WASH and Climate Expert

The WASH Governance Group at IVL is looking for an Expert to work on different water and sanitation programs across Asia-Pacific Region, based in our Mumbai office.

The Swedish Environmental Research Institute- IVL works towards a sustainable society, delivering applied research and solutions for ecological, economic and socially sustainable growth. With over five decades of existence, it is Sweden’s leading organisation for applied environmental and sustainability research, with a global footprint.

The Water and Sanitation Group at IVL, previously at the Stockholm International Water Institute,  has been a leading partner in the WASH space for over a decade, with experience of working in around 100 countries, focusing on supporting governance solutions that improve water access, sanitation and hygiene in the world’s most vulnerable regions. The team consists of 15+ experts across different regions.

The WASH Governance group at IVL is now recruiting for an Expert in Mumbai, India, to support the activities in the Asia-Pacific Region.

About the Group and related programs:

 The WASH Governance Group implements several major programs in the areas of water and sanitation service delivery, with the aim to contribute to achieve sustainable, safely managed, and resilient water and sanitation services. One key programme is our regional partnership with UNICEF to support System strengthening for climate resilient WASH in Asia-Pacific Region. This program will be active across the region until mid 2027. In addition to the partnership with UNICEF, the Group is implementing a number of research and capacity building oriented initiatives.

Description of the position:

The assignment is a full-time position. The WASH and Climate Expert will provide technical support and advisory services to strengthen climate resilience, system strengthening, and innovation in relation to regional and country-level WASH challenges. This includes technical support, research, capacity building, and advice on governance of water supply and sanitation services, as well as responsibility for project development and the design of methodologies, tools, and knowledge products.

Within the assignment, the Expert will:

• Provide technical support on WASH resilience, system strengthening, and innovation to countries and IVL partners.
• Advise governments on policy development, regulatory frameworks, and integration of climate resilience into national WASH policies and strategies.
• Coordinate and implement programmatic activities within the Water and Sanitation Group.
• Design and undertake desk reviews and analyses to support governance processes, embedding equity, gender, and inclusion considerations into WASH and climate resilience programming.
• Develop and/or contribute to knowledge products, training materials, methodologies, and tools.
• Organize and facilitate workshops and training sessions
• Identify and develop relationships with national and regional partners.
• Support resource mobilization, by leading the identification and development of project proposals and strategic partnerships

• Represent IVL in international fora, as appropriate.
• Actively pursue opportunities for collaboration across departments within IVL, with a particular focus in the region.
• Contribute to an open, constructive, and collegial team spirit and working environment within the Water and Sanitation Group and across IVL.

The Expert will be supervised jointly by the Head of WASH Governance Group.

Required skills and competencies:

 Essential

• Proven experience working in Asia and/or Pacific on water supply and sanitation at local, national, and international levels
• Experience working in national government within water supply, sanitation, environment, or risk management sectors
• Expertise in global climate change, risk management, adaptation, and mitigation; solid understanding of environmental and climate policies, strategies, institutions, and regulations; experience applying knowledge to climate policy–related decisions and advice.
• Experience in capacity development, stakeholder facilitation, institutional strengthening, and policy development in relation to water and sanitation services.
• Experience ensuring equity, gender, and social inclusion considerations in WASH and climate adaptation programming.
• Proven ability to engage with donors, financing institutions, and multilateral agencies to mobilise resources and build partnerships.
• Experience in applied research, with proven record of scientific publications and policy reports.
• Strong managerial skills, including planning, budgeting, and risk management; managing external and internal relations; and coordinating multiple program partners.

Desirable

• Expertise in climate risk screening, modelling, global data sources, and applications; development of adaptation and mitigation strategies, policies, and regulations; experience supporting National Adaptation Plans, NDCs, and UNFCCC processes.
• Experience integrating water scarcity considerations into water and sanitation programming; solid understanding of water resources management, including drought management.
• Experience and awareness of climate finance mechanisms and grants, including GCF.
• Experience with digital tools, data systems, and information platforms for WASH monitoring and climate risk management.
• Proven ability to advocate for WASH governance at regional and global events (e.g., climate weeks, water summits, policy dialogues).
• Expertise in translating research into actionable knowledge products (e.g., policy briefs, technical guides, methodologies).

• Experience in WASH project development and implementation.
• Proven ability to design, implement, and oversee monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) systems for WASH and climate-resilient programs.
• Knowledge of UNICEF internal financial management processes

Education and work experience:

• A Master’s degree in relevant Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, or Engineering is preferred.
• A PhD in a related topic is considered a strong asset but is not essential.
• Candidates with relevant professional experience and degrees from related fields are also encouraged to apply.
• 12+ years of experience working with policy development and implementation of water and sanitation services in emerging and developing economies contexts.

 Language skills:

• Proficiency in English is required
• Proficiency in Hindi/Urdu/ Bahasa Indonesia/Melayu would be beneficial

Availability to travel

• Ability and willingness to travel and be part of short-term missions, is required (up to 30% of time)

Duty Station

• The full-time position will be based at the IVL office in Mumbai, India

Duration of contract

• The position is a 15 month contract (until April 30^th, 2027), subject to renewal upon good performance and availability of funds.

Starting date

• January 2026

How to apply for the position

• Please submit your CV and a cover letter on the email- hr@ivlindia.com.
• APPLICATIONS SHALL BE SENT IN ENGLISH by 15^th October 2025

For more information about the position, contact:

• Human Resources Department: hr@ivlindia.com