Local Expert Water Resources Management, Ecohydrology and Water Quality

CIMA Research Foundation is seeking one Local Expert in Water Resources Management/Ecohydrology/Water Quality to support the Project Leader in Ethiopia and contribute to the implementation, management, monitoring, and coordination of the IWRM-Ethiopia Program. The Local Expert will provide technical expertise and support the program by liaising with local authorities (MoWE and BDOs), implementing activities in-country and leveraging his/her professional experiences and knowledge of the Water Resources Management/Ecohydrology/Water Quality sector in Ethiopia. The activities position is Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

Technical Support and Program Implementation

• Provide expertise and support to the PCU, the PMU, MoWE, and BDOs in the development and implementation of basin plans and water management strategies;
• Assist in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of current governance and policy frameworks for IWRM;  Assist in the identification of options by using national and international best practices and assess the methodologies adopted in existing basin development plans;
• Assist in the survey on existing data and monitoring equipment, stations and laboratory infrastructures to assess surface and groundwater quantity and quality to advise on technical features of equipment for water quality monitoring;
• Data gathering in online repositories for input data needed for basin scale modelling. Identification, and review of existing documents products, maps, and research works relevant to surface and groundwater;
• Assist in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of hydrological/Ecohydrological/water quality and hydro-meteorological data in the field by organizing sampling campaigns and monitoring activities in the studied basins;
• Support and selection of watersheds areas for demonstration based on sustainable approaches for the implementation of NBS applications including the involvement of local communities and assist in the implementation;
• Assist in the organization of technical trainings, local communities’ meetings and consultations, expert exchanges;
• Support the revision of the hydrometeorological observation network, participating in field missions as and when required;
• Supervise in-country activities, particularly those led by consultants and consulting firms;
• Contribute to the development and enhancement of integrated information systems for water resource management;
• Facilitate coordination and communication between the program management in Addis Ababa, the technical team in Italy, and other relevant initiatives in the country. For this purpose, a regular and strong link with other project personnel working at AICS premises in Addis Ababa is needed.

Stakeholder Engagement and Capacity Building

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with in-country partners and stakeholders, including government agencies, local institutions, and authorities.
• Organize and facilitate workshops, training sessions, and capacity-building activities for local stakeholders and communities.
• Provide technical guidance and training to MoWE and BDO staff on hydrology and water resource management best practices.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting

• Assist the Project Leader and the Project Coordinator in updating the Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) framework and preparing M&E reports based on the developed framework.
• Document program highlights, good practices, and lessons learned, including stakeholder and user feedback.
• Lead the preparation of Annual Progress Reports, Work Plans, and other relevant technical and operational documents.

Other Duties

• Participate actively in meetings and discussions with program and project partners.
• Lead and attend country missions, including those outside of the duty station (Addis Ababa) within Ethiopia. Expenses incurred to travel under this assignment will be reimbursed by CIMA, ONLY upon presentation of valid receipts.
• deliver a technical report on a bi-monthly basis.

Minimum Qualifications

• At least 5 years of professional experience in the hydrology sector in Ethiopia, with a strong understanding of the country’s water resource management challenges and opportunities. An academic background in in environmental sciences, water resources, biology, environmental chemistry, natural sciences or a closely related field is required.
• Previous experience working with the Ministry of Water and Energy (MoWE) and familiarity with its policies and procedures would be a strong asset.
• Experience in program coordination, stakeholder engagement, and capacity-building activities.
• Proven expertise in producing high-quality technical reports and documents in English and Amharic (both oral and written).
• Strong technical knowledge of hydrology and water resource management.
• Proficiency in data analysis and the use of relevant software tools for hydrological modeling and analysis.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills in English and Amharic (both oral and written).

For more information click here to download the full Terms of Reference