Coordinator Pakistan-Water Operators Network

Role of Position in the Organization

The Government of Pakistan recognizes clean drinking water and sanitation as a basic human right by supporting UN General Assembly resolution, passed on 28th July 2010. In most of the urban areas of Pakistan, urban poor is often left without access to officially provided WASH services by the municipalities or various service providers such as water and sanitation authorities/ water and sewerage boards. Even when people living in informal urban settlements are able to access such services, these are often inadequate in terms of service levels, quality as well as in quantity.

Such problems are more evident in informal peri-urban and urban slum settlements, where residents face the multiple challenges of high costs for the services related to water and sanitation from vendors in terms of high connection fees and bills, ‘hidden’ costs of connections (road digging, materials etc), block tariffs that penalise re-selling, and time constraints due to manual transportation. P-WON is a network of eleven urban utilities operating in mega cities of the country. Coordinator P-WON will be working closely with P-WON in following four broader areas;

• Bringing the element of accountability and transparency in the utilities
• Increasing the performance benchmarking of the utilities
• Increasing the consumer base of the utilities by bringing the residents of the urban informal settlements into consumer base network
• Increasing the revenue generation and bringing the utilities to a business development model

1.Reporting Line

The position lies in the category of Pakistan Country Programme (National Staff). The individual holding the position of Coordinator P-WON will report directly to the Chairman Pakistan Water Operators Network with submission of monthly/quarterly progress reports to Manager Urban Programme-WaterAid in Pakistan. The position is based in P-WON secretariat located in Al Jazari Academy, Lahore and will be administratively reporting to the Principal of the academy.

2.Key Working RelationshipsInternal:

Internal: Members Advisory Committee and Steering Committee members of P-WON.

External: Donors in Urban Water and Sanitation, Water and Sanitation Alliances/Networks at Regional/Global level, Consultants, Provincial intergovernmental agencies related to urban development, City Governments/Municipalities, Sector stakeholders, Private companies, City Forums and NGOs where required.

4. Specific Job Description

Under the leadership of Chairman of the steering committee, P-WON specific responsibilities are grouped under three main categories and listed below:

A.Programmatic

• Provide clear strategic support to the P-WON, ensure continuous attention to the optimal achievement of its overall objectives, oversee further expansion and development of memberships, liaise with national and regional partner institutions/networks, and recommend new initiatives.
• Based on the data collected from water utilities, its analysis and need assessment, and assist in developing a concrete & realistic business plan to compliment the smooth operations/activities of program.
• Design the P-WON action plan, the annual work programme (based on the business plan and review existing business plan if required), and the consolidated budget to carry out different activities of P-WON depending upon the already developed annual work plan.

• Develop a strategy for mobilization of finances and get it approved from Steering Committee.
• Mobilize funding resources to plug the fiscal gap and to finance business plan activities.
• Keep track on financial transactions of P-WON and periodically report to SC.

1. Develop clear operational procedures for P-WON, its membership, training nomination & contributing to the sustainability aspect of the network.
2. Take lead in making the secretariat operational by carrying out day to day routine, as well as key strategic activities.
3. Implement the business plan activities and maintain a complete record of proceedings and follow up on agreed actions.
4. Organize and prepare steering committee meetings, draft the proceedings, and follow up on the implementation of decisions.
5. Compile knowledge products for wider dissemination among the member utilities.
6. Develop standardized guidelines for the utilities
7. Active liaison with provincial governments, utilities, media, CSOs and private sector to promote business agenda for P-WON
8. Promote P-WON both within Pakistan (to secure the participation of utilities in the P-WON activities) and outside the region (to encourage more financial partners to join the P-WON and for learning between regions)
9. Develop and implement a partnership with other water networks like PERSPAMSI (Indonesian Water Operators’ Network) for gaining the capacity to implement national and international WOPs.
10. Closely work with the Al Jazari Water & Saniattion Academy Lahore for the capacity building of national WOPs and disseminate knowledge on good practices
11. Ensure that all stakeholders receive regular communications, along with the annual report. Share & Document best practices amongst members and develop pool of Resources as Digital Library
12. Develop and maintain strong relations and efficient coordination with various partners, including donors, governments, participating utilities, and other partners.
13. Prepare briefing materials for high level delegations
14. Prepare reports, as required based on the timely submission of inputs from key international national and regional partners as well as in collaboration with relevant WASAs
15. Responsible for maintaining a network of communication between the key UN agencies operating at the regional level as well as with key NGOs.
16. Develop a functional partnership with, in order to build on the networks and institutional structures already set in place. A key tool in this regard will be the facilitation and support of periodic Steering Committee meetings, as well as to support the broadening of information through situation updates and newsletters.
17. Design and implement a simple monitoring and evaluation system for PWON activities.
18. Facilitate a constant dialogue with donors on the overall funding / resource status of the PWON programmes in close collaboration with all partners. Responsible for organizing periodic meetings with donors as well as facilitating and preparing appropriate briefing materials for visiting delegations.
19. PWON Indicator Data Updating on Web site on annual basis.
20. PWON Web site & Quarterly News Letter.
21. Serve as a Trainer in Courses.

• The incumbent will be submitting monthly reports to Chairman Steering Committee (P-WON) and submitting monthly/quarterly progress reports to Manager Urban Programme WaterAid in Pakistan. In addition Quarterly Progress Reports would also be shared and disseminated among the steering as well as advisory committee members.

5. Job Requirement Education Essential

Education:

• Essential

University degree or professional qualification in Engineering/ Social Science/ Environmental Sciences

• Desirable

Post graduate degree in Engineering

Experience:

• Essential
• At least 5-7 years of management experience in urban water and sanitation sector.
• Demonstrated experience in engaging with development partners
• Preferred qualities: dynamic, self-starter, adapts well to new situations, excellent communicator and problem-solver, confident in high-level discussions, team player, leader, and superior organizational skills.
• Sound knowledge about the existing situation of water supply and sanitation services of urban areas of the country,

• Desirable
• Experience non-revenue water, consumer satisfaction and willing of the right holders to pay for the services to the duty bearers is desirable.
• Experience in working on lateral twinning of the WOPs.
• Experience of research methodologies & documentation of best practice.
• Experience in proposal writing and submitting proposals to different donors.

Knowledge and Skills Essential

• Essential
• Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Demonstrates integrity and dignity that is related to safe defecation practices.
• Ability of work effectively and harmoniously with colleagues and member utilities.
• Displays culture, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting
• Ability to go beyond established procedures and models, propose new out of box approaches which expand the range of programmes
• Ability to work with minimal supervision
• Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to critical feedback
• Builds strong relationship with clients and external actors
• Excellent coordination skill
• Excellent planning and organizational skills
• Efficient computer skills including excellent command on MS Office, Web browsing and E-Searching and e communication with the external actors
• Expert knowledge of urban water and sanitation services

• Desirable
• Knowledge of 'gender in development' , pro-poor, equity & inclusion issues
• Knowledge of low cost sanitation and hygiene technologies.
• Ability to communicate in local languages
• Diplomacy, tact and administrative skills in order to work with people at managerial and, on occasions, senior government levels

Personal Qualities

• Essential
• Evidence of a strong commitment to development work
• Fitness and willingness to spend substantial time on field visits
• Ability to work independently in the initiation of new approaches and development of existing ones
• Understanding of, and willingness to work within, the context of advisory partnership relationships.
• Ability to work within a multidisciplinary team.

• Desirable
• Knowledge on working of urban utilities in other part of the region/globe is desirable