WASH Specialist at UNICEF International – Harare

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to a future

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF Zimbabwe seeks to hire a passionate and dedicated WASH Specialist to join the WASH Section. The WASH Specialist reports to the Deputy Representative and serves as UNICEF's lead technical advisor on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) systems strengthening, WASH sector engagement, WASH policy engagement, service delivery models, and decentralized implementation. The position provides technical leadership for integrated Climate-Resilient WASH, Child Survival, Nutrition, Health and Emergency Preparedness and Response programmes.

The Specialist supports the Government of Zimbabwe and partners to strengthen national and sub-national WASH systems, policies, regulatory frameworks, data and monitoring, climate resilient service delivery models and WASH systems financing mechanisms that improve child survival, nutrition, health, education outcomes. The position acts as a key interlocutor with central government ministries whilst supporting translation of national policies and standards into effective decentralized implementation systems.

- Programme development and planning
- Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results
- Technical and operational support for programme implementation
- Humanitarian WASH preparedness and response
- Networking and partnership building
- Innovation, knowledge management and capacity development

- Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in Civil Engineering, Water Resource Management, Public Health, Epidemiology, Social Sciences, Behavioral Science, Public Policy, Governance, Economics and other related fields.
- Work Experience: At least 5 years of relevant work experience in WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), WASH-related programmes for developing countries, Systems Strengthening, Policy and Advocacy, Sector Coordination, Humanitarian Response, Climate Resilience, Programme Management, Monitoring and Evaluation, Capacity building, Partnership Management and other related fields. One year of deployment in a developing country is required.
- Skills: Programme Management, Monitoring and Evaluation, Documentation, Report writing skills.
- Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.
- Desirable Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or Shona.
- Desirable: Additional relevant post-graduate courses that complement/supplement the main degree.
- Desirable Experience: Climate Resilient WASH, WASH in schools and health facilities, menstrual hygiene management, WASH sector financing, WASH sector coordination, humanitarian WASH preparedness, humanitarian WASH response, analysis of national budgets and expenditure for WASH, gender equality and WASH, human rights and WASH.
- Desirable Experience: Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.