PROJECT BACKGROUND

The USAID Water and Sanitation Project is a four- and half-year intervention designed to increase access to water supply and sanitation (WSS) services in urban areas of Haiti which have been affected by cholera and/or Hurricane Mathew, and to strengthen the enabling environment for sustainable delivery, operation, and maintenance of those WSS services. The project has just completed its first year of work, as well as assessments of the five water utilities (Centres Techniques d’Exploitation – CTEs) that the project is working with.

ROLE’S PURPOSE

The Senior Water & Sanitation Strengthening Specialist will work primarily with the Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) to design a package of technical assistance, training, and capacity-building that will enable target Haitian water utilities (CTEs) to meet operational, commercial and customer service goals and increase their ability to operate in an autonomous, efficient, and sustainable manner. The Specialist will lead the implementation of the interventions with the support of international and local consultants.
The Specialist will additionally work with the DCOP to identify and implement targeted improvements in the enabling environment for the CTEs. This will include analysis of the roles and relationships among the CTEs, Offices Regionaux de l’Eau Potable et de l’Assainissement (OREPAs), who have oversight and capital investment responsibility for the CTEs, and Direction Nationale de l’Eau Potable et de l’Assainissement (DINEPA) who is responsible for overall sect or monitoring and regulation. The improvements may include systems and capacity for sector planning, budgeting, monitoring, and regulation.
The Specialist will work with the project Senior Business Development/Marketing Manager and the Water and Sanitation Infrastructure Manager to identify ways in which the CTEs, OREPAs and DINEPA can support expanded access to sanitation services, including through regulation and development of capacity.




KEY RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:

• Develop and support the implementation of action plans to improve technical, organizational and institutional capacity of the CTEs, including;
o Design and implement technical assistance and capacity building activities to improve and sustain service delivery, management and oversight; including, potentially:
? Identify demonstration areas and design activities to reduce non-revenue water, including introduction of metering, green energy options, improvement of billing and collection efficiency, and others;
? Develop organizational structures and capacity building programs targeted to solve existing problems and support new functions and roles;
? Develop standard operating procedures and capacity to support efficient operations and maintenance of infrastructure;
? Develop enhanced structures, systems and capacity for customer service, billing and collection; and
? Work with CTEs to oversee the design and implement Water Safety Plans;
o Strengthen the implementation of performance monitoring and accountability processes and systems;
o Help identify sources of capacity-building expertise, including peer-to-peer exchange, twinning, and mentoring;
o Identify technical knowledge gaps within the sector and help to develop knowledge products and events in coordination with the project team and sector stakeholders;
o Ensure coordination with other development assistance teams working within the sector to maximize leverage and avoid duplication of efforts.
• Improve tariffication in coordination with CTEs, OREPAs and DINEPA;
• Continue conducting assessments of CTEs, OREPAs and DINEPA to measure improvement;
• Coordinate and collaborate with other project team members, participate in project meetings and planning, and to the overall project monitoring and reporting; and other tasks as requested by the Chief of Party or Deputy Chief of Party.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years direct experience in managing or improving the performance and capacity of water utilities and other sector agencies, preferably in a developing country context;
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in engineering or environmental management, economics with technical knowledge in the related field;
• Experience as a senior manager or director in a water and/or sanitation utility; experience with USAID, or other donor-funded projects preferred;
• Demonstrated knowledge of the legal, policy and regulatory issues related to urban water and sanitation service delivery;
• Good command of spoken and written English required; Spoken Haitien Creole or French preferred;
• Previous experience in Haiti preferred
• Excellent interpersonal and team building skills

Reporting

This position will report to the Deputy Chief of Party.

Cover Letter, CV

Note: Le Projet Eau & Assainissement de l'USAID se réserve le droit de fermer la fenêtre de recrutement avant la date limite si un candidat approprié est identifié.