Senior Adviser WASH (Global Acceleration Programme and Global Initiatives- GAP)

The Senior Adviser WASH leads UNICEF's Global Acceleration Programme and global initiatives in WASH, providing strategic leadership and partnership support across global, regional, and country levels. The role involves managing all stages of WASH partnerships and programmes, ensuring coherence between priorities and partnerships to maximize impact for children.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership in establishing a Global WASH Acceleration Programme and shaping UNICEF’s engagement with public and private sector partners.
• Ensure coherence between programmatic priorities, strategies and partnerships, leveraging these to maximize results for children.
• Influence global WASH agendas by leveraging UNICEF’s leadership, experience and partnerships.
• Lead and coordinate collaboration with key stakeholders, including private sector, international financial institutions and global initiatives.
• Strengthen country-level programming by supporting scalable solutions and innovative approaches across diverse contexts.
• Represent UNICEF in global fora and networks, contributing to shaping policy discussions and global priorities.
• Serve as deputy to the Director WASH, contributing to the overall leadership, coordination and strategic direction of the WASH function.

Requirements

• An Advanced University Degree in public health, social sciences, behavior change communication, sanitary engineering, communication and advocacy or other specialist field related to WASH is required.
• A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible professional experience in WASH related programmes, including work across multiple country contexts, with demonstrated experience in the strategic design, implementation, and oversight of large scale and/or multi country initiatives.
• Strategic partnership development, including public and private sector engagement.
• Analytical and evidence-based decision making, including synthesis of complex information for senior audiences.
• Advocacy and influencing skills, with the ability to position UNICEF effectively in global and multi stakeholder settings.
• Strong communication skills, including high-quality written products and confident, engaging public speaking.
• Programme and project management, including planning, coordination, and delivery at scale.
• Knowledge of English language at a Proficient/Fluent level is required.
• Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is desirable.
• Additional relevant post-graduate courses that complement / supplement the main degree will be an asset.
• Experience working in fragile and conflict affected, humanitarian, arid, climate vulnerable, and low access contexts is desirable.
• Experience designing, managing, or contributing to large, multi-year, multi country investment portfolios, including urban sanitation and water supply programmes is desirable.
• Experience engaging with International Financial Institutions (IFIs), including negotiation, programme design, and implementation support is desirable.
• Experience in market shaping and/or innovative financing approaches for WASH is desirable.
• Experience influencing or contributing to global WASH agendas and initiatives is desirable.
• Experience representing an organization at senior level in high level meetings, partnerships, or global fora is desirable.
• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts is desirable.

Skills

• WASH Program Development
• Multi-country Programme Management
• Strategic Partnership Development
• Public and Private Sector Engagement
• Analytical Decision Making
• Evidence-based Policymaking
• Advocacy and Influencing
• High-Level Communications
• Public Speaking
• Programme Coordination
• Project Delivery at Scale
• Urban Sanitation Programmes
• Water Supply Programmes
• Negotiation with IFIs
• Market Shaping
• Innovative Financing for WASH
• Global WASH Agenda Influence
• Representation at Senior Meetings

Languages

English