Governance and Political Economy Specialist – South Sudan

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 South Sudan.

Aninver Development Partners is seeking an expert Governance and Political Economy Specialist for an upcoming institutional advisory assignment in South Sudan. Funded by AUDA-NEPAD through World Bank/IDA resources, the initiative focuses on strengthening regulation, utility performance, and sanitation service delivery within the water, sanitation, and hygiene sector across Eastern and Southern Africa.

The selected expert will play a critical role in delivering Technical Assistance on WASH Public Expenditure and Institutional Reviews and Strategic Scenario Analysis. The assignment aims to address structural bottlenecks, map governance arrangements, and support national stakeholders in improving sector performance and sustainable service delivery over a 16-month implementation period.

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

• Provide high-level technical assistance on institutional and political economy reviews within the WASH sector in South Sudan.
• Identify governance, regulatory, and structural bottlenecks impacting public service delivery and utility performance.
• Execute structured political economy analyses using established frameworks to inform strategic planning.
• Facilitate stakeholder engagement and institutional dialogue with national and subnational counterparts.
• Support the integration of governance findings into broader strategic scenario analyses and investment programming.

Scope of work

• Conduct an Institutional and Political Economy Review mapping institutional roles, regulatory frameworks, and governance structures.
• Analyze political economy factors impacting water, sanitation, and hygiene service delivery and utility performance.
• Evaluate intergovernmental coordination mechanisms and institutional capacities across relevant sector stakeholders.
• Contribute to Strategic Scenario Analysis by assessing governance risks, institutional readiness, and reform constraints.
• Support the design of a costed National WASH Investment Programme by incorporating institutional reform priorities.
• Organize and facilitate stakeholder consultations, validation workshops, and capacity-building sessions with local counterparts.

Your role as Governance and Political Economy Specialist

• Lead the execution of the Institutional and Political Economy Review component of the assignment in South Sudan.
• Apply structured political economy analysis frameworks to diagnose sector governance challenges and reform opportunities.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary team members to integrate governance findings into public expenditure reviews and scenario modeling.
• Draft comprehensive technical reports, briefing notes, and policy recommendations on institutional strengthening.
• Engage directly with national and subnational authorities, regulatory bodies, and key sector stakeholders.
• Facilitate stakeholder workshops and present analytical findings to project steering committees and client representatives.

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 in the water, sanitation, and hygiene sector or related infrastructure domains.
• Familiarity with World Bank or international donor-funded project implementation and governance requirements.
• Experience working in fragile and conflict-affected states or within the East Africa region.

An experienced governance and political economy expert with a strong background in institutional analysis across Africa, ready to drive critical sector reforms in South Sudan.

Assignment details

• Location: South Sudan
• 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 South Sudan.
• 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.