SNV Kenya WaSH Advisor Job Vacancy in Kisumu

Are you interested in joining an international organisation with a long term commitment to fighting poverty?

Would you like to work in a challenging environment and develop a career while achieving lasting development results?

SNV Kenya is looking for a: WaSH Advisor

Main Area of Focus: Sustainability of rural water supplies

Duty Location: Kisumu

Local contract

SNV is a Dutch based international Development Organisation that provides Capacity Development Services to local institutions and organisations in more than 30 developing countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe.

Started in 1967, SNV program in Kenya is organised in 3 multidisciplinary portfolio teams of about 8 core advisors each. The program is organised in three portfolios based in South Rift (With an office in Nairobi), Northern Kenya (With an office in Nanyuki) and North Rift (With an office in Eldoret).

SNV Kenya focuses its work on poverty reduction through achieving impacts in two major areas: (1) ‘sustainable and equitable Production, Income and Employment (PIE) and (2) access to Basic Services (BASE). Our advisory services are focused on three sectors: Agriculture (value chain development), Renewable Energy, Water and sanitation.

Governance is an important cross-cutting issue; Accountability, Sustainability, gender equity and social inclusion are key (good) governance principles pursued by SNV within the sectors.

SNV contributes to poverty reduction by providing capacity development services to partner organisations at “meso” and national level in order to improve their performance, so that they can make better deliberate choices, deliver appropriate services to their constituencies (or members) and defend the interests of poor people.

SNV Kenya WASH Programme

The SNV Kenya programme in theWASHsector develops and applies innovative solutions for increasing access to water and sanitation in rural and peri-urban areas.

SNV focuses on four Programmatic areas:

Rural Water Supply: supporting districts to

(i) improve functionality of rural water facilities by strengthening capacities of local actors (local SMEs/entrepreneurs, private sector, and communities to develop and manage water supply systems; and

(ii) develop the planning and implementation capacities of National Water sector Institutions, WSBs and County Governments for more effective monitoring and planning and equitable resources allocation

WASH in Schools (Advocacy): This involves

(i) development of School WASH value preposition for Kenya and

(ii) working with other partners to implement School WASH in Kenya.

Socially responsive Commercialisation: Peri-urban and small town water supply program provides capacity building and technical back-up support to small utilities to improve their performance and outreach of their services

Sustainable Sanitation and Hygiene for all: innovative approaches in sanitation and hygiene promotion which are technically suitable, culturally acceptable and economically sustainable.

By addressing the issues that obstruct access to WASH facilities and services, we aim to contribute to:

• Demand articulation: Strengthening local actors (government and communities) in formulating their needs into clear demands.
• Demand responsive WASH infrastructure and services: Increasing the availability of sustainable water and sanitation infrastructures and services, and ensuring sustainable operation and maintenance solutions for WASH infrastructures.
• Improved access to sanitation services/facilities;improved hygienic practices and behaviour changes (ie through community led total Sanitation and Sanitation supply side development)
• An improved learning environment for children: Increasing the access of children (with a special focus on girls) to child-friendly WASH facilities at schools. This includes the provision of market-based solutions for the menstrual hygiene of girls.
• The up-scaling of interventions: Increasing WASH coverage by developing local capacity to up-scale WASH interventions and establish public/private partnerships.
• Knowledge based development: Creating a learning environment that enhances knowledge development, management and application. Knowledge-based decision making in the WASH sector.
• The implementation of national WASH policies and strategies: Locally trigger WASH development by supporting decentralisation and reform processes and structures.

Key themes of the SNV approach arelocalisation, i.e. strengthening capacity of local organisations (LCBs) through engaging them in our work to support local change agents and strengthenpublic accountability, i.e. building relations between citizens and government.

Due to changes in the composition of the advisory team as well as an increase in workload, SNV Kenya is now looking for a WaSH adviser (Kenyan National) to strengthen the WASH advisory team. The advisor will be involved in implementing on-going activities, mainly related to the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation program.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to improved sustainability of rural water points/systems through facilitating development of procedures and processes for identification of rural Water service providers
• In Consultation with County Governments, Water Service Boards and Water Services regulatory Board, facilitate the process of contracting at least thirty (30) entrepreneurs sustainably operating at least seventy(70) water points/systems
• Contribute to strategic discussions in the WASH team, improving relevance, efficiency and effectiveness of current and new SNV interventions in the sector.
• Strengthening SNV positioning in the field by developing and maintaining relationship with Water Services Boards (WSBs), County governments, Water service providers (WSPs), Local Capacity builders (LCBs), private sector and civil society actors. In addition, developing connections with national level sector institutions, private sector organisations, knowledge institutes and international development partners and with SNV regional and corporate knowledge networks.
• Contributing to increased external funding of SNV interventions in the sector and participating in proposal development and interaction with (potential) funding and implementing partners.
• Being aware of information and analysis about national and international trends, government policies and major initiatives in water sector.
• Provide high quality advisory services to clients / partners active in rural areas.
• Contribute to the LCB teams to further develop and fine-tune the results-based approach, including monitoring and evaluation, and provide technical backstopping and guidance to the LCB teams and coaching of its staff.

Candidate profile

• Master’s degree, preferably in business related discipline, development studies or areas related to institutional development and linked to water and sanitation.
• Minimum of 5 years of working experience in rural water development work, with special focus on sustainability of water points
• Very good analytical skills combined with a practical and pragmatic approach oriented towards lasting results.
• Proven experience in capacity building, facilitation of multi-stakeholder processes, organisational learning, change processes and governance for empowerment.
• Track record in pro-poor approaches.
• State of the art knowledge on the programmatic areas in which SNV currently is operating.
• Experience with knowledge development, partnership, planning, monitoring & evaluation of programs.

Desired skills and attitude

• Leadership, coaching and self-reflection skills.
• Innovative, entrepreneurial, business oriented.
• Good team player, pragmatic, negotiator with solution orientated approach.
• Readiness to work and travel frequently in the field
• Excellent listening skills combined with strong oral and written communication skills (in English).

Contract Duration: 2 years with possibility for extension

Estimated Start date: 1st May, 2012

How to apply?

Please send your application letter and CV containing 3 referees to kenya@snvworld.org(att. HR Officer) before 10th April, 2012 with reference to“WaSH Advisor – Kisumu” as cover letter title.

For more information, please refer to our website: www.snvworld.org

Closing date: Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Type of contract: Local

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