Outreach Specialist, Water Program 168 views

Position can be located anywhere on African continent

Job Summary

WRI is working to advance water-wise and climate-resilient decision-making in Ethiopia. In this process we seek to identify knowledge and capacity gaps, design and execute impact-oriented research, scope intervention options and needs at national and sub-national scales, and engage with key stakeholders. During the first year, you will support two WRI water projects, one centered on analyzing watershed challenges and investment options in select watersheds of Amhara region, and the second on mainstreaming water and climate risk information into development planning. Stakeholder engagement will be a key aspect to be integrated systematically into project implementation. You will work very closely with an interdisciplinary team based both in Addis Ababa and Washington DC.

In this role, you will take a lead role on stakeholder engagement and support project outreach and coordination activities. You will be responsible for helping build, support and sustain positive and productive relationships with project stakeholders and broader WRI Ethiopia partners, including government, bilateral donors, development partners, and local/sub-national actors. Your excellent communication skills and the ability to interact with people at all levels enable you to build strong relationships both externally and internally across WRI teams. You will promote alignment across the WRI water projects and ensure that the engagement and technical aspects are well coordinated, integrated and support each other.

Job Responsibilities

• Lead project outreach and engagement activities, assuming main responsibilities in the watershed investment project as engager, convener and point of contact with Ethiopian stakeholders, in close coordination with the larger team
• Conduct stakeholder identification, mapping, and analysis, helping team members to define involvement, and refine theories of change
• Develop and manage a contact management system for Water program contacts, in cooperation with the WRI Ethiopia office
• Support broader project coordination
• Contribute to monitoring and evaluation of Water program activities;
• Organize and facilitate internal and external meetings, workshops, trainings, and other relevant consultations, capacity development and/or research dissemination events as needed, and help represent WRI
• Provide input to/review of research and knowledge products, briefs, communication materials, and/or other analyses as needed
• Support funder management
• Lead and/or contribute to the development of new funding proposals

Job Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required in social sciences, water resource management, environment, rural development, or related fields
• Minimum of 2 years of relevant professional experience, with some exposure to project development and implementation at local, national and/or international levels involving stakeholder engagement and mobilization
• Prior experience of working in the development field and in an international NGO setting is preferred
• Strong interpersonal, organizational and convening skills
• Experience organizing and facilitating workshops, webinars, dialogues, conferences, or similar events
• Proven ability to take initiative, assume responsibility, and problem-solve
• A responsive team player with the ability to forge new or strengthen existing partnerships that bridge people and organizations
• Highly responsible, self-motivated, and an entrepreneurial though flexible outlook;
• Professionalism and confidence in dealing with staff from government institutions and local stakeholders
• Prior experience, knowledge or strong interest in natural resource management and integrated landscape management issues, with an understanding of ecosystem services and specifically watershed services
• Good understanding of the Ethiopian context, government institutions and structures related to natural resource management, climate change and the environment;
• Experience in engaging with government and civil society actors and working with local stakeholders a plus
• Exposure to community mobilization and participatory processes, with knowledge of vulnerability, social inclusion and gender issues, would be an added advantage;
• Strong communicator with excellent written and verbal communication skills in both Amharic and English
• Previous experience with logistics and facilitation
• Additional research skills and experience in supporting analytical and research products;
• Excellent computer skills in Microsoft Office
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and as part of a team, able to see detail as well as the larger vision
• Flexibility to travel 20-30% of the year within Ethiopia, particularly to Bahir Dar and select woredas in the Amhara region.

Salary and Benefits: Salary is commensurate with experience and skills. WRI offers a generous, comprehensive benefits package.

Duration: The position is full time, subject to funding. The start date is 15 February 2020.

Program Overview

The World Resources Institute (WRI) is a global research organization that works at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity and human well-being. It spans more than 60 countries with a head office in Washington DC, USA and additional regional and country offices, including an Africa Regional Office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The WRI Water Program works with governments, the private sector and civil society to ensure a water-secure future and addressing both water quantity and quality challenges.

The WRI Africa Regional Office was established in Addis Ababa in 2017. Water is currently one of WRI Africa’s strategic priorities, along with Cities and Forests. To date, the WRI Water Program has focused on water security issues in Ethiopia by analyzing water risk and improving available information on water supply and demand. The program has developed a model with national coverage that can be used for scenario planning and monitoring around water risk. In conjunction with WRI’s Restoration program, the team has also explored how ecosystem services – linked to water, forests and biodiversity – must be protected for enhanced natural resource management, landscape health and the delivery of economic and livelihood benefits. Over the next two years, the program has three priorities: mainstreaming water and climate risk information into planning, policy and finance decisions; increasing investment in watershed services; and identifying pathways for urban water resilience.