UNICEF WASH Job vacancies in Nairobi Kenya 2012

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office

Vacancy Announcement
Duty Station: Nairobi

Post: WASH Specialist – NO-C    

Type of Contract: Temporary Appointment

Date of Issue: 15 August, 2012

Closing Date: 28 August, 2012

Applications are hereby invited from suitably qualified candidates to fill the above Temporary Appointment in the WASH Section of UNICEF Regional Office, Nairobi, Kenya.

Purpose of the Post:  The Temporary Appointment is expected to support hygiene and sanitation activities related to the promotion, monitoring and operationalization of sanitation and hygiene promotion efforts in the Region.
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Major Duties and Responsibilities:

Poor hygienic conditions and practices have a major contribution in the disease burden in developing countries.

At the same time, hand-washing with soap (HWWS) is the most effective way of reducing the incidence of acute watery diseases such as diarrhoea and under-5 child mortality. Hygiene promotion can create awareness and aims to change behaviour of those most vulnerable to WASH-related diseases.
Additionally, six countries in ESAR have targets for eliminating Open Defecation and together with hygiene promotion, eliminating OD is a priority action for reducing under-5 child mortality.

Globally, 83 UNICEF country offices are engaged in HWWS programming. While the importance of HWWS is widely acknowledged and documented, the results and impact on behaviour of large-scale hygiene promotion campaigns are less known.

Understanding effective ways of changing behaviours as well as effective ways of measuring those changes are critical to strengthening ongoing hygiene promotion efforts and optimizing the life-saving benefits of key WASH behaviours such as HWWS.

In the context of an emergency, the need for support in Hygiene Promotion is even greater., HWWS and effective excreta disposal are critical to eliminating the main transmission routes of cholera. Cholera is endemic in Somalia and Ethiopia while it occurs in Kenya as well, and a large scale outbreak could devastate an already vulnerable population.

Improving the implementation of hygiene promotion activities in the affected countries can reduce the scale of the outbreak, as well as support effective monitoring of impact and is therefore a critical element in WASH disaster risk reduction efforts.

The Sopo campaign aims to reach especially children, and promote HWWS across countries in the ESAR region. Reaching children is critical, as they are the segment of the population most affected by diarrhea and other pathogenic diseases caused by poor hygienic practices. The countries currently rolling out the Sopo campaign are: Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Zambia and Tanzania.

As Sopo is regionally accepted as a useful vehicle for hygiene promotion efforts, Sopo campaigns allow insight into what messages are working, what communication channels are useful and how can these lessons be applied in various country/emergency contexts.
The insights of the Sopo evaluation study have relevance beyond Kenya and for this reason, ESARO will undertake a consultant to support the study and distill lessons and insights for use in other regions.

The UNICEF WASH Programme on Sanitation and Hygiene has a strong emphasis on elimination of open defecation, handwashing with soap practice at critical times and providing a comprehensive WASH package in schools.

Scope of work

Under close supervision of the OIC Regional WASH Advisor, carry out the following tasks:

  • Provide support to the implementation and review process for a study monitoring impact of the Sopo campaign in Kenya. This work is on-going and is expected to be finalized in May 2012
  • Support the adaptation of the evaluation’s findings that supports emergency hygiene monitoring, development of messaging, and impact, as feasible.
  • Provide support to ESAR countries on WinS analysis and Level 3 monitoring as required.
  • Support Emory University and Care International to finalize actions and report of the WinS regional meeting held in June 2012.
  • Support the Regional WASH Specialist in strengthening Community Approaches to Sanitation capacity and rollout in the Region.
  • Support the Regional WASH team in strengthening sanitation monitoring systems in the Region, particularly for ensuring sustainability of ODF declarations by communities.
  • Carry out any other task related to the technical area of the assignment, as required
Expected Deliverables
  • Finalization of the impact evaluation survey on Sopo in Kenya in collaboration with the selected research agency and in collaboration with C4D and WASH Kenya Country Office.
  • Final synthesis of the evaluation survey on Sopo for regional use and dissemination.
  • Provision of support to other countries, namely Zambia, involved in large-scale HWWS programs.
  • Compilation of a database of regional emergency materials on hygiene promotion and cholera preparedness compiled electronically.
  • Finalization of the WinS report from the regional meeting  – following up on action points, analysis in the Region.
  • Compilation and production of GHD regional Newsletter for 2011 activities, support to preparatory activities.
  • Development of a community of practice on hygiene promotion within the HoA to support ongoing promotion and preparedness activities, capacity and monitoring efforts.
  • Support the review of ODF evaluation and monitoring strategies in six countries.
  • Support WinS analysis in at least two countries and dissemination of the regional snapshot on WinS.
Qualifications/Competencies:
  • Advanced University Degree in Public Health or WASH, with orientation to WASH issues in problems in developing countries.
  • Ability to work in a stressful working environment
  • Good communication and writing skills
  • Good leadership and negotiation skills
  • Good interpersonal skills and ability to work in multi-cultural environment
  • Knowledge of computer applications like Word, Excel, PowerPoint
  • At least 5 years professional work experience in nutrition of which at least 3 in developing countries
  • Fluency in English.
  • Experience in consultations with UNICEF is an advantage
  • Working with people
  • Drive for Results
  • Planning and Organizing
Interested and suitable candidates should ensure that they forward their applications along with their curricula vitae, (internal candidates should attach copies of their last two Performance Evaluation Reports), to;
 
The Human Resources Manager
UNICEF Kenya Country Office
Email address: kenyahrvacancies@unicef.org

Please indicate Reference No. “ESARO/WASH/2012-036” in the email subject.

Interested candidates should also complete the Personal History (P11) form, which can be downloaded from the UNICEF Kenya website (http://www.unicef.org/kenya).

“Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply”

Zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse
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