Devex Career Hub: How to land a WASH role

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With another World Water Day on the horizon — and receiving even more attention this year as Ukraine’s water access is threatened by the war — I’m compelled to put a spotlight on the employment opportunities addressing urgent needs in these areas.

In this edition of Career Hub, learn about the top organizations and featured openings for WASH professionals, and see the latest updates on who is hiring in response to Ukraine’s humanitarian crisis. Plus, explore more job opportunities at Tetra Tech, the World Food Programme, and more.

Top jobs this week

Senior Editor
World Resources Institute
United States

Office Manager
Tetra Tech
Moldova

Junior Professional Officer
World Food Programme
Chad

Senior Program Associate, MENA
Chemonics International Inc.
Remote

+ See the full list.

In focus: WASH opportunities

Access to clean water and sanitation is a human right, yet 1.42 billion people live in areas of “high or extremely high water vulnerability,” according to UNICEF.

Here are a few of the top employers dedicated to WASH issues and achieving water access and sanitation for all:

WaterAid. Founded in 1981, WaterAid was the first charity dedicated solely to global water and sanitation issues. It works with a variety of stakeholders to provide assistance for three main objectives: clean water, improved sanitation, and proper hygiene for all. Learn more.

WaterAid is currently hiring a senior adviser on health in any of several locations and a project manager in the United Kingdom.

SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL. Founded in 1980, SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL was created to deliver aid in places facing humanitarian crises. Since then, its focus has shifted to water, and fighting water-related diseases is at the center of its efforts. Learn more.

SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL is currently looking for a field coordinator in Afghanistan and a country director in Venezuela.

Read more: Top employers in water, sanitation, and hygiene

A day in the Life: The WASH specialist

“It's really exciting to see uptake from communities and have them say ‘you've changed our lives.’”

— Monica Ramos, coordinator, UNICEF’s Global WASH Cluster

Being a WASH specialist can involve working in some of the most insecure, high-risk, and high-pressure environments. But for Monica Ramos, seeing the impact that a WASH intervention can have in a resource-constrained community makes it all worth it.

Read more: What it’s like to work as a WASH specialist for UNICEF

Members-only jobs this week

Section Head (Software Solutions)
Intergovernmental energy organization
Austria

Conflict and Social Cohesion Advisor
International aid agency
Worldwide

Health Adviser
Not-for-profit global network
Worldwide

Director, Global Modelling
United Nations agency
Italy

+ See the full list

Update: Who’s hiring to help Ukraine

We’re continuing to track the groups that are actively hiring in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and some of the roles that need to be filled:

Catholic Relief Services. Soon after the crisis began, CRS said it was sending staffers and resources to support local Caritas Internationalis partners in Ukraine, Romania, Moldova, and Poland. The American NGO is helping to support food distribution, transportation services, and evacuation efforts.

• Full-time role — emergency coordinator in Moldova.
• Full-time role — shelter program manager in Moldova.

IFRC. Members of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies remain active in Ukraine and other countries directly affected by the crisis, including with the operation of three health service points at the Hungarian border and the activation of more than 20 rescue teams in Poland.

• Consulting assignment — operations manager in Ukraine.
• Short-term contract — WASH program manager in Moldova.

More new roles: The globaldev organizations hiring in response to Ukraine crisis

What we’re reading

Back to normal? In parts of the world where COVID-19 cases are dropping, it feels like the end of the pandemic may be in sight. But do we want to go back into the office? [Quartz]

A wish list from workers. What lessons and working conditions have employees adopted during the pandemic that they don’t want to lose in the rush to normalcy? [Charter]

NGOs in Ukraine. Organizations with little to no experience in Eastern Europe are now scrambling to respond to the Ukraine crisis. [Devex Pro]

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