WASH Systems Strengthening Evidence Synthesis Consultant

Job Posting Organization:
UNICEF, established in 1946, operates in over 190 countries and territories with a mission to save children's lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential. The organization is committed to promoting the rights of every child and offers diverse opportunities for professional and personal development. UNICEF has a workforce that reflects the diversity of the children it serves and is dedicated to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Job Overview:
The consultancy aims to review and synthesize evidence from selected countries to demonstrate the value of UNICEF's WASH systems strengthening technical assistance to governments over the past 10-15 years. The consultant will design and implement a mixed-methods evidence synthesis that analyzes how support has been delivered, what outputs were produced, and what changes in systems and service outcomes are plausibly linked to UNICEF support. The overall objective is to improve program design, inform donor engagement, and strengthen UNICEF's positioning in a resource-constrained environment. The consultant will utilize UNICEF's 2024 WASH systems strengthening framework as a conceptual anchor, focusing on sustainable, equitable, and climate-resilient WASH services.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant will be responsible for developing a detailed workplan, analytical framework, and evidence synthesis protocol. Key activities include reviewing relevant documents, conducting quantitative analysis, preparing country case studies, conducting key informant interviews, and synthesizing contribution pathways. The consultant will also assess what changes UNICEF should make to enhance its systems strengthening offer and prepare a practical guide for country offices. The final deliverables will include revised documents based on feedback from UNICEF, ensuring all outputs are clear and publication-ready.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree in relevant fields such as water and sanitation, public policy, or social sciences. They should have demonstrated experience in conducting evidence syntheses, evaluations, and political economy analysis, with strong knowledge of WASH sector monitoring and experience working with governments in low- and middle-income countries. A minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in WASH is required, with substantial experience in governance, policy, and institutional reform.

Educational Background:
An advanced university degree in water and sanitation, public policy, development studies, economics, governance, public health, evaluation, engineering, social sciences, or a related field is required. A PhD is considered an asset but is not mandatory.

Experience:
Candidates should have at least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in the WASH sector, with substantial experience in systems strengthening, governance, policy, and service delivery sustainability. Experience in fragile or climate-vulnerable environments is also preferred.

Languages:
Professional working proficiency in English is mandatory. Knowledge of additional languages such as French, Spanish, or Arabic is considered an asset, especially if the sample includes countries where these languages are operationally useful.

Additional Notes:
The consultancy has a contract duration of 9 months and is primarily home-based. UNICEF promotes a diverse and inclusive work environment and encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, or background. The organization has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct incompatible with its aims and objectives, including discrimination and abuse. Selected candidates will undergo rigorous background checks.