Director, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Section, D-2

Position description

Purpose for the job:

The Director will lead the Global WASH Practice across Centers of Excellence in Nairobi, Panama, Amman, and Bangkok. The Director will also periodically assume the additional role of coordinator of the Nairobi Center of Excellence, sharing this responsibility on a rolling basis with the Global Directors of the Health, and Nutrition who are also located in Nairobi.

The Director will provide strategic leadership, vision and direction for UNICEFs WASH Programme Offer focusing on strategy, technical assistance to governments and Country Offices for the delivery of high impact, evidence-based solutions services at scale as well as continuing to lead UNICEF’s global WASH mandate. This includes connecting national priorities with global expertise and partnerships providing policy advice, sector planning, regulation, standard setting, programme design, mobilisation of domestic resources and arming partnerships with private sector and IFIs.

An important ingredient of the work is to generate high-level political leadership, driving sector reform, and supporting demand generation – all underpinned by innovation, evidence generation, and advocacy and WASH program communication at local, national, regional, and global levels. This applies across both development and humanitarian contexts with a strong focus of building resilience to climate impact and other shocks and stressors. Another important element of the work is to provide leadership in the development of funding partnerships and mobilization of resources for UNICEF-led WASH programmes across the world, in coordination with Country and Regional Offices, and Divisions responsible for Public Partnerships and Private sector fundraising and Partnerships.

She/He will also lead UNICEF’s and work closely with key partners to ensure acceleration and scale up. The Director will be accountable for results, internal controls, resource planning and financial management for the Global WASH Practice and for working collaboratively with the other Global Programme Practices, Regional Offices, Country Offices and other Divisions.

How can you make a difference?

Vision & Strategy

• Shape and develop strategies to achieve the UNICEF Strategic Plan Target 2026-2029 across all five impact results, with particular emphasis on Impact Result 1 (saving children’s lives) and Impact Result 5 (reducing climate and environmental risks for children). by contributing to:
  • 300 million children have access to safely managed water, sanitation and hygiene services; and
  • that 100 million children have access to climate resilient WASH services.
• Define strategies for the Global WASH Practice, translating the Global WASH offer, to support governments to programme at scale ensuring resilient, equitable, and sustainable WASH service delivery that prioritizes the needs of children and women, including in resource-constrained and crisis-affected environments;
• Maintain UNICEF’s position as the knowledge center on child rights and provide technical and thought leadership in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene through innovation, impactful partnerships, knowledge management and Application of evidence in programme development and design.

Representation & Partnerships

• Develop and maintain strategic global and regional programme partnerships, including UN agencies, development partners, institutions/foundations, non-governmental organizations and academia and private sector to foster innovation, collaboration, knowledge sharing, and resource mobilization;
• Strengthening relations with key partners through effective policy dialogue and advocacy to mobilize and leverage resources for children;
• Develop and capitalize on new and emerging opportunities for resource mobilization including innovative financing and partnerships, especially in terms of non-traditional funding sources;
• Represent UNICEF in global and regional forums and to showcase the lead role of UNICEF of WASH in the UN system.

Technical Leadership, Policy Development and Advice

• Guide the update and implementation of the Global WASH Strategy 2016 – 2030 building on the recent Mid Term Evaluation report;
• Provide leadership on the development of the major policies, regulations, standards and systems leading to reform that underpin Technical Assistance and WASH offer to Regions, Country Offices and governments;
• Lead the provision high quality technical assistance support for WASH to countries in various contexts including in policy reform and programme design, at-scale financing of WASH services, workforce development and institution building, quality and timely humanitarian response, digital enhancements in service delivery, integration with cross-cutting imperatives such as gender equality and leaving no child behind, and routine programme management support to UNICEF Country Offices.

Management of people and resources

• Lead the transition into a fully functional Global WASH Practice capable of fulfilling the new roles and accountabilities of the Global WASH Practice across all CoE locations, Nairobi, New York, Panama, Amman, and Bangkok;
• Ensure cross-sectoral (nutrition, gender, adolescents, child protection, social policy, education, health) and cross collaboration to align and maximize UNICEF’s support for WASH to regions, countries and governments;
• Create a unified culture to achieve common goals and objectives by motivating, coaching and supporting staff in the Global WASH Practice across the four CoE locations;
• Develop and manage workforce development, recruitment, performance management, learning and career management of staff;
• Manage staff performance and development through regular feedback, mentoring and career planning.

To qualify as a champion for every child you will have…

Qualifications

• An Advanced University Degree from an accredited institution in Public Health, Civil, Water or Sanitary Engineering, Social Sciences, Water resource management or related fields is required. A first level university degree may be exceptionally considered with two years of additional work experience;
• A minimum of 15 years of professional experience that combines intellectual and managerial leadership in an international organization or corporation is required;
• Excellent leadership, managerial and people skills, with particular strengths in supporting, nurturing, motivating and engaging diverse teams and influencing partners;
• Prior experience in leadership positions in humanitarian and development contexts is an asset;
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language is an asset.

Person Profile

• Credibility and technical excellence in water, sanitation and hygiene and climate resilience;
• Recognized management skills in a multicultural setting, combined with ability to achieve results through motivating people and influencing partners;
• Proven ability to mobilize resources across traditional and non-traditional sources;
• Results-oriented decision-making ability with an aptitude to address operational challenges and for developing practical solutions;
• Innovation mindset with risk management ability and a proven track record as a successful agent of change;
• Rigorous analytical and conceptual thinking;
• High sense of integrity, trust and confidence;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, including the ability to set out a coherent analysis in presentations;
• Strong diplomatic and communication skills and the ability to develop effective working relationships with clients and counterparts at the appropriate levels;
• Ability to represent UNICEF in international fora.

Application instructions

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