Senior Officer, Water Resources

INTRODUCTION TO GGGI

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is a treaty-based international, inter-governmental organization dedicated to supporting and promoting strong, inclusive and sustainable economic growth in developing countries and emerging economies. To learn more please visit about GGGI web page. 

POSITION SUMMARY

The Senior Officer, Water Resources will lead GGGI’s sectoral water portfolio in Lao PDR, and act as the organization’s focal point for issues related to water resources, wastewater and flood management in Lao PDR. In this role, the Senior Officer will lead day-to-day management of GGGI Lao PDR’s Water Unit; act as overall project manager on the MFAT-financed project “Nature-Based Solutions for Urban Adaptation” (NATURA) and oversee key outcome areas related to water resources governance, water and wastewater infrastructure, and associated policy and planning at national, provincial and local levels in Lao PDR. The Senior Officer’s primary goal is to ensure robust and long-lasting results at all levels of the Water Unit’s engagement, and the Senior Officer will have the opportunity to affect real change and impact on the national water, urban flood resilience and wastewater agenda of Lao PDR

This requires knowledge and expertise in water resources management, hydrology, stormwater management, nature-based solutions, fecal sludge and wastewater management systems, infrastructure and socio-economic aspects of these infrastructure, with links to climate change mitigation and adaptation. Experience in delivering wetland restoration and nature-based solutions in the urban areas will be a considerable advantage.

PURPOSE

• Provide high quality technical expertise on water resources management, flood management, wastewater management and wetland management policy, planning and regulation, with special linkage to climate change adaptation and mitigation.
• Structure, conceptualize and define appropriate solutions for urban adaptation through nature-based solutions in the identified sub-catchments under the MFAT funded NATURA project in Vientiane. Work with advisors / consultants / engineers in designing and implementing these solutions in the city.
• Lead and manage overall implementation of NATURA project including technical / strategic oversight, team management and engagement with counterpart governments, donors and other stakeholders.
• Provide associated leadership in the water, flood and wastewater governance sector, including in terms of investment projects and technologies for emissions reduction and strategies for nature-based solutions, to foster resilient, low-carbon growth.
• Actively scope, ideate and participate in technical design and development of new business in the water resources management, flood and wastewater sectors, including engagement with new and prospective clients and partners.
• Engage with private sector to originate and/or structure projects and infrastructure to support improvements in water resources, flood and wastewater management in Lao PDR.
• Engage and lead GGGI’s national and provincial water resources management work from a variety of angles, including policy, planning, regulation, facility development, operation and capacity development, as required by portfolio projects.
• Foster the Water Unit team and staff, supporting learning and development opportunities, including professional growth.
• Ensure synergy and alignment of GGGI Lao PDR’s water and wastewater portfolio with the Government of Lao PDR’s strategies, targets and directions.
• Analyze barriers of implementation of priority climate interventions and estimate costs and investment requirements.

ENGAGEMENT

• Lead day-to-day communication around flood and wastewater governance with counterparts in Government of Lao PDR at national (central), provincial, district and village levels.
• Coordinate with GGGI experts and other GGGI units and departments at country level to ensure high quality delivery of project activities.
• Undertake day-to-day management of Water Unit staff, interns, consultants and consulting firms as needed for project delivery.

DELIVERY

• Effectively lead and plan Water Unit activities and targets, and track and monitor progress at the unit level through standard tools within GGGI’s management processes and systems and ensure that Unit key performance indicators are met and/or exceeded.
• Provide overall project management of the project “Nature-Based Solutions for Urban Adaptation” in Vientiane Capital, and ensure project implementation progress is on track, and delivered to schedule and budget.
• Identify project delivery issues and ensure effective supervision of project activities and resources to ensure attainment of objectives against established timeframes.
• Develop execution modality and documents for assigned projects. Capture lessons learned to support refinement and improvement of the execution modality.
• Ensure that social, environmental and other safeguards and co-benefits, including poverty reduction are adequately mainstreamed and/or applied in all deliveries and outputs.
• Ensure successful completion and delivery of the project deliverables.

REQUIREMENTS

QUALIFICATIONS

• An advanced degree (master’s or graduate degree) in hydrology, integrated water resources management, environmental management or environmental engineering, or similar fields.
• At least 8 years of relevant professional experience working on water, flood or wastewater policy or governance, infrastructure development and/or environmental management, with at least some of this time spent on international assignments or engagements.
• At least two (2) years of international experience working and living outside of home country, ideally in developing countries.
• Experience managing technical teams will be an advantage.
• Experience engaging with and/or working for the private sector on environmental issues will be a plus.
• Candidates will need to demonstrate experience on projects funded by international development partners.
• Exceptional skills in building productive working relationships with colleagues, field offices, stakeholders, donors and other partners
• Strong writing skills, including experience preparing proposals and undertaking business development
• Experience managing technical teams on climate or environmental projects, and securing sound project delivery in the field
• Good knowledge in monitoring and evaluation systems within a performance-based management context, and experience working with social and environmental safeguards will be a plus
• Experience working on emissions accounting, analysis, and scenario development will be a plus
• Excellent analytical skills, critical thinking ability, and data gathering skills.
• Excellent communication skills in English
• Excellent organizational and management understanding and demonstrated experience with successful mainstreaming of social and environmental safeguards, gender, poverty reduction and social inclusion
• Demonstrated experience in implementing projects that are supported and/or executed by both international and local consultants
• Experience in mobilization of resources from financial institutions and development partners is an advantage
• Experience in policy formulation, capacity building and multi-stakeholder engagement within the technical areas

FUNCTIONAL 

• Excellent understanding of water resources management, hydrology, urban storm water management and wastewater systems
• Strategic thinker and solutions-oriented manager with good ability to multitask and work in a matrix environment
• Detail-oriented person, who strives for quality and consistency in all outputs and communications
• Output-oriented, demonstrating creativity, innovation and an entrepreneurial drive
• Highly organized and able to effectively and efficiently multi-task and prioritize
• Ability to engage and work closely with public sector officials at national and local governments.
• Comfortable working both in a team and independently

CORPORATE 

• Understand and actively support GGGI's mission, vision and values.
• Demonstrate outstanding stakeholder engagement, client relationship, communication, teamwork, and consensus building.
• Process and share information easily and be excellent at problem solving.
• Manage emotions and stress positively, build rapport and resolve conflict easily.
• Promote creativity and innovation among staff.
• Work effectively with other teams of a high degree of cultural and professional diversity (cultural awareness)

WORKING CONDITIONS 

The Senior Officer, Water Resources, GGGI Lao PDR is an X9 International Staff Level in GGGI salary scale. Determination of base salary is subject to candidate's experience, academic background and internal equity. GGGI provides 15% of base salary towards retirement plan/long-term savings, 27 days of annual leave, and private health insurance that covers dental and vision.

GGGI is committed to providing a work environment that is sufficiently flexible to accommodate diverse life-cycle challenges and assist Staff members to achieve a better balance between work and personal/family commitments, thus ensuring high performance, long-term productivity, and well-being of Staff members.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

The GGGI Lao PDR program has been expanding rapidly in the areas of climate change, green cities and green investment mobilization. Since 2018, GGGI has been implementing a range of Readiness and Preparatory Support Program projects focused on building national capacity and policy for green finance, capacity building, climate modelling, energy efficiency, electric mobility and climate policy. GGGI has also undertaken a range of activities and projects to support Lao PDR’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). In addition, since 2019, GGGI has been implementing sanitation and fecal sludge treatment solutions in Pakse, Lao PDR, across interventions spanning infrastructure, policy, financing, regulation and capacity development. The country office has workspaces in the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Ministry of Public Works and Transport at central level, as well as the Vientiane Capital and Champasak Province governments.

GGGI Lao PDR’s Water Unit leads implementation of projects and outcomes related to water and wastewater policy and planning, water and wastewater infrastructure and technologies, and flood management and resilience at a national level. Key projects within the portfolio include Phase I of the KOICA-funded project “Wastewater and Solid Waste Treatment Capacity Building” through which GGGI is providing technical assistance for improved wastewater in Pakse City; Phase II of this project, also supported by KOICA, through which GGGI’s support in the wastewater sector will be extended to Kaysone, Savannakhet; and a new project “Nature-Based Solutions for Urban Adaptation” (NATURA), funded by New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), aimed to increasing the resilience of urban communities in Vientiane Capital through a range of interventions, including nature-based solutions, to improve urban wetland management for urban flood resilience. Along with project delivery, the Water Unit also engages in business development for the water and wastewater sectors, as well as water-related knowledge sharing and capacity development at the national and local levels. To support this work, GGGI is seeking an experienced international water resources professional with outstanding experience working on water resources policy and initiatives to join GGGI as a Senior Officer, Water Resources. This role leads and manages GGGI Lao PDR’s water resources, flood management and wastewater portfolio.