Individual Consultant - Emergency and WASH Sustainability at the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)

United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (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.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Individual Consultant - Emergency and WASH Sustainability

Job no: 575003
Location: Abuja
Job Type: Contract
Duration: 6 Months
Categories: WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene)

How can you make a difference? 

• UNICEF Nigeria WASH Programme supports the government of Nigeria in providing equitable, sustainable, and climate-resilient water, sanitation, and hygiene to children and their families, through the design and implementation of projects at the national and sub-National levels.
• The recent cholera outbreak has killed more than 100 persons in various states in Nigeria, with huge impact in Lagos State. UNICEF has mobilised a support mission to Lagos, and the WASH section is represented by a WASH Officer (NOB).
• The WASH Officer, who was engaged as the WASH Focal point for Cholera response is scheduled to start his paternal leave starting mid-August, and this would reduce WASH section’s capacity to response to cholera and potential flood related emergencies across the country, which traditionally peak in the third quarter of the year.
• An innovative project, ‘Climate Resilient Infrastructure for Basic Services (CRIBS)’ has been developed by UNICEF in collaboration with the FCDO in Nigeria that aims to demonstrate a scalable model for assessing climate risks and vulnerabilities of primary healthcare facilities (PHCs) and primary schools and subsequently identifying and implementing interventions to make those facilities more resilient. UNICEF as the lead implementing partner is working with the Kano and Jigawa State Government partners on this project.
• A key component of the CRIBS is to establish a sustainable operation and maintenance (O&) mechanism for WASH in schools and PHCs supported by the CRIBS so that climate resilient WASH facilities continue to function and that, when break down occurs, the facilities are promptly fixed.
• Some of the reasons for poor functionality of WASH facilities in PHCs and schools are inadequate attention to operation and maintenance (O&M) of facilities, lack of access to spare parts, lack of funds for O&M, low level of O&M skills. State and LGAs authorities do not have a formal mechanism for monitoring the functionality of WASH facilities and to make the PHCs and schools accountable for O&M; accountability framework between the institutions, service providers (operators if any) and public authorities are yet to be developed.
• Similarly, UNICEF with funding from the USAID has been implementing IWASH programme in three states of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara. UNICEF has designed and demonstrated models for partnership between communities, private sector, and government authorities for WASH services delivery.
• The emerging public-private-community partnership (PPCP) model is contributing to the sustainability of water facilities in rural areas and small towns. However, these models lack a sound business plan and a mutually accountable contract to ensure long term sustainability of such models.
• This Consultancy TOR is designed to provide continuity of WASH response to cholera/flood related situations in the country and support the State and LGA authorities and school/PHC management teams in CRIBS focus LGAs of Kano and Jigawa States and establish working mechanism for sustainable O&M of WASH facilities in those institutions.
• Similarly, the consultant will support developing a mutually accountable contract document for PPCP model in IWASH project states. The priority of the consultant will be to support cholera/ flood response, based on the need.

Responsibilities
UNICEF is seeking services of a consultant to achieve the following deliverables:

• Support cholera outbreak response activities implemented in affected communities and states, as per the instruction of the Supervisor, including attending WASH in Emergencies (WinE) TWGs as per need, and preparing the summary of state-wise status of WinE response preparedness for flood and cholera
• Develop a mechanism for sustainable O&M of WASH in PHCs and Schools supported by CRIBS programme through a consultative process, and support partners and UNICEF team in establishing such mechanisms in the selected 10 PHCs and 10 Schools in Kano and Jigawa state of Nigeria.
• Strengthen ongoing public-private-community partnership (PPCP) models for O&M of WASH facilities in rural areas and small towns in Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi states (under the IWASH programme).
• The Consultant will work very closely with UNICEF WASH team in Abuja and relevant Field Offices, while leading all the technical processes on his/her own

Requirements

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Development Studies, Public Health, Community Health, Public Administration, WASH Engineering, Social and Behaviour Change Communication and any other related field
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in national and sub-national work in the WASH sector with particular skills in rural WASH
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset. 
• S/he should also have a solid writing skill in English language, with evidence of having done similar kinds of work at the national and sub-national level. 

Application Closing Date
5th September, 2024. 

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online