Urban Water Utility Specialist Consultancy

Urban Water Utility Specialist Consultancy
Contract: Fixed-term, approximately 60 days of support during the period October 2024 - April 2025

Location: This role can be based in the United Kingdom (London), Nigeria (Lagos or Abuja), Rwanda, Mozambique, Bangladesh, Kenya, or any location where WaterAid has an office subject to the right to work in the particular location
For the UK Location: We offer hybrid working, A minimum of 40% of working time is spent face-to-face, in a WaterAid office. For UK-based staff, WaterAid is located at Canary Wharf, London and this will be your location and contract base.

Remuneration: Consultant will be expected to submit their daily rate which will be paid in local currency. WaterAid would cover any additional cost required for the consultancy e.g. travel

About WaterAid:
Want to use your skills in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene to play a vital role in making clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone everywhere?

We need passionate, creative and dedicated people. In return, you will be encouraged and empowered to be yourself at your very best. Together, we will make a bigger difference.
Join WaterAid as Urban Water Utility Specialist to change normal for millions of people so they can unlock their potential, break free from poverty and change their lives for good.

About the Role:
The primary purpose of the consultancy is to provide expert guidance in designing sustainable urban water service interventions to WaterAid's country teams and their urban utility partners. Interventions may include support to extend services to new customers and/or significantly improve existing services with a focus on low-income and/or marginalised communities.
In this role, you will

• Support the situational analysis and needs assessments for urban water supply systems in target project locations.
• Support country teams and their utility partners to propose relevant interventions to extend and/or improve urban water services in target project locations with a focus on reaching low income and/or marginalised communities.
• Support the design of feasibility assessments, including environmental, social, and financial considerations.
• Engage with key stakeholders, including urban utilities, government bodies, private sector operators, communities, and other partners.
• Support country teams to develop project plans, including budgets, timelines, and risk management strategies.
• Provide support to in-country design workshops with country teams and utility partners.

Key Deliverables

• Provide feedback on initial situational analysis and assessments from participating countries.
• Provide and review inputs for design of proposed urban water interventions to reach new customers and/or significantly improve services to existing customers.
• Provide and review inputs for the design of feasibility studies where required.
• Provide inputs to guide in-country stakeholder engagement.
• Review and feedback on project implementation plans, budgets, timelines and risk management strategies.
• Final report with recommendations.

Duration and Level of Effort
It is expected that the consultancy will require approximately 60 days of support during the period October 2024 - April 2025 to be delivered through a call down contract.

About You:
Key qualifications required for this assignment include:

• Advanced degree in Civil Engineering, Urban Utility Management or a related discipline.
• Proven experience in designing urban water supply systems, including pro-poor approaches to reach low-income and/or marginalised communities.
• Proven experience in utility improvement interventions
• Experience working on multi-country initiatives with urban water utilities.
• Strong understanding of WASH principles, especially in urban contexts.
• Experience conducting feasibility studies and technical assessments.
• Familiarity with environmental, social, and sustainability standards.
• Strong project management and stakeholder engagement skills.

Functional expertise:
The necessary skills and competencies for this assignment include:

• Technical expertise in urban water systems, in particular serving low-income and/or marginalised communities.
• Experience working on multi-country initiatives aiming to strengthen performance of urban water utilities.
• Experience working with urban water utilities in one or more of the following areas:

o Strategic: governance structures, policies and regulation, business planning, risk management.
o Financial: Financial planning and management, investment management.
o Commercial: Tariff setting, billing and revenue collection, customer relations.
o Technical: Non-revenue water (incl. leakage detection and management), pressure management, GIS and network modelling, operation and maintenance, water quality and safety, climate change resilience.
o Use of data: Data collection and management, asset inventory, monitoring and reporting, information and communication technology.
o Social: Equitable and inclusive access, pro-poor approaches for low-income customers, gender equality and inclusion.

• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in relevant software (e.g., AutoCAD, GIS).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Closing date: Applications will close at 23:59 on 13th October 2024. First interviews will be held between 17th - 18th October 2024 via Microsoft Teams.

How to Apply: To see the full job pack, please click 'Apply'. Please apply by submitting your CV and a cover letter demonstrating your suitability for the consultant position and right to work location into one document in either Word Document or PDF format.

Our Commitment
Our People Promise:
We will work with passion and focus to ensure safe and sustainable water, toilets and hygiene are available to everyone, everywhere. WaterAid is a place of purpose - where people have a real commitment and shared responsibility for the impact we have. We are a global community with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, motivated by inspiring, stimulating work. We are determined to put the wellbeing of our people first, to be a place where people feel safe and able to contribute their voice and truly live our values.

Equal opportunities:
We are an equal opportunity, disability-confident employer and are dedicated to achieving the highest standards of diversity, equity and inclusion. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, beliefs, customs, traditions and ways of life. This includes, but is not limited to, race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion, national or social origin, health status, and economic or social situation.

Safeguarding:
We are also committed to protecting everyone we come into contact with. We have a zero-tolerance approach to abuse of power, privilege or trust across our global work, and any form of inappropriate behaviour, discrimination, abuse, bullying, harassment, or exploitation. Safeguarding the people and communities we work with, our staff, volunteers and anyone working on our behalf is our top priority, and we take our responsibilities extremely seriously.