Job Opportunity: Chief WASH, at UNICEF

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

UNICEF has been working in Cameroon since 1975 to allow women and children to fully realize their rights to development without restriction, as enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. UNICEF provides financial and technical support to Cameroon across seven areas to fully realize the rights of women and children. These areas include Health, HIV/AIDS, Water-sanitation-Hygiene, nutrition, education, child protection, and social inclusion. UNICEF focuses mainly on children and the most vulnerable and excluded families. The task is immense but not insurmountable; it requires the energy of all stakeholders in Cameroon and outside of Cameroon: also, women, men, youth and children, government, technical and financial partners, donors, civil society, the private sector, parliamentarians, communities. Everyone is invited to participate in the struggle to meet the challenges ahead. Together, we will act for Cameroon, a country that summarizes the challenges and hopes of Africa.

To learn more about UNICEF Cameroon, use the below:

link  https://unicef.sharepoint.com/sites/CMR/SitePages/AboutUs.aspx

How can you make a difference?

The Chief WASH in Cameroon reports to the Deputy Representative for general guidance and direction. The Chief is responsible for managing and supervising all stages of the WASH program from strategic planning and formulation to the delivery of the WASH outcome and output results – this through a team based in Yaounde but also staff in the three field offices. This position is also the programmatic focal point for climate change and is thus expected to work with other sections in appropriate climate change related programming. The Chief is responsible for leading and managing the CO WASH team (including those in the field offices) and needs to be at ease working in this matrix management set up. The Chief WASH is accountable for ensuring that the WASH outcome and output results are achieved according to plans, allocations, results based-management approaches and methodology, UNICEF’s Strategic Plan, standards of performance and accountability framework. The Chief WASH in Cameroon is expected to propose innovative ways for WASH and climate change programming and identify more cost-effective and efficient ways to deliver results for children in these areas. The Chief WASH is also expected to considerably contribute to early childhood development through working closely with other sections to deliver a holistic package of interventions for the most vulnerable children. For adolescent girls, the Chief WASH is expected to come up with solutions that are scalable in terms of menstrual hygiene management. Please join us if you are crazy enough to think that positive change for children at scale is possible even under difficult circumstances. If you read until here, and it makes you smile, then keep on reading and apply.

• Establish the annual work plan, determining priorities and performance measurements. Monitor workplan implementation, to ensure that WASH output results including climate mitigation and adaptation are achieved to schedule and performance standards. 
• Lead the development of the WASH content of the annual workplan including output-related indicators, baselines, targets and means of verification and the impact of climate change on WASH; advise other sections on climate change inclusion in their workplans.
• With other external support agencies, analyze national government WASH sector programs and projects, with a focus on WASH outcomes (behaviors), using bottleneck analysis tools available in the sector (WASH-BAT, CSOs, SDAs) assessing risk of climate change and other externalities on program implementation.
• Participate in strategic discussions to influence national WASH policies and strategies, including the reduction of inequalities, contributing to global sector learning and mitigate and adapt to climate change.
• Identify innovative solutions for WASH and climate change programming that can be piloted and put to scale later on. Ensure that WASH programs are closely linked to interventions of other sections particularly in the area of ​​early childhood development.
• Innovate in the area of ​​menstrual hygiene management to deliver solutions for adolescent girls at scale.

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

• Advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: public health, climate change, social sciences, behavior change communication, sanitary engineering or another relevant technical field.
• Minimum of eight years of professional experience in WASH-related programs for developing countries is required.
• Experience in areas related to development cooperation in climate change adaptation and mitigation, environment and socio-economic development is an asset.
• Familiarity with children’s rights and gender in the context of climate change adaptation and mitigation is an asset.
• A minimum of one year of deployment in a developing country is required.
• Proven ability to effectively lead a team to deliver results is required.
• Cameroon is a bilingual country, French and English. Fluency is required in one of these languages ​​and a minimum of working knowledge is required in the other language.

Technical requirements

• Basic to expert knowledge of all components:

1. Rural water supply for low- and middle-income countries – including water safety, sustainability
2. Rural sanitation for low- and middle-income countries, including sustainability; applying CATS principles
3. Urban sanitation for low- and middle-income countries, including sustainability
4. Climate change
5. Handwashing with soap
6. WASH-in-Schools and Health Centers
7. Menstrual hygiene management
8. National government WASH policies, plans and strategies
9. Analysis of national budgets and expenditure for basic WASH, and related advocacy

• In-depth knowledge of both components:

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

• In-depth knowledge of concept and UNICEF role:

Humanitarian WASH – coordination of the response

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

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

• In-depth knowledge:

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

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 ( 8) Nurtures, leads and manages people.

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 including 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 promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. 

Notes:

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

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 who 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.

Female candidates from industrial countries are highly encouraged to apply. 

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

This is a re-advertisement in order to expand the candidate pool. Previous applicants need not reapply as their original application will be duly considered.