WASH and Climate Change Expert

Mission and objectives

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programmes, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favouritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health including nutrition, early childhood development, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfil their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations

Context

The assignment is directly aligned with UNICEF's Strategic Plan 2026–2029, particularly Impact Results 1 (Child survival, health and well-being) and 5 (Climate and environmental resilience), and supports UNICEF's commitment to strengthening national systems, accelerating equitable access to essential services and protecting children from climate and environmental risks. It also contributes to UNICEF’s Sustainability and Climate Change Action Plan 2023–2030 and its approach to climate-resilient WASH. The assignment will contribute to achieving universal, equitable and sustainable WASH services by strengthening sector policies and strategies, institutional frameworks, service delivery sustainability, water resources management, and financing and investment planning, with particular emphasis on SDG targets 6.1, 6.2, 6.5 and 6.b. It will also promote climate-resilient WASH and water security through the integration of climate risks into national and sectoral planning, alongside strengthened child-sensitive climate policies, evidence generation and institutional capacity, contributing to SDG targets 13.1, 13.2 and 13.3. Furthermore, the assignment will advance SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) by improving WASH safety and reducing health risks; SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by strengthening the resilience of essential services; and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) by enhancing government-led coordination, strategic partnerships and resource mobilization. The UN Volunteer will support the WASH & CEED Section in translating these global commitments into practical upstream engagement in Rwanda.

Task Description

Within delegated authority and under the direct supervision of the Chief of WASH & CEED, the UN Volunteer will carry out the following functions: 1. WASH Sector Policy, Strategy and Systems Strengthening

• Undertake technical reviews and contribute to consultations on national and subnational WASH policies, strategies, sector development plans, regulatory frameworks, technical guidelines and investment plans, identifying policy gaps and recommending practical measures to strengthen equitable, inclusive and sustainable service delivery.
• Provide technical inputs to strengthen WASH service delivery systems across rural and urban contexts, including service regulation and monitoring, operations and maintenance, water quality management, sanitation service chains and institutional accountability, in collaboration with relevant government institutions and sector partners.
• Support alignment of UNICEF’s WASH programming, policy advocacy and technical assistance with government priorities, sector performance monitoring frameworks and long-term objectives for institutional capacity development, service sustainability and universal access. 2. Climate-Resilient WASH, Water Security and Risk-Informed Planning
• Provide technical support to mainstream climate risk, environmental sustainability and resilience considerations into WASH policies, strategies, programmes, infrastructure plans and investment proposals.
• Contribute to climate and environmental risk assessments and evidence synthesis concerning water resources and WASH service delivery, including risks associated with droughts, floods, erosion, landslides and other climate-related hazards, with particular attention to climate-vulnerable communities, children and underserved areas.
• Support government and partner initiatives to strengthen climate-resilient water supply and sanitation systems, catchment-based water security, sustainable groundwater management, water source protection and climate-informed infrastructure planning.
• Identify, assess and document scalable approaches to climate-resilient WASH, including climate-risk screening, resilient infrastructure design, nature-based solutions, renewable energy applications, water resource efficiency and business continuity planning for essential WASH services.
• Develop technical analyses, evidence briefs, investment priorities and lessons learned to inform climate adaptation programming, strengthen sector resilience and guide climate-informed public investment and resource allocation. 3. Child-Sensitive Climate Policy and Cross-Sectoral Climate Action
• Provide technical inputs to UNICEF’s engagement in national climate policy and planning processes, including the implementation of nationally determined contributions (NDCs), national adaptation planning and relevant green growth, environmental sustainability and resilience strategies, with a focus on children’s rights, vulnerabilities and access to essential social services.
• Collaborate with UNICEF programme sections and relevant government counterparts to identify and advance opportunities for integrating climate resilience and environmental sustainability into health, education, nutrition, social protection and emergency preparedness programmes, highlighting synergies with WASH and other essential services.
• Compile, analyse and synthesize climate, environmental, demographic, socioeconomic and service-delivery data to inform child-sensitive climate advocacy, vulnerability assessments, risk-informed programming and geographic prioritization of interventions.
• Develop and contribute to practical guidance, analytical tools, capacity-building activities and knowledge-sharing initiatives to strengthen the systematic integration of climate change, environmental sustainability and disaster risk considerations across UNICEF-supported programmes.
• Support the generation of evidence and policy recommendations that demonstrate the differentiated impacts of climate change and environmental risks on children and inform inclusive, child-responsive adaptation and resilience-building measures. 4. Partnerships, Climate Finance, Evidence and Knowledge Management
• Identify and assess potential climate finance opportunities, including the Green Climate Fund, Adaptation Fund and other relevant climate and development financing mechanisms. Contribute to the preparation of climate rationales, adaptation evidence, concept notes, project proposals, investment cases and funding applications for climate-resilient WASH, water security and child-sensitive climate action, in coordination with section leadership and government counterparts.
• Facilitate technical coordination and partnership engagement with MININFRA, WASAC, RWB, REMA, relevant climate and finance authorities, development banks, climate finance entities, private-sector financiers and development partners to strengthen the pipeline of investment-ready WASH and climate resilience initiatives and coordinate timely technical inputs.
• Support the identification, development and strengthening of strategic partnerships across and beyond the WASH sector, including with government institutions, civil society organizations, NGOs, research institutions, academia, development partners and public- and private-sector actors, to address climate and environmental risks, disaster impacts and associated threats to children’s well-being and access to essential services.
• Maintain structured tracking systems for priority policy processes, sector commitments, technical follow-up actions, partnership opportunities and prospective funding sources. Contribute to donor reporting, resource mobilization materials, advocacy products and strategic updates as required.
• Produce high-quality technical knowledge products, including policy briefs, analytical reports, case studies, good-practice documentation and learning materials, capturing evidence, implementation lessons and scalable approaches to strengthen climate-resilient WASH services, water security and child-sensitive climate action.

Competencies and values

Living conditions and remarks

☒Adaptability and Flexibility ☒Building Trust ☒Commitment and Motivation ☒Communication ☒Child-centred and equity-driven mindset ☒Ethics and Values ☒Integrity ☒Knowledge Sharing ☒Professionalism ☒Respect for Diversity ☒Self-Management ☒Planning and organizing ☒Working in Teams