WASH Project Provincial Coordinator

Introduction

SNV Netherlands Development Organisation

SNV is a not-for-profit international development organisation that makes a lasting difference in the lives of people living in poverty by helping them raise incomes and access basic services. We aim for premium quality and focus on only three sectors: agriculture, energy and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). With a long-term, local presence in over 25 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, we know how governments work and how relationships are built. Implementing our mission exclusively through project financing requires us to work efficiently and invest in operational excellence every day. Our team of more than 1,300 staff is the backbone of SNV.

Established in Zambia in 1965, SNV is one of Zambia’s leading INGOs and works with locally based development partners including national and local government, civil society organisations and businesses to develop the capacities of local communities and alleviate poverty. For more information, please refer to our website: www.snv.org.

The Rural WASH Project

SNV Zambia is implementing a water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) project, in rural areas of 4 provinces and targeting multiple stakeholders, including Water and Sanitation Utilities, Local Authorities, private actors and Civil Society organisations. It seeks to professionalize and promote accountability for WASH services in Zambia, paying particular attention to the needs of women and girls, and other vulnerable groups.

In 5 years, the project aims to deliver access to safe water to 633,900 people, provide sanitation services to 500,000 people, reflect effective partnerships with the private sector and Government partners, and improve capacity for 150 organizations.

Job Description

WASH Project Provincial Coordinator Position Summary

The WASH Project Provincial Coordinator will be based in Kasama, Northern Province and is expected to oversee and coordinate all WASH project activities, including managing WASH technical staff. She/he will report to the Project Manager.

The purpose of the position is to ensure the coordination of the different WASH project activities to be delivered in the Province, organize and monitor the works of the different WASH technical staff, ensuring timely and high quality delivery, in compliance with the project’s workplan and overall objectives. The Provincial Coordinator is also the main interface between the provincial team and the core technical team ( Lusaka based). Specific scope of work is the following:

Ensure the timely and high-quality delivery of the works conducted by the WASH technical team in the province, in compliance with the workplan and budget, ensuring coherence and mutual synergies across the different components

Control budget expenditure as per plan, guaranteeing full compliance with the project’s financial, administrative and procurement guidelines

Provide backstopping and oversight to the technical WASH team, ensuring challenges and bottlenecks are identified and addressed. Perform as benchmark for quality control, including for the soft and the hard aspects of the WASH intervention, and both for water supply and sanitation

Regularly report to the core team ( Lusaka based), highlighting progress, challenges and opportunities. Implement guidance received from core team in the province, whilst tailoring it to the local context

Lead the overall implementation of the project’s activities, ensuring its coordination with the key WASH stakeholders in the province (Provincial and Local authorities, Commercial Utility, private sector, NGOs), and their engagement and buy in

Ensure progress is monitored and results progressively evaluated against the project’s monitoring and evaluation framework. Introduce corrective measures as needed.

Step in as needed to complement, add-value and bridge gaps in the performance of the technical team; acting as trainer, coacher and facilitator for the WASH team and for external counterparts

Oversee that all project’s activities pay special attention to the needs of women, girls and other vulnerable groups

Furthermore, the WASH Project Provincial Coordinator is expected to:

Consistently monitor and critically assess progress, pro-actively providing input to adjust/improve the outcomes whenever relevant

Actively contribute to project’s evaluation and learning activities

Ensure the project’s visibility and profiling in line with its branding guidelines

Comply with SNV’s administrative and financial procedures for project planning, implementation, reporting, monitoring and evaluation

Comply with SNV’s Code of Conduct

Qualifications

Candidate profile

Advanced degree in a related field (e.g. civil or environmental engineering, public health or related)

At least 4 years of experience as WASH project manager

At least 7 years of experience working in the WASH sector in Zambia

Demonstrated knowledge of rural WASH challenges preferably in the Northern and Muchinga Provinces context

Sound understanding of the technical aspects underlying high quality WASH service provision

Expertise in strengthening the capacities of WASH service providers at different levels, both hard (technical) and soft (management) skills

Experience in mobilizing and building capacities of community groups, CSOs and of leading them towards the achievement of key targets

Sound understanding of the relevant WASH government stakeholders at local and national levels, existing policies, regulations and programmes and national commitments and targets

Ability to recognize and address equity and equality issues in WASH service provision

Experience in timely managing, delivering and monitoring WASH related activities, including facilitating meetings at multiple levels and preparing/delivering trainings and workshops

Advanced communication and negotiation skills with different types of stakeholders, from Commercial Utilities to local masons, CSOs, Traditional and Local Authorities

Ability to successfully lead teams towards high quality results

Good monitoring and reporting skills

Ability to communicate in Bemba. Knowledge of Namwanga is valued.

Good computer skills (Ms. Word, Ms. Excel, Ms. Power Point, Internet and Outlook)

Additional information

Duty station: Kasama, with regular travelling to other project locations (Mpika, Chinsali, Nakonde, Lunte and Mungwi)

Contract duration: 1 year contract with the possibility of extension for the duration of the project

Job opening is conditional to approval from project donor

Working at SNV

SNV offers a challenging work environment, opportunities to lead and innovate, and a commitment to growing your skills in a fulfilling and diverse working environment. Our staff benefit from, and contribute to, an internal and global network of experts.

We do not appreciate third-party mediation based on this advertisement. Any form of solicitation by phone or other means will be treated as disqualification of the candidate / bidder.