WHO is seeking expressions of interest for WASH accounts facilitation and/or WASH accounts expert technical support to the UN-Water Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS). The selected institutions, companies or persons will work under the supervision of the focal point for GLAAS in the WHO Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Health (WSH) unit with respect to the on-going efforts of GLAAS to promote effective tracking of national WASH financial flows.
Deadline for applications: 10 January 2023 (full application details in section IV)
I. Background
Effective funding for drinking-water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) is essential to deliver and sustain services, and for countries to make progress towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 – clean water and sanitation for all. Since 2008, the UN-Water Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS) has found substantial gaps in the understanding and tracking of financial flows for WASH. Monitoring of and reporting on WASH financial data in countries is often insufficient for evidence-based planning and policy making.
To address these gaps, WHO launched the TrackFin methodology in 2014 as a global standardized methodology for collecting and analysing WASH financial data. Modelled on the System of Health Accounts[1], countries can map and analyse financial flows for WASH based on standard classifications and terminology, resulting in what is referred to as WASH accounts. WASH accounts present a snapshot of WASH financial flows and spending for a specified time period. Applying the TrackFin methodology ensures the comparability of WASH accounts between years and countries.
In 2018 WHO launched the WASH Accounts Production Tool (WAPT) to facilitate the process of classifying and analysing WASH expenditure data. Users import and map expenditure data in the WAPT, which produces standard WASH accounts indicators, tables and graphs. The WAPT and the six modules in the software are now an essential element of the WASH accounts process.
Developing WASH accounts is a government-led process, with the scope and focus defined according to country context and needs. Ensuring that WASH accounts outputs respond to country-specific policy questions and evidence gaps supports the use of results for planning and decision-making. WASH accounts can be used by governments, NGOs, donors and other stakeholders for informing policies, programmes and budget allocations. In addition, the WASH accounts process aims to strengthen national systems for collecting and analysing WASH financial data through institutionalization of WASH accounts.
Figure 1. Strengthening WASH financial data and use
Building on lessons learned from countries that have developed WASH accounts, and in response to growing interest from countries, in 2021 WHO launched an optimized approach to developing WASH accounts to improve accessibility and sustainability of WASH accounts. The WASH accounts optimized approach streamlines implementation processes, increases access to technical support and training, and provides improved multilingual tools, guidance and reference materials for countries.
To scale up and respond to growing country demand to develop WASH accounts, a cadre of trained WASH accounts facilitators and WASH accounts data and WAPT experts will provide multilingual facilitation and support for countries developing WASH accounts. The facilitator and data and WAPT expert facilitate trainings, provide ongoing capacity building of national WASH accounts teams, undertake technical reviews of key outputs and provide ongoing technical assistance and responses to requests from the national WASH accounts teams and partners. WHO will hold regular trainings for WASH accounts facilitators and WAPT and data experts.
The objective of this request for expressions of interest is to identify persons with relevant knowledge, skills and interest to join the pool of WASH accounts facilitators and WASH accounts data and WAPT experts.
We welcome expressions of interest for either or both roles of WASH accounts facilitator and WASH accounts data and WAPT expert described below (sections II and III).
II. WASH accounts facilitator
Role and responsibilities
The role of a WASH accounts facilitator is to support, coordinate and monitor the overall process of developing WASH accounts from start to finish.
A key responsibility of a WASH accounts facilitator is to build the capacity and knowledge of WASH accounts country teams about the TrackFin methodology, the five steps of the WASH accounts implementation process, the WASH accounts production tool (WAPT) and all activities and actions that need to be undertaken to develop WASH accounts.
Specific responsibilities of a WASH accounts facilitator include:
- Workshop coordination and facilitation. As part of capacity building and support to the implementation process and overarching goals and principles, the WASH accounts facilitator, in close collaboration with the WASH accounts country focal point, facilitates, supports and/or helps coordinate the four workshops and two recommended meetings that are part of the WASH accounts optimized process. WASH accounts facilitators also coordinate technical inputs and facilitation by WASH accounts data and WAPT experts for workshops 3 and 4. Complete packages of agenda, planning notes, presentations and materials will be available for all workshops and meetings.
- Implementation support and monitoring. The WASH accounts facilitator regularly checks in with the WASH accounts teams on progress, responds to questions and requests for support, and works closely with the WASH accounts focal points to ensure that the TrackFin methodology is correctly applied, that process deliverables started during workshops are completed, and that key study decisions are confirmed and documented. The WASH accounts facilitator will introduce and support use of the package of WASH accounts materials including the WAPT user guide and the WASH accounts implementation guide.
- Completion of technical review of the WASH accounts implementation plans and coordination of technical reviews of WAPT studies. The WASH accounts facilitator completes and provides detailed feedback on technical review 1 of the implementation plan and ensures that technical reviews 2 and 3 of WAPT studies are planned and implemented by the WHO GLAAS team and/or data and WAPT experts.
- Delivery of standard outputs aligned with the TrackFin methodology (WAPT ptstudies, a WASH accounts highlight, other analyses and products determined by the country). This is a shared responsibility with the WASH accounts national focal point and national consultant.
- Government agreement to include WASH accounts results in the GLAAS data portal, promoting the use of WASH accounts results for informing policy and programme decisions and the institutionalization of WASH accounts in country processes.
Required qualifications, experience, knowledge and skills for WASH accounts facilitators
Educational qualifications
A university degree in a relevant area (e.g. economics, statistics, public health, environmental management)
Experience
- 5 to 10 years of relevant experience
- Experience with project management and/or monitoring and evaluation in national contexts.
- Experience with data collection and/or data quality review and/or data analysis in a national context
- Experience with capacity building and training
- Desirable: Experience with advocacy and facilitation of national processes
Skills/Knowledge
- Technical knowledge of WASH and WASH financing or health and health financing
- Knowledge of national stakeholders and processes for WASH and/or health
- Excellent/demonstrated interpersonal and partnership management skills.
- Excellent/demonstrated organizational skills.
- Strong writing skills in English, French and/or Spanish
- Desirable: Technical knowledge and skills with the TrackFin methodology and the development of national WASH accounts
- Desirable: Technical knowledge and skills with the WASH accounts production tool (WAPT)
Languages and level required
- Advanced level (reading, writing, speaking) in English and/or French and/or Spanish
- At least basic level (reading and comprehension) in English
III. WASH accounts data and WAPT expert
Role and responsibilities
The overall role of a WASH accounts data and WAPT expert is to provide technical support to data preparation and data mapping in the WAPT and ensure that the final WAPT studies are accurate and complete.
A key responsibility of a WASH accounts data and WAPT expert is to build the capacity and knowledge of WASH accounts country teams about the TrackFin methodology and its application, the preparation of data for import to the WAPT and the use of the WAPT.
Specific responsibilities of a WASH accounts data and WAPT expert include:
- Workshop facilitation. As part of capacity building, the WASH accounts data and WAPT expert will provide technical inputs to Workshop 3 on data preparation and will facilitate Workshop 4 on mapping data, finalizing WASH accounts and expert use of the WAPT in collaboration with the WASH accounts facilitator. See information about workshops in the document WASH accounts optimized process. A complete package of agenda, planning notes, presentations and materials will be available for workshop 4.
- Technical support to the WASH accounts implementation process. Working closely with the WASH accounts facilitator, the national WASH accounts focal point and the national consultant, the WASH accounts data and WAPT expert will respond to technical questions and requests for specific technical support throughout the WASH accounts process. Expert technical advice and inputs to the WASH accounts team and national consultant are critical during review and preparation of collected data, mapping of all expenditures in the WAPT and quality review of the resulting WAPT outputs and the WAPT ptstudy files. This technical support includes troubleshooting issues in the WAPT, reviewing work by the WASH accounts team and the national consultant, and identifying errors and providing solutions. The WASH accounts data and WAPT expert will support use of the WAPT user guide, the WASH accounts implementation guide and the WASH accounts technical notes.
- Technical reviews of completed WAPT studies. Implement technical reviews, document and share feedback and support WASH accounts team and national consultant with making updates to WAPT studies as needed.
- High-quality, complete WAPT ptstudies aligned with the TrackFin methodology, and support to generating WASH accounts highlight. This is a shared responsibility with the WASH accounts focal point and the national consultant (when a national consultant is part of the WASH accounts team).
- Promoting the use of WASH accounts results for informing policy and programme decisions and the institutionalization of WASH accounts in country processes.
The WASH accounts data and WAPT expert may also be requested to:
- support regional workshops on data preparation and mapping when this training is appropriate,
- support the WHO GLAAS team with trend analyses and/or comparison of WASH accounts results across regions or countries (using the GLAAS data portal when possible).
Required qualifications, experience, knowledge and skills for WASH accounts data and WAPT experts
Educational qualifications
An advanced university degree in a relevant area (e.g. economics, statistics, information management, systems analysis)
Experience
- At least 10 years of relevant experience
- Experience with national monitoring and national monitoring systems in health, WASH or related areas.
- Experience with data collection and/or data quality review and/or data analysis in a national context
- Experience with capacity building and training
Skills/Knowledge
- Technical knowledge of WASH financing or health financing
- Knowledge of accounting methods and systems
- Knowledge of national stakeholders and processes for WASH and/or health
- Knowledge and understanding of national statistics and data sources related to health or WASH finances
- Expertise in financial data analysis and reporting and statistical analysis
- Expertise in software for producing financial accounts
- Highly desirable: Expertise and experience with the WAPT or the HAPT
- Excellent/demonstrated interpersonal and partnership management skills.
- Excellent/demonstrated organizational skills.
- Desirable: Technical knowledge and skills with the TrackFin methodology and the development of national WASH accounts
Languages and level required
- Advanced level (reading, writing, speaking) in English and/or French and/or Spanish
- At least basic level (reading and comprehension) in English
IV. Application details
Submission of application package:
Applications should be submitted by midnight GMT on 10 January 2023 to glaas@who.int and tiffayk@who.int and include:
- Up-to-date curriculum vitae or company description
- Brief cover letter outlining:
- specific areas of interest and expertise relevant to the roles of WASH accounts facilitator and/or WASH accounts WAPT and data expert,
- the skills and contributions that you bring to this work, and
- expected availability during 2023 and relevant daily or hourly rates.
Application review criteria includes:
- The required qualifications, experience, technical skills and knowledge and language skills outlined above;
- availability for specific tasks in consideration of needs during 2023; and
- cost effectiveness.
Successful applicants will be contacted by email by 17 January, 2023 to take part in virtual interviews 19 and 20 January 2023.
Please inform in your cover letter of any limitations to your availability on these dates.
_______________________________________________________________________________