Rural Water Utility / O&M Specialist at IRES: Designs rural water O&M strategies and improves utility operational performance. Requires a Water/Civil Engineering degree and 7+ years of rural infrastructure experience. Full-time/Consultancy.

Job Summary:

We are seeking an experienced Water-sector professional to deliver practical training and consultancy support in rural water utility management, infrastructure operations and maintenance, asset management, and service-delivery improvement. The successful candidate should bring strong field-based experience, particularly in challenging and underserved environments.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and deliver practical training on water infrastructure operations and maintenance.
• Develop and facilitate learning on asset registers, maintenance planning, and operational performance monitoring.
• Support the design of zonal service-delivery models and O&M frameworks.
• Use practical case studies from rural and underserved water systems to strengthen participant learning.
• Advise participants and clients on improving operational efficiency, asset performance and service reliability.
• Facilitate technical workshops with utilities, government institutions and sector stakeholders.
• Contribute technical content to proposals, consultancy assignments and knowledge products.

Minimum Qualifications and Professional Experience:

Academic Qualifications

• Degree in Civil Engineering, Water Engineering, Natural Resources Management, Business Administration or a related field.
• Registration with a relevant professional body, where applicable, and in good standing.

Professional Experience

• At least 10 years of professional experience.
• Experience in water infrastructure operations and maintenance, O&M performance monitoring, or water utility management in technical or commercial roles.
• Specific experience in one or more ASAL counties is required.
• Experience implementing projects funded by the World Bank or other multilateral agencies is an advantage.
• Demonstrated experience structuring O&M services for water supply systems and implementing water supply systems.

Technical Competencies

• Water utility management; infrastructure O&M; asset management; service-delivery models; O&M performance monitoring; operational planning; rural water systems.

Key Skills and Attributes

• Strong practical and field-based problem-solving skills.
• Excellent technical facilitation and presentation skills.
• Ability to communicate complex operational concepts clearly.
• Strong analytical and report-writing skills.
• Professionalism, adaptability and attention to detail.

Training & Facilitation Experience

• Proven experience as a consultant trainer, facilitator, technical adviser, or subject-matter expert.
• Demonstrated ability to translate technical and professional concepts into practical, participant-centred learning.
• Training of Trainers (ToT) certification is an added advantage.
• Strong understanding of adult learning methodologies and competency-based facilitation.

Consultancy Role Focus:

• Lead practical learning and advisory assignments relating to rural water utility operations, maintenance systems, asset management and service delivery.

Mode of Engagement:

• Successful candidates will be engaged as external consultant trainers on a need basis.
• Assignments may involve training delivery, technical advisory support, curriculum/content development, workshops, facilitation, and related consultancy services.
• Further details, including assignment scope, duration, and professional fees, will be provided during the initial engagement meeting.

• Design and deliver practical training on water infrastructure operations and maintenance.
• Develop and facilitate learning on asset registers, maintenance planning, and operational performance monitoring.
• Support the design of zonal service-delivery models and O&M frameworks.
• Use practical case studies from rural and underserved water systems to strengthen participant learning.
• Advise participants and clients on improving operational efficiency, asset performance and service reliability.
• Facilitate technical workshops with utilities, government institutions and sector stakeholders.
• Contribute technical content to proposals, consultancy assignments and knowledge products.

• Strong practical and field-based problem-solving skills.
• Excellent technical facilitation and presentation skills.
• Ability to communicate complex operational concepts clearly.
• Strong analytical and report-writing skills.
• Professionalism, adaptability and attention to detail.
• Proven experience as a consultant trainer, facilitator, technical adviser, or subject-matter expert.
• Demonstrated ability to translate technical and professional concepts into practical, participant-centred learning.
• Strong understanding of adult learning methodologies and competency-based facilitation.

• Degree in Civil Engineering, Water Engineering, Natural Resources Management, Business Administration or a related field.
• Registration with a relevant professional body, where applicable, and in good standing.
• At least 10 years of professional experience.
• Experience in water infrastructure operations and maintenance, O&M performance monitoring, or water utility management in technical or commercial roles.
• Specific experience in one or more ASAL counties is required.
• Experience implementing projects funded by the World Bank or other multilateral agencies is an advantage.
• Demonstrated experience structuring O&M services for water supply systems and implementing water supply systems.
• Water utility management; infrastructure O&M; asset management; service-delivery models; O&M performance monitoring; operational planning; rural water systems.
• Training of Trainers (ToT) certification is an added advantage.