Water Sanitation and Hygiene Officer (WASH), Fixed-Term NOB, Bangui, CAR, #125293 (Req.567559)

Under the direct supervision of the WASH Specialist P3, the WASH Officer provides technical, operational and administrative assistance throughout the WASH programming process. The Officer 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.

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, passion

The humanitarian situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) remains worrisome and volatile. 

Access to a basic water service has deteriorated sharply from 59% in 2000 to 36% in 2022 (Joint Monitoring Program). For sanitation, access to a basic sanitation facility has also fallen, from 21% in 2000 to only 14% in 2022, and 25 % of the population still practice open defecation. Though many efforts have been made by UN agencies, governmental technical services and civil society organizations to provide access to drinking water and adequate hygiene and sanitation to the vulnerable populations, the results remain limited due to the security context, lack of funding, backdrop of successive violent socio-political crises affecting WASH delivery actors and users.

The UNICEF WASH program is aiming to increase sustainable and equitable access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene, and end open defecation in rural and peri-urban areas, taking into account the specific needs of women and children, and more broadly building the resilience of vulnerable communities to complex humanitarian situations caused by conflict, acute and chronic malnutrition, forced migration, epidemics and health emergencies, and natural disasters. The program will also strengthen cross-sectoral links with the health, nutrition, education and social behavior change sectors, in order to contribute to the development of a clean sanitary environment conducive to the prevention and control of infectious diseases, not only in communities but also in schools and health centers.

To support UNICEF WASH humanitarian response in CAR, UNICEF CAR is seeking to recruit a passionate and committed WASH officer.

How can you make a difference?

1. Programme development and planning
2. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results
3. Technical and operational support for programme implementation
4. Humanitarian WASH preparedness and response
5. Networking and partnership building
6. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in one of the following fields is required: public health, social sciences, behavior change communication, sanitary engineering or another relevant technical field.
  *A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.

• Additional relevant post-graduate courses that complement/supplement the main degree are a strong asset.

• A minimum of two years of professional work experience in WASH-related programmes for developing countries is required.
• Fluency in French is required. Fluency in English is an asset.  Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, 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.

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. 

Remarks:

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

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service. 

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). 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 cancelled.

All selected candidates will 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.

Government employees that 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.