Tetra Tech International Development Services is currently accepting expressions of interest from qualified WASH Governance Specialist candidates for the USAID-funded Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Finance (WASH-FIN) program in Nepal.

Position description/summary:

WASH-FIN is a five-year program financed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) implemented as a task order under the Making Cities Work Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract. Its primary objectives are to close financing gaps needed to achieve universal access to water and sanitation in targeted countries. WASH-FIN is working to achieve these objectives by:

-      Tracking public investment in water and sanitation to assess progress, prioritize future investments and improve sector performance;

-      Providing technical assistance to facilitate mobilization of public and private finance for service delivery; and

-      Facilitating the replication of success through the development and dissemination of practical applications and lessons learned.

WASH-FIN/Nepal engages broadly on improving the enabling environment for the local government and WASH service providers in Nepal and specifically in developing viable institutional and service delivery models. Good sector and corporate governance are a critical consideration in these models, and WASH-FIN is monitoring progress of the Water Supply and Sanitation Act in the federal parliament. The Act will demark the scope for devolved WASH service delivery under three tiers of Nepalese government (federal, provincial, municipal). Once endorsed, various policies, guidelines and other necessary institutional documents will be required at all levels of government. WASH-FIN has also been waiting for the approval of the Sector Development Plan (SDP) which is the apex sector planning document. The finalization of national legislation, plans, and policies is crucial for the effective and efficient coordination of investment, resource mobilization, and implementation of water supply and sanitation projects across the country at federal, provincial, and municipal levels.

The objective of this role is centered in identifying and analyzing governance challenges that impact mobilizing financial resources into the sector as it relates to WASH-FIN activities, and seeking solutions. The Specialist will liaise with different government, sector, civil society, and financial institutions and provide thought leadership to the WASH-FIN team and its partners on governance matters. S/he will coordinate with these institutions, and incorporate governance considerations into WASH-FIN’s work and resulting models and outputs, and identify governance concerns and challenges in the new federal structures and devolution process as it relates to resource mobilization, and effectively advocate for effective good governance to that end. The Specialist will report to and support the Country Team Leader (who conducts his/her annual performance review) in implementing the project. 

Main responsibilities and tasks:

-      Review and analyze existing and evolving institutional, policy, legal, and regulatory framework for WASH services as it relates to expanding investment finance for universal service delivery;

-      Support institutionalization of WASH service delivery models in line with new WASH act and Government of Nepal;

-      Travel frequently to locations within or related to the WASH-FIN project scope (the bulk of travel being within Nepal);

-      Advocate for standards and institutional and financial models in water supply and sanitation including Fecal Sludge Management for their replication;

-      Build capacity of service providers to participate in governance dialogues and to become advocates for good governance in the management and implementation of business plans to ensure a favorable enabling environment for expanded and improved service delivery;

-      Promote and facilitate dialogues amongst concerned stakeholders to identify and advocate for water utilities and municipalities in their roles and responsibilities;

-      Work with different tiers of governments, development partners, and sector stakeholders to identify and document factors that have hampered viable WASH service delivery;

-      Engage with federal government and civil society to explore opportunities for peer to peer learning forums regarding emergent governance challenges stemming from the Water Act; Facilitate discussions and idea exchanges to build corporate governance capacity of WASH service providers and strengthen their role in service delivery in selected targeted areas.

Specific tasks include:

-      Identify prospective collaboration opportunities in governance with key actors; like MuAN, FEDWASUN, NGOs etc. for the implementation of project activities;

-      Review water service act, policies and regulations and map out what functions and roles have been undertaken by which institutions in practice; identify key challenges and opportunities in performing of functions and roles;

-      With support from the WASH-FIN core team, gather relevant experiences on good governance practice and management of service delivery in comparable country contexts;

-      Analyze, document and recommend suggestions for possible governance interventions with service providers;

-      Prepare a white paper or similar knowledge product on potential solutions and actions to be undertaken for improved governance processes by different stakeholders including modalities of engagement between the National and County governments in Nepal.

-      Formulate prospective functions and tasks in a form of guidance for Water Utilities and Fecal Sludge Management (FSM/FSTP) or Integrated Waste management to address potential good governance issues.

-      Support WASH-FIN team and partners in development of business plans; specifically, to address good governance.

-      Contribute to preparing SOWs for consultants to implement WASH-FIN work plan.

-      Support the WASH-FIN Team Leader in other related activities as requested to enable the successful implementation of the WASH-FIN/Nepal scope and mandate.

Qualifications:

-      Master’s degree or equivalent in Public Policy, Public Administration, Business Administration, Social Sciences or related field;

-      A minimum of five years’ experience working in Nepal with civil society, private sector, and local communities, and ideally in the facilitation of stakeholder dialogues among these parties;

-      A minimum of five years’ work experience, preferably in decentralization and governance with exposure to WASH service delivery;

-      Experience in water supply utility/service management;

-      Strong familiarity and understanding of Nepal WASH related acts, policies and guidelines; especially under Federal Structure;

-      Knowledgeable of the relationship between good governance and effective financial resource mobilization is required;

-      Excellent analytical and report and proposal writing skills are required;

-      Ability to adeptly encourage and facilitate productive stakeholder dialogue;

-      Excellent communication skills: verbal, written and presentation;

-      Strong analytical and strategic thinking;

-      Excellent command of English and Nepali languages is required;

-      Prior experience on bilateral donor funded projects preferred;

-      Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.