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Project Description

TUMAI MAJI (Transforming Utilities and Mobilising Action for Investment in ASAL Water Security) is a five-year (2027-2031), Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands-funded programme that tackles water insecurity in Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) as a governance and systems challenge. Working across the Rift Valley Basin (Turkana and West Pokot) and the Ewaso Ng’iro North Basin (Samburu, Marsabit and Laikipia), the programme strengthens four interlinked systems: basin and water resource management (System A), water and sanitation services (System B), institutions and governance (System C), and finance and investment (System D). At its core is a Living Lab, where stakeholders test and refine solutions before scaling them. The programme promotes market-led change through improved utility performance, delegated management models, public-private partnerships, women- and youth-led enterprises, and an Innovation Challenge Fund, with gender equality and social inclusion, youth employment, climate resilience and conflict sensitivity embedded throughout. TUMAI MAJI is implemented as a consortium by SNV (System C and D lead), Rural Water Management Solutions (RWMS – System B lead) Kenya and IHE Delft Institute for Water Education (System A lead), and is delivered with implementing partners alongside capacity-strengthening partners and the five county governments.

SNV Kenya is seeking to engage four qualified and result-oriented County Coordinators for the above-mentioned programme. Working closely with the project manager, project team and project partners, the County Coordinators will provide technical assistance and implementation support, with a focus on their county and respective area of expertise as outlined below.

The four positions, one in each of Turkana, West Pokot, Samburu and Marsabit counties, will cover the following areas of expertise (one specialist per area):

• Water resource management and water, sanitation and hygiene services (WASH);
• Gender equality and social inclusion (GESI);
• Governance; and
• Business development and access to finance.

Applicants must indicate their county preference (first and second choice) and their key area of expertise (first and second option, where relevant) in their application. Placement will be confirmed by SNV based on programme needs and the match between each candidate’s expertise and county.

The positions will be based in Turkana, West Pokot, Samburu and Marsabit counties (one position per county) with need-based travel to the field including visits to the project sites. More specifically, the County Coordinators will:

Responsibilities of the County Coordinators

Common responsibilities (all positions)

• Provide technical assistance and implementation support to county governments, utilities, Water Resource Users Associations (WRUAs), communities and partners in the assigned county, in line with the TUMAI MAJI work plan and its four systems (A–D);
• Support the county Living Lab and coordination platforms, and document and share evidence and lessons to inform scaling within and across the two basins;
• Coordinate with consortium partners (RWMS, IHE Delft and implementing and capacity-strengthening partners), county departments, the Water Resources Authority (WRA) and other stakeholders;
• Integrate gender equality and social inclusion (GESI), youth employment and entrepreneurship, climate resilience and conflict sensitivity in all programme activities;
• Contribute to work planning, budgeting and monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL), and prepare timely progress reports and;
• Represent the programme in county and basin forums and contribute to building partnerships and mobilising follow-on investment.

Area-specific responsibilities

Water resource management and water, sanitation and hygiene services (WASH):

• Support System A lead, IHE Delft, and their implementing and capacity strengthening partners; including consistency across the two Living Labs and counties of implementation. This includes support to WRA, WRUAs and county water departments to strengthen water resource management, including water allocation, monitoring and use of the county- and WRA-owned water accounting platform (System A);
• Support System B lead, RWMS, and their implementing and capacity strengthening partners; including consistency across the implementation counties. This includes water service providers and rural and small water systems to improve performance, asset management, operation and maintenance and climate-resilient water and sanitation services, including sanitation and faecal sludge management linkages (System B).

Gender equality and social inclusion (GESI):

• Lead GESI mainstreaming across the programme implementation counties, including gender and social inclusion analyses and the development and monitoring of GESI action plans;
• Promote the participation and leadership of women, youth, pastoralists and marginalised groups in water governance, service delivery, and water-sector jobs and enterprises.

Governance:

• Support county governments and utilities to strengthen water and sanitation policy, legislation, planning and budget processes, and county coordination platforms (System C);
• Facilitate multi-stakeholder dialogue and conflict-sensitive water governance, clarifying roles and strengthening accountability and enforcement among counties, WRA, BWRCs, WRUAs and utilities;
• Coordinate System C activities across the counties of implementation and with all partners and stakeholders.

Business development and access to finance:

• Support utilities, delegated management models, public-private partnerships and women- and youth-led water and sanitation enterprises to develop viable business models and bankable investment proposals (System D);
• Link enterprises and utilities with financial institutions and the Innovation Challenge Fund to unlock and mobilise follow-on investment;
• Coordinate System D activities across the counties of implementation and with all partners and stakeholders.

Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in a field relevant to the area of expertise applied for (see below);
• At least 5 years of relevant experience working for international organisations in a technical advisory or programme implementation capacity in the area of expertise applied for;
• Experience in engaging with county governments on policy and legislative review processes
• Excellent facilitation, communication and quality writing skills;
• Experience working with local partners, including governmental agencies at county level
• Strong programme management skills (planning, administration, financial and monitoring)
• Good knowledge of the ASAL context and of the county applied for; fluency in a local language is an added advantage;

Additional requirements by area of expertise (applicants should meet those for the area applied for):

• Water resource management and WASH: degree in water engineering, hydrology, environmental science, natural resource management or a related field; experience in water resource management, water supply and sanitation service delivery or WASH, preferably in ASAL contexts;
• GESI: degree in gender studies, social sciences, development studies or a related field; demonstrated experience in GESI analysis and mainstreaming, preferably in WASH, natural resource governance or livelihoods programmes;
• Governance: degree in public policy, public administration, law, political science or a related field; experience supporting county governments in policy, legislation, planning, budgeting and multi-stakeholder coordination;
• Business development and access to finance: degree in business, economics, finance, entrepreneurship or a related field; experience in enterprise or utility business development, public-private partnerships and access to finance, including working with financial institutions.

Reporting Lines

The County Coordinator will report to the Project Manager.

Additional information

SNV offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package. We offer a challenging work environment, opportunities to lead and innovate, and a commitment to growing your skills in a fulfilling and diverse working environment. Our staff benefit from, and contribute to, an internal global network of experts.

SNV strives to be an inclusive employer, thriving on the diversity of its people and does not discriminate based on disability status, religion, ethnic origin, gender and sexual orientation, etc.

Interested applicants are requested to submit the CV and Cover Letter via the Smart Recruiter through provided link   https://smrtr.io/CDfr8   or   to [email protected]   Subject line Tumai Maji County Coordinator - [Area of Expertise] - [County Preference]. Please state your county preference (first and second choice) and your key area of expertise (first and second choice, where relevant) in your cover letter and in the subject line.

Role Closes on the 13th of November 2026 at 5pm.