IUCN Bangladesh Office is seeking to recruit an experienced and motivated candidate (Bangladesh national) to join the IUCN team as Senior Programme Officer, Water and Wetlands who will work closely with and the Country Representative, IUCN Bangladesh, Programme Manager, Species & Habitats and Science and Strategy Group, based in IUCN Asia Regional Office, Bangkok.

The goal of IUCN's Water and Wetlands Programme is healthy landscapes and river basins that provide sustainable ecosystem services to livelihoods and societies. In Asia, the programme is designed to tackle the three pillars of water management, including i) promoting the conservation and restoration of key freshwater ecosystems and species; ii) enabling inclusive and effective water governance frameworks; and iii) mobilise investment in conservation and management of freshwater ecosystems to provide solutions to most pressing societal challenges in the region (e.g., climate change, food security, water security, green economy development).

The Government of Bangladesh joined IUCN as a State Member in 1973. IUCN started its operation in Bangladesh as a “liaison office” in 1989 and a fully operation Country Office was established in Bangladesh in 1992. In Bangladesh the organization works in close association with national non-government organizations with key support from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), a State member to improve public and institutional awareness of environmental issues, and empower communities to judiciously and sustainably conserve and manage natural resources. Support, advice and encouragement are also received valued from partners, donors and commission members, and volunteer scientists at home and abroad.

IUCN is also a GEF and GCF agency and is working with the national governments and international development partners to develop new ideas and mobilization of funding to tackle challenges linked to climate change adaptation and mitigation in Bangladesh.

In the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna (GBM) river basins, IUCN is implementing global flagship project on transboundary water governance, the BRIDGE GBM which is a multi-donor funded initiative active since 2016.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

The successful candidate will work in close cooperation with the IUCN country offices in south Asia and IUCN Asia Regional Office, and numerous external partners. The position will be responsible for the management of flagship national and regional projects on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), transboundary water governance, river and wetlands conservation and management, and the application of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in water sector.

Specific duties:

Project Management & Delivery
Lead the implementation of the ongoing project (s)/initiative(s) related to water management, wetlands governance, and Nature-based Solutions for climate change resilience.
Responsible for leading the preparation of annual work plans, budgets, preparation of periodic progress reports according the requirements of the funding entities
Lead Stakeholder analysis and ensure smooth communication among core group of stakeholders.
Lead the implementation of the BRIDGE Meghna basin initiative in Bangladesh , including development of workplans, networking with government officials, facilitation of regional and national stakeholder dialogues, and the development of a business case for the transboundary cooperation in the Meghna river basin.
Conduct field missions for project implementation, as necessary.
Engage, build synergies with and provide technical assistance as needed, for successful delivery of work and knowledge;
Expand IUCN’s network and engagements on water and wetlands governance and enhanced application of NbS in the water sector;
Support the articulation and positioning of the Team and project activities in the context of IUCN’s water and wetlands programme area.
Technical and project support, though desk research, consultation process capacity building, communication and networking with multiple stakeholders.

Portfolio development:
Lead the strategic planning exercise to expand the portfolio in the areas of Water Management and Wetland Ecosystem
Conduct technical research and lead the development of new Concept Notes, Funding Proposal Development and take pro-active initiatives for expanding the water and wetlands programme activities in Bangladesh;
Assist with the development of proposals for GCF funding, including the coordination, drafting of proposals, and awareness-raising activities such as meetings with stakeholders from academic, government, CSO, and private sector;

Knowledge learning and communication:
Lead and coordinate the development of knowledge products, theme papers related to water and natural infrastructure, Nature-based Solutions, including training materials, scalable, financing models, etc;
Coordinate opportunities for engaging IUCN’s Water and NbS initiatives externally, for example through conferences, guest lectures, and project partnerships;

Strategic
Effectively contribute to implementing IUCN's 'One Programme' approach;
Support the organizational restructuring and systems development needed to manage a growing Water and Wetland programme;
Be part of IUCN Bangladesh Country Office Management Team, along with the Country Representative, Programme Manager, Manager-Finance and Admin;
Develop and manage networks, and attend meetings and workshops related to the Country Programme;
Interact regularly with ministries and other agencies, local government, IUCN Members, IUCN Commissions, non-government agencies, development agencies, peers, scientists, and grassroots stakeholders to advise, plan, and design collaborative or interactive projects, and ensure projects are based on sound environmental knowledge; and
Carry out any other duties as assigned by the Country Representative of IUCN Bangladesh.