Expert - Water and Sanitation Governance West Asia and North Africa Region

About the job

About the Company

The WASH Governance Group at the Swedish Environmental Research Institute, IVL, is looking for an Expert to work on different water and sanitation programs in the West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region from our office in Amman, Jordan.

IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute is an independent research organization headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, with around 500 experts working across environment and sustainability. The WASH Group is a global team of nearly 20 colleagues based in Stockholm, Bogotá, Amman, Mumbai, and other locations. The WANA office in Amman consists of a small team on site, working in a shared co-working environment. Together, we combine research, technical expertise, and international collaboration to strengthen sustainable and resilient water and sanitation services.

About the Role

The Expert will be responsible for implementation and development of water governance related projects in relation to resilient water supply and sanitation. This includes knowledge development and research functions, as well as capacity building, technical support and advice on governance related to water supply and sanitation issues; responsible for project development and development of methodologies, tools and knowledge products, the position also include project management, when required. The position is a full-time role.

Responsibilities

• Support the implementation of programmes for the WANA Region, in coordination with the rest of the team in WANA and Stockholm. (Approx. 80% of the time), focused on climate resilience and systems strengthening for water and sanitation services.
• Contribute to the implementation of other programs in the water and sanitation department outside the WANA Region (Approx. 20% of time).
• Contribute to the thematic development of IVL´s portfolio in the areas of resilient water supply and sanitation governance.
• Provide technical support and advisory services to support water governance processes to countries and to IVL partners as per demand.
• Develop and/or contribute to the development of knowledge products, training materials, methodologies, tools and research.
• Organize and facilitate workshops/trainings as needed.
• Oversee programme finances, administration, and results reporting for assigned programmes.
• Identify and develop relationships with local and regional partners.
• Identify and develop project proposals and strategic partnerships.
• Represent IVL in international fora, as appropriate.
• Contribute to internal knowledge management and collaboration with other IVL groups.

Qualifications

• At least 10 years of experience working with policy development and implementation of water services in emerging and developing economies contexts, including direct experience (at least 4 years) of working in the WANA Region.
• Master's degree in a relevant discipline, such as Water Resources, Civil or Environmental Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Water Governance, Public Policy/International Development, or a related field.
• PhD in relevant topic will be an asset.

Required Skills

• Expertise in global climate change and disaster risk reduction processes.
• Solid understanding of environmental and climate policies, strategies, institutions, and regulations.
• Experience in applying knowledge to climate policy-related decisions and advice.
• Proven experience of working with water governance in relation to water supply and sanitation at local, national and international level, particularly in the WANA Region, including in fragile and conflict-affected settings.
• Expertise in governance and systems strengthening for water and sanitation, including policy and legislative processes, planning, regulation, sector coordination, and sector reform.
• Experience of integrating water scarcity into water and sanitation programming.
• Solid understanding of water resource management, including drought management will be an asset.
• Experience of program/project development and implementation, particularly in the WANA Region.
• Experience of working with capacity development, stakeholder facilitation, institutional strengthening and policy development in relation to water and sanitation services.
• Expertise in translating research into actionable knowledge products (e.g., policy briefs, technical guides, or methodologies).
• Familiarity with global and national water-related policies, processes, and key water agencies in one or more WANA countries (e.g. Jordan, Iraq, Syria) will be an advantage.
• Proven ability to advocate for WASH governance at regional and global events, such as climate weeks, water summits, and policy dialogues is an advantage.
• Proven capacity to develop and implement technical solutions, such as tools, methodologies, and knowledge products, tailored to the unique challenges of fragile contexts.
• Strong managerial skills, including planning, budgeting and risk management; managing external and internal relations; coordinating a number of programme partners;
• Experience in other regions will be an asset.
• Experience in applied research and excellent written communication will be required.
• Ability to work autonomously and to function effectively as part of a team.
• Commitment to, and agreement with IVL´s core values and vision.

Preferred Skills

• Proficiency in Arabic is required.
• Proficiency in English is required.
• Good level of French will be a strong asset.

Pay range and compensation package

The full-time position will be based at the IVL office in Amman, Jordan. The position is a 15 month contract, subject to renewal upon good performance and availability of funds. Planned starting date: October 2026.

How to apply for the position

Please submit your CV and a cover letter by clicking Apply here. Applications shall be send in English no later than 31st July 2026.

For more information about the position, contact Manal Shraideh, Legal Representative Regional Office WANA Region, manal.shraideh@ivl.se.