Governance and Political Economy Specialist – Tanzania

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 Tanzania.

Aninver Development Partners is seeking an expert Governance and Political Economy Specialist for an upcoming proposal supporting water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) institutional reforms in Tanzania. Funded by AUDA-NEPAD through international development financing, the initiative aims to strengthen sector governance, regulatory frameworks, and service delivery mechanisms.

The selected specialist will play a crucial role in delivering comprehensive institutional and political economy reviews to map stakeholder dynamics, governance structures, and institutional bottlenecks. This assignment offers a unique opportunity to contribute to sustainable infrastructure development and national investment planning in Tanzania's WASH sector.

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

• Conduct a thorough Institutional and Political Economy Review (IR) to identify governance bottlenecks and reform opportunities.
• Map stakeholder dynamics, institutional mandates, and accountability mechanisms influencing sector policy implementation.
• Evaluate legal and regulatory frameworks governing the water, sanitation, and hygiene sector.
• Facilitate high-level stakeholder consultations and institutional capacity-building activities.
• Contribute to the formulation of a costed National WASH Investment Programme.

Scope of work

• Assessing sector governance, legal frameworks, and organizational mandates across central and sub-national levels.
• Analyzing political economy factors and power dynamics influencing WASH policy implementation and service delivery.
• Evaluating institutional accountability mechanisms and intergovernmental coordination structures.
• Collaborating with multidisciplinary experts to integrate political economy insights into strategic scenario modelling.
• Designing and conducting stakeholder interviews, focus groups, and consultative workshops.
• Developing institutional capacity-building plans and knowledge-sharing products for national counterparts.

Your role as Governance and Political Economy Specialist

• Lead the design and execution of the Institutional and Political Economy Review (IR) using structured analytical frameworks.
• Identify institutional constraints, regulatory gaps, and political economy drivers impacting WASH service delivery in Tanzania.
• Engage with key government officials, regulatory bodies, service providers, and local stakeholders.
• Draft comprehensive technical reports, thematic briefs, and policy recommendations on governance strengthening.
• Contribute governance and political economy inputs to the strategic scenario analysis and national investment planning.
• Participate in validation workshops and present findings to national stakeholders and development partners.

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

• Prior professional experience working in the East African region or specifically in Tanzania.
• Familiarity with public expenditure reviews and infrastructure sector reforms.
• Experience working with international donor-funded programmes.

An experienced governance and political economy expert with a strong background in applying structured PEA frameworks to infrastructure sectors in Africa, excellent stakeholder engagement skills, and a proven track record of delivering institutional reviews for international development projects.

Assignment details

• Location: Tanzania
• 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 Tanzania.
• 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.