Senior Climate Resilient Water Resources Management Advisor (Home based Retainer)

Job Description

Role: Senior Climate Resilient Water Resources Management Advisor (Home based Retainer)

Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Job Highlight

The Senior Climate Resilient Water Resources Management Advisor will provide strategic and technical support to help the Ministry of Agriculture mobilize climate finance, develop high-quality investment pipelines and project concept notes, strengthen institutional capacity, and support implementation of agriculture-related climate priorities under Ethiopia’s Nationally Determined Contribution and related plans.

Role Purpose

The Senior Climate-Resilient Water Resources Management Advisor will provide strategic and technical support to help the Ministry of Agriculture mobilize climate finance, develop high-quality investment pipelines and project concept notes, strengthen institutional capacity, and support implementation of agriculture-related climate priorities under Ethiopia’s Nationally Determined Contribution and related plans.

Functions / Key Results Expected

1. Climate Finance Mobilization and Project Development

• Identify, screen, and prioritize climate-resilient water sector investment opportunities, with particular attention to interventions that can be advanced into finance-ready concept notes, project proposals, and investment packages.
• Prepare, coordinate, and refine high-quality concept notes, project proposals, and financing submissions for the Green Climate Fund, Global Environment Facility, Adaptation Fund, multilateral development banks, bilateral partners, philanthropic organizations, and other relevant financing sources.

2. Capacity Building and Institutional Strengthening

• Assess institutional gaps in fundraising, climate finance engagement, investment planning, project pipeline development, and proposal preparation within the Ministry and relevant sector institutions.
• Design and deliver practical in-house training, coaching, and mentoring for Ministry staff and affiliated institutions on investment planning, project structuring, concept note development, proposal writing, donor engagement, and resource mobilization.

3. Strategic and Technical Support to the Climate Resilient Integrated Water Resources Management Initiative and Basin Programs

• Provide strategic and technical support to the Ministry in the design, coordination, implementation follow-up, and problem solving required for the Climate Resilient Integrated Water Resources Management initiative.
• Support planning, technical review, coordination, and implementation follow-up for other major basin development and integrated water resources management programs supported by the Government of the Netherlands.

4. Strategic and Technical Support for Sector NDC Implementation

• Provide strategic advice to the Ministry on implementation of water-related Nationally Determined Contribution priorities and climate-resilient water sector commitments.
• Support review and refinement of sector strategies, investment priorities, and implementation approaches to ensure stronger alignment with national climate plans, financing opportunities, and sector needs.

5. Systems, Coordination, and Reporting Support

• Support improvement of sector systems for planning, monitoring, measurement, reporting, verification, and knowledge management related to water sector climate interventions.
• Strengthen integration of climate data, hydrological information, risk analysis, and implementation tracking into water sector planning and reporting processes.

6. Other Related Tasks

• Undertake field missions, consultations, reviews, and technical backstopping tasks needed to accelerate implementation of priority climate-resilient water sector interventions.
• Support preparation of presentations, briefs, talking points, and decision notes for Ministry leadership and development partners.

Skills

Capacity Building, Climate, Finance, Project Planning, Stakeholder Engagement, Strategic Planning, Technical Writing, Water Resource Management

Education Requirements

Required

• Master’s degree, preferably in Water Resources Management, Hydrology, Hydraulic or Water Engineering, Climate Change, Environmental Science, Development Finance, Project Planning, Public Policy, or another closely related field.
• Bachelor’s degree in related discipline with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience (total 7 years) may be accepted instead of an advanced university degree

Desired

• PhD in a relevant field.

Experience Requirements

Required

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in climate-resilient water resources management, integrated water resources management, project preparation, investment planning, or related fields
• Strong technical knowledge of climate-resilient water management, including water supply, watershed restoration, drought and flood resilience, hydrological information systems, water governance, and water infrastructure challenges in developing-country contexts.
• Proven ability to strengthen public institutions through training, mentoring, development of practical tools and guidance materials, and support for fundraising, investment planning, and project development.
• Demonstrated skills in analysis, report writing, coordination, negotiation, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement, including experience providing strategic or technical support to donor-supported water and climate programs.

Desired

• Demonstrated experience in mobilizing finance and preparing high-quality concept notes, project proposals, investment cases, or financing packages for climate, water, development, or infrastructure finance institutions.
• Previous experience supporting government ministries or national institutions in Ethiopia or similar contexts.
• Strong understanding of climate finance architecture and donor requirements, including practical experience engaging multilateral climate funds, development banks, bilateral partners, and philanthropic financing mechanisms.
• Knowledge of Ethiopia’s water-sector climate priorities and institutional landscape.

Language Requirements

Language Proficiency

• English Fluent Required
• Amharic Fluent  Required

Additional Information

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.

Terms and Conditions

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.