National Consultant to Conduct an Internal Capacity Assessment and a Comprehensive Evaluation of a Selected River Basin Council in Kostanay Region

Background:

This position is open only for citizens and permanent residents of Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan is confronted with a widespread water deficit, aggravated by several pressing issues such as the deteriorating technical condition of water management systems, substantial water loss within networks, and inadequate water accounting practices. These challenges are rooted in inefficient water management methods and a growing scarcity of skilled human resources within the sector.

A significant milestone in addressing these challenges is the recent enactment of the new Water Code, which envisions a substantial expansion of responsibilities for the River Basin Councils (RBC). In response to this expansion, the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation has increased the staffing of basin inspectorates, which is a key part of RBC by 2.5 times and is actively in the process of organizing these expanded basin inspectorates.

Given these advancements, the imperative to enhance the internal capacities of basin inspectorates becomes a pivotal intervention to equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary for the effective execution of their expanded roles. The initial phase of this strengthening initiative involves a detailed assessment of managerial, administrative, and decision-making functions in the integrated utilization of water resources. The significance of this assessment is accentuated by the critical need to establish an effective collaborative platform for the efficient utilization of water resources among all stakeholders in the basin.

 

Objective of Assignment: 

The Office will require the services of a national consultant to conduct an internal capacity assessment and a comprehensive evaluation of a selected river basin council in Kostanay region, identifying key challenges, assessing governance structures, and providing recommendations for strengthening management sector-wise; and provide participants with an introductory understanding of IWRM principles, legislative opportunities, and benefits.

 

Duration of Assignment:
35 days

 

Tasks and Responsibilities:
Under the overall supervision of the Senior Economic and Environmental Officer, the successful candidate will be tasked with the following duties:

1.    Develop a work plan for evaluating the legal and institutional frameworks and adhere to the established work plan and timeline throughout the assessment period.    
2.    Conduct a three-day visit to the selected RBC to meet with its members, conduct key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and gather all necessary information on institutional capacity and legal framework for further online assessment.     
3.    Prepare a comprehensive SWOT analysis highlighting the existing legal and institutional frameworks of the selected RBC.    SWOT analysis report with specific results for each aspect: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats - providing detailed insights into the existing legal and institutional frameworks of the selected RBC is finalized. 
4.    Formulate recommendations for the improvement of existing legal and institutional frameworks of the selected RBC.    
5.    Prepare the final consolidated assessment report with all the above-mentioned findings.    

Training 1
6.    Follow a detailed agenda and training program for the one-day capacity-building event.    
7.    On day 1, prepare presentations and conduct capacity building sessions on the following topics:
1.    The results of the assessment including:  
a)    National legislation and regulatory frameworks in water resource management.
b)    Current water resource management systems, including their strengths and weaknesses.
2.    Session 1: IWRM principles and global practices.
3.    Session 2: Differences between comprehensive water use schemes and basin plans.
4.    Session 3: Legislative foundations for basin planning.
5.    Session 4: Opportunities for implementing IWRM principles within existing systems.
6.    Session 5:Roles of basin organizations and councils in plan development and implementation.
7.    Sessions 6 and 7: Strategic visioning exercises and brainstorming sessions on the future of water management.    

Assessment 2

1.    Collaborate with international and national experts to develop a comprehensive work plan and methodology for conducting the assessment and adhere to the established work plan and timeline throughout the assessment period.
2.    Undertake three-day visit to the selected RBC to meet with its members, conduct key informant interviews, focus group discussions, causal chain analysis workshop to gather all necessary information for further online assessment. 
3.    Work closely with RBC stakeholders to collect and analyze information concerning the existing governance structures, key challenges hindering effective basin council management, and the current situation, in the following theme: the current situation in the economic and social development of the basin.
4.    Prepare a comprehensive root cause or causal chain analysis highlighting the existing governance structures and the current situation, in the following theme: the current situation in the economic and social development of the basin.
5.    Formulate recommendations aimed at improving the following theme: the current situation in the economic and social development of the basin.
6.    Prepare the preliminary consolidated assessment report with all the above-mentioned findings. 
7.    Address the comments provided by the POiA, and Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan to the draft report. 
8.    Finalize the report, prepare the power point presentation, and present the findings. Adjust assessment, where required, based on discussions during

Training 2. 

1.    Follow a detailed agenda and training program for the one-day capacity-building event.
2.    On day 1, prepare presentations and conduct capacity-building sessions on the following topics:
1.    The results of the assessment including the current situation in economic and social development of the basin;
2.    Importance and cycle of IWRM planning.
3.    Initiation stages of planning, including identification of governmental obligations, stakeholder inclusion, and resource requirements.
4.    Stakeholder analysis and engagement strategies in planning processes.
5.    Situation analysis methodologies and current system assessment.
6.    Practical exercises on problem registry formation and categorization.
3.    Conduct a role-play scenario on stakeholder involvement and consensus-building in basin plan development.

Necessary Qualifications:

•    University degree in water resources management, environmental science, public administration, data analysis, research methods, and/or related fields.
•    Minimum 5 year of relevant experience in conducting assessments of water management structures and governance and/or providing capacity-building trainings.
•    Proficiency in the Kazakh, and/or Russian languages both oral and written.
•    Knowledge of local water policies, regulations, and administrative structures.
•    Knowledge of English, including communication and drafting skills is desirable.
•    Proven experience in engaging with diverse stakeholders, including government officials, local communities, and NGOs.
•    Excellent analytical and communication skills.
•    Digital literacy and basic use of Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), Zoom, and the Internet.
 

 Remuneration Package:

Remuneration will be based on the selected consultant's/expert's qualifications, experience, the tasks and deliverables for this position and in accordance with the OSCE established rates. Payment will be transferred in local currency (tenge) to the bank account of the consultant.

If you wish to apply for this position, please use the OSCE's online application link found under https://vacancies.osce.org/.

 

The OSCE retains the discretion to re-advertise/re-post the vacancy, to cancel the recruitment or to offer an appointment with a modified job description or for a different duration.

 

Only those candidates who are selected to participate in the subsequent stages of recruitment will be contacted.

 

The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all religious, ethnic and social backgrounds to apply to become a part of the Organization. 

 

Candidates should be aware that OSCE officials shall conduct themselves at all times in a manner befitting the status of an international civil servant. This includes avoiding any action which may adversely reflect on the integrity, independence and impartiality of their position and function as officials of the OSCE. The OSCE is committed to applying the highest ethical standards in carrying out its mandate. For more information on the values set out in OSCE Competency Model, please see https://jobs.osce.org/resources/document/our-competency-model.

 

Please be aware that the OSCE does not request payment at any stage of the application and review process.