WASH Technical Advisor

Save the Children’s Program Development & Quality (PDQ) team drives program excellence, innovation, and evidence across our humanitarian and development portfolio in Vanuatu. We ensure programs deliver impact for children through technical leadership, quality assurance, and partnerships that strengthen local capacity and systems. WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is central to this effort — enabling children and families to live healthier, safer, and more resilient lives through access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene in both development and emergency contexts.

Working at Save the Children is more than just a job:

It’s the feeling of knowing your work is helping shape a better future for children in Vanuatu—and being part of a passionate team that shares that purpose. Benefits include:

· The opportunity to lead national advocacy and communications that influence real change for children

· Working alongside diverse, talented, and creative teams across the Pacific

· Individual learning plans and internal development opportunities to support your professional growth

· A child-friendly and inclusive work environment

· An attractive remuneration package (salary and benefits)

• Full medical insurance coverage.

• Generous leave provisions including 21 days annual leave, 20 days sick leave, 14 weeks maternity leave, 10 days paternity leave, 7 days compassionate leave, 10 days domestic violence leave, and 6 days study leave.

Where you come in:

In this part-time (0.8 FTE) position based in Port Vila, Vanuatu, you will use your WASH technical expertise and leadership skills to strengthen Save the Children’s WASH programming nationwide. Working closely with the PDQ Director, program teams, and partners, you will design and deliver high-quality, child-focused, and climate-resilient WASH interventions that improve health, wellbeing, and resilience for children and communities.

You will provide technical advice across all phases of the project cycle — from design and proposal development to implementation, monitoring, and learning — ensuring alignment with national standards, global best practice, and community priorities. You will also represent Save the Children in national WASH coordination mechanisms, strengthen partner capacity, and build evidence that informs advocacy and policy dialogue for inclusive, sustainable WASH services in Vanuatu.

You will make an impact by:

• Leading the development and integration of a national WASH strategy that aligns with Save the Children’s goals for child health, education, protection, and climate resilience.

• Providing hands-on technical support to staff and partners to ensure quality, inclusive, and climate-resilient WASH interventions across development and humanitarian programs.

• Building local capacity by mentoring WASH Officers and partners, championing localisation, and promoting sustainable, community-driven approaches.

• Driving innovation and learning through research, monitoring, and evaluation that generate evidence for improved WASH practice and advocacy.

• Representing Save the Children in the National WASH Cluster and key government and NGO coordination forums to ensure children’s WASH needs are prioritised in national systems and policies.

Does this sound like you?

You are a technically strong and passionate WASH professional with experience designing and implementing water, sanitation, and hygiene programs in development or humanitarian settings. You bring a solid understanding of WASH engineering, hygiene behaviour change, and community-led approaches, and you’re skilled at turning evidence and experience into practical, high-impact solutions.

You’re collaborative, adaptable, and thrive on building others’ capacity. You can navigate complex government and partner relationships with ease, and you’re motivated by seeing tangible improvements in the lives of children and families through cleaner water, safer sanitation, and healthier environments.

This role requires:

· Advanced knowledge of WASH standards and guidelines (Sphere, UNICEF/WHO WASH in Schools, Core Humanitarian Standard).

· Proven experience in the design, implementation, and evaluation of WASH programs in development and/or humanitarian contexts.

· Experience building capacity of local partners, government, and communities through training and mentoring.

· Strong understanding of gender, disability, and child-sensitive approaches within WASH programming.

· Excellent communication, partnership, and coordination skills, with the ability to represent the organisation at national and international levels.

· Fluency in English and Bislama, and commitment to localisation, child rights, and safeguarding principles.

Sound interesting?

We’d love to hear from you. Please submit your resume and cover letter via link provided, by 7th November 2025. We welcome and thank all applications, however due to the anticipated volume of submissions, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. We will prioritise candidates of Ni-Vanuatu citizenship.

Save the Children Australia is a child-safe organisation. All employees are required to undergo a National Police Check, a Working with Children Check where necessary, and sign our Child Safeguarding Policy, PSEAH policy and Code of Conduct.

At Save the Children, we seek a workforce that is as diverse as our society – in ethnicity, gender, age, sexuality, cultures and beliefs – and reflects the communities we work in. We believe diversity and inclusion are fundamental to our culture and core values and we demonstrate this commitment through all our employment practices. Our inclusive workplace culture contributes to making Save the Children a great place to work.