Water and Land Management Expert - International Water Management Institute

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a CGIAR Research Center is looking for a competent, self-motivated, and dynamic candidate to join as the Water and Land Management Expert. The Water and Land Management Expert is responsible for leading research for development actions on the conservation and management of water, soils and agrobiodiversity under nature-positive agricultural systems.

The incumbent is expected to use participatory tools and approaches to design and implement innovative land and water management research for agrifood system transformation at scale. Working with the project leadership as well as with other CGIAR colleagues and national and international partners, the Researcher will be part of a multi-national and multidisciplinary team.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Lead the development, testing, and implementation of nature-positive (nature+) agricultural water management solutions at various scales
• Support the setting up of multi-stakeholder platforms and mainstreaming of agricultural water management solutions
• Lead the design of metrics/indices/models to measure and monitor water productivity and performance of nature+ solutions
• Contribute to the co-design of integrated protocols/tools for the management of biodiversity, pests and diseases, marginal quality water and soil in a specific context.

ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW

• Co-develop with relevant stakeholders and implement action plans with integrated nature+ protocols
• Support the development of inclusive guidelines for soil, water and biodiversity conservation and sustainable utilisation through youth engagement
• Co-generate a portfolio of practical, evidence-based incentives for community-based conservation action and governance
• Contribute to the development of a participatory toolbox for inclusive landscape management plans
• Co-develop, test and implement nature-positive solutions (NPS) for more effective conservation of interlinked Agrobiodiversity, Land, Water and Soils (AWS) systems
• Co-develop multilevel AWS conservation monitoring toolboxes and metrics
• Co-develop multilevel agrobiodiversity-water-soil conservation baselines and open-access decision-support platforms for conservation decision support
• Support the identification of best-bet conservation practices systematized and available for scaling
• Conduct systematic reviews as well as meta-analysis and synthesis reports. Prepare technical reports and publish research results in peer-reviewed journals
  
  

Qualification Required & Experience

MINIMUM EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

Essential:

• A PhD degree in the field of water resource management, agriculture, climate science, landscape management or other disciplines relevant to water, land, and food systems transformation
• At least 3 years post PhD demonstrated research and field experience in agricultural systems, agricultural water management, soil and water conservation, and a good understanding of the soil-plant-water relationship.
• An in-depth understanding of challenges and opportunities in low-income countries and emerging economies related to sustainable water, land and agricultural development in a changing climate
  
  

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of participatory methods and tools and community engagement

• Programming skills in in e.g. R, python, MATLAB or other languages
• Ability to deploy systems thinking in research design and implementation
• Excellent interpersonal skills, and the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with people in a multicultural and multidisciplinary environment, with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
• Personal attributes include high standards of conduct, respect, flexibility, and sound work ethic.
• Proficiency in English and French Language

ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW

Benefits

• This is an internationally recruited position with a competitive salary commensurate with experience, an attractive retirement plan, comprehensive international health insurance, life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, long-term disability insurance coverage and a transportation allowance.
• Globally recruited staff who are employed at a duty station outside of their home base/country of nationality will also receive relocation assistance, a housing allowance, home-leave plane tickets for self and eligible dependents and education assistance for eligible dependents.
  
  

The duration of the contract will initially be for a three-year period with possible extension.

Location: Accra