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Programme Officer, Water and wetland

Vacancy #:   6574
Unit:   India Programme Coordination
Organisation:   International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Location:   India Country Office, New Delhi, India
Reporting to:   Programme Manager
Work percentage:   100%
Grade:   P1
Expected start date:   01 November 2023
Type of contract:   Fixed-term (26 months with possibility of renewal)
Closing date:   09 September 2023
BACKGROUND
IUCN India Office is seeking to recruit an experienced and motivated candidate (Indian national) to join the IUCN team as Programme Officer, Water and Wetlands who will work closely with Programme Manager and Country Representative, IUCN India and Science and Strategy Group, based in IUCN Asia Regional Office, Bangkok.

The goal of IUCN's Water and Wetlands Programme is healthy landscapes and river basins that provide sustainable ecosystem services to livelihoods and societies. In Asia, the programme is designed to tackle the three pillars of water management, including i) promoting the conservation and restoration of key freshwater ecosystems and species; ii) enabling inclusive and effective water governance frameworks; and iii) mobilise investment in conservation and management of freshwater ecosystems to provide solutions to most pressing societal challenges in the region (e.g., climate change, food security, water security, green economy development).

In India, IUCN has operated continuously since 2007, with Country Office established in New Delhi. IUCN’s work on water governance in India include various initiatives working on cooperative governance of the shared river basins, sustainable agriculture, multi-level cooperation and benefit-sharing to promote integrated water resource management, to site level aquatic species and habitat management through implementation of global conventions, particularly Ramsar and UN Watercourses Convention (UNWC), 1997 and national policy frameworks.

IUCN is also a GEF and GCF agency and is working with the national governments and international development partners to develop new ideas and mobilization of funding to tackle challenges linked to climate change adaptation and mitigation in India.

In the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna (GBM) river basins, IUCN is implementing global flagship project on transboundary water governance, the BRIDGE GBM which is a multi-donor funded initiative active since 2016.
JOB DESCRIPTION
MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

The successful candidate will work in close cooperation with the IUCN country offices in south Asia and IUCN Asia Regional Office, and numerous external partners. The position will be responsible for the management of flagship national and regional projects on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), transboundary water governance, river and wetlands conservation and management, and the application of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in water sector.

Overall responsibilities of the position:

1. Support delivery of current project(s)/initiative(s) related to water and wetlands governance, and Nature-based solutions for climate change; ,
2. Contribute to programmatic and portfolio development including supporting multilateral programme design;
3. Engage, build synergies with and provide technical assistance as needed, for successful delivery of work and knowledge;
4. Expand IUCN’s network and engagements on water and wetlands governance and enhanced application of NbS in the water sector;
5. Support the articulation and positioning of the Team and project activities in the context of IUCN’s water and wetlands programme area.

Specific duties:

Project delivery
6. Lead the implementation of the BRIDGE Meghna basin initiative in India , including development of workplans, networking with government officials, facilitation of regional and national stakeholder dialogues, and the development of a business case for the transboundary cooperation in the Meghna river basin.
7. Prepare workplans, budgets, technical reports as per donor requirements
8. Conduct field missions for project implementation, as necessary
9. Technical and project support, though desk research, consultation process capacity building, communication and networking with multiple stakeholders.

Portfolio development:
10. Conduct technical research and lead the development of new project proposals and initiatives for expanding the water and wetlands programme activities in India;
11. Assist with the development of proposals for GCF funding, including the coordination, drafting of proposals, and awareness-raising activities such as meetings with stakeholders from academic, government, CSO, and private sector;

Knowledge learning and communication:
12. Lead and coordinate knowledge development on themes related to water and natural infrastructure, Nature-based Solutions, including training materials, scalable, financing models, etc;
13. Coordinate opportunities for engaging IUCN’s Water and NbS initiatives externally, for example through conferences, guest lectures, and project partnerships;
REQUIREMENTS
  • Master's Degree (or higher) in Natural Resource management, environmental sciences, water governance, integrated water resources management, ecological /environmental engineering or a related field;

• Minimum 5 years of experience in project management, preferably positions related to natural resource management, wetlands conservation, IWRM, NbS for climate change;

• Prior experience working on water and environment policies, and transboundary water governance issues in the South Asian region.

• Comprehensive knowledge of the Ramsar convention and regional water-sharing agreements between India and other countries in the region, as well as in-depth understanding of water and wetland management issues in India;

• Familiarity with institutional networks in India (including government agencies, CSOs, the private sector, and the donor community);

• Proven experience in project proposal development and project management;

• Knowledge of climate change vulnerability in the water sector and wetlands management, as well as an understanding of climate change adaptation principles and approaches in rivers and wetland ecosystems;

• Strong writing skills and a capacity to draft reports independently and disseminate project outputs to a broad audience;

• Fluency in both spoken and written English.

• Prior work experience in north eastern part of India would be an added advantage

• Excellent interpersonal skills; Proven ability to work harmoniously as part of a team in a multi-cultural environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

• Proficient in using office applications (MS Word/Excel/PowerPoint) and other web-based management systems.

• Capacity to work autonomously and to take the initiative
APPLICATIONS

Applicants are requested to apply online through the HR Management System, by opening the vacancy announcement and pressing the "Apply" button.

Applicants will be asked to create an account and submit their profile information. Applications will not be accepted after the closing date. The vacancy closes at midnight, Swiss time (GMT+1 / GMT+2 during Daylight Saving Time, DST). Please note that only selected applicants will be personally contacted for interviews.

Other job opportunities are published in the IUCN website: https://www.iucn.org/involved/jobs/


About IUCN

IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations. It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together.

Created in 1948, IUCN is now the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge, resources and reach of more than 1,400 Member organisations and around 16,000 experts. It is a leading provider of conservation data, assessments and analysis. Its broad membership enables IUCN to fill the role of incubator and trusted repository of best practices, tools and international standards.

IUCN provides a neutral space in which diverse stakeholders including governments, NGOs, scientists, businesses, local communities, indigenous peoples organisations and others can work together to forge and implement solutions to environmental challenges and achieve sustainable development.

Working with many partners and supporters, IUCN implements a large and diverse portfolio of conservation projects worldwide. Combining the latest science with the traditional knowledge of local communities, these projects work to reverse habitat loss, restore ecosystems and improve people’s well-being.

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