Job description

1. Purpose of the Position

In the context of the WHO Country Office and the WHO Health Emergencies Incident Management System, the incumbent will provide technical expertise for planning, assessing, monitoring, evaluating and coordinating health-based environmental health interventions in Yemen. The role will focus on safe drinking water, safely managed sanitation, hygiene, environmental cleaning and disinfection, health-care waste management and related primary-prevention measures in health-care facilities, IDP sites, Diarrhoea Treatment Centre (DTCs) and emergency health activities.

The current escalation is expected to increase operational pressure on health services and the need to identify and address WASH risks rapidly especially in new IDP sites. The position will strengthen Country Office capacity to support health authorities and partners with technical assessments, prioritized action plans, water-safety monitoring, standards-based rehabilitation, capacity strengthening and progress reporting for WASH interventions in IDP sites, mobile medical team service delivery sites, Diarrhoea Treatment Centre (DTCs) and health care facilities. Context-specific facts and figures must be validated before publication.

2. Objectives of the Programme and Immediate Strategic Objective

The mission of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme is to help countries, and to coordinate international action, to prevent, prepare for, detect, rapidly respond to, and recover from outbreaks and emergencies. The WASH Officer will contribute to reducing environmental health risks, supporting safe health-service delivery and strengthening national and partner capacity.

3. Organizational Context

Under the supervision of the Team Lead, the overall guidance of the Incident Manager and the Head of the WHO Country Office, and working closely with Regional Office and headquarters counterparts, other WHO personnel and partners, the incumbent will act as the technical specialist for health-based WASH action. The officer will collaborate with health authorities, United Nations partners, nongovernmental organizations and relevant WASH and Health coordination mechanisms to identify needs, resources and gaps and support prioritized action in health-care facilities including Diarrhoea Treatment Centre (DTCs)  and other public health activities.

During deployment, the duty station may change and duties may be modified based on Programme needs, subject to applicable procedures and security requirements.

Travel Requirements

Travel within Yemen may be required for assessment, coordination, technical support, monitoring and capacity strengthening. All travel is subject to operational need, security clearance, access conditions, medical clearance and applicable procedures. The candidate with SSAFE training is preferred. 

Security and Operational Context

The incumbent will work in a volatile and access-constrained environment and must comply with applicable UNDSS and WHO security requirements, complete required briefings and training, and adapt workplans to approved duty-of-care measures. Remote support may be required where access is not authorized.