Ethiopia has made impressive progress in expanding access to water and sanitation from a very low base. In the 1990s, only 14% of the population had access to water and 3% to sanitation coverage. In 2017, this had increased to 65% and 32% respectively. In 20 years, 45 million people gained access to water. Ethiopia has made rapid progress in reducing open defecation (92% of the population in 1992 to 28% in 2015).
As a leader and trusted donor in the sector, the UK provided grants to GoE over five years (October 2019 — September 2024), to support sustainable access to climate-resilient clean water and improved sanitation services and good hygiene practices. The program that the UK Government is supporting via the CWA is called “Strengthening Climate Resilient Systems for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Services in Ethiopia (SCRS — WaSH)” and is being implemented in 41 priority I woredas in seven (Afar, Amhara, Gambella, Oromia, SNNP, Somali and Tigray) regions of Ethiopia. This program prioritizes the drought-affected and drought-prone areas of Ethiopia through strengthened climate-resilient systems of WaSH delivery whilst supporting sustainable financing systems for WaSH in Ethiopia.
Specific Tasks
The main role of the “Senior Socio-Economist” working under the OWNP is to support and facilitate the effective implementation of particularly “Climate Resilient Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (CR-WaSH)” programme in Ethiopia” including facilitating and strengthening communications between the different tiers. Since, the Implementation of CR-WASH program is mostly the responsibility of Water Development Commission, the main role of the senior socio-economist is supporting the Commission in planning, study and design, construction supervision/inspection, monitoring, evaluation and reporting the CR-WASH projects.
As such, under the CR-WASH program, the role of the senior socio-economist will be to support the National PMU in communicating with Regional PMUs, Woreda WASH Team and Town Water Utilities and providing them with the directions, information, systems and skills.
The national water supply and sanitation program management unit coordinator would affirm that work plans developed by the senior socio-economist to discharge his/her assigned duties are logically compatible with his/her respective job descriptions and would monitor that the planned services are delivered by the expert in a manner and in line with the objective of the project/program.
On the basis of the roles described above, the specific areas of responsibility of the senior socio-economist will include, but are not limited to:
a. Technical aspects
Effectively plan, coordinate, manage and examine economic analysis, economic benefits cost analysis of projects and socially acceptable water supply and sanitation projects;
Analyze existing socio-economic conditions and assist business plan preparation of water supply projects to ensure sustainable operation and management;
Collect information about performances of utilities and improve the effective and efficient performances in terms of cost recovery principle;
Assess gaps, update and prepare socio-economic and business plan guidelines and documents for water supply and sanitation projects to achieve organizational goals;
Conduct socio-economic studies, analyze and review technical, financial, economic aspects of water supply project design studies;
Prepare periodic plan and reports of socio-economic studies and implementations;
Develop socio-economic capacity-building materials and consult project personnel, regional and other relevant stakeholders;
Review tariff setting documents and enable mechanisms to sustain water utilities as a business entity and service provider to low income community members;
Examine cost-benefit analysis of projects and propose solutions in affordability and willingness to pay at the community level;
Participate in the preparation, appraisal, pre-feasibility, feasibility, and final design study document preparation processes;
Develop tools and checklists for monitoring, support social, economic efficiencies and performances of utilities;
Conduct and follow up utilities to increase customer’s satisfaction and community participation in service provision processes;
Develop presentations for management and stakeholders on business operation and developments; recommend strategic directions developing water utilities;
Work with relevant stakeholders in mobilizing and strengthening community participation, ownership and development and also in establishing WASHCOs and Rural WASH utilities.
b. Program Planning and Management
· Support the preparation of regional PMUs annual work plans and budget for the Regional CR-WaSH projects supported by CWA and Government Phase II program
· Support the Regional PMUs in preparation of their annual plans and budget for the Regional CR-WASH program supported by CWA and Government phase II and the regional offices/regional coordinator in preparation and consolidation of quarterly progress reports;
· Prepare annual work plans for the TA support to the WDC, CWA Phase II PMU;
· Promote learning between regions by sharing information, progress reports and best practices;
· Foster integration under the sanitation projects by supporting efforts to integrate water supply, sanitation and hygiene interventions and coordinate planning across sectors;
· Provide technical backup support to all planning and management activities of the NWSC and NWTT,
· Support regional program management units (PMUs) in the updating of data on WaSH physical and financial performance, including a number of user communities and beneficiaries’ vs planned activities considering integration of sanitation performance.
· Timely track allocated, received, utilized and liquidated budgets on a timely manner.
c. Sector Support
· Guide, capacitate and support technically WDC experts through related skill transfer and coaching,
· Transfer skill to regional, town water utility and water board staff.
· Work extensively with regional, woreda and town implementing agencies to ensure they have the necessary skills and training to perform their duties;
· On the basis of implementation experience, participate in developing a national strategy for training and capacity building under the CWA Phase II project and support strategy implementation
· Produce or update the necessary technical training materials and manuals (e.g. cost-effective designs, operation and maintenance, etc.) and program management training materials and manuals (e.g. procurement process, contract management, etc.) for use by implementing agencies,
· Provide technical backup support and training to WWT/Town Water Boards/Utilities (urban) during the early phase of project support (up to the first phase of construction);
· Assists the Regions to identify their own project gaps and management deficits and provide them with the technical assistance or the capacity development they require;
· Provide technical backup support to all training and capacity building activities of the NWSC and NWTT, in particular the development and implementation of a CWA Phase II project capacity-building strategy.
Duration of the Assignment: The assignment will be for one year with possibility of extension based on evaluation of performance. Under- or non-performance will result in immediate termination of the contract.
Expected Deliverables
TA support work plan to be updated quarterly — two weeks after deployment,
Monthly report every 1st week of the month,
End of contract report - upon conclusion of the assignment.
The agreed consultancy fee will be paid in monthly installments, upon presentation of satisfactory reports and good performance.
Reporting
The TA will be housed in the Water Development Commission and will work within the team of the Environmental, Social, and Climate Change Directorate. The specialist will have full responsibility for the CWA and Government supported CR-WaSH project activities in the regions and in WDC and will be supervised by the Environmental, Social, and Climate Change Directorate.
The reporting requirements will be as per the deliverables plan indicated above and shall be submitted to the Environmental, Social, and Climate Change Directorate in WDC and to ABH. ABH will forward each report to WASH section of UNICEF as per the above deliverables plan.
General Conditions: Procedures and Logistics
1. The consultant will be responsible for identifying and securing their own accommodation.
2. Per diems will be provided by the Water Development Commission for travel to the regions and project sites (outside of duty station).
3. The consultant should have their own laptop with internet capability and Microsoft Office applications.
4. WDC will arrange transport services for project supervision field missions to the project sites.
5. WDC will facilitate access to all necessary data and documents available in the government’s WaSH institutions to the specialist.
6. WDC will provide office facilities (space, table, and chair)
7. Payments for consultancy works are submitted on a monthly basis with the approval of deliverables and monthly reports based on the rates stipulated in the contract.
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