UNICEF

Position: WASH SPECIALIST

Job Time: Full-Time

Job Type: Contract

Place of Work: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Posted date: 19 minutes ago

Application Deadline: Aug, 24/2021 (13 days left)

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, Care

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of the job:

Join our team to support the development, preparation, management, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the water and sanitation-related contracts within the country program. You will provide technical guidance and management support throughout the programming processes, to facilitate the administration and achievement of the WASH-related output results in the country program.

Key functions, accountabilities, and related duties/tasks

Primary functions on support towards overall project engineering cycle

The candidate will assist the L4/5 officers to ensure that all 12 below project cycle steps are achieved smoothly, timely, and without responsibility gaps.

This candidate needs to be strong in (a) knowledge of WASH engineering project cycle, (b) application of conditions of contract, and (c) the role of Engineer (whether the 'Engineer' is UNICEF staff or agent, RWB staff, or agent, engaged directly by a funder or engaged by an NGO).

• Pre-feasibility and high-level costing based on per capita estimates; including long-term impact, sustainability, the potential for clustering of towns, Multi Village Schemes (MVSs) and villages for the economy of scale and skills base and potential for delegation of ring-fenced services to community groups and/or private enterprise.
• Identification of funding sources for (a) advocacy, (b) feasibility study, (c) design, (d) implementation and (e) post-construction support including defects liability period
• Appointment of the ‘Engineer’ responsible for project delivery and to look after the interests of both the client (eventual owner of the assets) and the contractors in a fair and equitable way.
• Advocacy and formative research to (a) get buy-in from the eventual owners of the assets, (b) identify those responsible for utility regulation, and (c) leverage involvement of, and ‘symbolic ownership’ by, the target beneficiaries.
• Feasibility study including site investigation; operational systems including appropriate technology and draft utility and delegated performance agreements; financial, economic, and environmental sustainability analysis; cost estimates based on outline BoQs; financing risk (inflation, escalation, foreign exchange rates); standard conditions of the contract to be used; materials specification; materials sourcing; full risk assessment including conflict and flood and mitigation planning.
• Finance agreement, including cost and time risk contingency.
• Detailed design and costing including design report, ESIA, detailed specifications, conditions of contract, contract packaging, BoQs, and pre-tender cost estimates.
• Tendering
• Financial adjustments, negotiation, and award of contract(s)
• Contract(s) supervision
• Handover of assets to the owner and handover of operations to the mandated utility
• Defect liability period

Program management, monitoring, and delivery of results

• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, program reviews, and annual sectoral reviews with government and other counterparts and prepare reports on results for required action/interventions at the higher level of program management.
• Prepare/assess monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths/weaknesses in programs and management, identify and document lessons learned. 
• Monitor and report on the use of sectoral program resources (financial, administrative, and other assets), 
• verify compliance with approved allocations, organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability, and integrity. 
• Report on issues identified to enable timely resolution by management/stakeholders. 
• Prepare sectoral progress reports for management, donors, and partners. 
• Maintain a central role in ensuring proper day to day contract administration, streamlining contract correspondence, project budget, and timeline control, contract management tracking against donor funding requirements, payment processing and liaising with clients, government partners, and contractors as per UNICEF’s requirements, and as per national and international standards to ensure quality, cost, and time controls of all deliverables.
• Support overall supervision of contracts and maintaining the masterwork plan, in order to monitor all task order internal and client deadlines, and assess how corporate, internal, and external resources are managed to support the smooth implementation of each contract and task order with an overall system of corporate procedures and resources.

Technical and operational support for program implementation

• Actively monitor UNICEF-supported activities related to WASH infrastructure through field visits, surveys, and exchange of information with partners, to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely interventions.
• 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 program implementation.
• Plan for use of technical experts from the Regional Office and HQ, as and where appropriate in the WASH program, through remote support and on-site visits. 
• Participate in WASH program meetings, to review progress, with government, other sector agencies, and implementation partners, involved at various stages of WASH program implementation, to provide expert advice and guidance.
• Draft policy papers, briefs, and other strategic materials for use by management, donors, UNICEF regional offices, and headquarters.
• Reviews of environmental social impact assessments and providing technical advice
• Participation in tendering process observation and carrying out evaluations for different WASH engineering design, construction, or materials supply bids.
• Supervision and coordination of appropriate technical backstopping services to implementing partners, supervision firms and private contractors as needed to resolve administrative, technical, and contract issues as they arise.
• Liaises with external stakeholders such as government, INGOs and consulting firms, and private contractors to oversee the contracts mechanisms, ensuring that all contract processes are implemented in an open, transparent, and efficient manner to keep them on schedule (including program implementation, spending, and reporting) and within the parameters sets out in the contracts.
• Conduct quality assurance of construction works, installation of electromechanical equipment, and materials.
• Follow up the implementation of UNICEF’s response in the WASH sector, incorporating required changes into WASH-specific activities, with special attention to ensure the equitable and inclusive provision of services among the communities
• Extend support to UNICEF field office staff
• Provide timely and quality technical advice to regional and local authorities, UNICEF, and other involved partners on different WASH issues as requested

Humanitarian WASH preparedness and response

• Prepare 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.
• Contribute to the coordination arrangement for humanitarian WASH, for instant robust coordination in case of an emergency, with linkages to climate-resilient WASH systems; support the nexus between humanitarian and development
• Take up support roles in emergency response and early recovery, as and when the need arises.

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 program implementation and build the capacity of stakeholders to achieve WASH output results.
• Prepare materials for WASH program advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships, and support fund-raising.
• Participate in inter-agency discussions, ensuring that UNICEF’s position, interests, and priorities are fully considered and integrated into the UNDAF development planning and agenda-setting.

Innovation, knowledge management, and capacity building

• Lead the development, implementation, monitoring, and documentation of WASH action research and innovation (technical or systems). 
• Support development of green energy initiatives
• Prepare learning/knowledge products, covering innovative approaches and good practices, to support overall WASH sector development.
• Create and deliver learning opportunities for UNICEF WASH staff, to ensure our sector capacity remains up-to-date with the latest developments. 
• Contribute to the systematic assessment of WASH sector capacity gap analysis, in collaboration with government and other stakeholders, and support the design of initiative to strengthen capacities systematically.
• 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…

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Civil Engineering, other relevant 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.
• A minimum of 8 [Eight] years of relevant professional experience in managing complex WASH-infrastructure contracts and programs for developing countries is required.
• One year of deployment in a developing country is required. 
• Knowledge of FIDIC and its conditions of contract
• Infrastructure contract management and administration including latest developments
• Overseas experience working with country counterparts, institutions, private sector, and contractors in the areas of contract management and administration is highly desirable
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergencies is considered an asset
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset

 Technical requirements

1. Rural and urban water supply and Urban sanitation for low- and middle-income countries - including water safety, sustainability
2. Managing of complex contracts for water infrastructure, sanitation infrastructure, supply and installation of electromechanical equipment
3. WASH-related infrastructure works related to contract litigation
4. Expertise with regards to FIDIC and its considerations of contract management and administration
5. National government WASH policies, plans, and strategies
6. Analysis of national budgets and expenditure for basic WASH, and related advocacy

Expert knowledge of three components and basic knowledge of three components

1. Humanitarian WASH - preparedness
2. Humanitarian WASH - response and recovery

Basic knowledge of both components

1. Humanitarian WASH – coordination of the response

Basic knowledge

1. Program/project management
2. Capacity development
3. Knowledge management
4. Monitoring and evaluation

Expert knowledge of two components and basic knowledge of the other two components

1. Human rights and WASH
2. Gender equality and WASH

In-depth knowledge

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People, and Drive for Results.

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

Core Competencies

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1)
• 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)
• Drives to achieve impactful results (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

Functional Competencies

• Analyzing (3)
• Applying technical expertise (3)
• Deciding and Initiating action (2)

How to Apply

CLICK HERE

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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:

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

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