South Sudan: WASH Officer

Apr 5, 2020 | United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
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The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is a United Nations agency with the mandate to protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people, and assist in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to a third country.

Before submitting an application, UNHCR staff members intending to apply to this Job Opening are requested to consult the Recruitment and Assignments Policy (RAP, UNHCR/HCP/2017/2 and the Recruitment and Assignments Administrative Instruction (RAAI), UNHCR/AI/2017/7 OF 15 August 2017.

Duties and Qualifications

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The WASH Officer will be responsible for provision of professional technical support and guidance on activities within the areas of Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) in the locations within the Areas of Responsibility (AoR). Furthermore, the incumbent is required to play a lead role in formulating appropriate project proposals and assistance activities that should be incorporated into the relevant operation programmes of UNHCR. S/he is normally supervised by the Senior Programme Officer and will receive the technical backup and support from the Senior WASH Officer.  In addition, the incumbent will be expected to work within multi-functional and interdisciplinary teams.

The WASH Officer will support the UNHCR Operation, in coordination with the Government, to assess needs and coordinate the provision of WASH services to Persons of Concern (PoC) to UNHCR. This will include WASH contingency and preparedness planning, assessment and development of long-term WASH strategies and operational plans. The incumbent will be responsible for the coordination of WASH partners in conjunction with government authorities, and for monitoring progress and quality of WASH programme implementation to ensure that an adequate level of WASH services are provided at each site in accordance with the UNHCR WASH manual, technical guidelines, and applicable UNHCR and/or national standards and the Sustainable Development Goal targets.

S/he will follow a rights-based and community focused approach to programme design and implementation.  The incumbent will follow the five principles for protection, accountability and WASH as outlined in UNHCR¿s WASH Manual.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR¿s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties

Leadership and Coordination

  • Coordinate activities of WASH implementing partners, together with other UN agencies, governmental and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other partners to ensure delivery of WASH services to beneficiaries (PoC and host community) meets UNHCR and /or nationally recognised and most up-to-date standards and policies.
  • Where there are PoC living outside of camps/settlements, work with partners to ensure the enjoyment of the human right to water and sanitation by all PoC.
  • Work with government and partners, following the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR), to unlock resources (humanitarian and development) for the design and construction of community-centred infrastructure, improved hygiene conditions, safe management of water and sanitation services and service provision upgrades in refugee hosting areas.
  • Ensure that all decision making regarding WASH services takes in to account the needs and capacities of PoC, and the solutions proposed by PoC.
  • (Co-) chair and facilitate WASH coordination among partners, ensuring that inclusive and good practice coordination structures for all technical sectors covered are in place, and that sector coordination functions at national and field levels are in line with operational and partner requirements.
  • Ensure gaps and overlaps in UNHCR funded WASH programmes and unmet needs are addressed, and the activities are oriented to address priority WASH issues.
  • Manage and provide support to a multi-sector ¿technical unit¿ in the AoR, including sector functions covering site planning, shelter, health, nutrition, and environment.
  • Provide support to national government(s) for inclusion of PoC within national SDG 6 development plans (Urban and Rural) and financing mechanisms and service delivery systems.
  • Build key WASH strategic partnerships with development and humanitarian agencies to support inclusion of refugee WASH services within national systems and development financing mechanisms.
  • Engage with Urban WASH actors (GAUC, UCLG, UNHABITAT, Municipal Authorities, Utilities, and relevant government line ministries) for preparedness planning, inclusion in pro-poor tariffs, and provision of WASH services to PoC hosted in urban areas.

WASH Strategy, Planning and Programme Support

  • Maintain a WASH strategy which identifies the targets and approaches for water supply, excreta management, personal and environmental hygiene (including menstrual health), solid waste management, vector control, and institutional WASH facilities. The strategy should include a contingency plan for potential epidemics, refugee and returnee movement.
  • Jointly with WASH partners and other stakeholders, update detailed needs and resource assessments and revise designs and technical plans, taking into account practical aspects of implementation, long-term sustainable solutions, and relevant technical specifications and guidelines.
  • Advise and assist the UNHCR programme staff on the development of WASH aspects of the programme including planning, budgeting and input to financial management of the programme.
  • Ensure PoC are consulted during planning, design, implementation, and monitoring of WASH services using an age, gender and diversity approach.
  • Ensure the WASH Strategy includes all UNHCR PoC, and considers at a minimum WASH access data collection, and advocacy for inclusion of all PoC (both in camp and out of camp) within national systems of WASH service provision

Technical Assistance and Capacity Building

  • Ensure that the needs of women, children, the elderly and people living with disabilities are adequately addressed in planning and implementing WASH activities.
  • Support operations to define the scope of UNHCR involvement, expressed in terms of overall and operational objectives during emergency, transition, and protracted phases.
  • Support in the review and analysis of partner project proposals and budgetary submissions.
  • Work closely with UNHCR programme, field and protection staff to identify priority WASH and key data requirements for programme planning and monitoring to ensure that minimum UNHCR and international standards are met.
  • Use community-based approaches, including clear involvement of women, girls, boys, and men, elderly, persons with disabilities in the design of WASH related infrastructure, products, and services.
  • Provide technical assistance to UNHCR offices and programmes in the development, integration and mainstreaming of appropriate client-focused and cost effective WASH programmes.
  • Develop or ensure development of information, education and communication materials through community consultations, collaborating with women, girls, boys, men, elderly, persons with disability, and other potentially marginalised groups.
  • Facilitate capacity strengthening activities of UNHCR and its implementing/operational partners to address key areas of WASH importance to PoC.
  • Build the capacity and competence of UNHCR¿s staff on both hardware and software components of WASH
  • Ensure community capacity building is carried out through multi-discipline teams working with women, girls, men, and boys of the community to train and empower them on WASH related aspects including: menstrual health, hygiene promotion, operation and maintenance, monitoring and reporting, and other topics.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Quality Assurance

  • Monitor and evaluate WASH programmes against standard UNHCR and SDG indicators to ensure that programmes are evidence-based and implemented in a comprehensive, client-focused, and cost effective manner.
  • Ensure monitoring and evaluation is carried out following UNHCR¿s WASH monitoring system using standard resources for data collection, analysis and interpretation.  This includes completing the WASH Monthly Report Card and carrying out annual household surveys using the standard Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) suite of tools available on the wash.unhcr.org website.
  • Ensure that all data regarding the boreholes and WASH infrastructure is updated on UNHCR¿s GIS portal on the wash.unhcr.org website.
  • Ensure SDG 6 WASH access data is collected and recorded in the WASH Monitoring System for all UNHCR PoC to enable comparative reporting against national averages, to ensure that refugees/IDPs are not being ¿left behind¿.
  • Collate WASH services access data (for both in-camp and out-of-camp PoC) to identify and promote inclusion of PoC within national SDG 6 development plans and financing mechanisms and service delivery systems.

Reporting and Accountability

  • Ensure PoC have access to feedback and accountability mechanisms for the WASH services.
  • Collate and analyse data on the satisfaction of PoC with regards to WASH services.
  • Prepare regular sectorial reports and submit material for preparation of periodic project monitoring reports as required by the Office at country level.
  • Report regularly on WASH activity implementation by all WASH partners, while maintaining accurate records of all relevant performance indicators.
  • Maintain regular contact with the WASH Unit, Public Health Section in Geneva regarding all technical matters.
  • Provide regular updates to UNHCR support staff within the AoR.
  • Ensure adequate reporting, timely updates and briefings to donor and management.
  • Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level

For P3/NOC - 6 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 5 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education:

  • Agriculture
  • Civil EngineeringEnvironmental Sciences
  • Environmt & Infrastr. Planning
  • /Hydrology/Geology
  • Natural Resources Management Project management/Construction
  • Public Health
  • Rural/Community Development
  • Social Science/Anthropology
  • Sociology/Socialwork & Social Developmnt
  • Urban policy & planning
  • Urban planning (Intl Develpmt)/ Architecture
  • Water resource /development
  • Water/Sanitation Engineering;
  • or other relevant field.

(Field(s) of Education marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience

Essential:

  • Proven expertise in the area of WASH assessment including surveys, programme implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and coordination.

Functional Skills

  • SP-Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) activities
  • SP-Environmental Sanitation;
  • SP-Experience in Irrigation or Site Planning or Shelter;
  • SP-Natural Resources Management;
  • SP-Vector Control;
  • SP-Water Modelling Software;
  • SP-Water Quality;
  • SP-WASH Assessment including survey, implementation, monitoring and coordination;
  • SP-WASH-related Technologies;
  • TR-Experience with local partners that provide formal & informal trainings;
  • IT-MS Office Applications
  • IT-Geographic Information Systems (GIS);
  • PG-Programme Management (project formulation, programme cycles and reporting standards)
  • MS-Reporting skills

(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements

  • For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
  • For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
  • For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.