Job no: 558655
Contract type: Temporary Appointment
Duty Station: Tijuana
Level: NO-1
Location: Mexico
Categories: WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene)
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, access.
The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the Organization does — in programmes, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give more children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.
In recent months there has been a substantial increase in the population in human mobility destined for the United States, crossing Mexico. At the border points of Tijuana, shelters are set up to accommodate and care for the migrant population, who are receiving families in extreme vulnerability with children and adolescents. The shelters, however, lack adequate infrastructure for water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services, including toilets, sinks, and hygiene supplies. UNICEF Mexico is responding to the human mobility emergency in Tijuana, seeking to meet the basic needs of children and adolescents and their families, who are awaiting their immigration procedures.
The objective of this assignment is to be able to support the WASH program for the migration response on the northern border of Mexico with the United States, in Tijuana (state of Baja California). The officer will provide technical and administrative assistance in identifying water, sanitation, and hygiene needs in 20 migrant shelters, and will accompany the implementation and monitoring of actions, such as the construction or installation of infrastructure and capacity building for hygiene promotion and distribution of supplies and hygiene kits. This will be done jointly with public institutions and civil society, in conjunction with the UNICEF field team, under the supervision of the Chief of Education and the Emergency Education Specialist and following the technical guidelines of the WASH Officer in Mexico.
How can you make a difference?
The WASH Officer NO-A reports to the Chief Field Office in Tijuana, with support and technical supervision from our WASH in Emergencies Specialist (P-3) based in the Mexico City Country Office.
The WASH Officer provides professional technical, operational and administrative assistance throughout the WASH programming process, through the application of theoretical and practical technical skills in researching, collecting, analyzing and presenting programme information while learning organizational rules, regulations and procedures to support the development, implementation and monitoring of the WASH output results of the Country Programme.
1. Programme development and planning
- Collect, analyse, verify and synthesize information on WASH to facilitate programme development, design and preparation in Tijuana.
- Prepare technical reports and inputs for programme preparation and documentation, ensuring accuracy, timeliness and relevance of information.
- Assist in the development/establishment of WASH-related outcome and output results, as well as related strategies, through analysis of WASH sector needs and priorities.
- Provide technical and administrative support throughout all stages of programming processes by executing/administering a variety of technical programme transactions, preparing materials/documentations, complying with organizational processes and management systems, to support progress towards the WASH-related outcome and/or output results in the Country Programme.
- Prepare required documentations/materials to facilitate review and approval processes.
2. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results
- Work collaboratively with colleagues and partners to collect/analyze/ share information on implementation issues, suggest solutions on routine programme implementation and alert appropriate officials and stakeholders for higher-level interventions and/or decision. Keep record of reports and assessments for easy reference and/or to capture and institutionalize lessons learned.
- Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual sectoral reviews with government and other counterparts and prepare minutes/reports on results for follow up action by higher management and other stakeholders
- Monitor and report on 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. Report on issues identified to enable timely resolution by management/stakeholders. Follow up on unresolved issues to ensure resolution.
- Prepare inputs for programme and donor reporting.
3. Technical and operational support for programme implementation
- Undertake visits and surveys, collect and share reports with partners/stakeholders. Report critical issues, bottlenecks and potential problems to supervisor, for timely action.
- 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 programme implementation in Tijuana.
4. Humanitarian WASH preparedness and response
- Draft inputs for the preparation of WASH emergency preparedness, including the drafting of required supplies and services, long-term agreements, partnership agreements, and coordination mechanisms.
- Study and fully understand UNICEF’s procedures for responding in an emergency.
- Take up support roles in an emergency response and early recovery, as and when the need arises.
5.Networking and partnership building
- Build and sustain close working partnerships with local government counterparts and local stakeholders through active sharing of information and knowledge to facilitate programme implementation and build capacity of stakeholders to achieve WASH output results.
- Draft communication and information materials for WASH programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances and support fund raising for WASH to Tijuana.
- Participate in inter-agency meetings/events on WASH programming to collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on UNSCDF operational planning and preparation of WASH programmes/projects and to integrate and harmonize UNICEF output results and implementation strategies with UNSCDF development and planning processes.
- Research information on potential donors and prepare resource mobilization materials and briefs for fund raising and partnership development purposes.
6. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building
- Assist in the development, implementation, monitoring and documentation of WASH action research and innovation (technical or systems).
- Assist in the preparation of learning/knowledge products, covering innovative approaches and good practices, to support overall WASH sector development.
- Assist in creating and delivering learning opportunities for UNICEF WASH staff, to ensure our sector capacity remains up-to-date with latest developments.
- 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…
Education: A University Degree in one of the following fields: public health, social sciences, behavior change communication, sanitary engineering, architecture, or another relevant technical field.
Additional relevant post-graduate courses that complement/supplement the main degree is a strong asset.
Experience:
A minimum of one year of professional experience in WASH-related programs for developing countries.
Additional relevant experience in WASH-related programs in emergencies is a strong asset.
Experience working with migration in border regions of Mexico is a distinct advantage.
Language Requirements: Fluency in Spanish and an intermediate level of English are required.
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.
[add the 8th competency (Nurtures, leads and manages people) for supervisory role]
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 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.
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 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:
- Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
- Candidates must be citizen of Mexico to be considered eligible for this post.
UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children.
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 may also be 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.
Advertised: 09 Feb 2023 Central Standard Time (Mexico)
Deadline: 26 Feb 2023 Central Standard Time (Mexico)
