ADB: Senior Water Resources Specialist – Manila

The Senior Water Resources Specialist at ADB in Manila will coordinate projects in the AFNR sector, focusing on loan and TA projects in developing member countries. Responsibilities include policy dialogue, project implementation, and knowledge management in water resource management. The role requires expertise in areas such as flood risk management and integrated water resources management, and involves collaboration with various stakeholders to ensure climate-resilient solutions.
Your Role

As a Senior Water Resources Specialist, you will coordinate and communicate projects and activities in AFNR sector, and participate in the identification, development, implementation, and administration of loan and TA projects in DMCs. You will support the preparation of sector road maps, strategies, and contribute to sector assessments. You will guide technical, institutional, and policy options in the regional member countries and integrate them into ongoing and pipeline projects. You will lead policy dialogue and deliver projects focused on knowledge solutions. Delivery of the requirement of the position would require candidates to have skills and sub-sectoral expertise in any of or a combination of the following: coastal engineering and coastal zone management, flood risk management, glaciers, including landslide risk management, integrated water resources management, and irrigation management.

You will:

Collaborate with staff at ADB Headquarters, including relevant climate, disaster resilience, nature focals, and RMs in preparing suitable designs and implementation of modernized and climate resilient water sector projects, including meeting project readiness and quality at entry requirements

Lead policy dialogue, engage with stakeholders to discuss and develop water resource policies that align with environmental and organizational goals, and ensure that all water resource policies are communicated clearly and effectively to all relevant parties.

Develop and maintain a comprehensive knowledge management system to capture and share best practices and lessons learned in water resource management. Provide training and support to employees and stakeholders to ensure they have the necessary knowledge and skills to manage water resources effectively.

Represent SG-AFNR in meetings and consultations with ADB stakeholders including government counterparts and local partners, and actively contribute to new or innovative approaches to policy and operational issues which incorporate climate change adaptation in water resources management, especially integrated and innovative solutions.

Contribute to country programming and project development by supporting the development of suitable analytical work in the sector, including for glacier-related risk assessments.

Identify necessary and appropriate AFNR sector interventions, including but not limited to glacier-related interventions for water resources management. This can include river engineering, flood risk management, nature-based solutions etc., including investments, policy and institutional reforms, and capacity building for increased knowledge and resilience which may be considered by ADB.

Contribute to the development, processing, and administration of grant, loan, and TA projects in the SG-AFNR, including glacier-related interventions such as river basin management, modernized irrigation and drainage, landslide risk management, and early warning systems. Provide adequate attention to due diligence and delivery of development results.

Ensure key technical, social, economic, financial, and crosscutting issues such as climate change, glacial melt, natural capital, biodiversity and water use trends, poverty, social, and gender are appropriately incorporated into projects. Ensure technical, procurement, disbursement, and contract administration issues are resolved timely during loan and TA implementation.

Lead missions and lead on specific sector-related areas.

Prepare regular project updates and periodic reporting to supervisor and other project staff, teams, and project administration unit. Regularly coordinate and work closely with Climate Team to develop innovative and adaptive project designs and pipeline contributions.

Lead in the preparation of consultant terms of reference and bid documents and coordinate consultant activities as appropriate.

Supervise the performance of reporting staff, provide clear directions and regular monitoring and feedback on performance. Ensure the ongoing learning and development of reporting staff.

Qualifications

You will need:

Master’s Degree or equivalent in Civil Engineering, Climate Change, Environment or other related fields; or University degree and at least 5 years specialized experience relevant to the position can be considered.

At least 10 years of relevant professional experience in water resources sector. International experience working as a water resources/related field engineer in several countries at various expertise such as glacier, coastal engineering and coastal zone management, integrated water resources management, irrigated agriculture development, water system management, river basin flood risk management, and flood management, in several countries.

Two years of relevant experience outside ADB within the past five years is required. Years as an ADB-engaged consultant or contractor are considered experience outside of ADB.

Experience working in Asia and the Pacific Countries is an advantage.

Candidates with experience in glacier-related countries including Caucus and Central Asia and West regions are highly encouraged to apply.

Good knowledge of climate change adaptation, disaster risk management and water resources development, including basin-wide approaches, nature-based solutions, flood risk management and natural resources management, community resilience and participation, infrastructure modernization, capacity building and institutional strengthening, integrated approaches to resource management.

Strong technical skills and experience in climate change adaptation and water resources sector. Ability to contribute to reviewing designs of water resources interventions and associated rural infrastructure facilities, prepared/proposed by consultants or the government agencies, including cost estimates, implementation arrangements and other relevant technical aspects.

Ability to synthesize technical, institutional, economic, social, and safeguard outputs into a coherent project design.

Excellent oral and written communication skills in English. Good interpersonal skills, necessary to forge consensus among diverse stakeholders over various, and often contentious, development issues are preferred.

Please refer to the link for ADB Competency Framework for TI2.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements