Water and Sanitation National Consultant

Result of Service
The main result of this task is twofold; (a) the capacity building of the
counterparts in Qena, Luxor and Damietta through OJT on RBF and novel
wastewater treatment technology, and (b) developing the roadmap for
mainstreaming RBF codes and standards in Egypt.
Work Location
Cairo, Egypt
Expected duration
‎8 months
Duties and Responsibilities
Organizational Setting
UN-Habitat, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, is mandated by the
UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns
and cities. It is the focal point for all urbanization and human settlement
matters within the UN system.

Background
Established in ‎2005, UN-Habitat Egypt Programme has been providing technical
support to national counterparts on a wide range of urban issues. Adopting an
integrated approach, UN-Habitat Egypt has supported reforming and improving
urban planning and management through three main sub-programmes; urban
planning and design, urban policies, legislation and governance, and basic
services and climate change.

In Egypt, water scarcity is a pressing national priority as water shortage has
reached ‎23 billion cubic meters annually. The water challenge is expected to
worsen due to climate change and other factors. Sanitation also poses a
significant challenge. Residents of villages not connected to sanitation
systems build informal sanitation systems with no quality controls. They also
dispose sewage in the nearby water canals which leads to polluting the surface
water and groundwater, endangering the public health of the citizens.

There is a constant growth in the number of vulnerable villages across the
nation, facing different challenges, particularly the Upper Egypt and Delta
governorates facing water provision and sanitation challenges, respectively.
Upper Egypt house over ‎90% of Egypt's most vulnerable villages regarding
access, quality, affordability and sustainability of water provision services.
On the other hand, the Nile Delta is home to millions of people as the
population density is extremely high, proper and affordable sanitation might
not be accessible to all its inhabitants.

As such, the Egypt Vision ‎2030 and National Strategy for Climate Change
Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction focus on the analysis of challenges
facing water and sanitation sector and the application of the appropriate
responding actions.

Accordingly, the project "Supporting Innovation in Water and Sanitation Sector
in Egypt" aims to reduce the vulnerability of defined groups in Qena, Luxor
and Damietta to enhance the resilience of the overall water and sanitation
sectors. This is to be achieved through implementation of innovative service
provision technologies (RBFs) in the identified areas, and offering wastewater
treatment technology, in addition to raising communities' awareness on
responsible use of natural resources, building the capacity of local
authorities and service providers, supporting research and innovation, in
addition to scaling up and institutionalizing the models provided. The key
reference for the roll out of RBF in Egypt is the National Feasibility Study
report drafted and published in ‎2018 and based on the previously implemented
units in other Governorates through UN-Habitat's support.

Reporting Line
The consultant will be working under the direct supervision of the Basic
Services and Climate Change Programme Officer at the UN-Habitat Egypt office,
and in close coordination with the Programme Managers at the respective
affiliate companies of the Holding Company for Water and Wastewater (HCWW) and
the project Coordinators supporting and facilitating coordination between
different implementation sites.

Duties and Responsibilities
The consultant will carry out the following tasks and responsibilities:
‎1. Develop detailed work plan per activity in coordination with the project
manager and advise on demarcating roles and responsibilities among government
authorities.

‎2. Organize in planning for (and accompanying in) periodic field visits and
stakeholders' meetings for follow up purposes and OJT.

‎3. Coordinate in providing On-Job-Training/technical assistance to the
implementing partners (HCWW affiliate companies) for the implementation of ‎4
RBFs and ‎1 wastewater treatment unit in the governorates of Luxor, Qena, and
Damietta respectively.

‎4. Conduct an assessment of national codes related to RBF and prepare a
strategy and action plan for establishing/mainstreaming RBF technology in
Egypt (through either existing or new codes) and supporting initiation.

‎5. Review UNHABITAT's track record in containerized wastewater treatment and
lessons learnt, and advise on novel wastewater treatment technologies
applicable to disadvantaged small urban settlements in the Nile Delta.

‎6. Provide OJT in planning for and implementation high-impact wastewater
treatment technology intervention in Damietta and support the project team in
developing the technology identification and preparing specifications.
Qualifications/special skills
Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in civil
engineering, environmental engineering, environmental science, Chemistry,
Water Management, Water Pollution Control, or a related field is required,
preferably with experience in water provision technologies, decentralized
sanitation solutions, and water treatment. A first-level university degree in
combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted
in lieu of the advanced university degree.

‎7 years of experience in the water and sanitation sector preferable in Egypt
is required.

Previous relevant experience in planning and managing water and sanitation
projects, innovative and decentralized WASH solutions, is required.

Previous experience in nature-based solutions, and with preference to
experience in (or equivalent to) RBF technology is desirable.

Previous experience with international organizations, government counterparts,
NGOs and local communities in similar field of activity is desired.
Languages
Fluency in both oral and written English and Arabic is required
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT
PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED
NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS' BANK ACCOUNTS.