Water and Agricultural Sector Expert

UNOPS supports the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to serve people in need by expanding the ability of the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, infrastructure and procurement in a sustainable and efficient manner.

Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, our vision is to advance sustainable implementation practices, always satisfying or surpassing our partners’ expectations.

With over 7,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, wherever they need it.

A flexible structure and global reach means that we can quickly respond to our partners' needs, while offering the benefits of economies of scale. 

Water and Energy Cluster

Based in Copenhagen, the UNOPS Water and Energy Cluster provides specialized project management services to partners such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Bank. Together with partners, the cluster executes projects that support sustainable development by:

• promoting international cooperation to prevent and reverse environmental degradation of international water systems
• enhancing the resilience of communities and eco-systems to climate change
• lowering emissions by bridging renewable energy solutions
• developing Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions to strengthen climate-resilient development

A.                 General Background information on the Project

Project Title: Implementing Integrated Water Resource and Wastewater Management in Atlantic and Indian Ocean SIDS

The geographic scope of this regional project covers the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, focusing on six Small Island Developing States (SIDS), with Cape Verde and Sao Tome & Principe in the Atlantic Ocean and Comoros, Maldives, Mauritius and Seychelles in the Indian Ocean. The Goal of the project is to contribute to sustainable development in the Indian and Atlantic Ocean SIDS through improvements in natural resource and environmental management. The overall Objective is to accelerate progress on WSSD targets and IWRM and WUE plans and water supply and sanitation MDGs for the protection and utilization of groundwater and surface water in the participating countries. This will be based on best practices and demonstrations of IWRM approaches.

The project is consistent with the GEF IV strategic objective for International Waters: ‘to play a catalytic role in addressing trans-boundary water concerns by assisting countries to utilize the full range of technical assistance, economic, financial, regulatory and institutional reforms that are needed’.  It will do so through supporting and building on existing political commitments and through promoting sustainable water use and improved water management, making it easier to address the challenges of the future as climatic variability and change affects water resources further.  More specifically, the project will deliver outcomes under GEF IV Strategic Programme III (SP-3) through working with communities to address their needs for safe drinking water and other socio-economic benefits of sustainable and safe water resources, including balancing environmental requirements with livelihood needs.

UNEP and UNDP jointly function as Implementing Agencies and respectively oversee their own components.  UNDP component focuses on site-based IWRM demonstration activities while UNEP components primarily focus on national and regional interventions. UNDP component is implemented through UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) Water and Energy Cluster while UNEP components are executed by UNOPS East Africa Hub. The following are the Project components;

Component 1: Targeted site based IWRM demonstration activities in all six participating countries (UNDP Implemented)

Component 2: Focusing on development of IWRM and WUE Regional Indicator Framework based on improved collection of gender disaggregated data and indicator feedback and action for improved national and regional sustainable development using water as an entry point b (UNEP Implemented). 

Component 3: Focusing on Policy, Legislative, and Institutional Reform for IWRM and WUE through supporting institutional change and re-alignment to enact National IWRM Plans and WUE strategies, including appropriate financing mechanisms and supporting and building further political will to endorse IWRM policies and plans (UNEP Implemented). 

Component 4: Focusing on Capacity Building and Sustainability Program for IWRM and WUE, including Knowledge Exchange and Learning and Replication (UNEP Implemented).

As part of the IWRM implementation support, the project supports any of the six participating SIDS in their efforts to mobilize resources, when such opportunity arises, to implement IWRM practices further in the country. 

B. General Background on Consultancy:

The project is providing support to the Government of Cape Verde in preparation of a Concept Note (CN), a Pre-Feasibility Study (Pre-FS) and a Request for Project Preparatory Facility (PPF) for submission to the Green Climate Fund (GCF). The Government of Cape Verde requested UNDP’s support to formulate a Concept Note and a Request for PPF that meet GCF submission criteria/ requirement.  The Regional Project Steering Committee agreed for the project to provide financial support to the effort of the Government of Cape Verde, in partnership with UNDP, to develop the Concept Note, the Pre-FS and the PPF Request. 

Subsequently, UNDP is mobilizing a team of experts to support the Government to prepare for those two documents for UNDP’s internal review by March 2018 and for submission to GCF once they are internally cleared.

C. Scope of Work:

A project design team comprised of international and national technical experts, with technical and strategic guidance from UNDP, will assist the Government of Cape Verde in developing a GCF Concept Note, a Pre-FS, and a PPF Request.  

D. Roles and Responsibilities:

To complement the team, UNOPS is hiring a  local expert in Cape Verde, who will provide technical support to a team of international Consultant on Concept Note development and ensure that the Concept Note is technically sound at each specific locations selected as project sites, financially viable, and adequately contextualized in the specific conditions that Cape Verde faces.  The consultant is also expected to ensure that inputs and comments from national and local stakeholders are secured in time for the finalization of those documents.  The consultant is expected to work closely and collegially with the Government, stakeholders, UNDP and the multidisciplinary team in place,

Specifically, the national consultant will assist the team of international consultant with the following tasks;

• providing specific, technical and contextualized information and data related to all Wastewater Treatment Facilities (WWTFs) in the country that is most effective and efficient capital investment option at each WWTF for the production of re-use water for irrigation purpose, including the identification of specific equipments, capacity, design for re-use water transportation storage and irrigation, and relevant financial estimates. 
• gathering relevant information and data related to farmlands with irrigation potential and farmers near each WWTF to assess and identify potential location for irrigation agriculture promoted by the project and identify potential beneficiaries (farmers) who will be involved in the project activities.
• proposing the details of crops and agricultural practices to be promoted at each farmland to be irrigated with re-use water, which will be promoted by the project as part of efforts to build climate resilience in the agriculture sector and farmers, with relevant financial estimates.
• identifying what data/information is readily available to be included in the Pre-FS and what is not readily available but required, thus, to be collected during the Feasibility Study.
• taking the lead in the process of identifying key stakeholders, especially at local level specific to proposed project intervention sites, sensitizing them of the proposed interventions, and gathering their feedback/inputs.
• ensuring inputs and comments from the relevant national and local stakeholders on circulated documents are secured in time. 
• supporting international experts in responding their information needs from the country, advising what is available and what is not, and connecting to relevant resources and/or resource persons in the country.
• providing required inputs to finalize the GCF Concept Note, the Pre-Feasibility Study, and the GCF PPF Request with sufficient details, and to address comments received on those documents through review process.

Consultant’s Responsibilities

In close consultation with UNDP and the team of experts in place, the consultant will be responsible for filling in the required information in the finalization process of the Concept Note, the Pre-FS, and the PPF Request.  The specific responsibilities include but not limited to the following;

1. Through the review the Project Idea and the draft Concept Note and the initial consultation with UNDP and experts involved in the CN development, appreciate the overall picture of the proposed intervention, climate change adaptation (CCA) arguments, and the rational to request for GCF support to the proposed interventions.   
2. Identify information and data requirements and gaps to strengthen and complete the draft Concept Note and the Pre-FS with specific data/information and with stronger CCA arguments in the specific context of Cape Verde.
3. Ensure the proposed CN is fully in line with national strategies and policies related to climate change adaptation and resilience building.
4. Visit all WWTFs to be included in the scope of the proposed project to collect data/information, to assess the current situation, to identify investment needs and capacity development needs at each WWTF to be addressed by the proposed project, with relevant financial data, and to collect any other data/information requested by the team of experts, UNDP and/or the Government of Cape Verde, relevant to the Concept Note, Pre-FS, and PPR Request finalization. 
5. Assess the local conditions surrounding each WWTF to identify the most effective option to promote irrigated agriculture using re-use water for each WWTF.  Conduct options analysis as necessary.
6. Lead the consultation process with local stakeholders to identify project beneficiaries, based on guidance provided by the team of experts, UNDP and/or the Govt of Cape Verde, and assess their current socio-economic situation and climate change vulnerability.
7. Identify what studies must be conducted and what data/information must be gathered (i.e. gaps to be filled) during the Feasibility Study to effectively support the Proposal development process at the standards required by UNDP and GCF. 
   1. Contribute to the finalization of the final Concept Note, the Pre-FS, and the PPF Request, in particular on local and site-specific information. 
   2. Provide responses to all reviews provided by UNDP and the GCF, as required

1. Coordinate with other team members of the Concept Note development team, government counterparts and UNDP during the consultation and formulation process.

Minimum 5 years of experience related to water and agricultural sectors is a requirement.

•          Master’s degree in the field related to civil engineering, environmental engineering, and agriculture.  Two additional years of highly relevant professional experience plus Bachelors’ degree in the relevant field can substitute the Master’s degree.
•          Experience related to water and agricultural sectors in Cape Verde is an asset.
•          Technical expertise in irrigation engineering, water resources management, water quality control and monitoring, wastewater management, or any other relevant field. is a requirement.
•          Experience in civil and/or agricultural engineering design. is a requirement.
•          Familiar with climate change adaptation theories and practices and climate smart agriculture, preferably in the context of Cape Verde. is an asset
•          Familiar with national legislation, policy and institutional settings in Cape Verde, relevant to water and agricultural sector. is an asset
•          Familiar with development strategies and climate change adaptation strategies of Cape Verde. is an asset
•          Demonstrated ability to produce quality technical reports. is a requirement.
•          Demonstrated ability to communicate complex issues in a concise and clear manner is a requirement.
•          Highly organized with strong analytical and research skills is a requirement.
•          Fluent Portuguese is required.
•          Intermediate English is required.
•          Ability to communicate in the local language is highly advantageous.

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.