Team Leader, Study of UNICEF Groundwater Initiative in Ethiopia and Kenya

About Us

We are International Business & Technical Consultants, Inc. (IBTCI), a global consulting firm working some of the most complex and impactful development problems worldwide. We work on programs that help government agencies, private companies and donors improve the lives of others. At IBTCI you will be part of an inclusive team that provides expert solutions and advice to understand and address critical problems while giving you opportunities to succeed and grow.

Job Title: Team Leader, Study of UNICEF Groundwater Initiative in Ethiopia and Kenya

Department/Location: Social, Economic, and Agricultural Development (SEAD) Practice

Reports To: Project Director

Type: Temporary assignment, intermittent for up to 26 weeks and subject to contract award

Classification: Consultancy

Clearance Required: N/A

Overview: International Business and Technical Consultants, Inc. (IBTCI), a US-based international development consulting company, is seeking a Team Leader to join a group of three international experts and two groundwater specialists, to design a longitudinal study including the selection of field sites to monitor the outcomes of groundwater mapping in terms of improved water availability to target communities, even in the face of drought. The team will also draw lessons from a pilot activity implemented in one of the countries of interest, address sustainability concerns, and assess the scalability potential of groundwater mapping. The results of the study will guide UNICEF globally and in their regional offices to determine support for the acceleration and scale-up of groundwater mapping; and feed into corporate knowledge and evidence around WASH innovations.

Responsibilities

Essential Duties/Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Manage the work of a team of international and local WASH experts involved in the study.
• Coordinate the desk review of all documentation related to the groundwater initiative implemented by UNICEF.
• Lead the development of a framework to measure differing effects of the groundwater mapping approach and lead the preparation of a document summarizing the framework.
• Lead the identification of sites where the monitoring study will be conducted considering population density, water demands and socio-economic variables. Identify both experimental and control sites, the latter being where traditional water services are provided without relying on ground water.
• Lead the application of the conceptual framework developed to examine the impact of ground water abstraction in pilot area where the initiative is being tested.
• Determine which information gaps exist after the review of secondary data and determine what key informant interviews need to be conducted in country to conduct an initial assessment of the impact the ground water initiative has had during an early pilot phase of the initiative.
• Lead the development of tools to conduct key informant interviews among stakeholders during country.
• Generate a list of country stakeholders to be interviewed during country visits with the support of local WASH specialists.
• Plan and coordinate site visits in two countries along with an expert in geo-hydrology.
• Lead the conduct of interviews with UNICEF officers at the HQ, regional and national levels and with higher level stakeholders during country visits.
• Develop an analysis plan for qualitative data collected and guide the implementation of that analysis.
• Develop a report outline to be followed to produce the draft of the study conducted applying the conceptual framework.
• Lead an analysis of the sustainability and scalability of the ground water mapping initiative based on supply, demand and the enabling policy and regulatory environment.
• Review the sustainability/scalability report that may be prepared by study team members.
• Liaise with UNICEF HQ as required.
• Lead the evaluation team in presentations to the client and stakeholders.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements:

• At least 12 years of experience leading WASH studies and evaluations, with an emphasis on water supply.
• Demonstrated excellent project management skills.
• Experience in conducting reviews or evaluations of innovation programmes, ideally experience in deploying innovative, participatory, and other non-traditional monitoring and evaluation methods in development contexts.
• Experience conducting key informant interviews and analyzing qualitative data.
• Strong ability to interact with a wide range of stakeholders at different levels of donor agencies and country governments officials responsible for activities in the WASH sector.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the UN system and UNICEF programming at the country level and traditional evaluation criteria used by UNICEF (relevance, coherence, efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability)
• Thematic knowledge of the provision of water services in arid/semiarid lands is preferable or areas where drought is a common challenge.
• Ability and willingness to be mobile and agile at a moment’s notice in case of an emergency required.
• Ability and willingness to work for extended periods in insecure and diverse environments.
• Ability and willingness to safely enter and exit a larger, armored SUV vehicle that is several feet off the ground without assistance, while wearing body armor and/or a heavy flak jacket.
• In case of an emergency situation, must be able and willing to “duck and seek cover”, which may require the individual to exit the vehicle, unaided, and hurriedly seek shelter elsewhere, as needed, in the event of a roadside emergency.

Education:

• Masters in environmental/sanitation engineering/ water and environmental engineering, geology, environmental/public health, specialty in hydro-geology preferred.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Excellent research methodology skills.
• Excellent qualitative data analysis skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Fluency in English required.
• Language skills in another UN languages desirable.

Working Environment: Work is typically performed in an office environment.

COVID Vaccine status: As a condition of employment, IBTCI requires all new employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Candidates should be prepared to submit proof of COVID-19 vaccination upon hire or request for an accommodation with HR that is consistent with our COVID-19 safety protocols and policies.

Physical Requirements: This is largely a sedentary position that requires the ability to speak, hear, see, and lift small objects up to 20 lbs.

Supervisory Responsibility: This position coordinates a team of WASH experts.

Travel: Travel will be required up to 10% during the duration of the assignment.

Work Authorization: Candidate must be authorized to work in the U.S.A. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

About the Organization:

IBTCI has been in business since 1987. We specialize in Monitoring, Evaluation, Research & Learning (MERL), Institutional Support (IS), Financial & Risk Management (FRM), Supply Chain Management & Procurement (SCMP); Social & Behavior Change (SBC) and Capacity Building. We provide these services across many sectors including, but not limited to, agriculture, resilience & food security, conflict & crisis, democracy & governance, economic growth & trade, education & human capacity development, energy & infrastructure, environment & climate change, global health & WASH and humanitarian and disaster assistance. At IBTCI, our colleagues are encouraged to collaborate and be part of the solution while getting the tools and guidance needed to grow and support our clients’ missions.

IBTCI is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity for all persons without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identification, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, disabled veteran or Vietnam-era veteran, or any other classification protected by applicable anti-discrimination laws. We prohibit and do not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment. VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

If you are an applicant with a disability that requires a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process or are limited in the ability, or unable to use the online application system and need an alternative method for applying, you may contact the Talent Acquisition team at [email protected] (Do not send your resume to this account, for consideration please apply in our career page, https://careers.ibtci.com/jobs).