Water Utility Change Management Expert at RTI International - 6 Openings

RTI International is an independent, nonprofit research institute dedicated to improving the human condition. Clients rely on us to answer questions that demand an objective and multidisciplinary approach—one that integrates expertise across the social and laboratory sciences, engineering, and international development. We believe in the promise of science, and we are inspired every day to deliver on that promise for the good of people, communities, and businesses around the world.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Water Utility Change Management Expert - USAID E-WASH Project

Locations: Imo, Sokoto, Taraba, Abia, Niger and Delta

Background
RTI International in collaboration with Plan International and other partners is implementing a 4-year USAID funded Effective Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (E-WASH) Project. E-WASH will provide technical assistance to state governments to improve urban water service delivery by strengthening the governance, financial, and technical viability of six (6) State Water Boards (SWBs) in Nigeria. This is part of the United States Government's (USG) efforts working with the Federal Government to address the heart of the challenges faced by the urban water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services. The overall goal is improvement of urban water and sanitation service delivery.

The Effective Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (E-WASH) project, is seeking to identify dynamic and technically strong Organizational Development Consultants to support the development of utility organizational structure, and human resource management tools in the State Water Boards of Imo, Sokoto, Taraba, Abia, Niger and Delta States.

The Consultants are expected to spend lengthy periods in the SWB in order to complete the assignment. The assignment is for a range of days depending on the scope of the assignment as indicated below.

The Assignment

• This assignment will be implemented by Experts collectively working and coordinating to materialize the overall objective of this assignment
• It needs to be clarified that by the time corresponding consultancy agreements for this assignment are issued, the utility would have developed the vision, mission and objectives of the utility
• The Technical Consultants selected to execute this assignment shall develop a project implementation schedule, alongside other data gathering tools (for both quantitative and qualitative data) and present to the E-WASH Team for clearance
• With the direction of the EWASH Team Lead, the Consultants shall hold high level stakeholders meeting, several one-on-one interview meetings with key/ principal officers in the Water Utility
• The Experts are also expected to conduct focus group discussion with members of staff of the utility (where necessary) to gather data that shall be synthesized, analyzed, and presented into a report
• Where necessary, administer questionnaires and survey at random on a population of the utility’s customers
• The selected Experts would carry out workshops to discuss the Organizational reform planning and development with relevant stakeholders
• Comprehensive consultations would be considered while developing all necessary plans and strategies and must be validated in workshops
• In addition to the reports as described herein, the Consultants shall make an oral presentation on the study and its recommendations in a workshop to be attended by stakeholders across policy, SWB and legislators etc.

Objectives of the Assignment
The assignment has three cardinal objectives:

• To develop a robust organizational structure that can fit into and sustain the utility under corporatization arrangements
• To develop utility Human Resource management instruments and policies/ guidelines and procedures
• To prepare the utility staff and leadership for transition into a corporate organization

Deliverables/Outputs:

• An inception report, describing how the consultant intends to carry out the assignment and an unveiling of key parameters that might not have been obvious at the RFP stage;
• Utility Reform and Communication Strategy
• Carry out participatory change management training for different levels of staff as key re-organization is being implemented.
• Support top management to design an action plan/road map for implementation of recommendations that will lead to desired performance targets.
• Recommend the composition of a reform implementation team.
• Develop gender orientation and mainstreaming concepts as part of the change management training.
• Prepare detailed transition and implementation program/ plan.

Qualifications and Experience
Professional Qualification:

• The Consultant should have at least a Master's in Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Integrated Water Resources Management, Social Science, Management or relevant fields.

Professional Experience:

• A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in utility management with a proven track record in water utility management, change management, performance improvement programs, and water utility re-engineering. Sector-specific experience on similar assignments and working in a donor-funded environment in the region would be an advantage.

Remuneration

• We offer a highly competitive remuneration.

Application Closing Date
12th August, 2019.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should submit by e-mail only an Application Letter and a CV as ONE SINGLE WORD document to: [email protected] using the Job Title and Location as the subject of the mail (e.g Organizational Development Expert/Team Leader Abia).

Note

• On the subject line of your e-mail, you should only put the e-mail subject line as indicated above (no other text should be on this subject line) that you are applying
• Consultants are encouraged to apply as soon as they see this advert
• Only shortlisted candidates will receive an invitation for negotiations.
• Women are strongly encouraged to apply.