Country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Closing date: 21 Oct 2018
Assignment
Plan International UK is seeking a social finance expert with experience of working on WASH projects to support the development of a programme of work for a joint public private partnership to strengthen water, sanitation and hygiene service delivery in the developing world.
Background
Plan International UK has an extensive portfolio of projects working to address sanitation and hygiene needs in the developing world. Our learning from these programmes has led to the development of an exciting public-private partnership model that will strengthen WASH systems at the institutional level, increase the sustainability and impact of WASH systems across sectors, and ensure inclusive access. This particularly builds on our experience of implementing the £38m South Asia WASH Results Programme (SAWRP) with, delivering sustainable sanitation and hygiene results for over 9 million people.
Further to our success delivering a comprehensive payment-by-results programme through SAWRP, Plan is keen to strengthen our understanding of other outcomes-based funding mechanisms, including Development Impact Bonds, and how they could unlock finance from previously untapped sources and make our programming more effective.
Why is this venture needed?
The human right to water, sanitation and hygiene is indispensable for people to lead dignified and healthy lives. However, 2.4 billion people still lack even basic sanitation services, 90% of whom live in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. As a result, WASH-related diseases, including diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections, remain a leading cause of malnutrition, stunting and mortality. Children under 5, young people, women and marginalised groups are particularly vulnerable.
Our model will leverage major private sector contributions with public funds, and capitalise on the combined experience of Plan International and partners in implementation, technical expertise and impact to date. Plan International has proven expertise in strengthening WASH systems and supporting behaviour change for sustained impact. This venture brings WASH expertise across sectors, enabling increased learning and the further improvement of approaches and practices. It is uniquely positioned to build on the success and strengths of previous collaborations with each partner and support the target countries to build sustainable and equitable sanitation and hygiene services and practices, helping DFID to exceed its global WASH ambitions towards SDG target 6.2.
Markets can act as a powerful platform to give marginalised populations in developing countries, and those who provide services to them, access to valuable networks, technologies, experiences and assets that can help them work their way out of poverty. Encouraging a market-based delivery of sanitation products and services is critical to a sustainable solution to WASH access issues but depends heavily on the identification, training and support of local entrepreneurs.
Social finance approaches to investment and funding share the twin focus of stimulating positive social and environmental returns for investors and the larger world, unlocking finance from previously untapped sources and creating greater sustainability. Furthermore, several different forms of social finance, including DIBs, allow programme implementers to be more innovative and adaptive in seeking to deliver development impact; tying payment to outcomes rather than inputs or outputs means programme managers focus on monitoring what interventions actually have impact, scaling what does and iterating what doesn’t.
Expected outputs
To provide recommendations on how impact investing/social finance (including DIBs) could make Plan’s programming more effective and sustainable
To strengthen Plan’s project outlines on WASH service delivery with respect to social finance and building markets
To provide recommendations of how a market-systems analysis of WASH systems and how private sector players and government can better work together to develop inclusive business models that create employment and ensure comprehensive access to WASH
To provide models on how NGOs/government and private sector players have worked together to strengthen government capacity in service delivery through innovative financing models, ideally in a context which can translate to water, hygiene and sanitation service delivery
To provide guidance on the balance of working with multinational corporate partners and creating an enabling environment for local SMEs and entrepreneurs
Expected activities
Document review including WASH concept note, SAWRP bids, Plan’s WASH capabilities and strengths, project reports and wider reading on WASH and private sector
Discussions with corporate partners in conjunction with Plan Major Partnerships Unit
Exploration of inclusive market-based approaches of delivering WASH services in the developing world
Analysis of impact investing/social finance models being used to create sustainable development programmes that attract private sector finance
Expected duration of contract
The assignment is expected to last between 10-15 days (consecutive preferred).
How to apply:
Please respond to james.ghaffari@plan-uk.org with your CV and an outline of your approach to the brief (no more than 150 words). In addition, provide your remuneration expectations and your availability to start.
