Senior Climate Resilient Water Resources Management Advisor (Home based Retainer) - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO) brings together diverse expertise to help partners deliver impact worldwide. With hubs in New York, Geneva, and Vienna, and expert teams operating globally, GPO leads multi-regional initiatives that advance sustainable development, climate action, and peacebuilding - including in some of the world’s most challenging environments. By leveraging our collective expertise and global networks, GPO supports UNOPS’ strategic priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals across more than 130 countries. We work closely with major global partners - including governments, international financial institutions, and UN agencies - to deliver a wide range of services, such as project management, fund management, hosting services, and HR support.

From Geneva, UNOPS facilitates the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), working with governments, other United Nations (UN) agencies and partners by providing quality servces, integrated solutions and management support through strategic, cost-effective and results-oriented approches. This includes supporting platforms and hosting high-profile, flagship initiatives and funds focusing on health, nutrition, water and sanitation, sustainable cities, environment, energy, climate and trade. UNOPS is a recognized resource for the UN system in Geneva – from fund management and oversight and advisory services, to providing hosting solutions to a range of global initiatives, as well as operational support to partner organizations.

WEC Background

The Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) portfolio, based in Vienna, and with offices based globally is part of the UNOPS Global Portfolio Office. The Portfolio has built strong partnerships and is effectively managing a portfolio of over 500 million USD over the last 15 years to support key initiatives with fund management, project implementation and administrative support.

WEC effectively operationalizes partners' agendas with global approaches, as well as regional and country-specific activities focused on climate action, protection and conservation of the environment. Partners profit from WEC’s ability to operationalize and/or scale up their important substantive agendas, including in support of key multilateral environmental and climate agreements, such as the Paris Agreement, the Cartagena Convention as well as the Sustainable Development Goals.

The NDC Partnership

The NDC Partnership is a global coalition, bringing together more than 260 members, including more than 140 countries, developed and developing, and more than 110 institutions to deliver on ambitious climate action that helps achieve the Paris Agreement and drive sustainable development. Governments identify their NDC implementation priorities and the type of support that is needed to translate them into actionable policies and programs. Based on these requests, the membership offers a tailored package of expertise, technical assistance and funding. This collaborative response provides developing countries with efficient access to a wide range of resources to adapt to and mitigate climate change and foster more equitable and sustainable development. The NDC Partnership Support Unit is jointly hosted by the World Resources Institute (WRI), the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and the UN Climate Change Secretariat (UNFCCC). For this project, the Consultant will be contracted through UNOPS.

Ethiopia faces growing water security and water resources management challenges driven by climate change, watershed degradation, rapid population growth, urbanization, and rising demand across domestic, agricultural, industrial, and energy uses. Increasing droughts, floods, rainfall variability, and water stress are already affecting livelihoods, public services, food production, ecosystem health, and economic resilience. As a result, climate-resilient water supply and integrated water resources management have become central national priorities, articulated in the Climate Resilient Green Economy Strategy, the Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy, the Nationally Determined Contribution, and the NDC Implementation and Investment Plans.

The sector continues to face major constraints in turning plans into funded action. Priority interventions are often not developed to the level required by climate funds and development partners; climate finance opportunities are not systematically tracked and pursued; institutional capacity for fundraising, investment planning, and proposal preparation remains uneven; and implementation is constrained by gaps in coordination, data, monitoring, reporting, and knowledge management.

In addition, the Ministry is leading and supporting major basin development and integrated water resources management programs, including the Climate Resilient Integrated Water Resources Management initiative and other strategic basin development programs. These initiatives require strong technical backstopping, better coordination, and sustained engagement with financing and implementation partners.

To address these needs, the Ministry requires a senior advisor whose role is explicitly focused on climate finance mobilization and project preparation, while also strengthening institutional capacity and providing strategic and technical support for implementation of sector Nationally Determined Contribution interventions and the Climate Resilient Integrated Water Resources Management agenda.

The Advisor will work closely with senior government leadership, regional bureaus, and key partners to translate Ethiopia’s NDC and climate resilient water resource management priorities into finance-ready projects, while providing technical backstopping for implementation across water resource management, water supply, irrigation, and water resource and quality monitoring. A strong emphasis is placed on capacity building, system strengthening, and improving coordination, monitoring, and learning within the water sector.

The Senior Advisor will report directly to the NDCP Country Engagement Specialist and maintain a close working relationship with the State Minister of Water and Energy, or another designated senior official within the Ministry, and relevant Ministry departments and units responsible for climate action, planning, extension, project development, and implementation. Collaboration will also extend to the Ministry of Planning and Development, specifically the Climate Policy, Analysis and Mainstreaming CEO and their team, as well as the NDCP In-Country Facilitator, Climate finance and Climate policy advisors team, with participation in joint planning and review sessions..

• This is a retainer national vacancy / position for twelve 12 months, maximum of 220 working days, with possibility of an extension depending on satisfactory performance and on availability of funds.

• This is a Home based position, meaning that the incumbent will not work from a UNOPS office but from the government facilities. Therefore, the incumbent will need to use his/her own laptop and software.

• As this is a Local Position, in order to be eligible, the incumbent should be a national of Ethiopia or have a valid residence permit in the country.

• Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

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.

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.
• Develop bankable project documents, including problem analysis, theory of change, results frameworks, budgets, financing plans, implementation arrangements, safeguards inputs, gender considerations, risk assessments, and monitoring frameworks.
• Prepare climate finance strategies, donor engagement plans, investor outreach materials, and partnership briefs aimed at securing resources for sector implementation.
• Track financing windows and advise the ministry leadership on the most relevant climate and development finance opportunities for priority interventions.

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.
• Develop and institutionalize practical tools, templates, guidance notes, and standard operating procedures that improve the quality and consistency of project preparation, fundraising, and climate finance engagement.
• Support internal knowledge management, lesson capture, and continuity mechanisms so that capabilities remain within the Ministry after the assignment.

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.
• Assist the Ministry in preparing technical notes, implementation briefs, decision papers, and partner updates required for these programs.
• Support stronger coordination among Ministry departments, basin authorities, regional institutions, consultants, and development partners involved in basin development and integrated water resources management.

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.
• Advise on integration of climate resilience, implementation readiness, and climate finance considerations into water sector plans, basin plans, and related strategic documents.
• Provide technical backstopping on climate-resilient water supply, watershed restoration, hydrological information systems, drought and flood resilience, and climate-informed planning where required.

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.
• Facilitate collaboration among Ministry departments, basin authorities, regional bureaus, the Ministry of Planning and Development, the Ministry of Finance or Climate Resilient Green Economy Facility, development partners, academia, non-government actors, and private sector stakeholders.
• Work closely with the NDC Partnership In-Country Facilitator and relevant climate finance and climate policy advisors to ensure alignment, coordination, and follow-up on support provided to the Ministry.

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.
• Carry out any other related strategic or technical tasks requested by Ministry leadership that are consistent with the purpose of the assignment.

Required

• Master’s degree 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.

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.

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