Consultant - Technical Support Expert

at  International Water Management institute

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a CGIAR Research Center is seeking an innovative & multi skilled candidate to join its office in South Africa, as a Consultant - Technical Support Expert.

The Groundwater for Advancing Resilience (G4DR) in Africa project aims to enhance water security and resilience in Africa by unlocking the potential of sustainable groundwater development and management. It will do this through support to the Secretariat of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW-Sec). Within the framework of the AMCOW groundwater program (APAGroP), project activities will focus on improving groundwater assessment and monitoring and enhancing groundwater governance. A network of regional centers will contribute to implementing a program of activities broadly categorized into the following five components:

• Strategic Planning: Supporting AMCOW through their Pan-African Groundwater Program (APAGroP).
• Evidence and Capacity for G4DR in Africa: Identifying aquifers that present risks and opportunities to water security and resilience, informing strategic planning and investments.
• Demonstrating benefit: Utilizing evidence-based planning to realize on-the-ground impacts in pilots.
• Incorporating G4DR into pan-African Youth Forums: Enhancing beyond-project capacity, outreach, networking, and uptake of long-term workable and sustainable strategies and solutions.
• Supporting Knowledge Management and M&E: Supporting capture, exchange, and dissemination of key project advancements, as well as evaluation of project progress relative to targets.

G4DR success will be gauged by the direct water security and resilience benefits achieved through enhanced consideration of groundwater in planning. More profoundly, the project will achieve success if it strengthens processes and systems across institutions and scales so that the promotion of groundwater in planning and management is sustained. FAO is the GEF Implementing Agency. The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) is the executing agency, in partnership with the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), and the Ministry of Water and Mining (Benin), the Ministry of Water Resources (Malawi), the National Directorate of Water Resources Management (Mozambique), the Ministry of Water and Village Hydraulics (Togo), and the Ministry of Water and Environment (Uganda).

EXPERIENCE, SKILLS & ABILITIES REQUIRED:

• At least five years of relevant work experience, preferably in a project management setting involving multilateral/international funding agencies.
• Proficiency in the use of computer software applications, particularly MS Excel and MS Word.
• Good organizational skills, with the ability to handle multiple tasks in a timely manner.
• Demonstrated strong communication skills, particularly when preparing correspondence and briefings.
• Demonstrated experience in using Smartsheet’s, Teams, and other platforms for effective team coordination and project monitoring.
• Demonstrated familiarity with social media and the ability to use such media to promote inter-office communications and information sharing.
• A problem-solving mindset and great organizational capacity across multiple projects and geographies.
• The ability to effectively establish priorities and plan, organize, implement, and monitor work activities with limited supervision.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, and the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with people in a multicultural and multidisciplinary environment, with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
• Demonstrated skills in using project management software.
• Demonstrated skills in employing facilitation methods for participatory decisions and shared visions with stakeholders.
• A high level of proficiency in using MS Office and other computer software.
• Able to deal with sensitive and confidential information in a professional manner.
• Personal attributes include high standards of conduct, respect, flexibility, and a sound work ethic.
• Experience preparing scientific information and papers.
• Experience building and sustaining relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Prior experience in water management, agriculture, or climate change with international organizations.

The Technical Support Expert will be responsible for supporting the CTA with managing the project and communicating with the project teams, as well as supporting project management systems, procurement, travel, and reporting. The TSE will assist the CTA with the following technical tasks:

• Support the project leader by keeping on track country work plans and activities for the project team.
• Create a project management calendar and track project portfolios, outputs, progress-reporting updates, and overall project progress, including deliverables, and provide administrative support to the Project Leaders to ensure that agreed timelines are adhered to.
• Contribute to preparing accurate and timely project reports and ensure consistency across information presented to stakeholders.
• Monitor ongoing program plans, budgets, progress, highlight potential risks to program delivery, and provide solutions where applicable.
• Lead the preparation of progress monitoring reports and support the soft aspects of technical report production.
• Liaise with IWMI PMO and finance to ensure efficient coordination.
• Coordinate with external project partners on project progress & financial management.
• Support awareness-raising efforts and communication strategies, including writing and disseminating blogs to promote project outputs and outcomes.
• Prepare and deliver international and national workshops with relevant stakeholders.
• Prepare and deliver in-country workshops with Government, private investors, donors, and NGOs.
• Assist the project leader in other possible areas of the project management life cycle as needs arise.
• Organize, facilitate, attend, and participate in meetings, prepare meeting minutes, and ensure follow-up on necessary actions and decisions from meetings with project teams and implementing partners for effective coordination and planning.
• Support team members in preparing presentation material and translating research material into products for a broader audience (e.g., blogs, briefs, manuals, guidelines).