Job Advertisement - Project Manager, Water Tracker for National Climate Plans
Title: Project Manager, Water Tracker for National Climate Plans
Reports to: Policy Director
Term: limited full-time, 1-yr contract with option to extend, based on available funding
Company Background
The Alliance for Global Water Adaptation (AGWA) is an international members-based NGO working to develop, support, and mainstream climate-resilient water management through technical programs and policy processes. AGWA is made up of over 2000 members, largely professionals from the water community representing utilities, academia, development banks, NGOs, government agencies, financial institutions, and the private sector. A small secretariat runs the daily operations of AGWA, while many of its initiatives are crowd-sourced across the network. AGWA’s headquarters are based in Oregon, U.S.A but its activities take place globally.
Job Summary
As the Project Manager, you will lead the development and validation of the Water Tracker for National Climate Plans, which we see as a flagship project to successfully mainstream water resilience within national climate planning processes. The project includes development, validation, and promotion of the Water Tracker for countries and their allies seeking to use water resilience as a mechanism to enhance, coordinate, and implement national climate plans such as NDCs, NAPs, and other emerging policy and planning frameworks. Direct country engagement will be an essential element of co-creating and piloting the Water Tracker, in collaboration with a set of convening partners that includes NGOs, think tanks, UN agencies, and funding institutions such as development banks. You will work under the supervision of the AGWA Policy Director.
Within AGWA, you will be working closely with the Executive and Policy Directors, COO, and the (also new) Events and Communications Officer to execute the project. Much of the Water Tracker engagement will include (a) managing a team of external consultants that will be using the Water Tracker Tool to assess the current state of water adaptation within current national climate plans and (b) working with countries to identify appropriate interventions and approaches to climate change adaptation. Non-confrontational sensitivity with legal frameworks, institutional contexts, and distinct social and cultural mores are necessary for developing and maintaining successful partner relationships. Careful editing, crowd-sourcing, and writing skills are absolutely critical to the successful delivery of the Water Tracker, which may also include negotiating among and between diverse partners and stakeholders in ways that match audience needs.
In addition, you will be responsible for liaising with our external project partners, as well as the donor organization, to support meetings and conferences associated with this project, including but not limited to COP26. Travel is expected. Preference will be given to candidates who can be expected to have received a Covid-19 vaccine by September 2021.
As such the position requires a strong background at the Master’s level or above in water management and/or policy issues, a familiarity with climate policy (especially with regard to water issues, preferably with an emphasis on adaptation and resilience), and experience with project management and coordination.
You will leverage your considerable project management and coordination skills to successfully work with AGWA staff, consultants, and partner organizations, as well as high-level government representatives and technical staff to deliver targeted support to the countries participating in this pilot project. You will be responsible for external representation and engagement with policymakers, experts and partners, as well as for working with AGWA staff on the timely completion of all grant reporting, monitoring and evaluation. Comfort with effective public speaking and representing and negotiating on behalf of AGWA will be important on a regular basis. Communications, publicity, and outreach will be led by others, but input to communications strategy and implementation are necessary and critical to the Water Tracker’s success; support to communications delivery is also expected.
AGWA’s work culture is dynamic and fast moving and requires an independent, self-motivated and self-directed approach, with the flexibility to work across time zones, levels of formality, and culture. We may have more in common with a high-tech startup in our work culture than a more traditional NGO or think tank. You will create your own network of resources and partners over the course of this project. We expect staff to communicate progress, problems, and solutions early and often in a deeply collaborative, practical, and (if possible) humble and even humorous way. We find that investigation, creativity, and learning are critical for successful outcomes for most of our projects. AGWA will stretch you! We hope you will stretch us in turn. Given our small size, the ability to troubleshoot is essential. So is the ability to ask for and receive help.
Please note, renewal of this position beyond the project end date is contingent on securing additional funding that will be negotiated in the first quarter of 2022.
Job Responsibilities
Project Management
Oversee the execution of a one-year, multi-institution grant agreement that includes the development and deployment of a diagnostic tool for countries to use in assessing the current level of integration of water into national climate adaptation planning.
Manage / administer a small team of consultants who will be responsible for 1) conducting the country assessments and 2) working with state representatives to develop strategies for improving water-related climate adaptation at the national level
Prepare interim and final project technical reports; work with our grants coordinator to prepare and finalize financial reports.
External Engagement
Liaise with external project partners to coordinate country engagement and meeting preparation.
Attend and participate in international meetings and conferences such as the Petersburg Dialogues and COP26 (this component is anticipated to be virtual until the curtailment of international Covid-19 restrictions, which may or may not take place prior to 31 March 2022. Any travel will be discussed and agreed to in advance).
Progress Tracking / Reporting
Write quarterly donor progress reports. Because this is a new project, these reports should include information on which components of the project are working well and where improvements could be made in the future. The Tracking Tool is still being developed and it is anticipated that this will be an iterative process; user experience will need to be documented to help refine the Tool and its application for subsequent versions.
Meeting / Conference support
Working with the project’s Communications and Events Officer, organize and execute project events and meetings at COP26 and the SWA Sectors Ministers Meeting (SMM).
Qualifications
Master's degree or equivalent in a relevant field related to water resources management, international development, and/or climate policy
Minimum of 2 years of relevant, full time work experience related to water policy is required, ideally at the national or global level. Climate policy experience appreciated.
Minimum of 2 years of project management experience including report writing and budget tracking; experience with complex, government-funded grants an advantage
Ability to effectively communicate with high-level political representatives as well as technical experts
Candidate must be self-motivated with an ability to handle multiple priorities and work under tight deadlines
Ability to work effectively in a remote setting
Strong writing and oral presentation skills in English are essential; fluency in other languages an advantage.
How to Apply
Please submit a cover letter with resume to policy@alliance4water.org.