Job: Water Quality Specialist

Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Deadline: Sunday, 01 December 2013

TERMS OF REFERENCE FORMAT (FOR Temporary Assistance Contracts)

UNICEF-BCO : TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR)

Job Title and Level: Water Quality and Water Supply Specialist - L4 level

Section: Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)

Duration: 364 days with possibility of extension, depending on performance, needs and availability of funds

Duty Station: Dhaka, with frequent travel to the field

1. Background and Justification:

Bangladesh is a predominantly low lying country, formed by a deltaic plain at the confluence of three large rivers and has one of the highest population densities in the world. Due to its geography and climate, the country is prone to a range of natural disasters including flooding, cyclones, tornadoes and droughts. The national JMP figure for safe water access is 83%, however the access to safe water varies drastically across the country, and within communities. Bangladesh has long been associated with Arsenic in the groundwater, with an estimated 13% of households drinking water in excess of the Bangladesh national standard for Arsenic (which is 5 times higher than the WHO equivalent), with associated health implications including cancers and cardiovascular diseases. In recent years, other parameters including iron, manganese and bacteriological contamination have also been highlighted as water quality issues. In terms of bacteriological contamination, a recent study commissioned by UNICEF has indicated that 24% of water sources and 94% of household water are contaminated by faecal coliforms suggesting that the development, implementation and monitoring of Water Safety Plans is urgently needed. Due to the rapid rate of urbanization, many people are living in informal settlements within and around the major cities with limited access to water and sanitation facilities due to legal issues pertaining to land tenure issues. Such restrictions have inhibited the extension of official networks resulting in a proliferation of informal water supplies, many of which are contaminated. The impact of the rapid expansion of Bangladesh's industrial and agricultural capacity is not fully known but is anticipated to be detrimental on groundwater resources, in terms of dewatering of aquifers and a further deterioration in water quality. In recent years, UNICEF has supported the Government of Bangladesh, specifically through the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE), to monitor the levels of arsenic and to maintain these records in a database, to ensure a more informed decision when choosing the location and technology type (arsenic concentrations vary with depth as well as location). Capacity building of the government counterparts for water quality monitoring and water supply management is a key component of the WASH Sector Development Plan and through this, a MIS unit has been established in DPHE with water quality data from over 140,000 water points entered to date. In addition, UNICEF is supporting specific arsenic mitigation and awareness projects in some of the most severely Arsenic-affected areas in Bangladesh. Thus, to provide technical guidance on current and future issues relating to water quality and water supply, additional assistance is required and the section is planning to recruit one L4 (TA) with the requisite technical background, expertise in water quality and water supply in addition to capacity building of government staff, systems' development and the legislative framework.

2. Purpose of Assignment:

The purpose of the assignment is to provide technical and managerial support to the section to ensure the provision of appropriate and timely planning, monitoring and technical support to current and future projects as well as reporting, identification of funding gaps and mobilization of the necessary resources.

The key objectives of this assignment is to:

- Provide technical assistance to the Government of Bangladesh and implementing partners on issues relating to water supply and water quality;

- Ensure the development and dissemination of technical guidelines and reports;

- Manage current and future water related projects being implemented by partners with financial support from UNICEF;

- Provide guidance and technical support to the government partners on policy development, water quality monitoring, water resources management;

- Provide reports on project and sector progress;

- Represent UNICEF in technical committees and panels on water related issues;

- Identify intervention gaps and mobilize resources as necessary.

3. PBA# SC120958 and Non-Grant 4. Indicative assignment dates:

1 December 2013 to 29 November 2014

5. Supervisor: Chief of WASH

6. Major duties and responsibilities:

• Provide technical assistance to implementing partners on issues relating to groundwater resources, aquifer management and groundwater monitoring;
• Provide technical assistance to implementing partners on issues relating to water quality – development of monitoring protocols, quality assurance mechanisms, testing facilities, training resources and development, implementation and monitoring of Water Safety Plans;
• Support the development, review and dissemination of Technological Guidelines for the selection of appropriate technology for different hydrogeological conditions;
• Manage current and future water related projects being implemented by partners with financial support from UNICEF – technical oversight, financial management and progress monitoring;
• Provide technical support on Managed Aquifer Recharge schemes; monitoring progress and providing advice to partners;
• Provide guidance to government partners on the drafting of policies, standards and legal instruments relating to water, and the appropriate implementation and monitoring;
• Contribute to the writing of relevant documents and reports including: annual and donor reports, workplans and other sectoral documents;
• Contribute to WASH Situation Analysis by ensuring compilation, organization and analysis of relevant data, programme planning, monitoring and evaluation with a focus on water supply and water quality; Represent UNICEF in technical committees, panels and working groups on water related issues; Identify gaps in interventions and develop proposals (documents, budgets, workplans, logframes, etc) to mobilize resources;
• Provide technical assistance to government partners in the implementation of Arsenic Mitigation Plan;
• Assist DPHE to ensure operation and maintenance protocols are implemented;
• Support Research and Development activities, such as ground water exploration, improved deep drilling, evaluation of various pump types, Arsenic removal technologies and household water treatment options; Support DPHE to adopt adequate water quality policies, guidelines and practices;
• Provide Technical support to DPHE to strengthen the MIS/GIS unit through database development, staff capacity building, sharing of information and knowledge including: (i) implementation of geocoding of water points; (ii) development a water point mapping model for DPHE to serve as the basis for National MIS;iii) expansion of the on-going use of mobile technology to collect and analyze data on water points and water quality;
• Any other tasks that may be required to achieve the objective of this assignment.

7. Qualifications and Competencies required for the assignment: Education:

Advanced university degree in one of the following areas: Water Resources Management, Water Supply, Water Quality, Hydrogeology, Civil Engineering, Public Health Engineering or a field relevant to WASH related development assistance.

A specialization in water quality will be considered highly advantageous.

Work experience: Minimum eight years of progressively responsible professional work experience in the water sector (UN or development agency, government regulatory body, academic institution or the private sector). Familiarity with Emergency preparedness and response would be considered advantageous.

Language: Excellent English language writing, editing and verbal skills. Knowledge of other UN language is required. Local working language of the duty station would be considered preferable. Competencies:

• Core Values (Required)
• Commitment
• Diversity and Inclusion

• Integrity

ii) Core Competencies (Required)

• Communication [ II ]
• Working with People [ II ]
• Drive for Results [ II ] iii)
• Functional Competencies (Required) Leading and Supervising [ I ]
• Formulating Strategies and Concepts Analyzing [ III ]
• Relating and Networking [ II ] Deciding and Initiating Action [ II ]
• Applying Technical Expertise [ III ]

iv) Technical Knowledge [ III ]

• Specific Technical Knowledge Required [ II ] Advanced knowledge of one or more of the technical areas of UNICEF programmes i.e. specialized knowledge of groundwater dynamics (contaminant flow, arsenic, saline intrusion, industrial pollutants, hydrogeological factors), integrated water resource management (water quality monitoring, water safety plans, recharge, abstraction) and household water treatment in development and emergency contexts, as well as knowledge on advocacy and upstream policy formulation. Advanced Technical Knowledge of the theories, principles and methods in the following areas: WASH project management, monitoring and evaluation; appropriate WASH technology i.e. community based WASH, establishment of monitoring systems and capacity building methodologies and strategies.
• Common Technical Knowledge Required [ II ] General knowledge of: Methodology of programme/project management; Programmatic goals, visions, positions, policies and strategies for sectoral programmes;

Knowledge of global human rights and gender issues, specifically relating to children and women, and the current UNICEF position and approaches; UNICEF policies and strategies to address WASH issues, including those relating to conflicts, natural disasters, recovery, disaster risk reduction and environmental sustainability. UNICEF financial, supply and administrative rules and regulations.

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