A. About Asian Disaster Preparedness Center
ADPC is an autonomous international organization with a vision to reduce disaster and climate risk impacts on communities and countries in Asia and the Pacific by working with governments, development partners, international organizations, NGOs, civil society, private sector, media, and other key stakeholders.
Established in 1986 as a technical capacity building center, ADPC has grown and diversified its expertise across social and physical sciences to support sustainable solutions for risk reduction across a broad range of specialist areas. With over 100 staff from 19 different nationalities and a wide range of professional expertise from atmospheric scientists to social scientists with experiences from all levels of engagement typically required for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Resilience (CR) in an effective manner. ADPC has six strategic themes supported by seven departments: ADPC Academy, Risk Governance, Climate Resilience, Urban Resilience, Health Risk Management, Preparedness for Response and Recovery, Geospatial Information. These are supported by the Finance, the Human Resources and Administration, and the Strategic Planning departments. In addition to the six strategic themes, ADPC also works on three cross-cutting themes: Gender and Diversity, Poverty and Livelihoods, and Regional and Transboundary Cooperation through permanent working committees.
ADPC Strategy 2020 guides the organization in providing comprehensive risk reduction support to countries and communities in Asia and the Pacific. ADPC recognizes the importance of examining the linkages between disaster risk management, poverty reduction, gender equality, sustainability, rights-based approaches, climate change, and regional cooperation.
For details please refer to ADPC website at http://www.adpc.net/
B. Background
Disasters take a huge toll on the development agenda of SAR countries. Between 2000 and 2017, disasters in South Asia incurred estimated damages of US$ 149.27 billion. Public expenditure is under stress by the repeated need to reallocate capital budgets away from long term development planning and towards reconstruction activities in post-disaster environments. For example, since 2005, Pakistan has suffered losses on the order of US$ 16 billion due to natural disasters. In Bangladesh, 2007 Cyclone Sidr resulted in damages and losses of US$1.7 billion or 2.6 percent of GDP.
To increase resilience and achieve climate commitments, there is a need for a transformational shift towards policies and institutions that enable climate-resilient investments. Investing in more resilient infrastructure is both profitable and urgent as disruptions are extremely costly for governments, households and private sector and large ongoing investments in infrastructure assets will have long-lasting repercussions as poor maintenance and natural disasters result in a vulnerable stock.
With the financial support from the World Bank Group, ADPC will be implementing a five years’ project, titled “Climate Adaptation and Resilience Project for South Asia” (CARE). The project aims to create an enabling environment for climate resilience policies and investments across South Asia. This objective will be achieved through enhanced regional cooperation and knowledge exchange for climate resilience and adaptation and mainstreaming of resilience and adaptation in national policies, plans, and investments.
Scaling up the national policies on water sector resilience is vital to satisfactorily implement all the required components of the project. It would involve the development of standardized geospatial databases and other data for climate-related risk assessments on the water sector.
Accordingly, a highly qualified and experienced Water Resources Management Specialist will be required to implement various water sector initiatives in Bangladesh.
The objectives of this staff position are to:
- Serve as the in-country technical focal point on climate resilience in water sectors, and sub-sectors in particular context/areas in Bangladesh and identify climate-resilient options to be integrated into different entry points (policy, strategy, guideline, and local interventions).
- Provide technical inputs on detailed design and implementation of activities for the water sector (and sub-sector), including climate change adaptation, climate-informed initiatives, water accounting, and risk finance in the water sector.
- Support in devising capacity building programs and enhancing the adoption of innovations on the water sector in the context of IWRM for government and other stakeholders.
C. Statement of Intent
The Water Resources Management Specialist will be working specifically to enhance climate-resilient policy intervention and relevant implementations in the water sector including water accounting, risk financing, and will also be responsible for ensuring high quality of deliverables in all aspects pertaining to Water Resources Management across Bangladesh.
The Water Resources Management Specialist will be based in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Note:
It is not the intent of this Position Description to cover every aspect of the position requirements, rather highlight the most important areas of personal and joint responsibilities.
D. Duties and Responsibilities
Technical Review and Support
- Reviewing Water Accounting systems in Bangladesh
- Identifying gaps of river management policy identify Water Disaster Preparedness actions
- Reviewing regional and national guidelines for the water sector
- Reviewing national policy, programs, act/laws, international treaties, frameworks and strategies relevant to climate change and water sector
- Reviewing national adaptation plan, a national and local action plan on adaptation and sectoral roadmaps to consolidate information relevant to the water sector
- Identifying adaptation and investment needs and gaps in existing national policy, programs, act/law, frameworks and strategies relevant to climate change and water sector
- Reviewing the Delta Plan 2100 to understand the inclusion of climate change impact policy interventions
Needs Assessment
- Conducting gaps and needs assessment in climate-informed Water Accounting Tools and Guides Development
- Providing inputs to enhance water accounting system customizing guidelines of American Water Works Associate guidelines to include climate change model outputs for the country as well as for analytics
- Conducting consultations with stakeholders to finalize inputs to the water accounting system guidelines
- Supporting in development of River Management Policy through relevant key stakeholder consultations
- Preparing draft guidelines for priority areas identified in the water sector
- Preparing of dissemination of IEC materials
Other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the supervisor
E. Qualifications
- Advanced degree in land and water management (or equivalent) or similar field of study
- At least 7 years’ experience in policy planning and climate change adaptation in the context of Integrated Water Resources Management preferably in Bangladesh or similar geography and at least 3 years’ experience in water accounting/water footprint study will be preferable.
- Familiarity with the water accounting programs and projects of international organizations would be preferred.
- Sound knowledge of hydrology, hydrogeology, climate, soils, irrigation systems (hardware and software), and watershed management.
- Extensive knowledge of developing, designing, and managing projects related to water resources management strategies and policies at national and preferably at the international level.
- Experience of preparing water resources management plan, water policy and strategy in the context of integrated water resources management
- Experience in preparing guidelines for applying WRM in the context of a changing climate
- Experience in training and capacity building in the water sector
- Cross-cultural awareness and ability to work amongst a diverse group of staff, and partners
- Excellent English proficiency in oral and written communication, including a demonstrated track record in technical report writing/peer-reviewed publication and ability to communicate technical matters effectively to a general audience. Fluency in Bengali is preferred.
- Required computer proficiencies: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Microsoft Teams. Working knowledge in SPSS or similar statistical package and GIS application would be preferred.
F. Reporting Relationships
The Water Resources Management Specialist (Bangladesh) will report to the Director of the Climate Resilience Department and perform day-to-day activities in close coordination with the CARE Country Project Lead and the ADPC’s Country Representative in Bangladesh. The technical oversight will be provided by the Integrated Water Resources Management Specialist (Regional) based at the Bangkok office. The specialist would also coordinate with the other CARE project specialists at the regional and national level to carry out different activities under the project.
G. Contract Duration
The contract duration will be for two (2) years initially with a possibility of extension based on performance and technical requirements of the position
H. Selection Method
The staff will be selected in accordance with ADPC’s recruitment process.
How to apply:
How to apply: Interested Candidates can submit the completed ADPC application form, (downloadable from www.adpc.net), resume, copy of degrees/certificate(s) together with a cover letter, to adpcjobs@adpc.net within 03 July 2020, Bangkok time.
Female candidates are especially encouraged to apply.
ADPC encourages diversity in its workplace and supports an inclusive work environment.