Mission and objectives

UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Fund) has been working in Liberia for close to 30 years, turning our vision for children into practical action. With our child-focused mandate, country presence and operational capacity, we support the Government of Liberia and other partners to help every child reach their full potential. The goal of our current country programme for 2013-2019 is to: Make sure that every child and adolescent has access to basic education and a variety of post-basic education and improved learning outcomes. Improve the health, nutrition and welfare of children and women on an equitable basis. Increase access to the basics of life – safe water, sanitation and hygiene Protect the poorest and most vulnerable children and women from all forms of violence. Our interventions are supported by a robust monitoring and evaluation system that helps us track and improve results for children. Behaviour change communication is a key strategy across all our programmes, while advocacy and resource mobilization ensure that policies and funding are in place to bring about positive change for children in Liberia.

Context

For 70 years, UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Fund) has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF believes that all children have a right to survive, thrive and fulfil their potential – to the benefit of a better world. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme in Liberia aims to ensure equitable access to sustainable and climate-resilient WASH services to support children’s rights to survival, growth, and development. The programme contributes to the Government of Liberia’s ARREST Agenda and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6 on clean water and sanitation for all. Through the Country Programme Document, UNICEF supports the delivery of sustainable WASH services in communities and institutions, while strengthening governance, policies, and domestic financing to ensure safe, equitable, and climate-resilient services. The programme is implemented in close partnership with key government institutions, development partners, NGOs, and civil society, with a strong focus on sanitation scale up through market-based approaches, strengthening sector systems, and building community resilience to climate change and disasters. In addition to duty station specific vaccine requirements, appointments are subject to confirmation of fully vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)- endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the appointment. It does not apply to UN Volunteers who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their contracts. UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for UN Volunteers with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the recruitment process and afterwards in your assignment.

Task Description

Under the direct supervision of WASH Manager, the UN Volunteer will: 1. Programme Development and Planning • Assist in drafting WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) inputs for situation analyses and provide up-to-date data to support programme design, planning, and implementation. • Contribute to policy briefs and sector analysis related to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG ) 6 implementation. • Support strategic planning discussions and contribute to donor proposals aligned with UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Fund) strategies, government plans, and partner roles. • Assist in defining WASH indicators, targets, and documentation for programme reviews. • Collaborate with colleagues and partners on strategies to achieve WASH results. • Provide technical and operational support across programme processes, ensuring integration with other sectors. • Assist in drafting sections of annual work plans with government and partners. 2. Programme Management, Monitoring, and Results • Support national WASH monitoring systems and participate in M&E exercises, programme, and sector reviews. • Support sector coordination and stakeholder engagement, including preparation of technical briefs for meetings. • Assist in assessing reports to identify gaps, lessons learned, and programme strengths or weaknesses. • Monitor resource use, ensure compliance with rules and donor commitments, and escalate issues as needed. • Contribute to sectoral progress reporting for management, donors, and partners. 3. Technical and Operational Support • Assist in monitoring UNICEF-supported WASH activities through field visits, surveys, and partner exchanges. • Provide technical support to partners. • Support climate-resilient WASH programming and integration of climate considerations into WASH planning. • Assist in market-based sanitation initiatives and private sector engagement strategies. • Participate in programme meetings and support preparation of policy briefs, technical notes, and strategic materials. 4. Humanitarian WASH Preparedness and Response • Assist in preparing requisitions, agreements, and resources to ensure emergency readiness. • Support humanitarian WASH coordination for timely response. • Undertake designated support tasks during emergencies. 5. Networking and Partnership Building • Support engagement with national WASH coordination platforms and contribute to preparation of technical inputs for high-level meetings and international forums. • Assist in preparing advocacy materials to promote awareness, partnerships, and fundraising. • Participate in strategic discussions to represent UNICEF priorities. 6. Innovation, Knowledge Management, and Capacity Building • Support WASH action research, innovation, and documentation. • Support initiatives related to sanitation market development and sustainable WASH financing models. • Assist in developing learning and knowledge products to share good practices. • Support assessments of sector capacity gaps and initiatives to strengthen stakeholder capacities. • Support communication and visibility activities related to WASH and climate-resilient programming; liaise with UNICEF’s Communications section to disseminate key messages and results through mass and social media. • Participate as a resource person or facilitator in capacity-building activities. • Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor.

Competencies and values

Diversity and inclusion: Treats all people with dignity and respect; shows respect and sensitivity towards gender, cultural and religious differences; challenges prejudice, biases and intolerance in the workplace; encourages diversity wherever possible. Integrity: Maintains high ethical standards; takes clear ethical stands; keeps promises; immediately addresses untrustworthy or dishonest behaviour; resists pressure in decision-making from internal and external sources; does not abuse power or authority. Commitment: Demonstrates commitment to UNICEF’s mission and to the wider UN system; demonstrates the values of UNICEF in daily activities and behaviours; seeks out new challenges, assignments and responsibilities; promotes UNICEF’s cause. Communication: Speaks fluently; expresses opinions, information and key points of an argument clearly; presents information with skill and confidence; responds quickly to the needs of an audience and to their reactions and feedback; projects credibility; structures information to meet the needs and understanding of the intended audience; presents information in a well-structured and logical way. Working with people: Shows respect for the views and contributions of other team members; shows empathy; listens, supports and cares for others; consults others and shares information and expertise with them; builds team spirit and reconciles conflict; adapts to the team and fits in well. Drive for results: Sets high standards for quality of work; monitors and maintains quality of work; works in a systematic, methodical and orderly way; consistently achieves project goals; focuses on the needs and satisfaction of internal and external partners; accepts and tackles demanding goals with enthusiasm. UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse, and on any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Living conditions and remarks

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. National UN Volunteers are part of the malicious insurance plan.