UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.
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Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.
For every child, the right to life.
Sanitation and Water For All (SWA) is a global partnership of over 170 country governments, private sector and civil society organizations, external support agencies, research and learning institutions and other development partners, working together to catalyze political leadership and action, to coordinate the sector both at the global and country level towards universal access of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services for all. The SWA has already convened a series of High-Level WASH sector meetings since 2010 that engaged key decision-makers, including Finance Ministers and Water and Sanitation/ Health sector Ministers. Through this process, the SWA partners have agreed and committed themselves to strengthening sector policy, strategy, and financing (sector Building Blocks) and stakeholders’ collaboration (Collaborative Behaviours) in a bid to build a strong, government-led framework of action bringing together all stakeholders at the country level towards achievement of the WASH related SDGs.
Tanzania has been a member of the SWA Initiative since 2012 and has been represented in all High-Level WASH Sector Ministers’ and Finance Ministers’ meetings. The SWA Secretariat has continued to provide technical and back-up support to country level partners by facilitating an intensive preparatory process to enable the Finance Ministers and Sector Ministers (Water and Sanitation/Health) to effectively participate in High Level Meetings, and to take the necessary follow-up actions emanating from the meetings.
The 2025 Sector Ministers’ Meeting (SMM) will be held on October 22-23 in Madrid, hosted by the Government of Spain and co-convened by the Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) partnership with UNICEF. Building on the success of previous high-level SWA meetings, this SMM presents a critical opportunity to address the global challenges that hinder progress toward achieving the water and sanitation-related targets outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as fulfilling the human rights to water and sanitation. Specifically, the 2025 SMM will focus on actions that ministers can take to integrate water supply and sanitation with water resource management and climate action. The SMM will further introduce strategies for financing holistic and sustainable solutions.
Whilst the SMM's principal focus is on nationally led action, it will also contribute significantly to the intergovernmental water process, including COP30 and the 2026 UN Water Conference, by encouraging a multi-sectoral dialogue involving various stakeholders covering all aspects of water security. During this year’s SMM, several Heads of State or Government are also invited to demonstrate how their engagement can accelerate intersectoral action, for example, through the Heads of State Initiatives (HoSI). The link between SMM and HoSI is vital, recognizing that political leadership at the highest level is needed to remove bottlenecks in integration and generate momentum beyond the direct sphere of influence of any sector minister. The HoSI seeks to forge political commitment and translate this into concrete results. As a result, there is a clear synergy between HoSI and the theme of the 2025 SMM.
The government of Tanzania with support from UNICEF has started the process of developing a HoSI. As there is a clear link between SMM and HoSI, it is critical for UNICEF to support the government to prepare well and participate at the SMM. As such, there is a need to engage a consultant who will support and facilitate the harmonization of relevant inputs from various initiatives and ensure Tanzania is well prepared for their participation at the 2025 SMM. The purpose of the assignment is to provide technical and backstopping support to WASH sector ministries to adequately prepare for and participate in the upcoming Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) high-level Sector Ministers Meeting (SMM).
How can you make a difference?
The assignment aims to:
- Support preparation of Country WASH Self-assessment in line with SWA’s guidelines
- Lead the preparation of implementation status of country commitments from the 2019 and 2022 SWA Sector Ministers’ Meetings.
- Prepare a country overview document and provide a snapshot of the country’s status of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) as well as related future targets.
- Track the SMM’s preparatory process (webinars, working sessions), document the deliberations and update the SWA’s task force members on key actions
- Prepare a roadmap for the implementation of country commitments made during 2025 SMM and provide recommendations that will lead to successful implementation before the next SMM.
If you would like to know more about this position in terms of the work assignment, deliverables and expected timelines, please click on the following link to the SWA TOR: 
SWA TOR for 2025.pdf
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
- Advanced university degree or equivalent experience from a reputable University in Environmental Health, Civil Engineering, Programme Governance, Sanitation Engineering, Water Resource Engineering or other field related to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector
- Well conversant with relevant the Tanzania national WASH policy and legal framework
- 10 or more years’ experience working in the water, sanitation and hygiene sector
- Experience working with government at national and sub-national level, International Organizations, Non-Government Organizations and communities in the field of water, sanitation and participatory approaches in health and hygiene promotion.
- A minimum of 5 years of experience working with Development Partners, Civil Society Organizations and other stakeholders.
- Analytical, negotiation, communication and advocacy skills.
- Coordination, leadership and teamwork abilities with ability to work and deliver quality work under tight deadlines.
- Demonstrated ability to work with intersectoral teams and effectively promote information-sharing, collaboration, and cooperation
- Ability to operate computer, particularly with Microsoft office programs (MS Word, Excel, Power Point and Access).
- Excellent communication and report-writing skills in English.
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
- Previous experience supporting SWA’s SMM preparatory processes will be an added advantage
- Research and data analysis capacity is an added advantage
- Knowledge of SWA’s mutual accountability mechanism
- Knowledge of Kiswahili will also be an added advantage.
- Qualified females are highly encouraged to apply.
For every Child, you demonstrate...
UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values
The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…
(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others
Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.
UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.
UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.
UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.
UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.
Remarks:
As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.
UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable female are encouraged to apply.
Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.
UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.
Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.
All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.
