Aninver Development Partners SL (www.aninver.com) is looking for a Governance and Political Economy Specialist for a consultancy assignment financed by AUDA-NEPAD in Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Aninver Development Partners is preparing a technical proposal for an upcoming consulting assignment supported by AUDA-NEPAD through World Bank funding in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The initiative focuses on delivering comprehensive Technical Assistance on WASH Public Expenditure and Institutional Reviews and Strategic Scenario Analysis (PEIR-SSA) to strengthen regulation, utility performance, and sanitation service delivery across the national water, sanitation, and hygiene sector.
To execute this complex institutional assignment successfully, we are seeking a qualified Governance and Political Economy Specialist to join our international expert team. The selected professional will lead institutional diagnostics, map governance structures, and apply structured political economy analysis frameworks to identify key reform constraints, stakeholder incentives, and actionable drivers for sustainable sector transformation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
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
- Carry out a comprehensive Institutional and Political Economy Review to diagnose governance structures, institutional bottlenecks, and stakeholder incentives.
- Map institutional roles, responsibilities, and legal frameworks governing water supply, sanitation, and hygiene at central and decentralized levels.
- Apply structured political economy analysis frameworks to identify reform constraints, drivers, and practical entry points for policy dialogue.
- Contribute to national stakeholder consultations, institutional validation workshops, and capacity-building activities.
- Collaborate closely with the multidisciplinary team to ensure alignment between political economy findings and the broader strategic scenario analysis.
Scope of work
- Map institutional roles, responsibilities, and legal frameworks governing water supply, sanitation, and hygiene across central and decentralized levels.
- Apply structured political economy analysis frameworks to identify reform constraints, institutional bottlenecks, and stakeholder incentives.
- Conduct stakeholder mapping and analysis to understand the political and organizational dynamics influencing sector performance.
- Participate in the design and interpretation of strategic scenario models concerning future governance and policy options.
- Support the formulation of institutional recommendations for the costed National WASH Investment Programme.
- Engage closely with national and subnational stakeholders, facilitating dialogue and institutional validation workshops.
Your role as Governance and Political Economy Specialist
- Lead the institutional and political economy analysis component of the assignment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- Design and execute structured political economy assessment tools tailored to the national WASH sector context.
- Identify institutional bottlenecks, legal gaps, and stakeholder incentives impacting regulatory strengthening and service delivery.
- Draft comprehensive institutional diagnostic reports and technical contributions for project deliverables.
- Collaborate with team members to integrate governance findings into strategic investment scenarios and policy recommendations.
- Facilitate stakeholder consultations, institutional interviews, and validation workshops with national and subnational counterparts.
- Ensure all governance and political economy outputs meet high professional standards and address donor requirements.
Requirements
- Education: Advanced degree in Public Administration, Political Science, or Law
- 10+ years institutional analysis and political economy in Africa
- Structured PEA frameworks
- Francophone Africa experience required for Lots 1, 2 and 3
- Successfully completed at least three assignments of comparable nature and complexity during the last five years
- Languages: Francophone Africa experience required for Lots 1, 2 and 3
Desirable
- Previous professional experience within the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) or broader infrastructure sectors.
- Direct working experience in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or the broader Central African region.
- Familiarity with World Bank or other international donor-funded institutional development projects.
An experienced governance and political economy expert with over 10 years of institutional analysis experience in Francophone Africa, a strong background in structured PEA frameworks, and a proven track record of delivering complex public sector reviews.
Assignment details
- Location: Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Financed by: AUDA-NEPAD
- Estimated duration: 16 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 AUDA-NEPAD-financed project in Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- 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.
