Short Term Consultancy Service: Training of Urban Water Utility Personnel in 5 States (Imo, Taraba, Abia, Niger and Delta) at RTI International

RTI International in collaboration with Plan International and other partners is implementing a 4-year USAID funded Effective Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (E-WASH) project. E-WASH will provide technical assistance to state governments to improve urban water service delivery by strengthening the governance, financial, and technical viability of five (5) state water Corporations in Nigeria. This is part of the United States Government’s (USG) efforts working with the Federal Government to address the heart of the challenges faced by the urban water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services. The overall goal is improvement of urban water and sanitation service delivery.

The Effective Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (E-WASH) project, is seeking to identify dynamic and technically strong Organizational Development, Human Capital Development and Human Resource Development Consultants to support in the training of line Management and Middle Management staff in the State Water Corporations of Imo, Taraba, Abia, Niger and Delta States. The consultants are expected to carryout the training in the State Water Corporations’ offices. 

THE ASSIGNMENT-

The E-WASH Program is seeking to engage a Short-Term Technical Assistant to develop the capacity of key stakeholders, Top and Middle Management staff of the water corporation in how to conduct a successful Strategic Planning Retreat and the training on effective use of Job Descriptions for effective Utility development.  Strategic and business plans are part of the best practices today that guide high performing organizations on a journey into the future where they plan to be. The USAID/E-WASH program supported the five intervention states to develop strategic and business plans through the Organizational Development (OD) assignments. As part of the OD assignments, all the 5 SWCs now have well developed and documented strategic and business plans. These short- and long-term plans cut across activities of all the functional departments of the SWCs. To this end it is important that key stakeholders within the states as well top management of the SWCs have a clear grasp of how to always map their strategy and future of their corporation as well as review their state strategic and business plans. Similarly, Job Descriptions were also developed for key offices and departments in the utilities. To strictly abide and enforce these is a herculean task for organizations that have not been disciplined so to do. The assignment therefore seeks to strengthen line manager’s understanding of the use of Job Descriptions to ensure the dynamic growth of the organization and strengthen communication across staff and units.

OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT 

The objectives of the Strategic Plan Retreat Planning:

• Transfer Skills on how to develop a Strategic and Business Plans of a Utility
• Review the existing Strategic and Business Plan
• Review the Transition Implementation Plan.

SPECIFIC TASK (Strategic Plan Retreat Planning)

• The STTAs shall seek to transfer basic skills in developing Strategic Plans and also how to handle such workshops to the participants.
• The STTAs shall facilitate for participants to review the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats) of the individual State Water Corporations (SWC) as an organization and its departments.
• The participants will work in groups to review organization wide strategies and identify key performance indices to be pursued by employees towards organizational success.
• The Retreat will afford the participants opportunity to envision the desired corporatized SWB through a “future search” activity.
• The STTAs shall review the already existing strategic organization plan and Business plan for the corporatized utility.
• The STTAs shall review the transition and implementation program/plan for the full corporatization of each SWC.
• The objectives of the Understanding Effective Use of Job Description for Utility Development Training:
• To bring participants to the understanding of the purpose of having job descriptions in the SWBs.
• Help the participants understand the key elements of a job description
• To introduce participants on designing of Job description and responsibilities
• Enable participants to identify departmental functions and job tasks across departments in line with the SWBs organogram

SPECIFIC TASK (Understanding Effective Use of Job Description for Utility Development Training)

• Develop training materials for the training.
• Train the staff on job description concepts, job tasks, job positions for staff of the utility to be able to develop and apply same on all job positions in the SWBs
• Train management, Heads of department and HR staff and key line managers on job description management and applications at various departmental levels.
• Support the SWBs in identification of job tasks, job positions for key functional divisions or departments peculiar to the SWB in accordance with recommended organizational structure of the SWB
• Seek to guide management staff on delegation of duties
• Support the SWBs in hands-on in the office internalization of job description and responsibilities for the job positions of staff of the SWBs.
• Prepare a training report for the assignment for submission to USAID/E-WASH head office

Qualifications and Experience:

Professional Qualification: The Consultant should have at least a Masters degree in administration, Sociology, Engineering, Economics and organizational development studies and related field.

Professional Experience: A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in urban Water Supply and Management with a proven track record in organizational assessment and development; sector re-invigoration and utility reforms. Sector-specific experience on similar assignments and working in a donor-funded environment would be an advantage. Must demonstrate a proven track record in career development, training and workshop presentation. Sector-specific experience on similar assignments and working in a donor-funded environment would be an advantage

Competencies and special skills requirement:

• Considering that this is a Technical assistance, the following competencies are critical to the successful delivery of the assignment:
• Good communication, analytical thinking and leadership skills;
• Able to work with a team, adaptable and output-oriented;
• Able to plan and organize multiple simultaneous tasks efficiently;
• Strong interpersonal, communication and diplomatic skills, ability to work in a team;
• Excellent oral, writing and reporting skills;
• Good presentation and communication skills;
• Ability to work under pressure and stressful situations, and to meet tight deadlines.

Duration:

Strategic Plan Retreat Planning:  Five (5) Organization Development and Capacity Development Experts are required for a Period of Twelve (12) Man days.  This arrangement would allow each expert to undertake the assignment in one utility alone as they will run concurrently.

Understanding Effective Use of Job Description for Utility Development Training:  Five (5No) Organization Development and Human Resource Management Experts are required for a Period of Ten (10Nos) Man days.  This arrangement would allow each expert to undertake the assignment in one utility alone as they will run concurrently