Job categories: Finance, Health, Programme Management
Vacancy code: VA/2023/B5007/26778
Level: ICS-10
Department/office: ECR, GVA, Geneva
Duty station: Geneva, Switzerland
Contract type: Fixed Term
Contract level: P3
Duration: One year, initially. Renewable subject to programme need, funding availability and satisfactory performance
Application period: 22-Sep-2023 to 06-Oct-2023
Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement.
Please note that UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
Background Information – Job-specific
Background Information – The Sanitation and Hygiene Fund (SHF)
Operational since July 2021, SHF is a new and innovative Fund dedicated to achieving access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations.
The SHF mission is to catalyze vital investment into global sanitation and hygiene services to contribute to the world’s commitment that everyone will have access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene with the specific needs of women and girls, including menstrual health and hygiene (MHH), accounted for. Our presence is critical because global progress on achieving safe sanitation and hygiene is lagging due to insufficient finance and there is an urgent need to create more opportunities for further public and private investment into the sector.
The SHF is utilizing innovative financial approaches to catalyze national sanitation economies. By doing this the SHF supports countries to increase the number of individuals with inclusive and sustainable access to improved sanitation, hygiene and Menstrual Health Hygiene(MHH), by,
a) Increasing the volume of investments in the sanitation economy and
b) Realizing the full value of national sanitation economies; delivering inclusive and sustainable goods, services and jobs.
Role of the Sanitation and Hygiene Markets Specialist
The SHF is looking for a mission-oriented, collaborative, open minded and agile professional who is knowledgeable and passionate about the ecosystems, financing and enabling environment needed to see sanitation and hygiene markets develop and thrive in different settings in low and middle income countries.
Reporting to the Deputy Executive Director, SHF, and working in close collaboration across the small SHF team, the postholder will further drive SHFs operational and business approach to sanitation and hygiene markets, contributing significantly to growth
Functional Responsibilities
Strategic direction
- In the context of the overall SHF strategy 2022-2025, criteria for country prioritization and other operational norms, contribute to the evolution of SHFs sanitation and hygiene market based approaches, including, but not limited to:
- Identifying and working with a variety of stakeholders to assist countries to develop the conditions whereby sanitation and hygiene markets can begin to thrive in low and middle income settings
- Realization of gender-smart, climate-smart and market based approaches for sanitation and hygiene
- Women’s economic power and role in the sanitation and hygiene value chain; the creation of economic opportunities and potential
- Identifying the root causes of sanitation and hygiene market shortcomings and providing success pathways
- Building a stronger connection between financing and programmatic ecosystems through market-shaping actions along the sanitation and hygiene value chains
- Contributing to the strengthening of the sanitation economy through special attention to entry points such as, but not limited to, those left behind, the City-Wide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) approach, the circular economy (waste to value), incubation and acceleration initiatives and the interface between the toilet economy and the menstrual hygiene market place
- Provide technical contribution to the articulation of new strategies for subsequent SHF strategic periods.
- Contribute to timely preparation and submission of technical and financial reports for management, governance and donors’ decision making processes.
Sanitation Economy approach and business model implementation
- Take an active role in the evolution and application of the SHF business model in priority countries, including, technical inputs for pre-financing activities (e.g. market assessments, market estimates, business cases, financing strategies); identification of investable propositions to advance the sanitation economy; and the linkages between the menstrual hygiene marketplace and the sanitation economy and advancement of hygiene markets
- Provide technical inputs in support of SHFs sanitation and hygiene market related Technical Assistance, focusing on reducing the barriers to gender-smart / climate-smart SME growth
- Assist with the process of identifying investable propositions to progress the sanitation economy in priority countries and regions and ensure technical credibility and inputs
- Provide technical inputs in to the identification and design of sanitation economy related catalytic financing
- Provide technical inputs and advice in support of SHF programmatic grants
Planning and monitoring
- Make a substantial contribution to the development, implementation, monitoring and reporting of all related annual work plans, addressing milestones, activities and tasks and ensuring course correction.
- Contribute to the M&E process in respect of sanitation and hygiene related indicators, targets and impact benchmarks; relevant internal key performance indicators and evaluations.
- Contribute to the capturing and dissemination of sanitation economy related evidence, learning and knowledge, including the meaningful integration of evidence generated through M&E systems and processes, with reporting and performance management.
Contract and risk management
- Contribute to procurement planning, draft technical TORS and manage any subsequent contracts (services or personnel). to UNOPS standards
- Identify and maintain sanitation and hygiene economy related programmatic and financial risks and issues, maintain registers and take mitigating actions, elevating within the team as necessary.
- Contribute to UNOPS / SHF audit related activities as required.
Outreach and dialogue
- Perform outreach activities and establish and maintain technical relationships with a variety of internal and external colleagues and stakeholders
- Represent SHF at selected sanitation and hygiene markets related meetings or events, online and face to face, positioning SHF as a lead in its field both internally and externally
- Undertake international travel and advisory missions as required
Education/Experience/Language requirements
Education:
- Master’s degree preferably in economics, business administration, applied finance, financing and investing, development financing, marketing, public health, international development, engineering or another relevant social science discipline.
- A bachelor’s degree in economics, business administration, finance, financing and investing, development financing, marketing, public health, international development,engineering or another relevant social science discipline with a combination of two additional years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the master’s degree.
Experience:
- Minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional and technical experience of social impact business and market development in low or middle incomes countries and emerging markets is required.
- Demonstrated technical expertise in sanitation/hygiene and sanitation economy development is required.
- Out of the five(5) years, two (2) years of relevant work experience in MSMEs in low and middle income countries is desirable.
- Demonstrated knowledge of women’s empowerment, gender, climate and/or innovative financing is desirable.
- Experience working in a UN agency in the development or humanitarian context is desirable.
Language Requirements:
- Fluency in written and oral English is required.
- Knowledge of another official UNOPS language, particularly French is an asset
Contract type, level and durationContract type: Fixed Term Appointment (FTA – UN Staff Contract)
Contract level: ICS-10 / P3
Contract duration: One year initially, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and funding availability
For more details about United Nations staff contracts, please follow this link:
https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/UN-Staff-Contracts.aspx
Additional Information
- Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
- Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
- Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
- UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.
- Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
- We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.
- Geneva, Switzerland is a UN Family Duty Station
Terms and Conditions
- For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
- For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.
- All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
- It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.
