Senior Water and Sanitation Specialist Harare

Background / General description:

Innovation and partnership bond the five institutions of the World Bank Group (WBG): the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA), which together form the World Bank; the International Finance Corporation (IFC); the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The World Bank Group is one of the world’s largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries. It uses financial resources and extensive experience to help our client countries to reduce poverty, increase economic growth, and improve quality of life. To ensure that countries can access the best global expertise and help generate cutting-edge knowledge, the World Bank Group is constantly seeking to improve the way it works. Key priorities include delivering measurable results, promoting openness and transparency in development, and improving access to development information and data.

The Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) is an international partnership to help the poor gain sustained access to water supply and sanitation services. Administered by the World Bank with financial support from several bi- and multi-lateral and private donors, WSP is a decentralized partnership and operates through offices in Africa, East Asia, Latin America and South Asia. A major thrust of the programs is to help its clients prepare for and implement actions towards meeting the water and sanitation (WSS) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In pursuing their mission, WSP staff provide advisory support to projects and policies, help identify and disseminate best practices and lessons from experience across countries, assist clients in the implementation of pilot projects to test out new ideas and facilitate informal networks of practitioners and sector stakeholders. Additional information about WSP can be found on the program website (www.wsp.org). WSP is administratively a part of the World Bank’s Transport, Water and Information & Communications Technology Department (TWI) in the Sustainable Development Network (SDN) Vice Presidency.

WSP’s FY11-15 Business Plan is based on a global strategy ‘˜FY2009-2018: Scaling Up Sustainable Services’, which articulates WSP’s proposed strategic response to identified sector challenges affecting the poor through capacity building, technical assistance and knowledge. The Business Plan identifies six business areas where the program could have the best opportunity to affect large-scale change in sector performance: scaling up rural sanitation and hygiene; creating sustainable services through domestic private sector participation; supporting poor-inclusive WSS sector reform; targeting the urban poor and improving services in small towns; mitigating and adapting WSS delivery to climate change impacts; and delivering WSS services in fragile states. These areas were identified through a process of embedding a results-based framework throughout WSP’s country, regional and global work programs.

Note: A potential candidate has been identified and intends to apply for this position. However, this remains a competitive process and interested candidates are encouraged to apply.

Note: If the selected candidate is a current Bank Group staff member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. All others will be offered a 2 year term appointment.

Duties and Accountabilities:

This Terms of Reference relates to Delivering WSS services in the Fragile States Business Area in Zimbabwe. From 1980’s to late 1990’s Zimbabwe experienced a major decline in service delivery and access. However, since 2009, following a major cholera outbreak, government allocations increased from around US$700,000 in 2009 to US$120 million in 2012. A draft Water Policy was developed in 2012 (currently with cabinet). There are still challenges regarding effective budget releases and execution, coordination, project appraisal and prioritization, establishment and adherence to service performance standards and indicators, monitoring and evaluation, sustained knowledge generation, data capture and information management.

Majority of sector stakeholders have recognized two major bottlenecks as: i) the need for an investment appraisal and prioritization process ii) improving the performance of urban water and sewerage service providers. WSP now seeks to appoint a seasoned Sr. Water and Specialist to lead the work program in Zimbabwe, which responds to the challenges, among others.

The Senior Water and Sanitation Specialist will:

i)Formally report to the WSP-Africa Principal Regional Team Leader (PRTL) based in Nairobi on all substantive and professional matters;

ii)Operate under the authority of the Country Manager for Zimbabwe and coordinate with relevant staff of the country office on all matters concerning administration and the Bank relationship with the country. Follow normal Bank working hours and inform all relevant staff in the Country Office of his absence and missions outside Zimbabwe. He will be provided with and office, PC and phone connection in the Bank Country Office;

iii)Operate within the overall framework of the Bank strategy for the WSS sector in Zimbabwe which is led by the AFTUW Sector Manager.

The Sr. Water and Sanitation Specialist will undertake the following tasks:

a)Develop and Implement WSP-AF’s Business Plan for Zimbabwe: Assume overall responsibility for developing, managing and delivering WSP-AF’s business plan for Zimbabwe and annual work plan which is focused on the fragile states initiative in Zimbabwe. This will focus on:

• Developing systems for benchmarking of municipal councils, documenting the process and preparing a citizen communication strategy on the importance of benchmarking
• Working with the sector wide National Action Committee (NAC), strengthen the project appraisal system by reviewing the current system, updating appraisal tools, developing budget process timelines, templates and appraisal criteria.b)Facilitation of WSS Sector Coordination in Zimbabwe: Regular interactions with authorities, the donor community, the water sector agencies, the civil society and all relevant stakeholders to facilitate WSS policy dialogue, enhance sector coordination towards WSS services delivery; Ensure strong coordination between UNICEF and World Bank and support and follow-up the activities of the Wash Sector Working Group (WSWG) and the NAC work plan.

  c)Act as a leading spokesperson for WSP-AF on WSS Issues in Zimbabwe: Maintain a sound understanding of current institutional financial, technical and social issues on WSS development in Zimbabwe; speak and write persuasively on measures that need to be adopted to assist the attainment of the WSS MDGs in Zimbabwe; facilitate and lead the professional presentation of material on WSS issues at national, regional and international meetings.

  d)Support to other fragile states and regional peer-to-peer learning: The clarification of sector leadership roles and the review of national policy in Zimbabwe are critical steps that are being taken in other fragile states. Working closely with the Global Business Area Leader for WSP’s fragile states, support peer-to-peer learning between and among fragile states with policy advice transitioning from emergency to country-led sector development programs.

  e)Provide cross-support: When appropriate and as time permits, provide cross support on WSS related programs and missions of the World Bank in Zimbabwe; and assist Bank staff and their clients in conducting analytical work or in preparing and implementing WSS sector activities.

Selection Criteria:

• Masters or higher-level degree(s) in a field relevant to the WSP, such as, social science, public health, sanitation, business/marketing, social communication, environmental health, epidemiology, community development, engineering or other relevant field;
• Have at least 8 years of relevant experience in developing country work, including specific experience in the water supply and sanitation sector, preferably focused on sanitation or hygiene development;
• Familiarity with sanitation marketing concepts and their application at national level; and expertise in scaling up sanitation services desirable;COMPETENCIES: Shown below are the competencies linked to this job broadly; however, this particular position emphasizes the WSS and fragile states elements.
• Knowledge and Experience in Development Arena – Understands policy making process; distills operationally relevant recommendations/lessons for clients.
• Policy Dialogue Skills – Identifies and assesses policy issues and plays an active role in the dialogue with the government and/or other stakeholders.
• Integrative Skills – Works to develop an integrated view across all facets of current sector.
• Water Policy, Strategy and Institutions – Solid understanding of water policies, strategies, institutions, and regulations.
• Applies to operations and analytical tasks a substantive understanding of fragility, conflict and violence, including polarization of state-society relations, diminished client capacity, relevance of partnerships, etc.
• Demonstrates the mind-set needed for success in FCS settings: adaptability, resilience, determination, sound judgment, etc. Coaches others on the team around these factors.
• Coordinates a pragmatic approach to FCS operations. Looks for ways to help the client achieve early results while maintaining a strategic approach, and identifies practical ways to implement longer-term/ reform measures.
• Client Orientation – Takes personal responsibility and accountability for timely response to client queries, requests or needs, working to remove obstacles that may impede execution or overall success.
• Drive for Results – Takes personal ownership and accountability to meet deadlines and achieve agreed-upon results, and has the personal organization to do so.
• Teamwork (Collaboration) and Inclusion – Collaborates with other team members and contributes productively to the team’s work and output, demonstrating respect for different points of view.
• Knowledge, Learning and Communication – Leads in the sharing of best practice, trends, knowledge and lessons learned across units and with clients and partners, articulating ideas verbally and in writing in a clear and compelling way across audiences of varied levels. Fluency in English, French is desirable.
• Business Judgment and Analytical Decision Making – Analyzes facts and data to support sound, logical decisions regarding own and others’ work

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