Senior climate change adaptation specialist

Background

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) is a regional knowledge development and learning centre serving the eight regional member countries of the Hindu Kush-Himalayas (HKH) – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. ICIMOD is  working to develop an economically and environmentally sound mountain ecosystem to improve the living standards and livelihood options of mountain women and men – now, and for the future. In line with its new Strategic Framework, ICIMOD is strengthening its capacity to develop new approaches to meet the growing challenges in the region posed by multiple drivers of change such as climate change, land use change, migration, and globalisation.

The strategic programme ‘Sustainable Livelihoods and Poverty Reduction’ (SLPR) houses the socioeconomic competence of ICIMOD. It monitors and analyses the poverty situation and its main drivers, and helps to develop policy-relevant information with a special emphasis on high value products and value chains, innovative livelihood options, and economic analysis. It promotes climate change adaptation strategies that help alleviate poverty by providing sustainable livelihood options for mountain people in the context of rapid socioeconomic and environmental change.

The Position

The Senior Climate Change Adaptation Specialist is responsible for leading and coordinating the work on adaptation to climate change of the Sustainable Livelihood Programme (SLPR) and for contributing to centre-wide activities on this topic. S/he should be aware of the international state of the art in this research field and be able to represent and introduce the relevant approaches and tools to ICIMOD. S/he needs to be aware of policies, lessons learned and best practices applicable in the HKH and to maintain a network of regional actors and stakeholders in the region and beyond.

Beyond his/her content responsibilities, s/he will be particularly responsible for the development, coordination, and implementation of the Adaptation Component of the Himalayan Climate Change Adaptation Programme (HICAP) and the AdaptHimal Project on Livelihoods and Ecosystem Services in the Himalayas, funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

Reporting and Supervision

The Adaptation to Climate Change Specialist reports through the Action Area Team Leader of the Innovative Livelihoods Action Area to the Programme Manager SLPR. S/he will participate as subject matter specialist to other relevant Programmes. Indirectly, position reports to the Director Programme Operations.

Responsibilities and tasks

Within the structure of ICIMOD’s Strategic Framework and specific project agreements, the senior specialist is expected to:

- ensure the state of the art of the work on adaptation to climate change in the programme as well as in the institution as a whole through an interdisciplinary and comprehensive approach;
- contribute substantially to the centre’s Strategic Framework on climate change adaptation within the related working group;
- provide intellectual leadership and managerial support in the given subjects with her/his specialised knowledge;
- contribute to the preparation of the annual and operational planning;
- contribute directly to the management and the implementation tasks associated with the project portfolio;
- strengthen cooperation with the Programme’s regional core partners by supporting them in implementing climate change sensitive approaches and building their capacities;
- organise, conduct, and contribute to internal and external training, workshops, seminars, and colloquia to disseminate the knowledge developed.

Main activities

- Develop, coordinate, plan, monitor, manage, and evaluate specific (action) research on adaptation to climate change.
- Coordinate and supervise consultants and partners implementing research in the field.
- Contribute to the planning, management, monitoring, and evaluation of the portfolio of projects of the Action Area, in particular the Himalayan Climate Change Adaptation Programme (HICAP) and the IFAD-funded AdaptHimal project on Livelihoods and Ecosystem Services in the Himalayas.
- Prepare quality project technical reports and scientific papers.
- Assist colleagues in writing, editing, and publishing research results.
- Participate in regular programme and other meetings, and when required in other Programmes and Directorate level meetings and committees.
- Participate in other teams as subject matter specialist as advised by the concerned Programme Managers and in the activities spelled out in the yearly action plan.
- Collaborate with colleagues in other strategic research programmes and projects, especially in the identification and assessment of emerging and key development trends and priorities in the HKH region.
- Liaise with partners and country offices on issues of adaptation to climate change.
- Act as a core member of the Working Group on Climate Change Adaptation (CARE).
- Contribute to the identification, development, and management of ICIMOD’s programme on adaptation to climate change with regional member country partners.
- Contribute to the Centre’s public relations efforts through knowledge dissemination and utilisation in his/her areas of expertise.
- Represent ICIMOD in national and international public and scientific events.

Minimum Qualifications

- Post-graduate academic degree relevant to climate change adaptation, with a thorough understanding of both social and environmental sciences (e.g., geography, anthropology, environmental studies, or any other relevant discipline)
- At least five years of relevant working experience in the areas directly related to climate change impacts and adaptation in a development context
- Experience with qualitative and quantitative research methods and with the development and implementation of research frameworks
- Proven ability to think analytically and critically, and ability to translate ideas, insights, and learning into action through a coherent programme of work

Competencies

- Ability to work independently and be accountable for timely delivery of high quality results
- Demonstrated capacity to work in teams with colleagues and collaborators of different disciplines and socio-cultural backgrounds
- Excellence in written and spoken English (proven track-record of publications); knowledge of other languages spoken in the region an asset
- Good interpersonal communication, leadership, and networking skills
- Proficiency in standard computer applications
- Strong commitment to ICIMOD mission and core values of equity, fairness, and diversity