DUTY STATION: Amman with frequent travel to Iraq
FUNCTIONAL TITLE:Senior Adviser (Water and Sanitation Reform)
GRADE:P5
POST DURATION: One year (with possibility of extension)
CLOSING DATE: 30 January 2011
BACKGROUND
UN-HABITAT, in association with UNDP and UNICEF is supporting the Government of Iraq (GoI) to implement a major Iraq Public Sector Modernisation (I-PSM) programme. The I-PSM programme is a US$ 55 million Joint Programme of the UN established to support the GoI in modernising the public sector by adopting a public sector reform strategy and implementing it in three sectors. The programme is a response to a number of well recognised public sector governance constraints which seriously impact service delivery and efficiency. These constraints include (i) under investment in public service management (ii) reduced civil service management capacities particularly at senior management levels (iii) a doubling of public sector staffing over the last five years (iii) overlapping and in places obsolete functions (iv) extremely low levels of automation (v) a lowering of fiduciary standards and increased corruption.
Preparation of a Public Sector Reform Strategy will set the enabling framework for comprehensive public sector reform, with efforts focused on strengthening the civil service legal framework through implementation of a modern Civil Service Law; building civil service management capacity, addressing issues such as corruption, strengthening the administrative structure and functionality with the introduction of improved systems as well as defining reform and modernisation plans for target sectors that propose new service delivery models for key sectors such as education, health, water and sanitation.
UN-HABITAT is working with UNICEF in the water and sanitation service sector and particularly in determining a sectoral reform and modernisation approach within this sector. The approach will be formulated based on the results of functional reviews and institutional audits in the sector and the development of costed alternative service delivery models assessing different roles and responsibilities at central, regional, governorate and district levels.
The programme has been designed in two phases. Phase I, to be completed within 12 months of commencement is the preparatory and start up phase to enable government to formulate and undertake a reform and modernisation process culminating in the formulation by government of a Public Sector Modernisation Strategy. At the end of Phase I, a proposal for the Phase 2 work plan, budget and agency roles will be presented.
The overall objective of Phase 1, within 12 months of commencement, is to ensure that the Government of Iraq has costed reform and modernization plans in place for the water and sanitation sector. This term of reference seeks a Senior Water and Sanitation Adviser to anchor the work on the preparatory phase of the I‐PSM programme (year 1) and undertake the technical management and tasks associated with all elements of the programme related to the water and sanitation sector in co-operation with other I-PSM partners. While any consideration of the Iraqi water supply and sanitation sector must also consider wider water resource management issues, the focus of reform is the domestic water and sanitation sector.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Senior Water and Sanitation Reform Adviser will, under the supervision of the Senior Programme Officer - Urban Governance, Land and Housing (UGLH) and the technical team, undertake the technical management of all project components and ensure that project objectives are fulfilled and delivered in a timely fashion in accordance with the tasks outlined below:
Strategic Advise and Support to Government on Reform Options
Lead UN-HABITAT /UNICEF through the development co-ordination and support of the Water and Sanitation to GoI-I-PSM Phase I and II. Provide support to the Water and Sanitation Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) and the Technical Group on behalf of UNICEF/UNHABITAT on water and sanitation reform issues.
Lead cooperation efforts between UNICEF/UN-HABITAT to support a fully integrated approach to the I-PSM in the Water and Sanitation Sector
Work as a core member of the phase 1 Technical Pool Team meeting in Baghdad and Amman and facilitate discussions with the Ministerial Advisory Committee on water and sanitation report.
Preparation of content, senior level briefing material and facilitation of workshops to communicate overall objectives of the I-PSM and linkages to the Iraq National Development Plan
Initiate design of the change management process. Based on the proposed service delivery model prepare a document setting out the elements of a change management process. The process will specify a phased strategy including the establishment and training of change management groups and development of a advocacy and communication strategy.
B. Management and Implementation of Phase I process and deliverables
Oversee preparation of the Function Review of Water and Sanitation Services including
Support the development of the Water and Sanitation Sector policy reforms linked to the service delivery model.
Provide and co-ordinate inputs from UN-HABITAT/UNICEF into the preparation of the Sectoral Service Delivery Assessment and Costing of Water and Sanitation Services.
Provide and co-ordinate inputs from UN-HABITAT/UNICEF into the preparation of the road maps for water and sanitation sector reform with accompanying modernization plans
Identify project support and/or professional staff requirements, prepare Terms of Reference and lead recruitment selection activities within allocated budget resources.
POST OBJECTIVES AND TASKS:-
The objective of the post is to provide strategy advice to the implementing agencies and programme partners on reform options for the domestic water and sanitation sector.
The successful applicant will also assist in building GoI support and understanding of the reform options in the water and sanitation sector and to manage the delivery of three key outputs from the preparatory phase to be undertaken by a selected consultancy firm. These include:
Undertaking a functional review of water and sanitation sector at national and sub-national levels, including existing local governance arrangements is completed,
Preparing alternative costed service delivery model for the water and sanitation sector which are thoroughly assessed by government.
Preparing road maps for water and sanitation sector reform with accompanying modernization plans.
COMPETENCIES
Professionalism: Strong analytical, writing and advocacy skills. Skills and understanding of water policy and reform issues, Skills in results-orientated programme development and implementation.
Communication : Strong interpersonal skills and ability to communicate convincingly orally and in writing on complex subjects. Partnership and team building: Ability to lead and manage a team work within a complex environment.
Teamwork: Good interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
Managerial and leadership: Ability to effectively brief and advise senior managers and Government counterpart on water and sanitation issues. Ability to set priorities and produce timely, quality outputs within a complex reform process.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education: Advanced university degree with a minimum of Masters Degree in Public Administration, Political Science, Economics and Law, International Relations or Engineering/Environmental Science and another related field. Combined technical and governance qualifications required and advanced training in human resource management and ‘leading change’ within the public sector would be an advantage.
Work Experience
At least ten years post qualification experience in public sector governance with a strong focus on public administrative reform, civil service report, service delivery and decentralisation.
Experience administering major public sector programmes with, and providing advice and assistance to, staff in both line Ministries and other government agencies.
Working knowledge and application of sectoral review and functional assessments within the water and sanitation sector
Working knowledge of up to date national water and sanitation policy initiatives such as the creation of Public Water Utilities and application of market-based water pricing.
Experience in the Arab Regions and/or Iraq.
Ability to work in a high pressure, ethnically diverse, political setting.
Skills
Confident consensus building skills with senior executives and politicians as well as strong public speaking, facilitating and presentation skills.
Ability to lead a change management process in a challenging environment
Computer literacy (word processing, presentation).
Language: English and French are the working languages of the UN Secretariat. For this post fluency in written and spoken English and working knowledge (spoken, reading) of Arabic required.
Remuneration
See UN website http://www.un.org/Depts/OHRM/salaries_allowances/index.html
How to apply
All applications including cover memo, UN Personal History Profile (P11) should be submitted by email to:Ms Fiona McCluney
Senior Programme Officer
UN-HABITAT Iraq Programme
4 Abdulla Al-Jazzar
PO Box 941864
North Abdoun
Amman 11194
Email: jobs@unhabitat.org.jo
Deadline for applications: 30 January 2011