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.
At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.
UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture., coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.
Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.
Vacancy Announcement: Consultant
Consultancy Title: WASH in Public Health Emergencies Expert Consultant
Section/Division/Duty Station: Wash Section, Programme Group - NYHQ
Duration: September 1, 2025 to 31 July, 2026
Home/ Office Based: Home-based
BACKGROUND
Purpose of Activity/Assignment:
UNICEF contributes to Public Health Emergency (PHE) preparedness and response through its unique role in addressing the specific needs of children and women. UNICEF plays a leading role in areas critical to outbreak prevention and control, such as infection prevention and control (IPC), water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), risk communication and community engagement (RCCE), immunization, supply and logistics, as well as supporting the continuity of essential social services and mental health and psychosocial support.
UNICEF’s WASH in Emergency and Fragile Contexts (WiEFC) Unit provides expertise on cholera, Ebola, mpox and other public health emergencies (PHE) through Technical Assistance to UNICEF regions and countries, the development of technical guidelines and knowledge management products, the provision of trainings and its participation in global partnerships and networks.
To deliver on its mandate, UNICEF’s WASH in Emergency and Fragile Contexts Unit is looking for an experienced WASH in Public Health Emergencies expert to reinforce its WASH and IPC capacities for public health events and infectious disease outbreaks that have the potential to result in a Public Health Emergency. The consultant will work under the supervision of the Senior WASH Advisor, WiEFC Unit, and in a close working relationship with UNICEF PHE Unit and Supply Division teams and the Health Care Facility/hand Hygiene Expert in the PG WASH Team.
Scope of Work:
Evidence generation and knowledge management:
- Review the UNICEF Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC) strategy and roadmap, and produce a revised report detailing UNICEF’s WASH and IPC role in communities, in alignment with global health architecture (HPER) and UNICEF Operational Framework for Public Health Emergencies (final report by March 2026).
- Develop a WASH and cholera knowledge product on “Cholera, WASH service levels and methodology for costed interventions in Priority Areas for Multisectoral interventions” (final report by June 2026). This report will build on the work carried out by UNICEF and US CDC in Mozambique, hence a 2-week missions is to be planned in this country.
- Draft the WASH PHE section of the UNICEF WASH annual report (contribution by March 2026).
Operational and programmatic support:
- Develop lists of essential supplies for Public Health Emergencies with UNICEF Supply Division and WHO and produce a final report with recommended WASH and IPC supplies for cholera and EVD responses (by March 2026)
- Provide a technical assessment of UNICEF CDC-funded WASH in PHE projects and prepare quarterly technical progress updates (3 reports expected by June 2026)
Capacity building:
- Support the delivery of training on vector control for WASH practitioners in Nairobi, Kenya, from 1-5 September 2025 and prepare a short report with key recommendations for future trainings on vector control (by December 2025)
- Develop a final version of the WASH training package for cholera response (with the US CDC) after the rolling out of the revised version in at least one country (by June 2026)
Partnerships:
- Support the development and ensure finalization of two priority products defined by the partners of the WASH Working Group of the Global Taskforce on Cholera Control (GTFCC): a “Water Quality Monitoring operational toolkit” and a “Guidance on WASH response during a cholera outbreak” (by June 2026)
- Prepare, organize and facilitate three quarterly meetings (September 2025, December 2025 and March 2026) and one annual meeting of the GTFCC WASH WG (June 2026) in partnership with GTFCC secretariat / WHO Cholera team
- Prepare, organize and facilitate four meetings of the WASH in PHE Network with WHO (on quarterly basis until June 2026)
Terms of Reference / Deliverables
Evidence Generation and knowledge management
Review the UNICEF Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC) strategy and roadmap, and produce a revised report detailing UNICEF’s WASH and IPC role in communities.
31 December 2025
- A final report that includes feedback received on the draft report from UNICEF WASH and other PG sections
31 March 2026
Develop a WASH and cholera knowledge product on “Cholera, WASH service levels and methodology for costed interventions in Priority Areas for Multisectoral interventions”
- A progress report presenting the results of the Cholera and WASH service levels analysis
31 December 2025
- A final report including the detailed methodology for WASH costed interventions in PAMIs
30 June 2026
Draft the WASH PHE section of the UNICEF WASH annual report
- A written contribution detailing the WASH in PHE activities conducted by the WiEFC team for inclusion in the annual report
31 March 2026
Operational and programmatic support
Develop lists of essential supplies for Public Health Emergencies
- A final report with for WASH and IPC supplies in cholera and EVD responses
31 March 2026
Provide a technical assessment of UNICEF CDC-funded WASH in PHE projects
- A first report (activities conducted in Q4 2025)
31 December 2025
- A second report (activities conducted in Q1 2026)
31 March 2026
- A third report (activities conducted in Q2 2026)
30 June 2026
Capacity building
Ensure final revision of the WASH training package for cholera response (with the US CDC), and the rolling out in at least one country
- A progress report presenting the results after the delivery of the training in one country (to be defined)
31 March 2026
- A final version of the WASH training package
30 June 2026
Facilitation of training on vector control, and report to propose next steps
- A final report presenting the results of the training and some ways forward for WASH and vector control in UNICEF
31 December 2025
Partnerships
Support the development and ensure finalization of two priority products defined by the partners of the WASH Working Group of the Global Taskforce on Cholera Control (GTFCC): a “Water Quality Monitoring operational toolkit” and a “Guidance on WASH response during a cholera outbreak” (by June 2026)
- A progress report presenting the status of the two documents and a clear timeline for finalization
31 December 2025
- A final brief report presenting the two documents, with the two documents annexed
30 June 2026
Prepare, organize and facilitate three quarterly meetings and one annual meeting of the GTFCC WASH WG
- A preliminary report presenting the results of the first two meetings
31 December 2025
- A final report presenting the results of the two other meetings
30 June 2026
Prepare, organize and facilitate four meetings of the WASH in PHE Network with WHO (on quarterly basis)
- A preliminary report presenting the results of the first two meetings
31 December 2025
- A final report presenting the results of the two other meetings
30 June 2026
Travel :
One 1-week mission in Kenya (vector control training, 30 August – 5 September 2025), one 2-week mission in Mozambique (cholera costing methodology, date to be defined in Q4 2025), four 3-days missions to Geneva (dates aligned with GTFCC and WASH in PHE Network meetings and/or their preparation) and one 1-week mission in a country to be defined in Middle-East or Africa (cholera training, dates to be defined before April 2026)
All the travels mentioned are required to ensure completion of the deliverables
Qualifications
(1) Education
An advanced university degree (MSc) in one of the following fields is required: civil engineering, environmental engineering, WASH, Public Health.
(2) Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:
• A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in WASH in Public Health Emergencies - related programs at the national and/or international levels, including at least 5 years of experience in emergency and humanitarian contexts, working with the UN, government, or INGOs.
• Expertise in public health emergencies (PHE), including experience responding to cholera, Ebola, mpox, and other disease outbreaks in humanitarian contexts.
• Experience working with UNICEF or other UN organizations during public health emergencies is an asset and will be strongly considered.
• Strong advocacy and partnership-building skills, with experience engaging with donors, governments, and international stakeholders to advance WASH and PHE objectives.
• Proven track record in technical guidance development related to humanitarian WASH & PHE, particularly for fragile and conflict-affected settings.
• Basic knowledge of the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response global health architecture and institutional knowledge of UNICEF programmes in emergencies is desirable.
• Demonstrated experience in knowledge management and capacity building, including designing and delivering training programs for humanitarian WASH professionals.
• Fluency in English. Good written and spoken skills in French is required.
Requirements:
Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and
- Upload copy of academic credentials
- Financial proposal that will include/ reflect :
- the costs per each deliverable and the total lump-sum for the whole assignment (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.
- travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
- Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
- Indicate your availability
- Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
- At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
- Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process
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
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. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. 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 all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, are encourage to apply 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.
The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (if applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract.
All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.
Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.
