Objective: To contribute to the Global WASH Cluster Operational Support to National Coordination platforms as Cluster Coordinator – Outbreak specialist.

The Field Support Team (FST) (https://www.washcluster.net/fst) is a surge and remote operational support mechanism for National WASH Coordination Platforms in humanitarian contexts. It operates under the strategic leadership of the Global WASH Cluster (GWC)/ Cluster Advocacy and Support Team (CAST) and is implemented through a consortium of partners, currently led by Action Contre la Faim (ACF) with iMMAP Inc. as a consortium member.

Support is provided through in-country deployments, virtual deployments, and remote operational assistance. The role focuses on delivering structured operational support, with a particular emphasis on Public Health Emergencies.

We are seeking a senior profile with multi-language proficiency and a strong background in Public Health. The consultancy is expected to start on April 13, 2026, and end on September 26, 2026. This is a full-time and exclusive engagement (Monday–Friday). When not deployed, the consultant will work remotely.

For further information, please refer below to the Terms of Reference (ToRs).

BACKGROUND

The Field Support Team (FST) is a surge and remote support mechanism for National Coordination Platforms (NCPs) and other WASH coordination arrangements in humanitarian contexts. The FST operates under the strategic leadership of the Global WASH Cluster (GWC) and is implemented through a consortium of partners to support system-wide engagement, currently led by Action Contre la Faim (ACF) with iMMAP Inc. as consortium member.
The FST provides reliable and predictable coordination support to enable effective, efficient, and accountable WASH response coordination at national and sub-national levels. The team is composed of cluster coordinators, information management officers, and an assessment specialist.
Support is delivered through in-country and virtual deployments, as well as through remote, task-based technical assistance and global services provided to multiple countries through online platforms, guidance, tools, and capacity strengthening activities.

The role focuses primarily on:
• Providing structured operational remote, global and deployment support and guidance to NCPs on core coordination functions.
• Supporting NCPs to sustain effective coordination in the face of resource constraints, or in the face of a sudden deterioration of humanitarian settings.
• Contributing to advancing global support priorities (core and emerging functions), under the guidance of UNICEF/Cluster Advocacy and Support Team (CAST)

Key Responsibilities

Cluster Coordination Support to National Coordination Platforms (NCPs)

• Facilitate collective processes enabling national and subnational actors to fulfil the 6+1 Core Functions and to strengthen or sustain WASH coordination mechanisms (Clusters, Sectors or other local coordination arrangements)
• Provide tailored support (remote or in-person) based on needs identified jointly with NCP stakeholders, operational constraints and help co-develop practical solutions.
• Provide structured mentoring and accompaniment to new/junior NCPs staff such as national coordinators, IMOs or government focal points, and help develop or adapt coordination workplans aligned with evolving contexts, available capacities and in line with HPC cycles
• Advise coordination leadership on strategic planning, prioritization and decision-making.
  Version: December 2025
• Help ensure coherence and information flow between national and subnational coordination levels.
• Support and help facilitate capacity assessments of coordination actors and structures.
• Promote and support participation of national NGOs and local authorities in coordination structures.
• Facilitate engagement with inter-cluster coordination forums when needed, and support multi-sectoral workstreams – to better integrate and align WASH for a more unified effective response to specific risks e.g. public health, climate adaptation, urban crises
• Support coordination in public health crisis/emergencies via:
  • Strengthening (ebola, cholera/AWD, etc.) coordination structures at national, subnational, and regional levels, including facilitating cross-country and cross-sector coordination and providing technical support to outbreak-affected operations
  • Reviewing develop, and refine preparedness and response plans for the specific disease, standard operating procedures, and monitoring frameworks at various operational levels
  • Designing and delivering technical workshops, trainings, and presentations on outbreak response, outbreak coordination, and global best practices to build capacity of national and subnational focal points
  • Developing and refine country-specific technical tools and approaches for outbreak prevention and response
  • Supporting development of advocacy materials, technical briefs and lessons learned
  • Contributing technical expertise to global coordination toolkits, guidance materials, and documentation of innovative approaches for outbreak response at country level

Cluster Coordination Support at Global level
Support the development or adaptation of monitoring frameworks for coordination performance.

• Contribute to Cluster Coordination Performance Monitoring (CCPM), Minimums Requirements Interviews, or any other mechanism used to track/diagnose support (emerging) needs across NCPs.
• Identify and document lessons learned from NCP engagements for global use.
• Support the improvement of coordination quality in areas identified by evidence-based (e.g. in line with the GWC transitional strategy 2026).

Share insights from deployments and remote engagement to improve global guidance and operational support models.

• Help strengthen global-to-local coherence and feedback loops between GWC structures and NCPs.

Other

• Along the whole duration of the consultancy agreement and engagement with the FST, the Cluster Coordinator has to abide to the ACF HQ Suppliers Code of Conduct and to the other ACF mandatory contractual clauses
• Any Sexual Exploitation and Abuse allegations shall be reported to both UNICEF and ACF via defined whistleblowing channels
• Perform any other work-related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the FST Manager and the CAST.
• ACF will conduct background checks
• When deployed, the Consultant is considered an “Expert on Mission” and shall abide to what stated in the document UNDERTAKING OF STAND-BY PERSONNEL WORKING ON BEHALF OF UNICEF
• Compliance to the UNICEF SBP regulations when deployed and to the content of the UNICEF mandatory trainings for SBP deployees