Water Resources Management Specialist - Nepal

A. About Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC)

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 societies, the 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 thematic departments: ADPC Academy, Risk Governance, Climate Resilience, Urban Resilience, Health Risk Management, Preparedness for Response and Recovery, Geospatial Information. These are supported by Finance, Human Resources and Administration, and Strategic Planning departments. In addition to the six strategic themes 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

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 per cent 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 development of standardized geospatial databases and other data for climate-related risk assessments on the transport sector.

Accordingly, a highly qualified and experienced Water Resource Management Specialist will be required to lead in implementing various water sector initiatives in Nepal. S/he will be selected on competitive basis following World Bank Consultants Guidelines.

The objectives of this consultancy service are to:

• Serve as the in-country technical focal point on climate resilience in water sector, and sub-sectors in particular context/areas in Nepal and identify climate-resilient options to be integrated into different entry points (policy, strategy, guideline and local interventions).
• Lead the development of National Strategy for Water Harvesting in Nepal in context of IWRM.
• Support in devising capacity building program and enhancing adoption of innovations on water sector in 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 water sector including national strategy for water harvesting, capacity building on utilization of climate and hydrometeorological data for integrated water resources management and he/she will also be responsible for ensuring high quality of deliverables in all aspects pertaining to Water Resources Management across Nepal.

The Water Resources Management Specialist will be based in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Note:
It is not the intent of this Terms of Reference to cover every aspect of the position requirements, rather to highlight the most important areas of personal and joint responsibilities.

D. Duties and Responsibilities

The Water Resources Management Specialist shall be responsible for:

Technical Review and Support
• Reviewing regional and national guidelines for water sector; national policies, programs, acts/laws, international treaties, frameworks and strategies relevant to climate change and water sector to identify adaptation and investment needs/gaps.
• Reviewing national adaptation plan and NDCs alongside sectoral roadmaps to consolidate information relevant to water sector.
• Lead the analysis of the national approach on Integrated Water Resource Management in Nepal, understand the needs and issues related to water harvesting in Nepal in the context of IWRM and develop National Strategy for Water Harvesting in Nepal in context of IWRM.
• Lead trainings needs assessment with focus on climate change adaptation, climate public policy, and climate finance.
• Support the capacity building of the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, to utilize climate and hydrometeorological data for planning and investment design for integrated water resources management.
• Support in drafting guidelines for priority areas identified in the water sector and prepare for dissemination of IEC material on the same in Nepal.

Needs Assessment and Validation
• Supporting in organizing and conducting consultations/workshops/meetings with relevant stakeholders and validation of findings of the review through workshops and key informant interviews on identification of adaptation and investment needs and gaps in existing national policy, programs, act/law, frameworks and strategies relevant to climate change and water sector.
• Performing other relevant tasks as assigned by the Country Project Lead and Integrated Water Resources Management Specialist (Regional).

E. Qualifications

The candidate should at least have:

• A master’s degree in Water Resources Management, Water Engineering and Management or equivalent.
• At least 5 years’ experience in working in water sector with a minimum of 3 years’ experience in Integrated Water Resources Management in Nepal.
E. Qualifications

The candidate should at least have:

• A master’s degree in Water Resources Management, Water Engineering and Management or equivalent.
• At least 5 years’ experience in working in water sector with a minimum of 3 years’ experience in Integrated Water Resources Management in Nepal.
• Knowledge of managing projects related to integrated water resources management strategies and policies at national level.
• Experience of preparing water resources management plan, strategy for water harvesting in the context of integrated water resources management
• Experience in preparing guidelines on payout for environmental services for hydropower projects in the context of a changing climate.
• Strong understanding and knowledge of climate change impacts on water sector in South Asia and Nepal.
• Experience in training and capacity building
• Excellent English proficiency in oral and written communication, including a demonstrated track record in technical report writing and ability to communicate technical matters effectively to general audience. Fluency in the Nepali language is required.
• Cross cultural awareness and ability to work amongst a diverse group of staff, and partners
• Required computer proficiencies: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Internet. Working knowledge in SPSS or similar statistical package and GIS application would be preferred.

F. Reporting Relationships

The consultant will report to Country Project Lead for the day to day activities and maintain a close coordination with the ADPC’s Country Representative in Pakistan and overall to the Project Director. The technical oversight will be provided by Integrated Water Resources Management Specialist (Regional) at the Bangkok office through the PIU. The specialist would also coordinate with other CARE project specialists at the regional and national level and the World Bank Nepal country Water team as well as the counterpart in the government to carry out different activities under the project.

G. Contract Duration

The contract duration will be for one (1) year. The consultant’s performance will be reviewed on a quarterly basis.

H. Selection Method

The consultant will be selected in accordance with ADPC’s recruitment process and in compliance with the World Bank Procurement Regulations.