Watershed Management Specialist at ICIMOD

Background

ICIMOD has developed its Medium Term Action Plan, MTAP (2008-2012) in conjunction with a new five-year strategic framework organised around three programmes – Integrated Water and Hazard Management (IWHM), Environmental Change and Ecosystem Services (ECES), and Sustainable Livelihoods and Poverty Reduction (SLPR) – supported by a strong knowledge management division and specialists in gender, equity, governance, and economics, working together on programmes designed to help people adapt to climate change and improve their livelihood while protecting the environment. Climate Change, land use change and changing population dynamics are the main drivers of environmental change. These drivers are altering the livelihoods of mountain people by increasing their economic and environmental vulnerabilities. Within ECES, the Integrated Watershed Management (IWM) Action Area is working on issues aimed at promoting sustainable land use and community-based management of ecosystems within a framework that can  sustainably integrate natural resource management with community livelihoods through participatory, socially acceptable, equitable and gender-sensitive approaches.

Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the ECES Programme Manager and direct supervision of the IWM AA team leader the Watershed Management Specialist will carry out the following task in close collaboration with other staff of the IWM AA and of other ICIMOD programmes:

1. Support the IWM AA team leader in operational as well as operational planning and defining of a regional IWM agenda in light of upcoming challenges on climate change  adaptation.
2. Develop proposals for mobilizing funds and facilitate/support implementation of regional projects in the field of IWM with an orientation toward Payment of Ecosystem Services.
3. Undertake project identification, development, monitoring and technical supervision missions as required by partner institutions and stakeholders in the HKH region.
4. Design and carry out participatory action research and knowledge development, gathering and compilation in the field of IWM keeping in view the target recipients who are policy- and decision makers and land use managers since ICIMOD’s work aims at bridging the gap between research and policy.
5. Support the capacity building and networking actions and activities of the IWM AA with and through identified-partners and stakeholders in the RMCs.
6. Work as an interdisciplinary team player within ICIMOD to support other AA-based activities and promote organizational goals and objectives working closely with colleagues within and outside the ECES programme to contribute to a constructive and professional working environment and to the development of ICIMOD as an enabling and integrated mountain development centre.

Qualifications  

The thrust of ICIMOD projects being generally of transboundary and regional nature, and the IWM specialist’s need to have a good understanding of the regional dimension of IWM as well as the positioning of this work in a global context, the position requires a person with a regional overview.

In fostering IWM work within ICIMOD, the selected person has to take particular consideration of marginalized and vulnerable groups living in hills and mountains as well as need to know how to mainstream gender perspective in IWM. Without neglecting the importance of ‘technical’ solutions in the field of IWM, the IWM specialist shall spearhead ‘social inclusion’ and a people perspective’ approaches in ICIMODs IWM work.

The duty station is Kathmandu, frequent travelling within the region is required.

• The minimum qualification required for this job is Masters’ (MS, MSc.) level academic degree or equivalent in watershed or natural resource management; A post graduate degree in applied Social Sciences (Development or Rural Sociology, Resource Economics with a thrust or specialization in natural resources management) will also be considered.
• 5 years of minimum work experience in the field of integrated watershed management, natural resources and common property resources management of which a meaningful part preferably has been gained in the HKH region.
• Experience in field research, and a documented record of publications in the field of natural resources and integrated watershed management.
• Experience and knowledge in proposal writing, project management, project monitoring and evaluation systems.
• Excellent communication and writing skills in English.
• Past experience of working in multicultural work environment.
• Ability to prepare project proposals, progress reports, skills in project planning, providing training lectures in IWM and soil and water conservation, negotiation skills with Government/Research officials and performance assessment.
• Experience in managing and working with multidisciplinary teams, particularly with international/regional agencies; capacity for intellectual leadership and skill in working with colleagues and collaborators of different national and disciplinary backgrounds.

Duration: 3 years, of which the first 6 month will be on probation. 

Starting Date:  1 March 2009 or as early as possible.

Remuneration: Salaries and benefits of ICIMOD are highly competitive compared to other regional organisations; remuneration is commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Gender and Equity Policy: Qualified and eligible women candidates and those from disadvantaged backgrounds are highly encouraged to apply. ICIMOD implements a gender fair policy and is supportive of working women. It operates a Day-Care Centre at the campus and is committed to gender mainstreaming at the organizational and programmatic levels.

Applications with complete curriculum vitae together with the names and contact addresses of three referees should be sent to the following address not later than 31 January 2026

Only short- listed candidates will be notified.

HRD Officer
ICIMOD
GPO Box 3226, Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: (977-1) 5003222     
Fax: (977-1) 5003299 / 5003277
e-mail: [email protected]