WASH Officer,(NO2),TA, 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, Safety

Since 1978, Zanzibar has been hit by 17 outbreaks of cholera, with approximately 14,364 cholera cases and 210 deaths (CFR 1.2 per cent). The largest, most prolonged and most geographically extensive cholera outbreak occurred from September 2015 through July 2016, with a total of 4,330 reported cases and 68 reported deaths (Case Fatality Ratio of 1.6 per cent).In October 2017, the GTFCC and partners launched the Ending Cholera Initiative: A Global Roadmap to 2030, this is an initiative to reduce cholera deaths by 90% and eliminate local cholera transmission from 20 countries. In response to this, the Government of Zanzibar with support from UNICEF and WHO, drafted a 10-year Zanzibar Comprehensive Cholera Elimination Plan (ZACCEP 2018 – 2027). In 2019, UNICEF initiated a project to kick start ZACCEP implementation titled – Towards a Cholera Free Nation expected to end in 2023. The project covers 5 hotspot districts namely Urban, West A, West B, Micheweni and Wete. This project aims at strengthening water quality monitoring in terms of levels of free residual chlorine (FRC) and presence of E. coli at various water collection points in five targeted districts at regular intervals.

The WASH Officer on water quality monitoring  will therefore manage the implementation of all the planned interventions and guide on technical aspects of bacteriological and chemical water quality, component of the Toward a Cholera Free Nation Project.

How can you make a difference?

Key activities will include:

• Mapping and enrolling water vendors and institutions into the bulk chlorination program: The bulk chlorination is implemented by private vendors, and MDAs which need to be registered, technically supported and followed up to ensure that chlorination is regularly applied in correct quantities

• Capacity building training: Provide technical support and supervise training of Water Vendors, Laboratory Technicians, and Environmental Health Officers on water quality analysis and reporting in collaboration with the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• Lead the development of a digital (mobile phone-based) water quality monitoring tool: Implement the development in collaboration with and technical support from the CDC, and the UNICEF innovation section.
• Rolling -out of the monitoring program:  Manage the role-out of the digital water quality monitoring program in all 5 project districts, and monitor water quality from vendors, households and Utility pipe network.
• Facilitate and coordinate procurement and distribution of water purification materials and water quality testing kits, reagents and other supplies.
• Conduct routine monitoring and evaluation; this will involve supportive supervision of bulk water chlorination, and sampling activities carried out by trained MOH and district teams as well as ZAWA technicians. The incumbent will also contribute to knowledge generation on cholera prevention and water quality monitoring and provide insightful guidance to the WASH Sector.

Develop a plan for scaling up of the water quality monitoring program to cover all 11 districts of Zanzibar.

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

• • A minimum of 2 years of relevant professional experience in the UN or other international development organisation, national government or the private sector.
  • Bachelor of Science in one of the disciplines relevant to Environmental Science and Management, Environmental Engineering, Water Resource Engineering, Hydrology,Civil Engineering, Sanitation Engineering, or a field relevant to Laboratory Technology.
  • Field work experience in water quality monitoring and familiarity or previous experience with community-based interventions will be an asset
  • Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

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.

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:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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