Water Resources Management Specialist
| Job #: | req25086 |
| Organization: | World Bank |
| Sector: | Water/Sanitation |
| Grade: | GF |
| Term Duration: | 2 years 0 months |
| Recruitment Type: | Local Recruitment |
| Location: | Lima,Peru |
| Required Language(s): | Spanish, English |
| Preferred Language(s): | |
| Closing Date: | 11/28/2023 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC |
Description
The World Bank Group is one of thelargest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a uniqueglobal partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty andpromoting shared prosperity. With 189 member countries and more than 120offices worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investingin groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to developsolutions to the most urgent global challenges.
Formore information, visitwww.worldbank.org
Latin America and Caribbean Region
The WBG serves 30 client countriesin Latin America and the Caribbean Region (LCR). Clients range from largerapidly growing middle and upper-middle-income clients to IDA countries, tosmall Caribbean states, and one fragile state. Despite immense resources anddynamic societies, deep inequalities persist in most LCR countries, with nearlya quarter of the Region's people living in poverty. The region is extremelyexposed and vulnerable to many natural disasters, such as earthquakes, floodsthat can ravage entire regions, and devastating hurricanes. It is also among the most vulnerable due to thehigh population density in the areas where these disasters strike and the needfor better risk management practices.
Formore information, visithttps://www.worldbank.org/en/region/lac
Water Global Practice and the Sustainable Development Practice Group
The water challenges of the world are tremendous. For human development, livable cities, food security, and energy security the need for better water resources management is growing. Even today, 2.5 billion people lack access to improved sanitation, of which 1 billion people practice open defecation. Poor sanitation, including inadequate wastewater collection and treatment, impacts health, education, the environment, and industries such as tourism. At least 800 million people lack access to safe drinking water. The lack of access to safe water and sanitation results in significant economic losses in many countries. This is further exacerbated by climate change, water pollution, water scarcity, and the global covid-19 pandemic in a fast-changing world.
Globally, the World Bank Group finances water development through projects, policy lending and technical assistance in the fields of sustaining water resources, delivering services (both in water in agriculture as in water supply and sanitation) and building resilience, the Water Global Practice (GP) also seeks to ensure that water issues are effectively addressed across all related sub-sectors, such as agriculture (ensuring sustainable water availability for irrigation), climate change and disaster risk management, and energy (hydropower). In each sub-sector, an integrated approach is adopted which considers investment alongside issues such as governance, institutions, and policies. WIA (Water in Agriculture) projects focus on all aspects of agricultural water management, from governance in service delivery, to modernization of irrigation, farmer led irrigation, water accounting and resilience through improved agricultural water practices. The Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) projects include rural and urban water and sanitation services, hygiene behavior, improving the efficiency of utilities, and provision of services to the poor. The Water Resources Management (WRM) projects include integrated water resource management, including groundwater management, dam safety, and flood management. Each team member is connected globally to these broad themes through the Global Solutions Groups (GSGs). https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/water
The Water GP is housed within the Sustainable Development Practice Group, which helps countries tackle their most complex challenges in the areas of Agriculture and Food, Climate Change, Environment, Natural Resources & Blue Economy, Environmental and Social Framework, Urban, Disaster Risk Management, Resilience & Land, Social Sustainability and Inclusion, and Water.
The Water GPs Unit in Latin America and the Caribbean is looking to further enhance its field-based capacity in Lima, Peru to support the growing engagement on water resources management and resilience in Peru and neighboring countries and to optimize impact and efficiency the water team works closely with other sectors. The Water Management Specialist will be based in the World Bank Country Office in Lima, Peru; and will report to the Water Latin America and Caribbean Practice Manager currently based in Lima, Peru.
Role & Responsibilities:
The Water Resources Management Specialist is expected to work independently with guidance on complex projects/issues from lead/senior technical specialists. The selected candidate will mainly support water-related lending and advisory services and analytical activities in Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Ecuador (LC6 countries), but might also participate in activities in other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean Region and globally. The selected candidate will work on a range of projects and analytics seeking to promote water security and sustainable development, through more resilient, inclusive, efficient development and management of water resources, water services, water risks, and climate resilience/adaptation.
The candidate will be expected to work independently with guidance on complex projects/issues from senior specialists and Task Team Leaders (TTLs). The successful candidate will support the lending and advisory services and analytics activities in the areas of water resources management, irrigation, water supply and sanitation water security in Peru and beyond, with the following duties:
- Support Bank Task Teams and/or participate in projects providing technical support in the identification, preparation, and supervision of projects as well as in the preparation and implementation of analytical and advisory activities, including the formulation of background documents, monitoring the progress of projects, and undertaking regular field visits.
- Support, co-lead and/or lead World Bank investment or Program for Results projects in the water sector.
- Lead the supervision of project subcomponents and provide technical advice to Government implementation units.
- Lead, co-lead, and participate in Advisory Services and Analytics (ASAs) activities in the countryand/or at regional level, for the Water Global Practice and or other GPs as agreed with the Practice Manager.
- Maintain liaison and dialogue with the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Water Agencz, the Ministry of Housing and Sanitation, the Regulatory Agency and other government and development partners, research institutions, non-government organizations, the private sector, and other sector-related institutions.
- Supervise consultants (individual and firms), ensuring consistency and conformity to Bank standards; and evaluating studies and sector-related project documentation.
- Provide technical support to the task teams, as needed, liaising closely and coordinating the water-related activities with other Global Practices and the Country Management Unit (CMU).
- Monitor and provide advisory support for the adherence to World Bank's operational policies and quality requirements in technical and fiduciary due diligence.
- Other activities as agreed with the Practice Manager.
Selection Criteria
* A Master's level degree, in a field relevant to water resources/environmental management, including climate, water supply and sanitation, environmental engineering, economist, or other related fields from an accredited university.
* A minimum of five years of relevant professional experience in water resources management in the government, bilateral or multilateral development organizations, private sector, or non-government organizations.
* Knowledge and experience in water and wastewater services, irrigation and/or climate change is a plus.
* Familiarity with and a good understanding of policy, institutional, regulatory, and management frameworks for water resources and water services management in Peru and the region.
* Experience in coordinating and/or managing multi-disciplinary projects on water management.
* Experience working with international institutions/companies is a plus.
* Experience with multi-sectoral teams is particularly desirable.
* Good external client relations skills.
* High level of energy, initiative, and flexibility in quickly adjusting to changing work program requirements.
* Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and Spanish. Other languages (French, Portuguese) would be desirable but not required.
* Ability to effectively dialogue with and relate to clients and stakeholders.
Required Competencies
In addition to the above, the successful candidate should demonstrate the following:
- Knowledge and Experience in Development Arena - Understands the policy-making process; distills operationally relevant recommendations/lessons for clients.
- Policy Dialogue Skills - Identifies and assesses policy issues and plays an active role in the dialogue with the government and/or other stakeholders.
- Integrative Skills - Working to develop an integrated view across all facets of the current sector.
- Water Policy and Strategy Basic understanding of water policies and strategies and their role in delivering outcomes to end users/customers.
- Water Institutions Basic understanding of water resourcse management institutions (ministries, regulators, basin organizations, service providers, community organizations) and how they are best organized to manage resources and risks in a sustainable and resilient manner.
- Water Financing Basic understanding of approaches to water resources and water services financing of both capital and O&M costs.
- Water Resources Management Infrastructure and Technologies - Direct experience with water management and services infrastructure and technologies.
- Lead and Innovate - Develops innovative solutions.
- Deliver Results for Clients - Proactively addresses 'clients' stated and unstated needs.
- Collaborate Within Teams and Across Boundaries - Collaborates across boundaries gives own perspective, and willingly receives diverse perspectives.
- Create, Apply, and Share Knowledge - Applies knowledge across GPs and WBG to strengthen solutions for internal and/or external clients.
World Bank Group Core Competencies
The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.
We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.
Learn more about working at theWorld BankandIFC, including our values and inspiring stories.