Researcher for Climate Change in WASH

Researcher for Climate Change in WASH

Kathmandu 44600, Nepal

Contract type: Short term consultancy contract

Company Description

SNV is a not-for-profit international development organisation with long-term, local presence in over 25 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. With its new Strategic Plan period (2019 – 2022), SNV will more explicitly aim for systems change during project preparation and implementation - by strengthening institutions and kick-starting markets that help many more to escape poverty beyond our projects. SNV will continue to position ourselves as a premium organisation and invest in making knowledge flow to and from the frontline. SNV works across three sectors: Agriculture, Renewable Energy and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.  Under WASH sector, one of the projects being implemented in Dailekh and Sarlahi districts by SNV Nepal is Beyond the Finish Line- Inclusive and Sustainable Rural Water Supply Services

Project Overview

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Australia, Water for Women (WfW) Fund supported - Beyond the Finish Line (BFL) - Inclusive and Sustainable Rural Water Supply Service project is being implemented in four Rural Municipalities (RM) of Dailekh and four Rural Municipalities of Sarlahi Nepal. The overall goal of the project is to contribute to improved health, gender equality and social inclusion, and well-being of the rural communities in Nepal by supporting inclusive, sustainable, and resilient rural water supply services and hygiene behaviour change communication for households, schools and health facilities as a role model for inclusive WASH services.

Currently, Water for Women under innovation and impact grant priority area of climate adaptation and resilience and linkages to inclusive WASH, has approved a project titled “Inspiring local government heroes of acclimate action for inclusive WASH”. This is an action research initiative and shall complement the outcome of Beyond the Finish Line project that SNV Nepal is already implementing.

The initiative is designed based on the ‘Making the Rights Real’ approach (already applied) by SNV and ISF-UTS in the WfW Beyond the Finish Line project. The aim is to develop innovative techniques to strengthen buy-in and agency of governments in Nepal to build climate resilience in the rural water (in Nepal) sectors. Local government ‘would-be heroes’ in the WASH sector and will be supported to engage with climate change through doable, practical actions that address climate risks within systems and services and widening inequities. User-centred design will help overcome current inertia to enable the Health sector to engage with the wider climate sector and existing tools and plans (WfW Fund Theory of Change Outcomes 1:Strengthened decentralised WASH sector systems with greater emphasis on gender, social inclusion, sustainable, and resilient water supply services and hygiene promotion and 4: Strengthened use of new evidence, innovation, and practices in gender and socially inclusive, sustainable, and resilient water supply services and hygiene promotion by sub-national and national stakeholders and other CSOs and international WASH sector actors).

Job Description

Roles of Researcher for climate change in WASH

• The Researcher for climate change in WASH, will closely work with WASH Engineer and Research Officer on “Inspiring local government heroes of acclimate action for inclusive WASH”. The research work will be conducted in Mahabu Rural Municipality of Dailekh and Ramnagar Rural Municipality of Sarlahi district.
• The researcher will be responsible for translating the research questions, research materials from English to Nepali or Nepali to English. S (he) will support the research team for finding relevant climate resilient WASH sector policy, guidelines and preparation of presentations for sharng to the stakeholders at wards, Rural Municipalities, provincial level.
• In relation to conducting the research process, s (he) will jointly work with Research Officer and conduct the interviews, KII using Q-methodology developed by ISF-UTS with approximately 25-30 persons at RM, province and central level to understand the drivers, motivations, constraints of local government in addressing the climate change impact on inclusive WASH in their work.
• S/he will initiate the monitoring of effectiveness of research work and changes on participants local government heroes on climate action in WASH.
• Her/his work and effort will contribute in achieving the project impact indicators and outcomes too.

Responsibilities (but not limited to):

• The researcher for climate change in WASH, will work closely with WASH Engineer and Research Officer. S (he) will coordinate with local partners, Rural Municipalities for preparations and facilitate meetings, focus group discussion, conduct key informants Interviews. Facilitate the stakeholder workshops at rural municipaliteis (20-30 persons upto 2-4 events depending upon COVID restrictions) and individual in depth interviews (KII) about 30 in both the district (10-15 in each RM/District). 
• Facilitated training and trialing of interventions as an action research process for inspiring local government heroes of acclimate action for inclusive WASH.
• Attend regular meeting with RMs, ISF-UTS research team and update the field progress, challenges and recommend for possible corrections/solutions.
• Prepare reports of stakeholder meetings, consultation process interviews using Q-statement methodology, collect photos (as per SNV photograph policy) and submit to the line manager.
• Travel to the selected Rural Municipalities, build rapport with RM officials and make sure the data collection and follow up for data quality.
• Accomplish any other work required and advised by WASH Engineer to make the research work successful.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent with minimum 3 years’ experience in research work in rural WASH sector, preferably in climate change.
• Knowledge and experience on Gender and Social Inclusion, climate change hazards, impact and resilience measure will be and added value.
• Willingness and ability to travel to remote rural municipalities in district Dailekh and Sarlahi.
• Experience of coordinating and working with local government officials for conducting focus group discussion, interview with government official using Q-methodology.
• Good communication, analysis and research report writing skill in English and Nepali.
• Good skill in English and Nepali typing, powerpoint presentations, word and excel use.
• Ability to work under pressure.

Additional Information

Report to: WASH Engineer, SNV Nepal

Duty Station: Kathmandu with frequent field visits to research location: Mahabu Rural Municipality (Dailekh) and Ramnagar Rural Municipality (Sarlahi)

Contract Type : Consultancy Contract

Contract Duration: Initially for Three months; starting from first week of November 2021 with possible extension as per need

Required Number of Position: 1

How to Apply:

If you believe that your credentials meet the outlined profile, we invite you to apply by uploading your CV (not more than 3 pages) with motivation letter (not more than 1 page) by clicking on the "I'm interested" button before 24 October 2021.

ONLY SHORTLIST CANDIDATES WILL BE CONTACTED.

For more information on SNV, please refer to our website: www.snv.org

I am interested