Quick summary
• Sanivation is a social enterprise that partners with local governments in Africa to create clean, healthy, and productive cities through waste management design and implementation.
• The technical team is seeking a Senior Engineer with 10+ years’ experience in water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) engineering to review and sign off engineering work, as well as advising on procurement for finance institution (DFI) contracts
• This is a consulting role based remotely with monthly retainer and additional variable project work. Minimal international travel required.
About Sanivation
Our mission is to improve the dignity, health, and environments of urbanizing communities in low-income countries. We have been operating in Kenya since 2014, partnering with local governments to support the research, design, implementation, and monitoring of safely managed sanitation. We utilize market-based approaches, combined with integrated stakeholder engagement, to create, implement, and operate lasting fecal sludge management (FSM) solutions.
Because of our experience operating across all phases of the fecal sludge management (FSM) value chain from a for-profit enterprise perspective, we understand how theory meets practice to drive service delivery. Having seen too often failed or forgotten sanitation infrastructure, we inherently understand the need for understanding local context and market-driven business models to ensure lasting solutions. It is from our continual operational experience that we are on the forefront of innovative financing options and FSM market solutions. We approach sanitation from the perspective of an operator, ensuring viable, impactful solutions.
Role Overview
The technical team leads project delivery for engineering design and feasibility work within the company. We are a pioneer in the WASH sector and therefore have a strong research team, devoted to proving new innovative solutions and optimizing existing ones. Our department provides technical support to other departments in the company inclusive of design, feasibility studies, construction/site supervision, proposal writing, project implementation, and much more.
You will be enabling Sanivation to capture, develop and deliver projects within Sanivation’s four main product sectors:
1. Waste-to-value faecal sludge treatment plants
2. Master planning; with a focus on city-wide inclusive sanitation plans (CWISPs)
3. Faecal sludge management; containment, emptying and transport services
4. Solid waste management
This role will report directly to the Technical Lead. But will work closely with the business director, partnership manager, and project managers. They will also support external stakeholder relations through conversations with funders, government partners, and external clients. This role will be a part-time consulting role based remotely. It is expected the role will involve travelling internationally for workshops and project work. This role will be on retainer at set amount per month, then will add additional hours dependent on specific project delivery works at a set rate.
Time commitment for this role is expected to be 3 days/ month for first 3 months on retainer. Then reducing to 1 day/month retainer baseline. Then with secured projects time commitment may increase to 1-2weeks per month depending on project win rate.
Personal Attributes
• Ability to impress and create trust with a variety of stakeholders
• Persuasive speaker and writer
• Large network in the WASH sector: designers, funders, examples of successes world wide
• Data and research driven decision maker
• Excellent analytical ability for problem solving
• Creative and innovative thinker
• Strives for the highest standard of final deliverables
• Confidence to challenge assumptions and behaviour – to say the unpopular thing, raise opposing viewpoints and questions decisions made from above
Experience required
• Degree in engineering with a master’s degree in business or engineering
• 15+ years’ experience as a design engineer
• 5+ experience as an engineer of waste treatment in developing countries with preference of experience in non-sewered sanitation
• Extensive experience working with development finance institutions (DFIs); writing proposals, knowledge of their extensive development plans, project development, contract negotiations, and project delivery. DFIs such as the World Bank and USAID
• Professional engineer qualification, extensive experience reviewing and ability to enable project sign off
Experience desired
• Experience working with on-site sanitation technologies in East Africa
• Experience working with government institutions and/or water service providers (WSPs) in East Africa
• Experience creating and working with financial models
• Experience working in solid waste management in developing countries
Key Responsibilities
• Project delivery QA/QC
o Review engineering work and enable project sign off (lead QA/QC)
o Advise on technical solutions and design decisions, confidently changing project paths or even companywide trajectory
o Analyse data to make design discissions
o Work with external stakeholders, project managers, technical team and operations team to take projects from proposal stage through to concept, construction, commissioning, and full operations
o Assist with financial modelling of solutions and technologies to aid evaluation analysis
• Procurement Advisement
o Utilise existing network of professionals, governments, and DFIs to capture and develop projects
o Confidently understand DFI and/or government development plans, enabling Sanivation to be part of these plans
o Persuade all external stakeholders of Sanivation’s value proposition
o Advise on contracting and procurement methods of large DFIs and government partners for infrastructure projects to enable securing of new projects
• Technical Advisement
o Support the technical team and the exec with structures and hiring plans needed for future project capture and delivery. Focussing on how this will impact our ability to win DFI contracts
o Provide technical insights and training to all company teams
o Support the certification of engineers within the company technical team
Apply now
Apply for this role now, deadline is February 15th, 2023, applications will be reviewed on
a rolling basis.
To apply send the following to Talent@Sanivation.com with the subject “Senior Engineer_Your Name”:
• Cover letter describing why you want this role and why you are best fit for such a position.
• Recent CV with list of references
• Expected hour rates both for monthly retainer and on external projects
The interview process will continue in February 2023, the possible start date for this position is March.
