Water For People has received a four-year grant to develop and test sustainable business models to expand sanitation coverage in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Based in Kolkata or Delhi, India, this position will search for opportunities and drive the development of viable sanitation business-based solutions that can be taken to scale within India. This will be achieved by providing the expertise necessary to support the local business development sector to deliver the full range of services that
are required by emerging sanitation businesses.
Essential Job Functions and Duties:
1. Provide expertise in developing sustainable sanitation businesses in India. Identify needs, opportunities, gaps, and constraints in potential sanitation markets, models, and entrepreneurs, and provide mentoring and support to sanitation businesses.
2. Engage with the innovative business development service strategy and continue to search for new sanitation business opportunities within India, both inside and outside the existing Water For People program activities, in urban, small town, and rural settings.
3. Oversee the management of market assessments, feasibility studies, business planning, and the ongoing incubation, training, and mentoring processes.
4. Engage with all stakeholders including local governments to understand and if necessary improve the regulatory operating environment.
5. Build the capacity of local business development service providers where necessary to provide a professional and sustainable service for emerging sanitation businesses.
6. Work in close partnership with business development service providers to review the financial sector and identify both constraints and opportunities, and assist in developing appropriate financial packages aimed at both businesses and end consumers.
7. Document successes and failures, and share knowledge internally and externally. Communicate regularly with project staff worldwide, and country and regional Water For People staff, to share lessons learned and project updates.
8. Build trust and relationships with key local entrepreneurs, and gain an understanding of the private sector in India.
9. Support the reiterative learning process aimed at developing and documenting improvement methodologies for catalyzing Sanitation as a Business.
10. Feed into and support the global efforts for idea generation and new technology testing.
Job Qualifications:
1. MUST be fluent in English AND Hindi.
2. Must be risk taker, and have a nose for entrepreneurial opportunities.
3. Good analytical skills and the ability to extrapolate lessons to other situations.
4. Comfort and talent in communicating with diverse and international constituents.
5. Some knowledge of or willingness to learn about the sanitation sector.
Experience:
1. Five years directly related experience is preferred
2. Experience with running or investing in a business in a developing country, particularly in the informal business sector. Interested applicants should send their CV and a COVER LETTER detailing relevant experience to no later than June 30. Please do not apply if you do not meet the language
requirements and other job qualifications. Find more details regarding Water For People’s Sanitation as a Business programming at sanitation.tap.waterforpeople.org.