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Consultant for the revision of Water Safety Plans manual in Timor-Leste. Dili. WASH. 6 Months. Office Based (With Travel)#594318

Dili, Timor-LesteConsultantUNICEF
Closing in 6 daysPosted Jul 8, 2026

TERMS OF REFERENCE

The consultant intends to support the Ministry of Health (MoH) in review and revise country Water Safety Plan manual through desk review, site visits, WASH stakeholder consultations and national validations.

Background : Timor-Leste has made significant progress in improving access to water supply since its independence in 2002; however, challenges remain in ensuring safe, reliable, and good-quality drinking water. Based on Timor-Leste Population and Housing Census in 2022, while national access to basic water services has reached around 84.3%, more than 54% of households are still facing water shortages during the past six months. Furthermore, the absence of water quality database and institutional arrangement to maintain water quality data creates a major gap in maintaining improved water quality across the country. Many rural water systems are poorly managed, making them vulnerable to contamination from human and animal waste, environmental factors, and climate-related events like heavy rains and landslides. Poor quality of water for drinking and household use leads to ongoing public health concerns, including possible outbreak of waterborne diseases. Introduction of Water Safety Plans Water Safety Plans (WSPs), promoted by the World Health Organization (WHO), provide a risk-based approach to manage drinking water safety from source to consumer. In Timor-Leste, the introduction of WSPs began with national-level engagement and capacity building. A key milestone was the WHO-supported national workshop held in Dili in October 2009, which brought government and WASH sector stakeholders together to introduce and promote the WSP concept. This workshop led to the development of WSP manual which was first published in 2013. Policy and Institutional Context The Government of Timor-Leste has strengthened its commitment to water quality and safety through policies institutional reforms, including:
  • National Public Water Supply Policy (2020)
  • Water Resource Management Policy (2020)
  • Law on Quality Control of Water for Human Consumption (2020)
  • Establishment of BEE TL, EP and National Authority for Water and Sanitation (ANAS) in 2020, and
  • The replacement of ANAS to National Directorate for the Regulation of Water and Sanitation (DNRAS) in 2024

These frameworks provide an enabling environment for adopting WSPs as part of broader efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: safe water and sanitation for all.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: TMC0003541External ToR.pdf

Minimum requirements

Education: Master’s in public health/environmental engineering/environmental science/water resource management/Civil engineering or related field

Work Experience

  • Minimum 5 years of experience in WHO water safety plan framework, drinking water quality standard and guidelines, waterborne diseases, water supply system components, risk assessment and control measures and overall WASH sector knowledge.
  • Has working experience with UN and / or other international development agency.
  • Proven experience in liaising with government bodies.
Skills: Excellent in negotiation, coordination and stakeholder management skills
Language Requirements: excellent communication (verbal and written) in English.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

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UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.
UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

  • An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
  • Cover letter
A separate financial proposal (only acceptable in the format of the linked template) TMC0003541 Financial proposal template.docx

Remarks

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All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found official source link.

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