STTA Watershed Management Specialist

USAID Paani Program

Request for Applications

DAI seeks a Short Term Watershed Management Specialist for the USAID Paani Program. The STTA Watershed Management Specialist serves as project manager for Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) activities in Lower Mahakali watershed. The project is complex and its success requires participatory teamwork that supports “ownership” through new collaborations among stakeholders.  The WMS is responsible for understanding and guiding the work of collaborating stakeholders in Lower Mahakali watersheds to achieve the common objectives under Paani Program.

Applicants should submit a CV and cover letter to PANI_recruitment@dai.com by February 24, 2020.

Please mention the position in the subject line of the email.

Detail Scope of Work

Position: STTA Watershed Management Specialist

Level of Effort: March 2020 - July 2020, with possible extension (40 hours/week)

Base of Operations: Lower Mahakali Watershed, with frequent travel to and throughout the different project sites of Lower Mahakali Watershed and occasional travel to and throughout the Mahakali, Karnali, Rapti River basins and other parts of Nepal.

Background

The Paani Program—also known in Nepali as the “USAID Water Project”, युएसएडपानीपरियोजना—is a 5 year, $25 million USAID-funded Project in Nepal. Water is the single most important natural resource underpinning Nepal’s economy and livelihoods. The sustainable management of water resources in Nepal depends on addressing climate change and protecting healthy, biodiverse ecosystems. Paani aims to enhance Nepal’s ability to manage water resources for multiple uses and users through climate change adaptation and the conservation of freshwater biodiversity. Paani employs an integrated, whole-of-basin approach with activities under four “intermediate result” (IR) areas at the watershed, river basin, and national scales, to reduce threats to freshwater biodiversity and strengthen the resilience of targeted human and ecological communities in the Karnali, Mahakali, and Rapti river basins through improved water management. 

At the watershed level, watershed profiles/health reports provide the basis for action plans that define objectives, actions, roles and responsibilities for the Paani team, its partners, and collaborating stakeholders.  They also serve as the basis for refining monitoring and evaluation indicators and milestones to assess progress. The essential element in the profiling process is participation and ownership by each watershed’s communities and the stakeholders active in each watershed. This “ownership” ensures stakeholder commitment to attaining Paani’s above-noted biodiversity and climate change objectives. Of the 79 watersheds delineated in Mahakali, Karnali and Rapti River Basins, Paani Program has identified 12 priority watersheds to implement Paani interventions. Per the provision in the project document one Watershed Management Specialist [WMS] will be recruited to implement Paani interventions. These positions will be based in the watershed.

Responsibilities

The STTA Watershed Management Specialist serves as project manager for Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) activities in the lower Mahakai watershed. The project is complex and its success requires participatory teamwork that supports “ownership” through new collaborations among stakeholders.  The WMS is responsible for understanding and guiding the work of collaborating stakeholders in Lower Mahakali watersheds to achieve the common objectives under Paani Program. In particular, the position requires an understanding of PAANI’s goals, objectives, working modality and compliances and will focus on providing all the technical assistance and support to the PAANI grantees and each PAANI organized watershed level activities, to meet the PAANI objectives. This position will focus on accomplishing – Increased Knowledge, Engagement, and Benefits for local water users

Essential Duties:

• Under the direction of the Field Team Director and River Basin Field Team Leader, manage implementation of assigned place based activities in Lower Mahakali, watershed as one of Paani’spriority watershed under Mahakali river basin.
• Plan and share Paani's knowledge products with wider stakeholders and help in internalizing the value of knowledge products for local level planning process as well as sustainable watershed management. Assist in the design and implementation of interventions, provide technical guidance/supports for collaborating stakeholders, partners during workshops, outreach, and/or training events and materials.
• To help grantee to work in identified  and prioritized issues, threats and opportunities for beneficial changes (reducing threats and enhancing resilience) in lower Mahakali watershed, 
• Build good working relationships among Government agencies at the local and provincial level, local and, provincial government, private sector stakeholders, community leaders, local communities, federations, and CSOs and other USAID projects, and other stakeholders to create an institutional and enabling environment that supports community-driven and responsive watershed management activities;.  
• Engage in capacity building for local advocacy groups NGOs, and communities, including conducting trainings, workshops, and other activities usingPaani's knowledge products, that allow stakeholders to engage in further advocacy on behalf of their interests.
• Work as an interdisciplinary team player to implement place based activities and promote goals and objectives of Paani Program working closely with colleagues to contribute to a constructive and professional working environment;
• Support the River Basin Team Leader (RBTL) in planning, implementing and reporting  the river basin level agenda/issues in light of upcoming challenges on climate change adaptation and freshwater biodiversity conservation; 
• Take a lead role for biophysical assessment and potential outcome harvesting using Paani's tools and techniques in designated watershed  including the mobilization of local partners, citizen scientists, champions and key stakeholders to transfer this skill and knowledge;
• Document the PAANI intervention success stories and share with PAANI communication Team.  
• Supervise grant work and provide guidance to ensure the grantees are effectively implementing project activities and total quality management, 
• Collect information and data on the programmatic and implementation progress, through monitoring and reporting of each grant; 
• Analyze activity impact, including conducting final evaluations in collaboration with M&E staff;
• Prepare and submit weekly and quarterly reports to river basin team leader from watershed level
• Attend gatherings, represent Paani program as and when asked by the Paani leadership team and
• Other duties as assigned by supervisors,  

Level of Effort/Timeline:

This STTA will begin in March 2020 - July 2020, with possible extension (40 hours/week). The Watershed Management Specialist will be based full time in Lower Mahakali Watershed, with frequent travel to and throughout the different project sites of Lower Mahakali Watershed and occasional travel to and throughout the Mahakali, Karnali, Rapti River basins and other parts of Nepal.

Supervision:

The Watershed Management Specialist will work under the direct technical supervision of the River Basin Team Leader and administratively and operationally under the supervision of Field Team Director. Watershed Management Specialist will also receive technical guidance from the Paani Chief Technical Specialist and Chief of party or designees.

Qualifications:

• A university degree in a relevant field is required. Advanced degree preferred. 
• Minimum of six years’ demonstrated experience in a program management role. 
• Technical experience focused on natural resource and environmental management, integrated river basin and watershed management and/or local community development for vulnerable populations required.
• Extensive knowledge of local communities along the Karnali, Rapti, river basin and relationships with community-based organizations and local advocacy groups highly desired. 
• Relevant experience working on USAID contract in a related role preferred. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills required. 
• Ability to conduct local field visits and monitoring trip required.
• Fluent English required. Nepali language highly preferred.

“Preference for the current position will be given to applicants from local area with knowledge of local languages.”