WASH Technical Advisor – Operations and Maintenance

Splash International

. Translate Splash's global O&M strategy into practical, locally owned operating models .

Posted 9/17/2026full-timeRemote • Washington • United StatesSeniorLeadWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in Operations and Maintenance (O&M) systems, including preventive and reactive maintenance, lifecycle costing, and service standards. Proven ability to manage complex workstreams and develop tools and frameworks that support sustainable service delivery in WASH and municipal contexts.

Highest-signal resume keywords

O&M Systems ManagementComplex Workstream ManagementTool Development and ImplementationExcellent Writing and Facilitation SkillsExperience in East or Southern Africa

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Preventive MaintenanceReactive MaintenanceLifecycle CostingService StandardsHandover PlanningSOP DevelopmentWorkplan DevelopmentDashboard CreationImplementation FrameworksPerformance Measurement

Soft Skills

Cross-Cultural CommunicationFacilitation SkillsIndependent Management

Certifications & Qualifications

Bachelor's Degree or Equivalent Experience

Industry Keywords

WASHInfrastructure SustainabilityMunicipal Service DeliveryPublic Systems StrengtheningPerformance-Based Contracting

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Translate Splash's global O&M strategy into practical, locally owned operating models
Support country teams to implement the sustainable O&M strategy across country workplans in Ethiopia, Zambia, and Malawi
Translate the global strategy into action plans, tools, decision gates, and country-ready guidance for pilot, delivery, and exit phases
Track O&M readiness across school cohorts, service providers, utilities, and government counterparts, adapting approaches based on implementation evidence
Support national and sub-national O&M financing discussions, including OPEX commitments and “who does and who pays” matrices
Build templates for O&M roles, budgets, decision rights, escalation routes, and handover conditions
Monitor government and school-level commitments against Splash's exit criteria
Embed O&M into education, water, utility, and municipal planning processes
Identify and prioritize O&M partners, including service providers, utilities, technical partners, and local implementers
Advance partner conversations into agreements covering scope, service levels, roles, and costs
Support development of service agreements and contracts defining responsibilities, performance expectations, and handover conditions
Manage global O&M partner relationships and escalate delivery or performance issues
Design O&M service models covering preventive, scheduled, and reactive maintenance
Implement tools for service provider performance measurement, SOPs, and maintenance schedules
Strengthen local workforce capacity through mentoring, handover documentation, peer learning, and sustainable support structures
Analyze O&M supply chain needs, including spare-parts availability, supplier reliability, and procurement standards
Develop lean monitoring approaches tracking infrastructure functionality, repair response times, and service provider performance
Collaborate across program, infrastructure, finance, procurement, impact, and country teams
Engage government counterparts, utilities, and schools to clarify expectations and build shared ownership
Report to the Senior Director, Programs

Requirements

What you’ll need

7+ years in WASH, infrastructure sustainability, municipal service delivery, public systems strengthening, operations, maintenance, or utilities
Experience managing complex workstreams across government counterparts, local partners, service providers, and technical teams
Strong grounding in O&M systems, including preventive and reactive maintenance, lifecycle costing, service standards, and handover planning
Track record developing tools, SOPs, workplans, dashboards, or implementation frameworks
Excellent writing and facilitation skills
Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required
Experience in East or Southern Africa, school WASH, or performance-based contracting strongly preferred
Ability to work across cultures, time zones, and levels of seniority
Ability to manage multiple moving pieces independently

Benefits

Comp & perks

Flexible work schedules and self-managed schedules within the employee's time zone
18 days of paid time off, increasing by 2 days each year up to 28 days (US benefits)
11 paid holidays (US benefits)
Wellness Fridays with reduced hours on Fridays
Two weeks of paid time off during the July 4th week and the last week of the year (US benefits)
Medical, dental, and vision insurance (US benefits)
401(k) plan with a 3% match (US benefits)
Occasional off-hours work balanced by personal time