Founded in 1985, Cowater International Inc. has built a global reputation for excellence in the world of management consulting in international development. Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada and with experience in more than 65 countries, Cowater has established itself as Canada’s leading management consulting firm in international development.
Cowater is currently looking for an expert in integrated water resources management (IWRM) to act as a consultant on a sector study for Urban and Rural WWCs in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The objective of the assignment is to work with the urban and rural water and wastewater companies to transform the companies into autonomous self-financing water and wastewater utilities.
Based in Iran, the IWRM expert will focus primarily on the development of wastewater management integrating elements of water resources management and providing recommendations for whether integrated management of water and wastewater id feasible or not in Iran. The position will be for a 4 months effort during the Phase I of 8 months, 4 months in the Phase 2 of 10 months and 1 month in the Phase 3 of 4 months.
The expert will be responsible to contribute to critically review and assess the current status of the water and wastewater sector in Iran; to contribute to the development of a draft national framework for sustainable governance and financing within the water and wastewater sector in rural Iran and recommendations for implementation of this framework.
Candidates must be fluent in English.
Required Qualifications
Desired Qualifications
All applications are to be submitted through our job board. Candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. We thank all applicants, however only those making the shortlist will be contacted
Cowater International Inc. is a private Canadian consulting company established in 1985, specializing in international development. Cowater possesses a broad multidisciplinary capacity with a staff that includes engineers, institutional and financial experts, social scientists, and project managers. Cowater works primarily on projects financed by international funding agencies – the World Bank, African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, Caribbean Development Bank, United Nations Agencies, the Department for International Development (DFID), and the Canadian InternationalDevelopment Agency (CIDA) – but it also works directly with the governments of developing countries, the private sector and civil society. In Asia specifically, Cowater has completed more than thirty development projects – including two very successful assignments in the Philippines.
Cowater is a dynamic company which, during its 28-year history, has grown from three original partners to 41 headquarters employees and more than 400 project staff overseas. The company has permanent subsidiary operations in South Africa (Cowater-CRG (Pty) Ltd.) and the United States (Cowater Alaska).
Cowater offers services at the policy, program and project levels, developing and managing major projects as well as undertaking studies, sector reviews, evaluations, and training and communications activities. We emphasize human, community and institutional capacity building using a structured approach to change, which links our technical expertise to the needs of our clients. We strongly believe in participatory approaches to development, which encourages stakeholder “buy-in” and ensures sustainability.
The company specializes in five main sectors:
Water, Sanitation and Environment Group
Cowater’s Water, Sanitation and Environment Group focuses on the planning and provision of accessible potable water, good hygiene, sustainable sanitation, and a liveable environment as essential requirements of health, productivity and a good quality of life. Our focus is on project implementation and the capacity building of institutions, community organizations and people, as well as appropriate affordable technology. We incorporate government, non-government and private sector institutions into our project designs, and put great emphasis on involving the beneficiary community in project and program planning and decision-making. The community is assisted to operate and maintain the facilities through training and the establishment of community-based management structures.
Cowater also works closely with governments to assist in institutional strengthening and reform, planning for both the rural and urban sectors, setting of tariffs, cost recovery and water resources management. We also work with private businesses to provide them with opportunities to supply sustainable and competitively-priced goods and services in these sectors. Cowater emphasizes the important linkages between water, sanitation, health and the environment. Environmental sanitation and hygiene education are essential elements to the integrated package of services, without which only partial benefits are accrued.
Social Development Group
Specialists with Cowater’s Social Development Group help strengthen institutions and programs which empower poor people. They advise on approaches to community and rural development and offer specialized services in such areas as institutional strengthening, gender equality, social communication, communication for development, participatory approaches, income generation, community mobilization, and designing multi-sectoral development programs for disadvantaged groups.
Public Financial Management and Accountability (PFMA) Group
Cowater’s PFMA Group is a team of experienced financial management experts and debt management specialists, recognized for their achievements in enhancing accountability and institutional strengthening within the public (national and municipal) sector. Cowater’s specialists have assisted numerous governments at all levels in improving their accounting, budgeting and auditing performance.
Financial Institutions Group
Cowater Financial Institutions Group promotes effective operation, management and governance of financial institutions worldwide. This includes working directly with state and commercial banks, regulatory agencies/institutions, and savings and credit institutions to support enhanced systems and operations in line with international best practices.
Municipal Services and Enterprise Group
Cowater’s Municipal Services and Enterprise Group manages multidisciplinary projects that combine and build upon the expertise of the company’s core groups. This group covers a variety of sectors, but areas of special concentration are public sector governance, decentralization, municipal services and management, and social/infrastructure fund management.
