WASH Officer (Emergency)

Organizational Context

UNICEF Ukraine is managing one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises, responding to the needs of over 14 million people affected by the ongoing conflict. The WASH section is at the forefront of this response, focusing on critical water, sanitation, and hygiene needs. Operating across six field offices, the section addresses the systematic destruction of essential infrastructure by rehabilitating water systems, providing emergency water trucking, distributing hygiene supplies, and conducting large-scale hygiene promotion. The team faces significant pressure due to high programming volume and a broad geographic reach.

Job Purpose

This UNV assignment aims to bolster the emergency WASH programming capacity within UNICEF Ukraine's Kyiv office, addressing a critical staffing gap. The role will provide dedicated support to ensure the timely and high-quality delivery of emergency WASH interventions, which include infrastructure rehabilitation, water trucking, and hygiene promotion. The position is crucial for strengthening monitoring and accountability mechanisms, contributing to donor engagement, and generating evidence to inform the response. By filling this gap, the UNV Specialist will help sustain the section's operational tempo and ensure UNICEF meets its commitments to conflict-affected populations across Ukraine.

Responsibilities

The UN Volunteer will support the planning, coordination, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of emergency WASH interventions in conflict-affected areas. This includes managing water trucking, emergency rehabilitation of water and sanitation facilities, distribution of WASH non-food items (NFIs), and community hygiene promotion for vulnerable groups. The role involves maintaining programme monitoring dashboards, tracking progress against targets and expenditures, and contributing to donor reports and situation analyses. Coordination with WASH Cluster partners, NGOs, and government counterparts is essential for monitoring implementation, identifying gaps, and ensuring response complementarity. Regular field missions will be conducted to assess needs, verify outputs, and document programme results. The UNV will also contribute to proposal development, technical assessments, and donor briefs, and compile 4Ws matrices and other WASH Cluster coordination products. Support for procurement planning and supply chain monitoring for WASH materials is also required.

Work Experience

A minimum of three years of relevant experience is required in emergency WASH programming or humanitarian response. This includes experience in planning, monitoring, and reporting WASH interventions like water trucking, NFI distribution, hygiene promotion, or infrastructure rehabilitation. Experience working with NGOs, government counterparts, or UN agencies on WASH programmes is beneficial. Proficiency in data collection, monitoring, and reporting in humanitarian contexts, along with strong analytical and computer skills (Microsoft Office), is necessary. Excellent oral and written skills in both English and Ukrainian are mandatory.

Skills

Key competencies include Professionalism, Integrity, Teamwork and Respect for Diversity, Commitment to Continuous Learning, Planning and Organizing, Communication, and Flexibility. Expertise areas include community development, energy, and environment. Strong analytical skills and the ability to synthesize information are essential. Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite is required, with familiarity in data management tools being an asset.

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