Team Lead / Senior Rural Water Supply Specialist – Malawi

Aninver Development Partners SL (www.aninver.com) is looking for a Team Lead / Senior Rural Water Supply Specialist for a energy, water sanitation, transport consultancy assignment financed by UNICEF in Malawi.

Aninver Development Partners SL is seeking an expert Team Lead / Senior Rural Water Supply Specialist for an upcoming consultancy supporting UNICEF in Malawi. This assignment focuses on evaluating and guiding the transition from traditional handpumps to solar-powered water systems in rural communities, balancing technical performance, financial sustainability, and equity.

The expert will lead a multi-disciplinary team to collect rigorous empirical evidence, analyze life-cycle costs and climate resilience, and develop practical decision-support tools for local authorities. The role requires navigating a technically and politically sensitive sector with absolute objectivity to ensure credible, evidence-based recommendations for sustainable rural water service delivery.

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 and implement a robust data collection framework across selected districts in Malawi.
• Analyze technical, financial, and social data comparing solar water systems and handpumps.
• Project future cost trajectories and life-cycle economics for both technologies.
• Develop a transparent, user-friendly decision-support tool for district planners and national stakeholders.
• Formulate evidence-based policy recommendations and practical guidance for sustainable service delivery.

Scope of work

• Conduct targeted field visits across multiple districts to gather technical, operational, and financial data.
• Review existing national evidence on handpump functionality and operation and maintenance professionalization.
• Evaluate the technical, financial, and environmental feasibility of transitioning to solar-powered systems.
• Perform forward-looking cost and sensitivity analyses incorporating declining solar equipment prices.
• Quantify the economic value of user time savings and assess household affordability and willingness to pay.
• Examine opportunities to link solar water systems with broader rural electrification and productive energy uses.
• Engage diverse stakeholders, including technology proponents and skeptics, ensuring rigorous bias mitigation.

Your role as Team Lead / Senior Rural Water Supply Specialist

• Provide overall technical and strategic leadership for the multidisciplinary consultancy team.
• Oversee the design and execution of the field data collection framework and site assessments.
• Ensure the application of strict quality assurance and bias-mitigation protocols throughout the assignment.
• Lead the comparative technical and operational evaluation of handpumps versus solar-powered water systems.
• Guide the integration of climate resilience, hydrogeological conditions, and management models into the analysis.
• Collaborate closely with key stakeholders, district authorities, and the donor to validate findings.
• Contribute centrally to the development of the decision-support tool and final evidence-based recommendations.

Requirements

• Education: Advanced degree in Water Resources, Engineering, Public Health, or a related field
• Languages: English

Desirable

• Minimum 8 years' experience in rural water supply, preferably in Africa, with demonstrated expertise in solar water systems and handpump technologies
• Previous professional experience working in Malawi or the broader Southern Africa region.
• Familiarity with renewable energy cost trends and rural electrification business models.

An experienced rural water supply engineer and project leader with deep technical expertise in both solar systems and handpumps in Africa, capable of guiding sensitive comparative assessments with absolute objectivity.

Assignment details

• Location: Malawi
• Financed by: UNICEF
• Sector: Energy, water sanitation, transport
• Estimated duration: 4 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 UNICEF-financed project in Malawi.
• 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.