Partnerships Specialist

The Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) was established in 1990 and mandated by name in United Nations General Assembly resolution A/RES/45/181.The WSSCC Secretariat is hosted by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and aims to accelerate the achievement of sustainable sanitation, hygiene and water services for all people, with special attention to the unserved poor, by enhancing collaboration and coordination of all sector stakeholders. The WSSCC Secretariat is located in Geneva, Switzerland. More information on WSSCC can be found on the website at www.wsscc.org.

In November 2018, President Muhammad Buhari declared a state of Emergency in the WASH Sector but also launched the roadmap to ending Open Defecation by the year 2025. This is based on the fact that by the October 2019, Nigeria may become the country with the highest number of persons practicing open defecation. With approximately one in four persons, 47 million   people having nowhere to go to toilet while the national access to basic sanitation stands at a low level of 33% (JMP, 2017). Data from the recently conducted WASH National Outcome Routine Monitoring (WASH-NORM) in 2018 showed a marginal reduction in access to improved water supply to 67.9% with only 3.7% meeting safely managed criteria while for sanitation, basic access stood at 41.5% out of which 19.2% is safely managed. 

As part of WSSCC contribution to the realization of the development agenda of the government of Nigeria, a 2-years 2019-2020 Country Engagement Plan (CEP) has been developed with the overall objective to “To support the agenda of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Towards Water Sanitation and Hygiene by 2025 with particular focus on the national ODF road map, MHM, and LNOB’. To further strengthen it work in Nigeria, WSSCC will use the facility made at its disposal by The Federal Ministry of Water Resources as a unit dedicated to supporting the WASH sector at Federal and states level and the implementation of the CEP for the period 2019-2020. The incumbent will be based in the WSSCC Nigeria Support Unit, and reports to the Regional Manager, West and Central Africa Unit (WCAU) based in Geneva.

Under the direct supervision of the WSSCC Regional Manager (RM), West and Central Africa Unit (WCAU), the incumbent will be responsible for providing technical support for the implementation of WSSCC’s Country Engagement Plan (CEP) in Nigeria through its Nigeria Support Unit (NSU). Within the framework fo the CEP for Nigeria,  the incumbent will also be responsible for developing and managing activities in support to existing and new partnerships, including  but not limited to grant managements, collaboration with federal and state level partners, support to designing and to operationalize learning and training, documentation and links to research and monitoring systems of WSSCC. The incumbent will work pro-actively to provide technical support to key stakeholders and existing structures such as the Clean Nigeria Unit (CNU) of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, the WSSCC Wash Ambassador, the WSSCC National Coordinator and the GSF supported programme and RUWASSA’s in Benue and Cross River states. The incumbent may also engage to support WSSCC Regional Unit organize local and regional events, workshops and trainings.

Partnership Coordination and development

• Support the Regional Manager,WCAU, build & strengthen ongoing and new partnership in Nigeria
• Develop and update a stakeholder and partnerships mapping exercise, defining and classifying the various types of partnerships taking place in Nigeria
• Cultivate and support the development of new partnership relationships with UN, Civil Society and other potential collaborators involved in WSSCC thematic priorities in Nigeria through direct outreach and targeted events.
• Drafts new or revise partnership concept notes, and proposals to support strategic engagement,m including through close collaboration with WSSCC Resources Mobilization unit;
• In collaboration with WSSCC Communications unit develop tailored data and materials and social media content on WSSCC approaches and successes in Nigeria that reinforce targeted partnership development and outreach
• Continuously update and seek to grow a partnership list of relevant contacts.
• Manage assigned projects at the WSSCC Nigeria Support Unit (NSU). This may  include short term initiatives and small grants under the Nigeria Country Engagement Plan (CEP) as needed.
• Identify and support the mobilization of  national-level resources through engagement with governmental and private institutions.
• Support WSSCC Regional Manager, the WASH Ambassador, and the National Coordinator in the promotion and the profiling of WSSCC.
• Support RM WCAU to bring lessons from Nigeria to the sector regionally and globally

Capacity strengthening and support to the Clean Nigeria Unit and ODF road maps at state level

• Prepare annual work plan with the Clean Nigeria Unit to  support the delivery of workshops and training in the following areas:  strengthening in collective behavior change, equity and inclusion, MHM, societal engagement and mass collaboration, development of state level ODF road maps.
• Link with Technical Support Unit (TSU) in WSSCC Secretariat to systematize feedback loops, quality control mechanisms and systems for ongoing capacity development in the sector.

Support WSSCC and WCAU internal planning and review

• In collaboration with WSSCC Secretariat staff, integrate lessons learned in Nigeria and in the region into the ongoing work of WSSCC as well as the forthcoming formulation of WSSCC’s new strategic plan for 2021 - 2025.
• Participate and support WCAU team in the planning, implementation and monitoring of, activities in Nigeria and in the region with a particular focus on partnership, collaboration and events/workshop management.
• Work with National Coordinators and GSF partners in cross-fertilization of learning, knowledge and best practices.
• Travel in Africa as well as to WSSCC Headquarters in Geneva as required for this position.

• Master’s degree in social sciences or social work  or Development Studies or gender studies or Economics or Management Science or other relevant fields. 
• A bachelor's degree with a combination of 2 additional years of relevant experience may be accepted  in lieu of the master's degree.

• Fluency in English is required.

• Knowledge of any of the major Nigeria languages: Hausa, Ibo or Yoruba: reading, written and spoken is an asset/desirable.

• Demonstrated experience and professional background in partnership development, coordination, programme management, strategic development and engagement, resource  mobilization;
• Relevant experiences to WASH, Gender mainstreaming, institutional strengthening, local governments, sustainable development issues, private sector and corporate social responsibility.
• Demonstrated diplomatic skills and excellent interpersonal skills with sensitivity to cultural and political differences
• Understanding of  programmes, policies, and coordination mechanisms particularly the WASH and equality and non-discrimination context;

1. Contract type : Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA)
2. Contract level : Local ICA Specialist Level 10
3. Contract duration: Ongoing ICA – ‘Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.