Expertise: Water, sanitation, hygiene, sector analysis, behavior change
Expertise Group: Project Management/ Institutional Development
Consultant Source: International
TOR Keywords: Water, sanitation, hygiene, sector analysis, behavior change
Objective and Purpose of the Assignment
In 2020, ADB’s Pacific Department approved a regional knowledge and support technical assistance (TA)
which aims to strengthen Pacific developing member countries’ (DMCs) capacity to prevent disease
transmission through enhanced water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) practices and the associated enabling
environment. The TA was designed to directly address the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, but
have evolved to interventions that address communicable respiratory diseases by (i) improving WASH
practices through behavioral change campaigns; and (ii) strengthening the capacity of WASH service
providers and other stakeholders so that WASH improvements will be sustained and expanded. This
assignment for the Team Leader (WASH Advisor) will be until the closing of the TA in December 2025.
The TA is working with governments and stakeholders in Pacific DMCs to identify the most vulnerable
groups and highest-risk schools, markets, health clinics, or other public places. The WASH and behavior
change campaign will be designed to meet the needs of women, children, girls, and elderly people. The TA
will also address the enabling environment of WASH services and bring water utilities and other agencies
with a hygiene mandate into the WASH clusters. Water utilities are expected to be active players in WASH
campaigns in urban centers, following their mandate to improve water supply and/or sanitation services
coverage. They will require support for WASH campaign targets in areas including willingness to pay,
workplace safety and health, water conservation, and financial sustainability, which will facilitate the
expansion of their core business, particularly as they face challenges presented by the COVID-19
pandemic. The TA will ensure the sustainability of the WASH interventions by (i) aligning and
collaborating with existing WASH-related infrastructure projects by ADB and other donors and development
partners, (ii) building consensus among decision makers on the need to prioritize WASH interventions and
support WASH improvements, and (iii) supporting longer-term WASH service investment and financial
sustainability with support for infrastructure and services planning to expand WASH activities. As the
TA is closing at the end of 2025, the project team will be working to finalize the ongoing WASH TA
activities, help gather data that may be necessary for monitoring and reporting of the project outcomes,
support government and implementing agencies’ systems and mechanisms to sustain delivered programs, and
work with ADB and government counterparts to identify pipeline ADB projects and scope a potential future
regional TA building to support sector work.
Scope of Work
As the Team Leader, the WASH Advisor will lead and coordinate all national and international consultants
and TA activities to ensure that project design and monitoring framework targets are met. The WASH
Advisor’s role will be to (i) provide strategic direction to overall TA activities in close consultation
with ADB project officers and ADB country focals, (ii) play an advocacy role through targeted campaigns
to accelerate Pacific DMC government efforts to improve WASH services in light of the current pandemic,
and (iii) provide ongoing monitoring, support and advice for in-country teams and activities to help
ensure quality, impact and knowledge generation. The WASH Advisor will use developed systems and
templates to manage TA activities and carry out the required tasks across the DMCs effectively and
systematically, while allowing for context specific approaches and plans to be implemented. The Advisor
can modify project management tools and systems at their discretion.
Detailed Tasks and/or Expected Output
The TA has already supported numerous activities in support of the TA objectives. The WASH Advisor will
work with the team to wrap up the ongoing activities before the end of the TA, and work to scope future
ADB support. Activities include:
(i) Finalizing behavior change campaigns in PNG and Solomon Islands. There is currently ongoing work
with Water PNG and Solomon Water to roll out behavior change campaigns developed to improve sanitation
in informal communities. The finalization of the work will include collection of data for appropriate
monitoring and evaluation.
(ii) Work with ADB project staff, ADB country focals, and government counterparts to identify potential
ADB infrastructure support projects.
(iii) Utilizing the learnings from the WASH TA to develop scope for further ADB support through a
regional TA. Work with ADB project staff to identify and apply for thematic or trust fund funding to
supplement the future TA.
(iv) Summarizing past TA activities. This will capture the results of the TA against its design and
monitoring framework in preparation for the TA completion report.
(v) Supporting national consultants in the DMCs. National consultants are on board some of the Pacific
DMCs to support WASH TA activities. The advisor will provide guidance to the national consultants in
terms of their (a) implementation of country level activities in accordance with their work plans, (b)
stakeholder engagement strategy, and (c) advice for resolution of issues or necessary adjustments to the
plans during implementation. The advisor shall review the documents produced by the national
consultants, provide guidance on implementation of TA activities, and ensure submission of monthly
reports.
(vi) Advocacy and technical advisory role. The advisor will play a key role in advocating for more
accelerated, impactful and sustainable WASH interventions in the region, with the aim that DMC decision
makers prioritize resources for the WASH sector to increase access, particularly for vulnerable and
marginalized populations, and improve service quality. Depending on demand, the WASH Advisor will,
together with the Utility Advisor, provide support to government to strengthen WASH related policy or
regulations to build water service provider’s capacity to respond during pandemics and to increase its
contribution to improved public hygiene and synergies with public health agencies. The WASH Advisor/Team
Leader will work closely with the Utility Advisor to assess key WASH service providers’ capacity and
performance, including finding the gaps or weaknesses in their capacity to respond to outbreaks of
disease and identifying opportunities for future engagement and investment. The WASH Advisor will liaise
with the relevant ADB project staff or country focal to identify potential ADB investments that may
result from the development of policies or regulations developed.
(vii) Capacity building and knowledge production. The WASH Advisor will identify areas for continuing
capacity building support, knowledge generation and knowledge sharing throughout TA implementation in
response to needs and requests and in order to disseminate the TA’s work, including lessons learned or
for advocacy. Facilitate the preparation of key trainings identified, knowledge products on topics
relevant to the TA and prepare or review knowledge products. These may include webinars, blogs, reports,
training materials, conference presentations and other documents. The WASH Advisor will prepare a
standalone knowledge product covering at least 3-4 DMCs with key lessons learned in TA implementation
and recommendations.
(viii) Monitoring, evaluation and reporting. The WASH Advisor will use the TA’s design and monitoring
framework to inform the required data collection and reporting, and ensure that proper records are kept
to facilitate monitoring and evaluation and drafting of the technical assistance completion report. The
advisor will prepare quarterly reports for ADB which track the progress of all activities and targets
under the TA, identify upcoming priorities and describe the key challenges faced and solutions proposed.
The advisor would also lead and support in the preparation and drafting of the TA completion report
prior to the closing date.
(ix) Team management. The Team Leader shall provide guidance to all consultants engaged under the TA,
monitor inputs and outputs of consultants, and ensure high-level of coordination and synergies among the
team. The Team Leader shall assist with developing or modifying Terms of Reference for team members for
recruitment and variation processes. The Team Leader has responsibility to monitor the performance of
consultants under the WASH TA. The Team Leader shall work to ensure the overall good performance and
reputation of the WASH TA with national, regional and wider partners.
(x) Support to the Pacific Water and Wastewater Association (PWWA) annual conference. Coordinate with
PWWA to develop detailed program for PWWA Conference sessions in Solomon Islands in 2025.
(xi) Organize ADB launch event of Water Resilience Hub at the Pacific Water and Wastewater Association
Conference sessions in Cook Islands Sep 2024;
(xii) Other inputs as discussed and agreed with ADB during implementation.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
The WASH advisor will have at least a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline, and at least 10 years’
experience in WASH sector assessment and policy support and experience leading hygiene behavior change
campaigns, preferably with some experience in small island developing states (SIDS). Desirable
experience includes project management, community engagement (ideally in WASH), improving services for
the poor, experience on multilateral development bank financed projects with water supply and sanitation
utilities and strategic advice at a senior management level. The consultant must have a strong knowledge
of institutional frameworks which guide utility operations. Excellent communication, facilitation,
writing and leadership skills are essential.
Minimum General Experience: 15 Years
Minimum Specific Experience (relevant to assignment): 10 Years
