Simon Okoth Email & Phone Number

Nairobi, Kenya

Sierra Leone

The role of the CRS Urban Resilience Program Manager involves leading Resilience programme in Sierra Leone through building of the capacities of the population, neighborhoods, and governmental systems of urban Sierra Leone to address the risks the cities currently face regarding flooding disaster risks, urban water security and sanitation as well as environmental sanitation. The position leads the urban resilience team in supporting the local integration of Nature-based solutions, WASH, Disaster Risk Management and Environmental Sanitation (Solid waste management) for improved urban wellbeing and health. In the position I lead the development and implementation of WASH, the Freetown Water Fund, and Improved Solid Waste Services in Freetown, Sierra Leone projects alongside the development of OneWASH Programme together with British Red Cross and urban slums regeneration programme. Summary of activities include: leading programme staff and schedule and representing the various projects to partners including communities and government officials; communicate regularly with programme partners, local, regional and National authorities, as well as local community leaders; ensure the delivery of programme and programme activities in the cities; ensure that activities align with other sectors as much as possible; as well as ensuring programme coordination, management and implementation, team management, capacity building of national staff, and technical support to partners to ensure successful and high quality implementation of programmatic activities.

Nairobi, Kenya

The position led a consortium of Sanitation and Hygiene programme implementation partners working in the Global South with the aim of the promoting innovation and best practices in sanitation policy, programming, implementation and up-scaling by linking on-the-ground experience with an engaged community of practitioners, policy-makers, researchers and academics. The project embraces systems approach to sanitation that takes into account all related aspects of sustainability across the sanitation value chain and is propagated through sound Knowledge Management (KM) on the improved SuSanA Platform. I was also responsible for representing SEI and the consortium in meetings, including AMCOW-AfricaSan International Task Force, initiating and maintaining creative partnerships, project external and internal coordination, overall project and grant management, monitoring and evaluation of the project, strategy development and change management, project quality assurance and staff/team management. Maintained a well-defined communication system with both internal and external partners, resource mobilization, reporting, as well as designing, undertaking and documenting research in the water and sanitation sector. I also played critical research roles as a Research Fellow in SEI - Africa Centre's Natural Resources and Ecosystems programme where I was involved in a number of research projects including: Initiative for Sustainable Sanitation (SISS); Gender and Social Equity in urban sanitation (GSE); Sustainable Water Partnerships; International Climate Initiative (IKI); Resource Value Mapping (REVAMP) for sanitation; and Afya Credit Initiative for Improved Maternal and Child Health Outcomes in Kenya.

Nairobi

WSTF is a pro-poor basket fund that financially supports improved access to water and sanitation services. As Manager, Urban Investment Programme, I was essentially responsible for supervising the day-to-day activities of the Urban Investment Programmes including resource management, evaluation and provision of insights on investment potential. I develop investment plans and implementation strategies for pro-poor urban water supply and sanitation, managed the WSTF’s overall urban investments to ensure compliance with WSTF’s investment policies including reviewing technical, socio-economic, and financial performance data on various investments, identifying problems and opportunities, and making recommendations on investments in accordance with national and global best practice in the water and sanitation sector. I also led the development of various programme designs, implementation approaches and concepts for up-scaling.I provided strategic programme leadership and senior advisory services to the management as well as working with a wide range of development partners including KfW, GIZ, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank and EU among others. Lastly, I supported other governments departments, civil society and the private partners within the WASH sector with development of strategies and policies as well as looking into maximization of learning and development opportunities through dissemination of lessons learnt.

Nairobi Kenya.

As a Programme Officer I was responsible for programme design, development and implementation including management of many projects implemented under several water utilities and ensuring that the technical quality of delivery of our programmes is consistent with national and global best practice in the water and sanitation sector. I played a critical role in planning and provision of technical guidance in the WASH sector especially the water service providers (WSPs) for all activities; promotion of lesson learnt and adaptation of new approaches while fostering and documenting innovation; development and implementation of concepts and systems; coordination of programme integration with other programmes and networking with national WASH authorities and other NGOs; support contextualization of WASH strategy; development of WASH policies and national standards for adoption by sector players including the WSPs; programme development and implementation; technical advice on programme issues relating hardware and software components of WASH; personnel management and maximization of learning and development opportunities through feeding back of lessons learnt.

Nairobi Kenya

CWYD is a local (national) NGO working with communities in the main sectors of WASH and INRM. As a programme manager heading the WASH and Integrated Natural Resources Management programmes I engaged in improving access to water and sanitation services to the underserved communities and schools as well as supporting communities in natural resources conservation initiatives for improved livelihoods in Kenya by supporting partners in ensuring efficient and effective project management covering key aspects of planning, project field implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and policy development by representing the values, principles and philosophy of CWYD to enhance the scale and quality of CWYD’s programme.

Nairobi

International NGO promoting development in poor communities where my duties included, community mobilization and capacity building towards attainment of improved urban services and representation and collaboration with other development organizations in urban planning. I also supported the development and training of community committees in managing group savings for improved shelter development among others.

Kibera, Nairobi - Kenya

Supporting a coalition of Community Based Organizations in Kibera on programme design & coordination, fundraising, networking, environmental awareness & training and representation on matters regarding community development with specific focus to water and environmental sanitation.

Masters Of Science, Environmental And Biosystems Engineering

Activities and Societies: 2008-Secretary General, Agricultural Engineering Students Association (AGES).

Bachelor Of Science, Environmental And Biosystems Engineering