WASH Markets Lead

Chemonics seeks a WASH Markets Lead, for the anticipated four-year, $25-50 million Sustainable Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Partnerships Activity. The WASH Markets Lead will oversee the design and integration of private sector and market-based approaches across project activities. The focus will primarily be on rural WASH with some elements of peri-urban and urban WASH. The WASH Markets Lead will work as part of an integrated team and in close coordination with technical and monitoring staff experts to co-develop a strategy for the project that, in coordination with other activities, addresses the service, quality and access challenges within the water, sanitation, and hygiene sectors in Zambia.

The WASH Markets Lead will conduct outreach and engage with banks, microfinancing institutions (MFIs), commercial utilities, public authorities, private sector business actors, investors, and civil society, among other stakeholders. The WASH Markets Lead will apply USAID and other latest lessons learned and best practices for market-based water, sanitation, and hygiene services, business operations, and markets. The WASH Markets Lead will support identification and facilitation of mobilization of new funding, including private capital, and will integrate market-systems approaches that facilitate incentives for sustainable market growth and future financing and investment. This role includes working as part of a team to facilitate development of and/or strengthening supply chains, value chains, commercial utilities, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the water, sanitation, and hygiene sectors, including for women- and youth-led MSMEs.

We anticipate that the position will be based in Lusaka, Zambia and will report to the Deputy Chief of Party. The WASH Markets Lead will be expected to travel to and work in target provinces and districts and support the project’s activities which may be primarily outside of Lusaka.

Responsibilities:

• Under the guidance of the Chief of Party and Deputy Chief of Party and in close coordination with the technical team, develop and support the implementation and integration of a market-system based approaches and interventions that engage the private sector, applying principles for market-based WASH and private sector led change.
• Identify, promote, facilitate business to business (B2B), business to finance (B2F), and public private partnerships (PPPs) within the water, sanitation, and hygiene sectors, with focus on rural sectors.
• Support interventions to improve business operations and efficiencies, promote and strengthen MSMEs, including women- and youth-led MSMEs, and integrate private sector led growth approaches.
• Conduct outreach to private and public sector actors at local, national, regional, and international levels to catalyze funding and financing, and to foster strengthened water, sanitation, and hygiene markets.
• Along with other technical staff, engage with commercial utilities to identify appropriate entry points for private sector partnerships and greater application of business and market principles.
• Tasks may include convening meetings, workshops, and trainings, for example, B2B, B2F, and PPP dialogues.
• Support identification of short-term technical assistance expert consultants and service providers, as necessary, and develop or support development of draft statements of work.
• Support the team in monitoring, reporting, relationship management, internal knowledge management, and other routine project management tasks.
• Draft, contribute to, and/or finalize reports in coordination with the technical team.
• Carry out other specific duties and tasks as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in management, economics, business, international relations, social science, political science, planning, or a related field. Advance degree preferred.
• At least 10 years of professional working experience in market-based or private-sector engagement-based WASH or other similar sector, engaging with private and public sector actors, facilitating partnerships, financing, and investment.
• Familiarity and understanding of USAID policies, latest lessons learned, and best practices for market-based water, sanitation, and hygiene and private sector engagement is preferred.
• Substantive relevant experience in Zambia or Africa is preferred.
• Experience on USAID or other donor projects is preferred.