Programme Background:

Under the Austrian Development Cooperation funded Institutional Support Programme (ISP), the Palestinian Water Authority intends to hire national senior experts to provide additional human resources to PWA in critical areas and to further develop the capacity of PWA staff and junior specialists to be hired under the ISP.

The Institutional Support Programme (ISP) will assist the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) "to fulfil its mandated as per the Water Law 2014 through strengthened and effective institutional capacities in the areas of strategic planning, policy formulation, coordination, monitoring, reporting, and resource mobilization. Over three years the intervention will contribute to putting an "effective institutional framework in place for improving water security and sustainable management of water and wastewater services (SDG 6) in Palestine through a humanitarian-development-peace nexus approach.

The program's key emphasis will be on enhancing human resources while also allocating resources for operational purposes, research, and the implementation of a Management Information System (MIS).

The water sector receives support from various donors to facilitate essential infrastructure developments, considering the diverse range of contributors involved. The program will aim to support further institutional development of the PWA.

Over the past decade, the water sector has undergone comprehensive reform, culminating in the adoption of a new Water Law in 2014. This law introduced a clear distinction between policy and regulatory functions, a departure from the PWA's previous role encompassing both domains since its inception. Under the restructured framework, the PWA has taken on all ministerial functions, including policy and strategy formulation.

Scope of Work:

The role of the Senior Expert for Monitoring Service Provision and regulation is to provide specialized support to ISP Output 3 – Reform Process, aimed at establishing a coordinated and efficient water sector reform process through the development and operationalization of a new Unit within the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA). This expert will play a pivotal role in advancing the establishment of Regional Water Utilities (RWUs), ensuring effective coordination, monitoring of services Provision & regulation, and sustainable operation of the reform process with different stakeholders.

The new institutional framework foresees the development of a new Unit to support the establishment of the Regional Water Utilities (RWU); oversee management and efficient operation of RWU, in addition to maintain   its sustainability upon establishment by approving the yearly plans, budget.

 PWA needs a focal point (Unit) to coordinate, promote, and monitor this process. Among the senior experts to be recruited is a Senior expert for Monitoring of Service Provision and Regulation.

Reform process and establishment of the new Unit is the one of the expected Programme outcomes, therefore the support of the Expert will be esential to achieve the outcome goals.

The Senior Expert for Monitoring of Service Provision and Regulation will play a crucial role in supporting ISP Reform Process by ensuring effective monitoring and following up on Utity/ service providers performance through the process of establishment and operation of Water Utity. The expert's focus will be on establishing mechanisms for monitoring service quality, compliance with regulations  in relation to PWA functions ( including but not limited to approvingg annual budgets, plans, asset transfer, ….), and fostering a transparency of the sector reform and establishment of the new Unit within the PWA.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The expert will be responsible for the following overall tasks:

• Collaborate with relevant stakeholders to review and enhance the existing operational framework for water service provision.
• Develop methodologies and tools for monitoring the quality and reliability of water services provided by Regional Water Utilities (RWUs) to be anchored in PWA functions.
• Setting mechanisms within PWA for enhancing PWA role through the process of establishment and operation of the Utility in line with the Water Law, with the objective of developing efficient transparent water utilities.
• Prepare needed manuals, instructions as needed for appropriate working mechanism between PWA and the established Utilities considering reports and documents to be endorsed by PWA (including but not limited to annual budgets, plans, internal regulation, organogram, internal conflicts,…)
• Reports on service quality, compliance, and regulatory matters for dissemination to relevant stakeholders.
• Provide support needed through asset valuation of service providers during the establishment of water utilities, and internal regulation of Utility revision.
• Contribute to the development of knowledge resources, case studies, and publications related to service provision, regulation, and monitoring best practices.

The expert will be responsible for the following deliverables (to be specified at the onset of the assignment):

• Service quality monitoring methodologies, indicators, and benchmarks,
• Comprehensive compliance oversight system, including audit protocols,
• Guidance for preparation of the Yearly plan, Budgeting reports, Internal and External Audit plan of the RWU
• Reporting system for monitoring Utility function considering PWA role,
• Supervision mechanism and Sustainability plan

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Experience & Qualifications:

• Minimum academic qualification: The bachelor’s degree in economy, Law, Regulatory management, public administration, engineering, or a related field.
• A Master’s degree is preferable.
• Five years' experience working on similar assignments.
• Proven experience in designing and implementing monitoring and regulatory systems within the water or related sectors.
• Familiarity with regulatory standards and practices within the local context is an advantage.
• Expertise in regulatory frameworks, service quality assessment, compliance oversight, and data analysis.
• Excellent command of MS Office and ability to create well-formatted, edited, and visually appealing graphs. documents, and tables.
• Excellent command of the English language (written and verbal).

The contract will be for 1 year extendable as demand necessity, on a full-time basis. The expected start date for the position is the 01st of April 2024. 

Interested consultants shall submit her/his applications including (Cover letter, CV describing similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills, etc.) which must be delivered by email addressed below no later than 14/03/2024.

[email protected]