Environment and Water Management Specialist

Financed by the Government of Switzerland, European Union, Sweden and Government of Czech Republic and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Municipal Environmental and Economic Governance (MEG) Project is a 12-year intervention in the domain of local governance in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Project overall goal is to contribute to the democratisation of local governance in Bosnia and Herzegovina and more equitable, effective, and efficient public services for the citizens, particularly water supply and wastewater management services. Good local governance policy dialogue and policy changes, together with regulatory improvements in the area of water supply and wastewater management services, will provide for more effective, fair and sustainable delivery of essential local services. The intervention envisages three outcomes:

Outcome 1: State, entity and cantonal governments set in place a more conducive policy and regulatory environment that affirms result-oriented local governance and improved water supply and wastewater management services.
Outcome 2: Local governments improve their performance, are more accountable, inclusive and gender-responsive, and provide high quality services, in particular in the water sector.
Outcome 3: Citizens, including the most vulnerable, benefit from water supply and wastewater management services provided in a more efficient, accountable, and sustainable manner.

The Project is implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ministry of Justice of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ministry of Administration and Local Self-Government of Republika Srpska, Ministry of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of Republika Srpska, Associations of Municipalities and Cities and Associations and networks of professionals in the water sector.

The purpose of this assignment is to provide specialist assistance, technical support and expert guidance, and contribute to the overall successful implementation of the environment protection and water management component goals of the MEG Project, Phase II.

The Environment/Water Management Specialist is expected to provide the expert guidance, technical assistance and quality assurance in the process of implementing the MEG Project activities geared towards ensuring sustainability, quality and availability of infrastructure and public services in the environment sector, specifically related to water management, in partner LGs.

This activity will take place within the Environmental component of the MEG project, with aim to enable improved efficiency and effectiveness of governance and help strengthen municipal water utility companies in MEG partner localities.

Duties and Responsibilities

In line with the provisions of the Project Document and the MEG project Annual Work Plans, the Environment/Water Management Specialist (the EWM Specialist) will provide expert support to ensure overall coordination, day-to-day support and steering of the project field work, and interaction with partners in the area of environmental governance. Together with the relevant Project field staff, the EWM Specialist will provide coordination, technical guidance and quality assurance for all activities under the Outcome 1 and Outcome 3 of MEG project, Phase II, including those agreed with the partner LGs and utilities.

Task 1 - Technical assistance and support to project partner LGs, with the aim to improve their organisational, operational, managerial and financial capacities

Together with the relevant Project staff, the EWM Specialist will provide coordination, technical guidance and quality assurance for all activities under the Outcome 3 of MEG project, Phase II, including those agreed with partner LGs and their utilities and selected service providers, in order to:

Design and deliver customised TA to relevant partner LG departments and water utilities;
Provide guidance and technical advice to LG communal departments staff and elected officials;
Deliver analytical support and expert guidance in introducing and implementing measures for reorganization / optimisation of utilities’ organisational structure and staffing through introduction of merit-based recruitment and internal set-up to adequately manage public service delivery;
Provide expert support and technical assistance to partner water utilities in advancing their technical and management capacities for annual work-planning, non-revenue water management (particularly with regard to monitoring of inflow, outflow, consumption and pressure within adequately defined water supply zones / District Metering Areas -DMA), sound leak detection, network mapping, zoning, water quality and quantity management, as well as measures to prevent and decrease both real and administrative losses; and
Provide expert support and technical assistance to partner utilities in order to raise their financial and asset management capacities, including for water tariff evaluation and setting, budgeting and business planning, accounting procedures and MIS, and billing and revenue collection based on analysis of cost coverage of operating, maintenance and debt expenditures. (Support will include expert analysis, on-the-job coaching, equipment and software, and technical twinning with European water utilities).

It is envisaged that the level of effort for this task will not exceed 20 expert days.

Task 2: Technical assistance and support to project partners with the aim to improve and advocate for changes in legal and regulatory framework

In particular, EWM Specialist will have specific set of tasks, as follows:

Provide expert opinion and monitoring support related to implementation of Public Service Agreements (PSA) which define responsibilities of the LG council, the administration and the utilities related to asset management, tariff setting structure and procedures, employment plans, as well as service delivery to socially vulnerable groups and payments for these services.
Provide expert support and technical assistance to entity-based inter-institutional working groups, comprising from representatives of institutions and stakeholders responsible for driving the necessary reform process in regulating water supply and wastewater management services.
Provide expert support on development and implementation of the „Water sector reform programme“ in RS BiH and FBiH with recommendations.

It is expected that EWM Specialist shall participate (in person/on line) MEG workshops with partners WUCs and LGs, meetings of the intergovernmental working groups in both BiH entities and to actively participate in activities.

Under this task the EWM Specialist will deliver summary report on monitoring results related to implementation of PSAs for all partner LGs and report on development and recommendations regarding further regulatiory reforms in sector of water supply and wastewater management services

It is envisaged that the level of effort for this task will not exceed 30 expert days.

Task 3: Technical assistance and support to project partners with the aim to improve overall monitoring of utility performances

Together with the relevant Project field staff, the EWM Specialist will provide coordination, technical guidance and quality assurance for all the activities related to the regular collection, validation and analysis of the KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and development of the benchmarking activities.

Under this task, the EWM Specialist will:

Ensure overall monitoring and measuring of performance of water utilities against the set short-term and long-term development targets and governance benchmarks.
Collect and share lessons learnt and contribute to knowledge management products creation.

Under this task the EWM Specialist will deliver summary report regarding collection of the KPIs and achieved results against the set of short-term and long-term development targets and governance benchmarks. Report shall include lessons learnt section with recommendations for the future activities regarding benchmarking development.

It is envisaged that the level of effort for this task will not exceed 15 expert days.

Task 4: Preparation of reports on activities, provided tailored TA and recommendations for the future TA activities

The EWM Specialist will, in close cooperation with MEG Enviromental and Water Field Officers, design and deliver customised TA to relevant partner LG departments and water utilities. In parallel, the EWM Specialist will provide guidance to the partners WUC and LGs in order to raise their financial and asset management capacities, including for water tariff evaluation and setting, budgeting and business planning, accounting procedures and MIS, and billing and revenue collection based on analysis of cost coverage of operating, maintenance and debt expenditures. Above activites should result with preparation of the report on the provided, tailored TA and recommendations for the future TA activities. Under this task EWM Specialist will deliver reports in line with geographical and logistical organization of the MEG project:

Report on designed and delivered customized TA, provided guidance and technical advice to relevant partner LG departments and water utilities – LOT 1 Intervention cluster “North-West” (comprising 11 water utilities: Bihac, Bosanska Krupa, Bosanski Petrovac, Bužim, Celinac, Gradiška, Laktaši, Mrkonjic Grad, Prijedor, Sanski Most and Srbac).
Report on designed and delivered customized TA, provided guidance and technical advice to relevant partner LG departments and water utilities – LOT 2 Intervention cluster “North-East” (comprising 12 water utilities: Busovaca, Doboj Istok, Gracanica, Ilijaš, Istocno Novo Sarajevo, Odžak, Orašje, Prnjavor, Šamac, Tešanj, Teslic and Žepce).
Report on designed and delivered customized TA, provided guidance and technical advice to relevant partner LG departments and water utilities – LOT 3 Intervention cluster “South” (comprising 8 water utilities: Capljina, Citluk, Gacko, Ljubuški, Mostar, Široki Brijeg, Tomislavgrad and Trebinje).

It is envisaged that the level of effort for this task will not exceed 45 expert days and reports will be delivered three times during the Contract duration in separate deliverables.

Deliverables/outputs

#

Deliverables / Outputs

# of Days per Task

Due Date

Percentage

1.

Preparation of the report on development and implementation of the „Water sector reform programme“ in RS BiH and FBiH with recommendations.

20

28 February 2023

18 %

2.

Performances of 11 Water Utility Companies (Bihac, Bosanska Krupa, Bosanski Petrovac, Bužim, Celinac, Gradiška, Laktaši, Mrkonjic Grad, Prijedor, Sanski Most and Srbac) assessed against MEG KPI (Key Performance Indicators). Report on assessment results including outline for customized TA design prepared. Report has to be approved by MEG Project Manager

15

30 April

2023

14 %

3.

Preparation of the report on implementation of Public Service Agreements (PSA) for 10 partner LGs with recommendations. Report has to be approved by MEG Project Manager.

30

30 June

2023

27 %

4.

Performances of 12 Water Utility Companies (Busovaca, Doboj Istok, Gracanica, Ilijaš, Istocno Novo Sarajevo, Odžak, Orašje, Prnjavor, Šamac, Tešanj, Teslic and Žepce) assessed against MEG KPI (Key Performance Indicators). Report on assessment results including outline for customized TA design prepared Report has to be approved by MEG Project.

15

30 September 2023

14 %

5.

Performances of 8 Water Utility Companies (Capljina, Citluk, Gacko, Ljubuški, Mostar, Široki Brijeg, Tomislavgrad and Trebinje) assessed against MEG KPI (Key Performance Indicators). Report on assessment results, including outline for customized TA design prepared Report has to be approved by MEG Project.

15

20 November 2023

14%

6.

Preparation of the report for 31 MEG partner WUCs on the monitoring and performance results against the set of short-term and long-term development targets and governance benchmarks. Report shell include identified examples of the best practice and lesson learnt assessment with recomendadtions regardinf further technical assistance activities. Report has to be approved by MEG Project Manager.

15

20 December 2023

13 %

Competencies

Corporate competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
Treats all people fairly without favouritism;
Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment

Functional competencies:

Strong interpersonal skills, communication and diplomatic skills, ability to work in a team
Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback
Ability to work under pressure and stressful situations
Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities
Excellent public speaking and presentation skills
Excellent communication skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications/Education

Minimum MSc in water management, environmental management, or other related fields (PhD is considered an advantage).

Experience

At least 10 years of relevant experience in the field of water and environment management sector;
Proven previous experience in conceptualisation of technical assistance in the sector (with a particular focus on water utilities/water management), including also programming and project development;
Previous experience in overall coordination of service providers and water utilities, as well as local governments during the provision of planned technical assistance.
Previous engagement with UNDP on similar projects and interventions.
Proven involvement in development of relevant policy, legal and administrative frameworks for the water and environment management sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina;
Proven training and group facilitation skills.

Languages Requirements

Fluency in English and the official languages of people in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Other Requirements

Excellent computer skills (MS Office applications) and ability to use information technologies as a tool and resource.

Longlisting/Shortlisting Criteria

Qualifications as stated in the ToR

Criteria:

Points

Relevant Education

max 10 points
5 points allocated for MSc/MA degree
+ 5 points for PhD

Relevant professional experience

max 15 points

Fluency in English and the official languages of people in Bosnia and Herzegovina

max 5 points - will be assessed as:
5 points for fluency and the points decrease as per the level mentioned in the CV:
good - 4 points;
fair/upper intermediate – 3 points;
intermediate - 2 points;
beginner - 1 point.

Technical Evaluation Criteria

Criteria:

Points

Rating based on Qualifications

30

Proven previous experience in conceptualisation of technical assistance in the sector (with a particular focus on water utilities/water management), including also programming and project development;

25

Previous engagement with UNDP on similar projects and interventions.

25

Previous experience in overall coordination of service providers and water utilities, as well as local governments during the provision of planned technical assistance.

10

Proven involvement in development of relevant policy, legal and administrative frameworks for the water and environment management sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina;

10

Evaluation

Individual will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

Cumulative analysis

When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract should be made to the candidate whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and

b) Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

* Technical Criteria weight-70%

* Financial Criteria weight- 30%