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Home > Jobs > Employment Opportuni... > Professional/Technical

Job #	082244
Job Title	Sr Water & Sanitation Spec. (Decentralized Services)
Job Family	Water and Sanitation
Location	Dhaka, Bangladesh
Appointment	International Hire
Job Posted	31-Oct-2008
Closing Date	15-Nov-2008
Language Requirements	English [Essential]
Appointment Type	Term (Duration: 2 yrs)

Background / General description

The Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) administered by the World Bank and funded through international partnerships with a wide range of External Support Agencies assists national, regional and local agencies responsible for water and sanitation in developing countries to help the poor gain sustained service access.  The WSP supports the reform of sector approaches and focuses on poverty-targeted, gender-sensitive, community-based solutions in rural settlements, urban areas, and small towns.  A current major thrust of the Program’s business plan is helping its clients to prepare for and implement actions towards meeting the Millennium Development Goals.  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, and facilitate informal networks of practitioners and sector stakeholders. Additional information about WSP can be found on the Program website (www.wsp.org).

The WSP is led by a Program Manager located in the World Bank's Energy, Transport and Water Department in the Sustainable Development Network (SDN) Vice Presidency. The Program works closely with the Bank's regional operations and partners through four regional offices in South Asia, East Asia/Pacific, the Latin America and Caribbean Region, and Africa.  The WSP in South Asia (WSP-SA) currently operates through a regional office in Delhi and country offices in Bangladesh and Pakistan.  The WSP-SA office is managed by a Regional Team Leader who is accountable to the Program Manager in Washington.  The Bangladesh country office is led by a Country Team Leader.

Across South Asia, efforts at improving the living conditions of the population by improving the provision of water supply and sanitation (WSS) and solid waste services are increasingly taking center stage as essential to urban and rural growth and development.  WSS reforms are part and parcel of (i) municipal and city reforms where the sustainability of WSS reforms depend on the fiscal and institutional sustainability of local governments and where the reform of urban sector in general create important opportunities for the reform of water and sanitation and solid waste systems and (ii) reform of water and sanitation and solid waste service providers, with particular emphasis on private sector participation in the sector.  In this broader context of important policy linkages between the WSS and local government institutions in general (both urban and rural municipalities), and the reform of water and sanitation utilities and solid waste systems in particular with emphasize on decentralized service delivery, the WSP will be hiring a Senior Water and Sanitation Specialist. 

As a member of the WSP-SA team and the Bangladesh-India-Pakistan Country Teams, the WSS Specialist will provide support design and implementation of the WSP-SA's program to support improved decentralized service delivery across the region and in Bangladesh, in particular.  

Tasks include design, preparation, implementation, and supervision of WSP’s program in Bangladesh to support decentralized service delivery, focusing on high level policy support to clients as well as design and implementation of learning and capacity building programs.  The candidate would task manage WSP-SA's support for the design and implementation of urban water and sanitation reform agenda and strategy in Bangladesh, and support similar efforts in India and Pakistan. A major challenge will be the formulation of strategies that would enable these countries to meet Millennium Development Goals (MDG) for water supply and sanitation.  The position would require the candidate to support the Team Leader through maintaining liaison with internal and external agencies in monitoring and evaluating the implementation of urban water initiatives.

Duties and Accountabilities

•	Provide the analytical and intellectual leadership in conceptualizing, developing and implementing the overall urban and rural water and sanitation and solid-waste strategy of the WSP-SA with special emphasis on meeting MDGs.  Develop the strategy in relation to municipal and city reforms and links to the ongoing reforms of the overall fiscal and institutional system that underpin urban service in general and water and sanitation and solid waste in particular.  

•	Provide the leadership in the implementation of the sector strategy, again with special emphasis on MDG goals; advise clients and Bank colleagues on fiscal, institutional and technical issues related to the reform of urban water and sanitation.

•	In the context of providing policy advice to clients (i) generate 'think pieces' and 'best practice' papers; (ii) analyze complex fiscal, institutional and implementation issues in the sector; (iii) assess the fiscal and financial implications of UWS services and reform strategies; (iv) lead the development of policy proposals; (v) lead the interface with governments and agencies in the design of policy framework and advise on resolving implementation issues.

•	Support Bank operational teams in project preparatory and appraisal work, including formulation of background documents, monitoring fiscal and physical progress and undertaking regular field visits.

•	Lead missions; interact with clients at the policy level, organize and manage policy development and undertake evaluation of policy reforms.

•	Lead activities in disseminating information in urban water and sanitation policies and urban strategies that impact on the sector and prepare relevant case studies, strategy papers and publications.

•	Supervise the appointment and work of short-term consultants, and ensure consistency and conformity to Bank standards; evaluates studies and sector-related project documentation.

•	Maintain liaison and dialogue with relevant government and other institutions.  

•	Reports to Regional Team Leader, liaises with the sector thematic coordinators and other WSP regional and global team members.

Selection Criteria

•	Qualifications:	 Post-graduate degree or higher qualification in relevant discipline such as Public Administration and Public Policy, Economics, Finance, Urban Planning or Engineering. 

•	Experience: A minimum of 8 years of experience working on policy and sector issues related to decentralized service delivery in general and water and sanitation in particular in the context of multi-tiered governments.  At least five years experience working in developing countries.
•	An in-depth knowledge of the workings of bilateral/multilateral and Government systems and organizations

•	Analytical skills, methodological rigor and problem-solving ability;

•	Extensive knowledge and understanding in the context of developing countries of (i) urban water and sanitation issues/regulation, pricing, institutions, decentralized service delivery, private sector participation, pro-poor policies; (ii) broader local government and municipal policy issues and their implication for the WSS sector; (iii) intergovernmental fiscal systems in developing countries and their role in supporting reforms of WSS and broadening access by urban and rural poor to decentralized services;

•	Proven experience in management of teams including strategic management of policy and regulatory agenda related to service delivery, and management of personnel, administration, budget and finance.  

•	Ability to operate effectively in a matrix management environment, both as a team leader and member;

•	Timely and high quality production of decentralized reform strategies and their integration into sector reform strategies

•	Ability to deal sensitively in multi-cultural environments and build effective working relations with clients and colleagues

•	Effective report-writing and communication skills in English. 

•	Ability to produce quality work under pressure and adhere to deadlines.

•	Demonstrated project management skills;

•	Appropriate level of office information technology skills;

•	Ability and willingness to travel extensively within Bangladesh and abroad.

•	Effective verbal and written communication skills; ability to think and write clearly and to focus on key issues;

The World Bank Group is committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality, culture and educational background.  Individuals with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.  All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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