WASH Technical Advisor, Operations and Maintenance

Splash is a social justice organization and international development agency dedicated to providing safe water solutions for children, particularly in urban economies. It operates as a social enterprise aiming to achieve its mission and eventually become obsolete.

This manager-level position requires a WASH Technical Advisor specializing in Operations and Maintenance (O&M) to transform Splash's global O&M strategy into actionable, locally sustainable operating models. The primary goal is to transition from mere infrastructure provision to ensuring consistent, reliable daily WASH services in schools. This involves establishing robust systems for maintenance, securing financing, developing a skilled workforce, optimizing supply chains, and implementing accountability frameworks prior to handing over projects to local partners. The initial focus will be on Zambia, Ethiopia, and Malawi, with lessons learned informing future urban initiatives. The successful candidate will adeptly navigate various levels, from engaging with governments and utilities on systemic issues to collaborating with maintenance providers and supply chains on service delivery, and ensuring practical daily reliability at the school level. The role reports directly to the Senior Director, Programs.

1. Support country teams in implementing Splash's sustainable O&M strategy across workplans for Ethiopia, Zambia, and Malawi.
2. Convert the global strategy into actionable plans, tools, decision points, and country-specific guidance for pilot, delivery, and exit phases.
3. Collaborate with country-based technical staff to monitor O&M readiness across school cohorts, service providers, utilities, and government partners, adapting approaches based on evidence.
4. Contribute to national and sub-national O&M financing discussions, including Operating Expenses (OPEX) commitments and defining responsibilities.
5. Develop templates for O&M roles, budgets, decision rights, escalation procedures, and handover conditions.
6. Verify that government and school-level commitments are documented, actionable, and align with Splash's exit criteria.
7. Work with country leadership to integrate O&M into education, water, utility, and municipal planning processes.
8. Identify and prioritize O&M partners such as service providers, utilities, technical partners, and local implementers.
9. Advance global partner discussions into formal agreements covering scope, service levels, roles, and costs.
10. Assist country teams in creating service agreements and contracts that define responsibilities, performance expectations, and handover conditions.
11. Manage global O&M partner relationships, tracking commitments and addressing delivery or performance issues.
12. Design O&M service models encompassing preventive, scheduled, and reactive maintenance.
13. Support country offices in implementing tools for service provider performance measurement, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and maintenance schedules.
14. Enhance local workforce capacity through mentoring, handover documentation, peer learning, and sustainable support structures.
15. Analyze O&M supply chain requirements, focusing on spare-parts availability, supplier reliability, and procurement standards, ensuring sustainability in design and contractor handover.
16. Collaborate with the Impact team to develop efficient monitoring approaches for infrastructure functionality, repair response times, and service provider performance.
17. Work across program, infrastructure, finance, procurement, impact, and country teams to integrate O&M into design rather than treating it as a post-construction activity.
18. Support country leadership in engaging government counterparts, utilities, and schools to clarify expectations and foster shared ownership.

1. Minimum of 7 years of experience in WASH, infrastructure sustainability, municipal service delivery, public systems strengthening, operations, maintenance, or utilities.
2. Proven experience managing complex workstreams involving government counterparts, local partners, service providers, and technical teams.
3. Strong understanding of O&M systems, including preventive and reactive maintenance, lifecycle costing, service standards, and handover planning.
4. Demonstrated ability to develop tools, SOPs, workplans, dashboards, or implementation frameworks for consistent team execution.
5. Excellent writing and facilitation skills, capable of making systems-level concepts practical for diverse audiences.
6. Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience is required.
7. Experience in East or Southern Africa, school WASH, or performance-based contracting is strongly preferred.