Especialista en Ciencias Sociales o Económicas – El Salvador

Aninver Development Partners SL (www.aninver.com) is looking for a Especialista en Ciencias Sociales o Económicas for a water sanitation, health, urban consultancy assignment financed by UNDP in El Salvador.

Aninver Development Partners SL is currently preparing a competitive proposal for a UNDP-funded initiative in El Salvador focused on inclusive water resource governance, peacebuilding, and community resilience. We are seeking a qualified Especialista en Ciencias Sociales o Económicas to join our expert team for this critical assignment.

The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in assessing socio-environmental dynamics, identifying water-related conflicts, and evaluating community dialogues and participation mechanisms. Working closely with local stakeholders, institutions, and vulnerable groups, the expert will contribute to baseline assessments and inclusive strategies in the target region.

Aninver is preparing a proposal for this assignment. The selected expert will be part of the proposed team; the engagement is conditional on the contract being awarded to Aninver. The full Terms of Reference for the position are shared with shortlisted candidates.

Objectives of the assignment

• Assess existing institutional, community, formal, and informal dialogue platforms related to water resource management.
• Identify current and potential socio-environmental conflicts concerning water access, distribution, and usage across various sectors.
• Evaluate the baseline knowledge and capacities of local institutions, civil society organizations, and rural communities regarding water governance and conflict prevention.
• Ensure the systematic integration of gender, human rights, and intersectional approaches throughout all diagnostic activities and stakeholder consultations.

Scope of work

• Participate in the preparation phase, including secondary data review, stakeholder mapping, and methodology alignment.
• Contribute to the legal and governance framework review concerning water rights and local arrangements.
• Design and execute field research activities, including qualitative interviews with diverse water users and key local institutions.
• Implement community consultations and participatory workshops with a strong focus on gender and human rights approaches.
• Analyze field data to determine water tenure security, conflict factors, and institutional capacities.
• Contribute to the drafting of the final diagnostic report and facilitate validation workshops with local stakeholders.

Your role as Especialista en Ciencias Sociales o Económicas

• Lead the social and economic dimensions of the diagnostic study in the target region.
• Organize and facilitate community consultations, focus groups, and citizen participation sessions incorporating gender and human rights perspectives.
• Identify differentiated water needs and vulnerabilities among distinct demographic groups, including rural women, youth, and indigenous populations.
• Assess community-level understanding and capacities related to water governance and socio-environmental conflict management.
• Collaborate closely with multidisciplinary team members to integrate qualitative social findings into the broader water tenure and conflict evaluation methodology.
• Draft comprehensive thematic reports and contribute actionable recommendations for future capacity-building curricula.
• Participate in stakeholder validation meetings to review and refine diagnostic findings.

Requirements

• Education: Licenciatura in Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, Economics, or International Relations, with postgraduate studies at master's level in Gender, Peacebuilding, Human Rights, Territorial Development, Environmental Management, or Natural Resources
• At least 2 experiences implementing socio-environmental projects or local community extension with thematic areas like community water management, socio-environmental conflict, gender, human rights, and diagnostics
• At least 2 experiences organizing and/or facilitating community consultations and citizen participation with gender/human rights approaches
• Languages: Spanish

Desirable

• Previous professional experience working in border zones or the Trifinio region.
• Demonstrated background in conducting baseline studies and socio-environmental diagnostics for international cooperation agencies.

An experienced social or economic science professional with a robust background in community engagement, conflict analysis, and gender-inclusive development within the water sector in El Salvador.

Assignment details

• Location: El Salvador
• Financed by: UNDP
• Sector: Water sanitation, health, urban
• Estimated duration: 3 months
• Contract: individual consultancy (conditional on award)

About Aninver Development Partners

Aninver is an international development consulting firm headquartered in Spain. It supports governments, development banks, UN agencies and bilateral donors with feasibility studies, technical assistance, evaluations and capacity building across Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia and Asia-Pacific, working with a network of international and national experts.

Why apply

• Join a multidisciplinary team on a UNDP-financed project in El Salvador.
• Individual consultancy: flexible, output-based engagement with an experienced proposal team.
• Your CV stays in Aninver's expert network for future assignments that match your profile.

How to apply

Sign in (or create a free account) and upload your CV in English. Add your LinkedIn profile, indicative daily rate and availability to speed up the assessment. Aninver will contact the shortlisted candidates.

Frequently asked questions

Is the position confirmed? The engagement depends on the contract being awarded to Aninver. Shortlisted experts are included in the proposal with their consent.

Can I apply if I am not based in the country? Yes, unless the requirements say otherwise; relevant regional experience is an asset.

What happens with my CV? It is used to assess your fit for this and future positions and is not shared with third parties without your consent.