Water Resources and Climate Change Specialist at the African Development Bank Group (AfDB)

African Development Bank Group (AfDB) - Established in 1964, the African Development Bank is the premier pan-African development institution, promoting economic growth and social progress across the continent. There are 80 member states, including 54 in Africa (Regional Member Countries).  The Bank’s development agenda is delivering the financial and technical support for transformative projects that will significantly reduce poverty through inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Water Resources and Climate Change Specialist

Reference: ADB/19/126
Location: Côte d’Ivoire
Grade: N/A
Position N°: 50100532

The Complex

• The Vice-Presidency for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery (RDVP) is responsible for operational relevance, efficiency and effectiveness of the Bank Group’s operational programs and activities. The RDVP ensures that the Bank operates successfully across its Regional Members Countries (RMCs) and oversees the full implementation of all aspects of the Bank’s Regional Directorates.
• The Agriculture, Human and Social Development Complex (AHVP) leads in implementing two of the five goals, namely “Feed Africa” and “Improve the Quality of Life for Africans”. The Complex comprises five departments: (i) Agriculture and Agro-Industry Development; (ii) Agriculture Finance and Rural Development; (iii) Gender, Women and Civil Society; (iv) Water Development and Sanitation; and, (v) Human Capital, Youth and Skills Development.

The Hiring Departments/Unit

• The Water Development and Sanitation Department (AHWS) is responsible for the coordination of the Bank’s water development and sanitation-related activities to enhance synergies and contribute to achievement of all High 5s. The African Water Facility (AWF) is housed under AHWS.
• The African Water Facility (AWF) is an initiative of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) to mobilize resources to finance water sector facilitation and investment activities in Africa. The AWF has been established within the context of the Africa Water Vision and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The African Development Bank is managing the AWF at the request of AMCOW. The resources of the AWF are primarily allocated to: water resources projects and programmes focused on improving the enabling environment for sustainable national and regional water resources management, preparing projects and programmes for immediate capital investments, and providing resources for strategic and small-scale investments. The AWF plans, organizes and carries out activities related to project and programme cycle activities (identification, preparation, appraisal implementation and supervision) in the above areas, in all African countries; undertakes studies on issues regarding water sector development and related areas; provides advice and technical assistance to African countries; and ensures coordination and synergy with other partners and donors in the water and sanitation sector in Africa. The AWF currently manages a portfolio of €167 million spread all over Africa.

The Position

• The overall purpose of the assignment is to support mobilization of resources and implementation of water and other related activities, as well as ensuring that climate change and other cross cutting issues are incorporated in all projects financed under the African Water Facility. The Technical Assistant will also assist in mobilizing climate finance resources from different global climate change funds such as the Green Climate Fund GCF), Adaptation Fund (AF), and the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), among others.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Under the supervision of the Coordinator of the AWF, the senior expert will assist the AWF to evaluate new projects, and ensuring that climate change risks and impacts are identified and necessary mitigation measures are put in place. He/she will also ensure that best climate adaptation options are adapted and identified mitigation measures are addressed accordingly. The senior expert will identify relevant climate finance sources, structured concessional financing for de-risking and follow up on existing projects on water resources management, to identify climate financing gaps and climate change issues on both adaptation and/or mitigation.

S/He will undertake various activities, which among others include  but not limited to the following:

• Participate in the Climate Change Network of the Bank Experts, mapping sector expertise, cross-fertilization, and exchange of views;
• Assist in the preparation of climate change policies, strategies, and action plans;
• Analyze climate change content of projects, and ensure compliance with Bank policies and processes;
• Work with the Bank climate finance team to structure financing in projects and programs implemented by AWF;
• Participate in policy dialogue to mainstream climate change mitigation and adaptation in projects and programs using various climate change screening tools in the Bank and guidelines from Climate Change Action Plan 2 (CCAP II);
• Provide input and training to operations teams on policies and strategies related to climate change adaptation and climate change finance;
• Provide guidance and advice on co-financing opportunities from different climate change funds and the Bank housed Trust Funds for climate initiatives;
• Assist AWF Task managers in addressing and including climate change mitigation and adaptation measures in their projects through mainstreaming climate change component and subcomponents in projects and programs; and
• Provide technical guidance to Task managers in the bank on how to access different climate funds.

The senior expert is also expected to contribute to the Project Cycle Activities, Partnerships, Framework Development of Policy/Strategy/Guidelines/Dialogue and Supervision & Monitoring:

• Identify, prepare, appraise and implement water resources development and management programs and projects with a focus on climate change issues;
• Review all project briefs introduced in the African Water Facility projects pipeline from various sources and identify climate change implications;
• Undertake or participate as a team member in identification, preparation and appraisal missions utilizing technical background and experience to recommend appropriate climate change adaptation and mitigation measures and activities;
• Support AWF staff in identifying, preparing and implementing programs and projects to address climate change including the promotion of investments on adaptation and climate risk management.
• Assess Regional Member Countries (RMC) and Regional Organizations (RO) policy on climate change issues and their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) as they relate to water and sanitation energy;
• Review and enhance climate change considerations in all the African Water Facility programs and projects, studies and capacity building and institutional strengthening in RMCs and ROs through workshops, seminars, conferences, field missions and internal review processes;
• Share knowledge and developments in the field of climate change policies, and best practices from other international organizations;
• Provide support and help co-ordinate African Water Facility participation in international and regional fora with the view to building AWF capacity in contemporary thinking in the field of climate change as they relate to water resources management/development and sanitation;
• Compile relevant information on climate finance and climate change actions that could be transformed into various knowledge products and disseminate with internal and external clients.

Selection Criteria
Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Minimum of a Master’s degree or its equivalent in Water Resources Management or Engineering, Geo-Science, or any other relevant field, with a focus on climate change and climate finance;
• Minimum of five (5) years relevant experience in the development of environment, climate change, water, or related sector operations, project management, and policy formation;
• Proven writing and analytical skills in designing climate change projects or operations; ability to initiate innovative approaches and originality at work; sound analytic, conceptual and strategic thinking;
• Up-to-date knowledge of the critical climate change issues;
• Proven experience in mobilizing finance;
• Proven ability for team-work and multiple tasks, fast paced work under pressure; and client orientation;
• Capacity to ensure own work contributes to achieving AWF results;
• Flexibility to undertake field missions to Regional Member Countries;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and/or French, with a good working knowledge of the other language;
• Competence in the use of the standard Microsoft software applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and SAP.

Application Closing Date
12th July, 2019.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note: This position is a Technical Assistant (TA) position which is being financed by the Austria Development Agency (Ada) for two (2) years, not renewable. The African Development Bank (AfDB) on behalf of the african water facility (awf) which is the employer for this position posts this advertisement. Engagement as staff of AWF does not offer any expectation for future employment as staff in the afdb.