Urban Water Specialist at DAI Kenya - Development Alternatives, Inc.

Objectives of the assignment

The STAWI counties are characterized by very low coverage (approximately 10%) by urban utilities or WSPs. For the most part, the WSPs are low-performing, financially instable, and lacking in incentives for improved performance. The Urban Water Specialist will provide support to the WSPs, tailored to their starting point, with an emphasis on improved governance, customer service, greater operating efficiencies, and a better ability to attract funding whether increased customer revenue or loans. Interventions should seek to build the climate resilience of utility operations and expand the inclusion of women and youth in key functions.

Tasks & Responsibilities

• With WSP stakeholders, co-develop improvement plans aligned to WASREB’s performance metrics, its Corporate Governance Guidelines for the Water Services and Water Governance Training Handbook.
• In collaboration with the Water Services Advisor- and DCOP Governance, develop and implement capacity building in good governance for the counties and WSPs, including for Boards and senior management.
• Aligned to plans for improved service, work with WSPs to identify opportunities for efficiency improvements and innovation, drawing from good practice from the region including from DiP WASH awardees.
• Identify ways to increase sector efficiency and performance including through the clustering of per-urban services providers with the WSPs and through capacity building to support improvement plans.
• Increase data-driven decision-making, with the support of partner Solstice, by helping the WSPs to increase the generation, collection, use, and reporting of critical data.
• Contribute to the identification of strategic infrastructure improvements in collaboration with the Water Technical Advisor and Infrastructure Manager with an emphasis on the decrease of non-revenue water and increased access.
• Promote and advance gender mainstreaming and the integration of youth in order to increase meaningful employment opportunities, and to enable more inclusive and responsive service delivery.
• As appropriate, support WSPs to identify financing opportunities and develop project details and loan applications.

Qualifications

1. Bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering, urban planning, water, hygiene, public policy, or related field. Master’s degree in agriculture is preferred.
2. Minimum eight (8) years of professional work experience in urban water supply and infrastructure development, utility management, urban planning, local government capacity development, WASH analysis, water quality testing and monitoring, or related work. Experience working in a humanitarian context is preferred.
3. Demonstrated ability to provide technical assistance and support to WSP stakeholders.
4. Understanding of the Northern and/or Southeastern context,where activities are being conducted is required (Garissa, Isiolo, Marsabit, Samburu, Turkana, Wajir, Kitui, Makueni, and Taita Taveta)
5. A record of working on assignments that have delivered high quality reports to USAID and or other donors preferred.
6. Strong oral and written communication, analytical, interpersonal, attention to detail, organizational, and team management skills required.
7. Strong written and oral English skills.