Water Management Consultant-Short Term

SOW Title: Provide Technical Assistance to Assess the Possibility to Establish Anbar and Najaf Water Management Committee to Improve the Water Management aspects in the Two Provinces.

Estimated LOE: (75) working days

Job Classification: (1) Local STTA    

Reporting to: Service Improvement Lead               

Estimated Start Date: 02 July 2024

Estimated End Date:  05 December 2024

Duty Station: Baghdad with frequent travel to the other locations in Anbar and Najaf.           

A. Project Background:

The USAID Iraq Together/Ma’an (معاً) activity, launched in November 2023, Ma’an supports select Iraqi government entities at the national, regional, provincial, and district levels to improve service delivery performance through use of technology and process standardization while increasing the availability of and access to information, particularly related to public services. The Ma’an also fosters improved and inclusive relationships and engagement between the Government and the communities they serve. The Ma’an goal is more equitable, efficient, and sustainable public services. The Ma’an’s objectives are:

1- Targeted Iraqi government entities improve and are more inclusive in-service delivery. The government improves service delivery through responsiveness to citizen needs, consultation with citizens, improved transparency, and use of green practices technology.

2- Strengthened democratic and participatory governance of targeted Iraqi service delivery institutions. Citizen perception of government changes through increased participation in governance, improved access to government information, and stronger role of Iraqi NGOs in advocating for communities as well as increased public education regarding citizen roles and responsibilities.

3- Response to windows of opportunity for change. Gaps in expertise and information required to improve government service delivery and increase citizen participation are addressed.

Iraq Together/Ma’an utilizes an Accountability Ecosystems Approach grounded in inclusion and localization to improve service delivery and build trust. The approach mobilizes Iraqi government entities, civil society organizations, emerging civic movements, issue-based groups, media, and the private sector to co-create interventions. This approach allows diverse local partners to exercise their rights and responsibilities, learn by doing, analyze performance data, and scale what works.

B. Purpose:

There is a notable deficiency in strategic planning, coordination, and communication among various government entities involved in crucial water management matters within both provinces of Anbar and Najaf. This issue has resulted in challenges in controlling water allocations and distributing them equally in accordance with predetermined standards, exacerbating water scarcity, pollution, and lack of comprehensive data. Mismanagement of water resources within the province, coupled with increased pollution stemming from negative practices by governmental and private entities, complicates the problem further such mismanagement threatens to compromise the production necessary quantity and quality of drinking water required by citizens, ultimately leading to a decline in water provision. To address these pressing concerns, it is imperative to establish a water management committee chaired by the governor and comprising all relevant governmental entities involved in the water sector within the province. This committee would facilitate enhanced water management by fostering proactive planning and bolstering coordination and communication among stakeholders, thereby enabling informed decision-making to effectively tackle water-related issues. The committee will be established based on the Council of Ministries’ decision 156 in 2022.

To implement this intervention, Ma’an will engage one local STTA specialized in water management to collaborate with the targeted water directorates in Najaf and Anbar to conduct an assessment aimed at identifying water-related issues impacting the delivery of water services to citizens. This assessment will entail analyzing the root causes of these challenges and evaluating the level of coordination and planning among various entities involved in water management. Furthermore, the STTA will liaise with the governors and related directorates to establish the water management committee, develop and adopt its bylaws and operational procedures, and bolster the committee’s capacity in monitoring and evaluation and planning and bolster the secretariat’s capacity to collect data and conduct analysis crucial for informed decision-making on diverse water issues.

C. Objectives:

The main objectives of the water management consultant are to:

Conduct an assessment in Najaf and Anbar to identify the water-related issues, analyze their underlying causes, and assess the level of coordination and planning among other entities involved in water management.

Establish the water management committee and adopt its bylaw and operational procedures and enhance the committee’s capacity in data gathering and analysis, monitoring, and evaluation, and planning that contributes to decision making.

D. Responsibilities and Key Tasks of the Consultant:

Under this Scope of Work, the water management consultant shall perform the following tasks:

– Task 1: Hold Introductory Meetings with Stakeholders to Introduce the Intervention

In Coordination with Ma’an Field Team, the consultant will hold meetings with relevant stakeholders to introduce Ma’an activity, the interventions, and the results that will be achieved upon the completion of the intervention.

– Task 2: Develop an Assessment Tool to Guage the Need to Establish Water Management Committee.

In coordination with Ma’an field team, the consultant will develop an assessment to be reviewed by the Ma’an water adviser and approved by the Objective (1) service improvement lead. 

– Task 3:  Conduct an Assessment to Guage the Need to Establish Water Management Committee.

In coordination with Ma’an field team, the consultant will conduct an assessment with the targeted water directorates in Najaf and Anbar to identify the water issues, analyze these issues, determine the root cause, and identify the level of coordination and planning among the other entities involved in managing the water sector.

– Task 4: Hold an Initial Meeting with the Governors to Present Assessment Findings and Way Forward.

– Task 5: Hold a Two-Day’ Workshop in Each Province to Operationalize the Committee.

The consultant will hold a two-days workshop for the committee to present the importance of the committee, the proposed bylaws, and the work procedures for adoption. Ma’an will enhance its capacity in data gathering and analysis required for decision-making. Ma’an will assist in forming the committee’s secretariat.

– Task 6: Hold a Two-Day Workshop in Each Province to enhance the committee’s secretariat capacity.

The consultant will hold a two-days workshop in each province for the committee’s secretariat to enhance its capacity in communication and writing reports and provide technical support for holding the first committee meeting and assisting in developing the meeting’s agenda and gathering the required data.

– Task 7: Provide Technical Support for the Committee to Hold the First Committee Meeting.

The consultant will coordinate with the GO office and the committee’s secretariat for the purpose of holding the first committee meeting. Ma’an will provide technical support to the committee during the first meeting to facilitate and provide the know-how on managing the meeting in effective way.

– Task 8: Hold a Three-Day Workshop in Each Province to Operationalize the Committee.

The consultant will hold a three-days workshop for the committee to enhance its capacity in monitoring and evaluation, planning, and management that will help in developing the vision, managing the water resource, and making the appropriate decisions to solve the water issues.

– Task 9: Develop the Final Report

The consultant will develop the final report including all supporting documents developed during the implementation of the intervention. The report will highlight achievements and results, recommendations and next steps, challenges, lessons learned, and proposed solutions. The report should be submitted in English. 

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering required; Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of experience working in drinking water systems, water management, and water service
• Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of drinking water systems, water management, and water service improvement.
• Prior experience working with the provincial water directorates regarding drinking water systems and water service improvement issues.
• Minimum four (4) years experience with a USAID or other donor-funded projects is strongly preferred.
• Overall Iraq contextual knowledge with demonstrated ability to communicate clearly with stakeholders.
• Clear and concise communication approach both orally and in writing, and lead presentations, training, and effective meetings with stakeholders.
•  Excellent report writing skills.
• Full professional proficiency in Arabic is required good English language skills are desired.

Duty Station:

The local STTA water management consultant will be based in Baghdad with travel to various locations in Najaf and Anbar. Under this SOW, Ma’an will cover all other indirect implementation costs, including air and ground transportation, and phone communications. This position is open to Iraqi nationals residing in Iraq.

Application Instructions:

To apply please fill out this form: Iraq Together Job Application Form (smartsheet.com)

Chemonics is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factors.