Sanitation Economist Consultant for Zimbabwe Investment Case

About the role

UNICEF is seeking an experienced Sanitation Economist Consultant to lead a comprehensive economics study and develop a national sanitation investment case for Zimbabwe. The consultancy will run for five months and can be performed remotely.

Key responsibilities

• Estimate economic, fiscal, health, nutrition, education, environmental and social costs of adequate and unsafe sanitation.
• Assess costs and benefits of various sanitation service and financing options.
• Calculate the investment needed to meet Zimbabwe’s open‑defecation‑free and SDG 6.2 targets.
• Analyse rural, peri‑urban and urban contexts, with special focus on children under five, school‑age children, women and girls, persons with disabilities, low‑income households and high‑deprivation districts.
• Produce scenario modelling, sensitivity analysis and a final report following World Bank ESI methodology and SDG/JMP classifications.

Required profile

• Master’s degree in economics, health economics, development economics, public finance, environmental economics or a related field.
• Minimum ten years of experience conducting economic research in developing countries.
• Proven experience applying economic valuation methods to WASH, health, nutrition or infrastructure sectors.
• Experience with national investment cases, cost‑benefit analysis or public expenditure reviews for governments or development partners.
• Familiarity with Zimbabwe or Southern Africa is highly desirable.

Required skills

• Economic valuation methodologies for WASH and related sectors.
• Cost‑benefit analysis and public expenditure analysis.
• Scenario modelling and sensitivity analysis.
• Knowledge of World Bank ESI methodology and SDG/JMP sanitation classifications.