Programme Officer – Water and Wetlands

Background

IUCN Bangladesh Office is seeking to recruit an experienced and motivated candidate (Bangladesh national) to join the IUCN team as Programme Officer, Water and Wetlands who will work closely with Programme Manager, Species and Habitats and Country Representative, IUCN Bangladesh 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).

The Government of Bangladesh joined IUCN as a State Member in 1973. IUCN started its operation in Bangladesh as a “liaison office” in 1989 and a fully operation Country Office was established in Bangladesh in 1992. In Bangladesh the organization works in close association with national non-government organizations with key support from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), a State member to improve public and institutional awareness of environmental issues, and empower communities to judiciously and sustainably conserve and manage natural resources. Support, advice and encouragement are also received valued from partners, donors and commission members, and volunteer scientists at home and abroad.

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 Bangladesh.

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.

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.

Specific duties:

Project Management & Delivery

• Support delivery of current project(s)/initiative(s) related to water and wetlands governance, and Nature-based solutions for climate change.
• Contribute to programmatic and portfolio development including supporting multilateral programme design;
• Engage, build synergies with and provide technical assistance as needed, for successful delivery of work and knowledge;
• Expand IUCN’s network and engagements on water and wetlands governance and enhanced application of NbS in the water sector;
• Support the articulation and positioning of the Team and project activities in the context of IUCN’s water and wetlands programme area.
• Lead the implementation of the BRIDGE Meghna basin initiative in Bangladesh , 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.
• Prepare workplans, budgets, technical reports as per donor requirements
• Conduct field missions for project implementation, as necessary
• Technical and project support, though desk research, consultation process capacity building, communication and networking with multiple stakeholders.

Portfolio development:

• Conduct technical research and lead the development of new project proposals and initiatives for expanding the water and wetlands programme activities in Bangladesh;
• 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:

• Lead and coordinate knowledge development on themes related to water and natural infrastructure, Nature-based Solutions, including training materials, scalable, financing models, etc;
• 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 Bangladesh and other countries in the region, as well as in-depth understanding of water and wetland management issues in Bangladesh.
• Familiarity with institutional networks in Bangladesh (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 Bangladesh 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.