to ensure our sector capacity remains up-to-date with latest developments.
• Organize the systematic assessment of WASH sector capacity gap analysis, in collaboration with government and other stakeholders, and support the design of initiatives to strengthen capacities systematically.

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

• An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: public health, social sciences, behavior change communication, sanitary engineering or another relevant technical field.
• Additional relevant post-graduate courses that complement/supplement the main degree are required.
• DEVELOPMENTAL:  a minimum of eight years of professional experience in WASH-related programmes for developing countries is required.
• One year of deployment in a developing country is required.
• Proven ability to effectively lead a team to deliver results is required.
• HUMANITARIAN:  At least one year of work in humanitarian situations, including one three-month mission deployment (with UN-Govt-INGO) is required.
• Fluency in English and French is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered as 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…

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (2)
• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
• Works Collaboratively with others (2)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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.

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.

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.

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.