Expert 1 — Team Leader: Water Fund Design and Water Governance Specialist (Lead Expert) – Multiple countries

Aninver Development Partners SL (www.aninver.com) is looking for a Expert 1 — Team Leader: Water Fund Design and Water Governance Specialist (Lead Expert) for a water sanitation consultancy assignment financed by IUCN ESARO Kenya in Multiple countries.

Aninver Development Partners is seeking an expert Team Leader and Water Governance Specialist for an upcoming initiative funded by IUCN ESARO in multiple countries. This assignment focuses on the water-sanitation sector, specifically supporting transboundary water security and ecosystem restoration through the design of sustainable financing mechanisms.

The Team Leader will drive the development of the GEF CEO Approval package for a major regional water fund project. The expert will lead multi-country consultations, shape institutional and financial architecture, and ensure seamless coordination across riparian governments and regional stakeholders to achieve project approval.

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

• Design a robust governance mechanism and institutional architecture for the regional Water Fund.
• Lead multi-country consultations and stakeholder engagement across all participating riparian states.
• Ensure the successful compilation and technical clearance of the complete GEF CEO Approval package.
• Promote integrated water resources management and mobilize public and private capital for ecosystem restoration.

Scope of work

• Lead multi-country consultations across riparian states in the region.
• Design the institutional, legal, and financial architecture of the transboundary water fund.
• Support baseline studies and spatial prioritisation of investment-ready interventions in priority landscapes.
• Oversee environmental, social, and gender safeguard assessments in line with multilateral fund standards.
• Draft the IUCN Agency Project Document, results framework, and GEF Core Indicator worksheets.
• Manage comment-response matrices and iterative review rounds through technical clearance by the GEF Secretariat.

Your role as Expert 1 — Team Leader: Water Fund Design and Water Governance Specialist (Lead Expert)

• Serve as Team Leader, guiding the overall consultancy team and ensuring timely delivery of all outputs.
• Facilitate high-level dialogue and consensus-building among transboundary water institutions and riparian governments.
• Provide technical expertise in water governance, IWRM, and conservation or environmental finance mechanisms.
• Oversee the integration of technical baseline inputs and spatial prioritisation frameworks.
• Coordinate the drafting and consolidation of the complete GEF CEO Approval package and associated documentation.
• Manage relationships with IUCN ESARO, regional bodies, and key stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle.

Requirements

• Education: Water resources management, environmental economics or finance, natural resources governance, or a related field
• Languages: English fluent

Desirable

• Expertise in conservation or environmental finance mechanisms, water governance and IWRM, transboundary water institutions (preferably SADC), leading multi-country consultations, GEF projects, and drafting GEF CEO Endorsement/Approval packages
• Familiarity with IUCN environmental and social management systems and operational procedures.
• Previous experience in the Orange–Senqu River basin or similar transboundary river basins in southern Africa.

An experienced Team Leader and Water Governance Specialist with a strong background in transboundary water institutions, environmental finance, and successful GEF project design across multiple countries.

Assignment details

• Location: Multiple countries
• Financed by: IUCN ESARO Kenya
• Sector: Water sanitation
• Estimated duration: 8 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 IUCN ESARO Kenya-financed project in Multiple countries.
• 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.