iDE seeks a qualified Technical Specialist for the USAID/Bangladesh Nutrition Activity (BNA). The goal of BNA is to contribute to improvements in the nutrition outcomes for children under five, pregnant and lactating women, and adolescent girls in the Feed the Future (FtF) Zone of Influence (ZOI) by (1) increasing the consumption of nutritious, diverse, and safe diets by rural households; (2) increasing social and economic empowerment of girls and women; and (3) improving adoption of improved water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices. BNA will implement nutrition-sensitive interventions that complement and reinforce ongoing nutrition-specific activities.
The Technical Specialist (WASH Market Systems) is responsible for project implementation related to WASH intervention. He/she will contribute to the implementation, learning, monitoring, and evaluation through active collaboration with all team members and consortium members. He/she plays a technical leadership role within the response team, ensuring that WASH programs are delivered with high quality and meet recognized standards.
Job Location: Dhaka with frequent field visits
Reporting Line: Technical Lead | BNA
Contract Duration: March 2023 (There is a possibility of extension)
The key responsibilities of the Technical Specialist, WASH Market Syetsms will include but are not limited to the descriptions below.
Based on field data collected by the project to date, and additional field scoping where needed, identify key constraints to households' adopting safe water consumption practices and adoption of other improved WASH technologies in the project's three geographic working areas (Faridpur, Patuakhali, Khulna, Barguna, Jessore, Rajbari and Cox's Bazar)
Adopting both a market development and social and behavior change lens, analyze and identify strategies to stimulate adoption of safe water consumption practices
Identify private sector actors whose interests align with the project's goals and engage in building private sector partnerships
Lead the design of market-based interventions to increase households' adoption of safe water consumption practices and adoption of other improved WASH technologies, in partnership with private sector actors
Intervention Implementation & Results Monitoring:
Manage and oversee the budget pertaining to these interventions
Contribute substantially to developing the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plans for the water interventions
Critically evaluate intervention success and take corrective measures in consultation with the Technical Lead WASH
Partner Engagement and Grants Management:
Engage with private sector actors to explore partnerships for safe water and other WASH interventions, negotiate conditions of collaboration and establish partnerships in compliance with project and donor requirements
Build and nurture strategic partnerships with key public stakeholders in the water sector
Identify potential private sector actor and facilitate them to apply for a Grants in order to address current WASH market constraint both in supply and demand side.
Reporting and Documentation:
Assist Technical lead to prepare reports such as biweekly, monthly, quarterly and annual reports
Document findings from field scoping
Develop intervention concept notes
Regularly document progress and learnings from safe water and other WASH interventions and contribute relevant sections to quarterly and annual project progress reports
Develop and document case studies and success stories as and when required
Consortium Engagement:
Coordinate with local implementing partners to ensure WASH interventions are well understood by all partners
Collaboratively plan the implementation of intervention activities involving all other technical leads and the Activity regional staff members through the preparation of annual work plans and detailed implementation plan
Other Responsibilities:
The Technical Specialist - WASH Market Systems will form part of the core strategic team of BNA's WASH component, comprising the Technical Lead WASH and one Technical Specialist focusing on sanitation and hygiene markets.. The Technical Specialist - WASH Market Systems will be expected to constructively engage in discussions on the design and implementation of sanitation and hygiene interventions, and to proactively seek the team's inputs on water intervention design
Educational Requirements :
At least a Bachelor's degree from a recognized university in economics, business nature sciences, Engineering, Social Science, or development studies.
Experience Requirements :
3 to 5 year(s)
Additional Requirements :
At least 3-5 years of experience working on market system development and technical assistance.
Prior experience in the water sector, and/or willingness to familiarize him or herself with aspects around chemical and microbial water quality, drinking water treatment, and safe water storage
Experience in working with private sector partners
Proven experience with monitoring and results measurement
Proficiency in designing and conducting research using qualitative and quantitative tools, and in documenting and critically analyzing results efficiently and comprehensively
Experience with social and behavior change approaches to intervention design is of advantage
Ability to cohesively work with various team members and the flexibility to adapt to different work conditions
Undertake additional tasks subject to workload and skill sets such as business development, cross-project training, and evaluations
Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills.
Ability to work with various national and international team members and flexibility to adapt to different work conditions
Ability to interact and collaborate with a broad range of public and private sector and NGO partners
The role will require fieldwork in rural contexts as and when required and sometimes extended hours of work.
Willingness to spend up to 50% of the time in field locations in Faridpur, Patuakhali, Khulna, Barguna, Jashore, Rajbari, and Cox's Bazar Districts, and to travel on short notice on occasion.
Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills. Demonstrated ability to convey messages through clear and concise writing.
