Sanitation Marketing/WASH Technical Director - Rural and Peri-urban Sanitation Project, Democratic Republic of Congo
*In anticipation of a new multi-year USAID Rural and Peri-urban Sanitation Project, IMA World Health is seeking a Sanitation Marketing (SanMark) Technical Director.*
Corus International is a family of organizations which believes that those who were born into impossible circumstances deserve the opportunity for a better life. Corus was formed through the strategic merger of IMA World Health (operating as a public health organization since 1960), and Lutheran World Relief (operating as a livelihoods organization since 1945), and today includes the smaller entities of Charlie Goldsmith Associates, Ground Up Investing, and Farmers Market Coffee. Corus International works in over 20 countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, with a primary focus on health, livelihoods, and emergency response and the crosscutting benefits of equity and WASH.
Corus International's largest country portfolio is the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where IMA World Health has worked alongside the Congolese government, donors, and a variety of local and international partners since 2000 with a staff of over 200. Programs to revitalize the country's health system, improve WASH access and systems, prevent and respond to SGBV, promote clean energy, and improve the health of the population. The portfolio includes a focus on both sustainable development and humanitarian assistance activities and operates out of two base offices in Kinshasa and Goma.
The SanMark Technical Director will lead investments in an area-wide or market systems-level approach to support overall impact and sustainability of the planned project. Applicants are expected to have an understanding of and experience in private sector support for reaching public health objectives consistent with the tenets and metrics of USAID’s Journey to Self-Reliance, and the latest USAID guidance on rural and urban sanitation service delivery. The position requires significant experience working on WASH programs that integrate the private sector, demand generation, and social and behavior change (SBC) to establish rural and urban markets for sanitation and hygiene products and services. The SanMark Technical Director reports directly to the Chief of Party and is based in Goma, Eastern Congo.
Actual hiring is contingent upon successful agreement award and USAID approval.
Responsibilities
- Alongside the COP, provide technical leadership, oversight, and strategic direction that creates sustainable improvement in the operation of viable sanitation markets by growing both demand for, and supply of, locally available products and needed services
- Provide technical leadership to the development of project strategic plans, work plans, and project monitoring, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health / Planning / Energy and Water Resources, USAID, and other stakeholders to ensure timely implementation and compliance with the requirements and regulations of the award
- Oversee localized market assessments, including aspects of governance, financing, commercial opportunities, and behaviors
- Work closely with the DRC government and relevant ministries, at the national and local levels, to identify barriers and opportunities for government to stimulate the marketplace and expand commercial possibilities
- Work with M&E staff to design and implement a plan to track data/results to inform adjustments in project implementation
- Work with the Capacity Development Lead to support development, adaptation, and implementation of effective, innovative approaches, tools, and methodologies that support business development and small-scale entrepreneurism in the sanitation sub-sector
- Engage financial institutions (banks, co-operatives, community societies) to develop loan products and smart subsidies that support widespread demand for sanitation and hygiene products and services
- Interact with internal and external resources and other experts to bring new and “cutting edge” ideas into project approaches
- Serve as an expert on applicable policies, procedures, rules, and regulations; provide expert advice and timely guidance/analysis on USAID rules and regulations, applicable contract clauses, etc.
- Perform any other relevant duties as assigned by the COP
Qualifications
Required
- Postgraduate degree in international development, business administration, or related field, with a minimum of ten (10) years’ experience in a senior role designing and overseeing sanitation, hygiene, and/or WASH projects
- Successful experience and significant understanding of private sector service delivery approaches
- Demonstrated experience in effectively engaging sanitation-focused host country counterparts; demonstrated experience training and supporting providers and supervisors in public and private sector sanitation services
- Experience developing and implementing business models that introduce critical health products into challenging global markets
- Knowledge of USAID’s global and DRC WASH initiatives, as well as country-driven activities and priorities
- Management of both private and public sector partners to ensure availability and use of WASH-related products and services
- Prior experience in a senior technical role on a USAID-funded WASH project or project containing WASH components
- Experience in successful sanitation demand generation through different strategies, including social and behavior change (SBC) interventions
- Familiarity with USAID’s New Partnership Initiative (NPI) and ability to engage new and underutilized partners, with a focus on sustainable technical and organizational capacity strengthening
- Awareness of USAID cooperative agreements, and the related policies, procedures, and regulations; deep understanding of USG federal compliance requirements and evidence of experience in their application
- Excellent diplomacy skills and a proven ability to establish and maintain interpersonal and professional relationships with regional/district governments, representatives from other key stakeholders such as NGOs, CSOs, and the private sector
- Fluency in French and English in both oral and written communication
- Ability to travel throughout DRC to target sites
Preferred
- Experience living and/or working in DRC
- Experience with USAID Collaborating, Learning, Adapting (CLA) practices
Based on the final solicitation for this opportunity and target geographic areas, this position will be based in either Kinshasa or Goma. The role can be negotiated as an accompanied post for families.
IMA/Corus International prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability status, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by U.S. or International law.
How to apply:
To apply, please go to: DRC SanMark Dir and follow the instructions for applying online.