WASH specialist (Global cholera emergency Cell)

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)

Geneva, Switzerland 🇨🇭

Job no: 560478
Contract type: Temporary Appointment
Duty Station: Geneva
Level: P-4
Location: Switzerland
Categories: WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), Emergency

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.

UNICEF contributes to public health emergencies preparedness and response through its unique role in targeting the specific needs of the most vulnerable, including children and women. UNICEF simultaneously addresses both the causes of the public health emergency, controlling its spread, and responds to its socio-economic consequences. UNICEF is a leader in pillars critical to outbreak prevention and control (e.g., immunization, WASH, RCCE, community-based health and surveillance, supply and logistics, HSS and MHPSS).  UNICEF is also a leader in the multi-sectoral response to the socio-economic impact of public health emergencies including but not limited to the areas of nutrition, child protection, prevention, mitigation and response to GBV and other forms of violence against children, social protection, and education.

UNICEF is a critical contributor to and leader in guidance and thinking around each of these areas of expertise and has the existing programming capacity to respond in each of them worldwide. This critical sectorial specialization, is essential to health emergency preparedness and response (HEPR), complements the roles of WHO, GOARN and other GOARN partners and highlights the need for enhanced integration within the Network. 

Since the beginning of 2022, there has been a worldwide rise in the number of countries that are reporting cholera outbreaks with currently at least twenty-six countries experiencing cases and seventeen others are at risk.  Multiple factors have contributed to this current resurgence which is placing over 1.1 billion people at risk.  

The Global cholera emergency cell coordinate UNICEF institutional response to the global Cholera Emergency, lead coordination with partners and provide technical assistance to regions and countries.

Major duties and responsibilities

As part of the cell, you will:

  • Lead UNICEF WASH efforts in the UNICEF’s cholera outbreak preparedness and response support team which includes functions related to WASH/IPC, analytics for outbreaks, RCCE, supply and logistics.
  • Support UNICEF regional and country offices with technical guidance, strategic recommendations, review of national preparedness and response plans, and capacity building initiatives.
  • Document the WASH response in countries in coordination with the Global WASH Cluster and WHO. Provide inputs for a biweekly update to share across the organization, including update from partners.
  • Represent UNICEF WASH sector in various internal and external meetings at the global level with WHO, IFRC, MSF and partners leveraging existing coordination mechanisms such as the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), the GTFCC and the Global WASH cluster.
  • Provide technical inputs for global tools and documents (WASH/IPC technical guidance documents, supplies forecast, prioritization of countries, etc.).
  • Support fundraising for cholera outbreak preparedness and response and work on advocacy and communication.
  • Work with other sectors to monitor achievements against a global plan for preparedness and response. Key competencies, technical background and experience required 
    • An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Public Health, Civil engineering, or a field relevant to humanitarian WASH is required.
    • A minimum of 8 (eight) years of professional work experience in WASH and/or public health is required.
    • Field experience in infectious disease response and/or coordination is required.
    • Demonstrated knowledge of epidemiology or infection prevention and control is an asset.
    • Experience working at the global level is an asset.
    • Knowledge and experience working with the UN/UNICEF/WHO is an asset.
    • Fluency in English (written and verbal) is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish) 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…

UNICEF competencies required for this post are:

  • 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)
  • Drive to achieve impactful results (2)
  • Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

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. 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.

Remarks:

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). 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.

Advertised: 24 Mar 2023 W. Europe Standard Time
Deadline: 30 Mar 2023 W. Europe Daylight Time


POSITION TYPE

ORGANIZATION TYPE

EXPERIENCE-LEVEL

DEGREE REQUIRED

You ad could be here!