Palladium International, LLC is implementing the $250 Million, 8-year USAID CATALYZE contract which offers a facilitated partnership model that will craft solutions to crowd in $2 Billion in blended finance (i.e., blended concessional and commercial finance) to USAID partner countries; it can work in any development sector or region. Launched in October 2019, CATALYZE is a buy-in mechanism that allows USAID Bureaus and Missions to efficiently deploy investment facilitation solutions that respond to the needs of specific sectors, issues, and geographies.

Project Overview and Role:

USAID CATALYZE MS4G

USAID CATALYZE MS4G focuses on creating transformative outcomes in the food security and WASH sectors. To achieve these goals, the activity will engage youth, mobilize capital, increase access to finance, and support stakeholders to self-advocate towards policy change which will promote opportunities for the private sector community.

Water and Energy Sector Working Group

The Water and Energy Sector Working Group (WESWG) is a joint Government of Ethiopia (GOE) and Donor Partners (DPs) working group with the objective to provide a forum for the GOE and DPs to jointly promote, support and coordinate sustainable and integrated development and management of water and energy resources for socio-economic development of Ethiopia in line with the 10-year strategic plan and its follow-up on the GOE’s development plans. The WESWG will function as a joint knowledge hub for the Water and Energy sectors, covering the three distinct pillars of (i) Water Resources Management, (ii) Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (iii) Energy Development. The WESWG will facilitate the collection and dissemination of information on reports, missions, general publications, reviews, assessments, etc. The WESWG will provide the forum for regular experience and information sharing, develop and discuss relevant policies, suggest strategies and actions required to mainstream sustainable and integrated water resources management, as well as to foster expedited development of energy solutions in the respective sectoral development agendas and identify and develop approaches for mobilizing private investments for various elements of the respective sectors. It will also provide coordination, harmonization and alignment and provide a forum for both government and donors to share information on their ongoing and planned initiatives as a means to improve coordination in the sector. The WESWG consists of three subgroups aligned with the three pillars, namely Water Supply and Sanitation Subgroup (WASH SG), Water Resources Management Sub-Group (WRM SG) and Energy Development Group (EDG). The Sub-Groups are responsible to provide input and recommendation for policy direction related to programs and associated issues of water resources management in the country

The WESWG Secretariat coordinates the activities of the subgroups and provides informative, analytical, organizational, and technical support for the WESWGs and the technical committees under each subgroup. The functional objectives of the Secretariat are implemented through assistance of all stakeholder organizations in the sphere of Water Supply, Sanitation & Hygiene, Water Resources Management, and Energy.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

The USAID CATALYZE MS4G Water and Energy Sector Working Group (WESWG) Secretariat Coordinator (Coordinator) will report to the USAID CATALYZE MS4G Country Director, and will be responsive to USAID, donor partners and GOE stakeholders including the Ministry or Water and Energy. S/he will be based in Addis Ababa and will be responsible for providing informative, analytical, organizational and technical support for the WESWGs and the technical committee under subgroups to ensure effective delivery of the mandate of the WESWG. The specific duties and responsibilities of the Coordinator are outlined as follows:

WESWG Secretariat staff management & Operations

• Supervise the management of the Secretariat; ensuring day to day efficiency of the Secretariat; prepare and submit report annually on the operations and the activities of the Secretariat.
• Build out the WESWG Secretariat staff including recruit 1-2 focal persons per subgroup through direct hires as well as managing secondments from DPs.
• Provide open and transparent reporting to USAID, MS4G Country Director, donor partners, Ministry of Water and Energy and other GOE stakeholders.
• Provide oversight of the secretariat including ensuring focal persons provide appropriate levels of program, knowledge management, networking and coordination and communications support for each WESWG subgroup
• Coordinate and provide oversight of the financial and in-kind contributions of the DPs and the GOE stakeholders necessary to resume and maintain the activities of the WESWG Secretariat.

Program Support

• Formulate, facilitate and follow up a practical action plan on the directions of WESWG for a full shift towards a sector-wide approach.
• Facilitate and coordinate analytical work and inputs into the WESWG meetings on key sector-wide strategy and planning issues (e.g., Water and Energy Sector Development Program review and update; 10-year National Plan targets review and update; revised Universal Access Program strategy review and update etc).
• Facilitate and coordinate information gathering on the implementation of the water related development plans of the 10-year National Plan and joint delivery of finances.
• Initiate discussions on the sector-wide approach for the broad Water Resources Management (watershed management, irrigation, hydropower, etc), WASH and energy programs.
• Review current sector financing requirements for achieving 10-year National Plan objectives and the development of appropriate strategies to address these needs.
• Facilitate the formulation of priority programmes as approved by the WESWG.

Knowledge Management

• Establish a repository of GOE policies, strategies, guidelines, laws and regulations, and lessons from past and on-going programming in WASH, WRM and Energy sub sectors.
• Establish and maintain a database of donors, donor’s Implementing Partners (IPs) NGOs and private sector stakeholders.
• Provide periodic analysis of investments being made by GOE and donors keeping in mind the geographic coverage and with a view to promoting further alignment and harmonization.
• Use knowledge management as a facilitating tool for monitoring and follow-up on the donor support, solving coordination problems, promoting complementarity and synergy with other sectors, and to harmonize databases including collecting, sharing and analysing data/information needed to provide oversight of implemented WASH, WRM and EFG programmes and the plans of various government agencies, NGO’s, private sector stakeholders and donors, etc.
• Provide training and information/data support to the WASH SG, the WRM SG and EFG SG as needed.
• Provide support for information gathering, analysis and sharing through undertaking knowledge events and showcasing best practices with a view to promoting policy dialogue and sharing best practices and lessons learned.

Networking and Coordination

• Facilitate quarterly meetings of the WESWG and ensure that priorities and concerns of all actors reflected in the technical committees are adequately taken up during the WESWG meetings.
• Ensure that all relevant and active/concerned stakeholders (government institutions, development partners, etc.) are represented at the WESWG.
• Provide administrative support to assist WASH SG, WRM SG and EFG SG to organize regular meetings and prepare (and monitor) annual work plans.
• Facilitate monitoring and evaluation of alignment and harmonization efforts by WESWG members.
• Liaise proactively with other relevant coordination units.
• Assist in the organization of the Multi Stakeholder Forum once per year and World Water Day and other relevant sector events.

Communication

• Prepare the provisional agenda for the meetings of the WESWG, WASH SG, WRM SG and EFG SG.
• Record minutes and decisions during the WESWG meeting and during the meeting of the subgroups
• Facilitate information sharing, including upcoming missions and schedule of events, ideally by means of a website; and other related duties as determined by the Chair of the WESWG and Co-chairs of the Subgroups.
• Facilitate communication and information exchange between the NGO sector, multilateral and bilateral agencies, local partners, and government authorities.

Job Requirements

Key Competencies:

• Extensive project management experience in fields such as WASH, water resource management and energy development
  Strong interpersonal skills and ability to manage and deal with diverse stakeholders
• Evidence of strong communication skills, both interpersonal and written with professional fluency in English and Amharic required
• Experience building, managing and supervising teams, in person and in a remote manner
• Depth and breadth of knowledge of WASH national strategies and policies.
• Sound problem-solving and decision-making skills
• Proven ability to develop and communicate a common vision among diverse partners and the ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams
• Professional expertise preferred:
• Professional experience successfully overseeing large, complex projects (or components therein) and diverse teams focused
  Seven years or more in the fields of water resource management and WASH including experience in a management role