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| Vacancy Notice No: AFRO/14/TA183 Title: EBOLA OUTBREAK - SURGE CAPACITY - WATER SANITATION SPECIALIST - THIS VACANCY SUPERSEDES VN AFRO/14/TA139 Grade: P level Contract type: Temporary appointment Duration of contract: Minimum 3-month period | Date: 17 December 2014 Application Deadline: 31 March 2015 (82 day(s) until closing deadline) Currently accepting applications Duty Station: Multiple duty stations Organization unit: AF Africa (AF) Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea (including district level) |
| OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME : The current Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak began in Guinea in December 2013 and now involves intense transmission in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. On Friday 25th July 2014 the Director-General (DG) of the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Ebola outbreak to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) under the International Health Regulations (2005), and grading the outbreak to Grade 3 in line with the WHO Emergency Response Framework (ERF). There is heightened concern about the risk of Ebola spreading to other countries. Within this framework, a WHO Ebola Response team is dedicated exclusively to coordinate international response, and mobilise international technical assistance from WHO, the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) and other partners and stakeholders to provide direct support for national outbreak response activities and in the field. The UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly, agreed on the establishment of the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) by the UNSG - the first of its kind - headquartered in Accra and providing a UN-wide initiative that draws together all the assets of all relevant UN agencies to tackle this crisis together. In this regard, WHO is the lead agency for a number of strategic objectives. | |
| Description of duties: Under the supervision of the WHO Country Representative (WR), the incumbent will: - provide technical support to the country in planning, monitoring and evaluating environmental health interventions with a focus on the provision of safe drinking water, adequate sanitation and hygiene, health care waste management in the context of the EVD outbreak; - develop their technical and institutional capacities for the implementation of primary prevention interventions, particularly those related to the safety of drinking water, safe sanitation, waste management, air pollution and chemical management. He/she will: - monitor, evaluate and report country progress on Water Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) activities within the community and at health facility levels, in the context of the Ebola Outbreak Response; - provide technical support to the team in the specific related area. Ebola Outbreak Response. Under the authority of the WHO Representative, the incumbent will contribute to the following key deliverables supporting the Ebola Emergency Response: 1. Ensure efficient water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) technical support and related logistics.Critically assess the national water situation, e.g. water resources, environmental conditions, water supply processes from sources to users (including water collection, transportation and distribution, treatment of drinking water) and the availability of resources for water treatment (chlorination). 2. Provide technical expertise and advice, and support to the Ministry of Health (MOH) on water sanitation and hygiene, assisting and proactively participating in the design and implementation of plans to rehabilitate damaged or destroyed water and sanitation systems, with emphasis on providing advice and expertise in the chlorination of water extracted from wells and the protection of wells. 3. Support capacity-building efforts to operate and maintain long-term safe, sustainable water services and monitor and evaluate these interventions. 4. Assess waste management systems, including Health Care Waste (HCW) in the affected areas, recommending appropriate actions and elaborating proposals to facilitate their implementation. 5. Assess water and sanitation in health care facilities, holding centres and Ebola Treatment Units (ETU)/ Ebola Treatment Centres (ETC) and recommend appropriate actions and proposals to improve as necessary. 6. Proactively collaborate with WHO staff/experts, UNICEF as well as with national officials and international partners in all matters related to water and sanitation conditions and ensure improvements in existing health care facilities as part of WHO's emergency response. 7. Follow-up and report on the implementation of water and sanitation progress and activities, evaluating gaps and needs and proposing remedial actions for improvement. 8. Organize and supervise the following WASH related logistics: 1. Ensure the proper non-medical staff training and coaching i.e. water treatment, waste segregation and safe disposals within the different ETUs, managed and supervised by WHO /GOARN partners. - Coordinate the training sessions, coaching and evaluation with whoever is contracted for the ETU overall logistics support. - Train and coach "hygiene and support staff" on different chlorine solutions within the structures, assess daily consumptions and management of daily quantities accordingly, including monitoring of the water chlorination, use and maintenance of the hygiene structures in the structure. - Assess and implement adequate hygiene facilities and practices (hand wash facilities), within the structures, including set up of a proper waste management system (collection, sorting, treatment and final disposal) inside the structures. - Support the construction or renovation of waste disposal infrastructure, including waste pits (organic/solid/sharps) and incinerators for in situ disposal of medical wastes. - Train and coach the staff in charge of every structure on the correct solid waste management, including HCW, on a daily basis and in a safe way, ensuring a proper set up, maintenance and correct usage. - Support logistics team on maintaining stockpiles of essential response equipment, supplies of personal protective equipment, (PPE), laboratory equipment, etc. in every of the supervised ETU structures. 2. Assist in strengthening field logistics support for outbreak alert and response operations. - Provide WATSAN input into the operational strategy developed at the field level and when applicable into the national response plan. - Support social mobilisation, awareness and advocacy campaigns to promote WASH initiatives within the community. Undertake any other duties as requested by supervisors. | |
| REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS | |
| Education: Essential: University degree in environmental health, water sanitation or water engineering or related field, or a relevant combination of professional certification/qualification in areas such as water, sanitation and hygiene and waste management. Desirable: Degree or training in public health | |
| Skills: Essential Skills: - Working knowledge of water sourcing, water treatment and water distribution; - Working knowledge of environmental sanitation i.e. latrines, solid waste etc. in the community, - Excellent organizational and analytical skills with the ability to coordinate activities and multitask, identify and solve problems; - Demonstrated skills in IT skills: i.e.in databases management and use for monitoring transportation, supplies and inventory, and forecast needs; - Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to promote cohesive action and convince officials with tact and diplomacy; - Ability to write in a clear and concise manner, and to present factual information. Desirable skills: - Knowledge of WHO, the UN System or NGO work in the field of response relief and/or of their practices and procedures as related to the work is desirable - Ability to use other equipment such a radio and satellite phones; | |
| Experience: Essential - At least 5 years of relevant experience in emergency outbreak/developing response; -Demonstrated experience in water treatment and water distribution within an emergency context; -Demonstrated experience in sanitation within an emergency context suitable for the targeted community in developing countries. Desirable: - Experience in safe burials; -Experience in the use of and/or disposal of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), laboratory equipment, etc. -Experience in a cluster approach (working/sharing with other partners, entities). | |
| Languages: Depending on the country of assignment: - For French speaking countries: Good working knowledge (written & spoken) of French. Knowledge of English an advantage. - For English speaking countries: Good working knowledge (written & spoken) of English. Knowledge of French an advantage. | |
| Additional Information: CANDIDATES WHO APPLIED FOR VACANCY NOTICE N° AFRO/14/TA139 WILL ALSO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS VACANCY AND THEREFORE DO NOT NEED TO RE-APPLY. THIS VACANCY IS GENERIC AND OUTLINES THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS. ONLY THOSE APPLICANTS WHO ARE CONSIDERED FOR DEPLOYMENT AGAINST A SPECIFIC POSITION WILL BE CONTACTED. REFERENCE CHECKS WILL BE MADE AT THE POINT OF SHORTLISTING. PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU ADVISE YOUR CURRENT OR PREVIOUS EMPLOYER THAT A RAPID RESPONSE WILL BE SOUGHT. PRIOR TO DEPLOYMENT CANDIDATES MUST: - HOLD A VALID YELLOW FEVER VACCINATION CERTIFICATE - COMPLETE THE UNDSS BASIC II SECURITY IN THE FIELD TRAINING - https://training.dss.un.org/courses/v21/pages/dss_login_register.php - PROVIDE ALL COPIES OF DEGREES/DIPLOMAS INDICATED IN THEIR PERSONAL HISTORY FORM PERSONS CONTRACTED AGAINST THIS NOTICE WILL COMPRISE A MOBILE WORKFORCE AND MAY BE DEPLOYED TO ANY LOCATION WITHIN THE ASSIGNED COUNTRY, BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THAT COUNTRY. THEY MAY ALSO BE REDEPLOYED TO ANOTHER LOCATION DURING THE COURSE OF THEIR ASSIGNMENT. | |
| This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level. | |
| Online applications are strongly encouraged to enable WHO to store your profile in a permanent database. Please visit WHO's e-Recruitment website at: www.who.int/employment. The system provides instructions for online application procedures. | |
| All applicants are encouraged to apply online as soon as possible after the vacancy has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the vacancy announcement. | |
| WHO is committed to workforce diversity. | |
| Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual. Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted. | |
