Institutional & Water-Sector Economist / Team Leader Job IRES, Nairobi, Kenya

Job Summary:

We are seeking a highly experienced consultant trainer and strategic advisory professional to lead high-impact assignments in institutional strengthening, strategic planning, water-sector economics, and organizational performance. The successful candidate will provide technical leadership, facilitate senior stakeholder engagements, and support practical learning on strategy, results-based financing, and institutional reform.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead multidisciplinary consulting and training assignments, ensuring quality, coherence and timely delivery.
• Design and deliver executive-level sessions on strategic planning, institutional reform, organizational performance and results-based financing.
• Guide assignment architecture, methodology, quality assurance and delivery commitments.
• Facilitate stakeholder workshops involving government institutions, development partners and other stakeholders.
• Integrate practical case studies, sector evidence and real-world institutional challenges into learning sessions.
• Provide technical input into proposals, concept notes, consultancy reports and thought-leadership materials.
• Support strategic and corporate planning processes, including performance frameworks and implementation reviews.

Minimum Qualifications and Professional Experience:

Academic Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Economics, Public Policy, Strategic Planning, Management Sciences, Business Administration or an equivalent field.
• Training and certification in the Balanced Scorecard.
• Professional training in Corporate Strategy, Management, Business, Accounting, Change Management, or Human Resource Management is an advantage.

Professional Experience

• Minimum 15 years of professional experience.
• Proven command of commitment/transaction-cost framing and results-based financing.
• Demonstrated experience in water-sector institutional reform and service-delivery models.
• Demonstrated experience in strategic and/or corporate planning and management support.
• Demonstrated working experience with the Kenyan public sector, particularly the water sector.
• Experience working with donor partners, government partners and other development stakeholders.

Technical Competencies

• Strategic and corporate planning; institutional reform; results-based financing; Balanced Scorecard; water-sector economics; stakeholder engagement; organizational performance management.

Key Skills and Attributes

• Excellent executive-level presentation and facilitation skills.
• Strong analytical, strategic and problem-solving ability.
• High professional integrity and sound judgement.
• Strong stakeholder-management and communication skills.
• Ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and deliver outcome-oriented assignments.
• Proficiency in English; Kiswahili is an added advantage.

Training & Facilitation Experience

• Proven experience as a consultant trainer, facilitator, technical adviser, or subject-matter expert.
• Demonstrated ability to translate technical and professional concepts into practical, participant-centred learning.
• Training of Trainers (ToT) certification is an added advantage.
• Strong understanding of adult learning methodologies and competency-based facilitation.

Consultancy Role Focus:

• Overall technical leadership of strategic planning, institutional reform and water-sector economic assignments, including quality assurance and stakeholder coordination.

Mode of Engagement:

• Successful candidates will be engaged as external consultant trainers on a need basis.
• Assignments may involve training delivery, technical advisory support, curriculum/content development, workshops, facilitation, and related consultancy services.
• Further details, including assignment scope, duration, and professional fees, will be provided during the initial engagement meeting.

How to Apply

Interested candidates are invited to submit their CV, cover letter, and copies of all required certifications to trainingjobs@indepthresearch.co.ke by 26th August 2026. Please include the title of the position in the subject line.

All documents must be in PDF format.

Note:  Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted