Team Leader (F/M/D) Groundwater Expert - 100% based in Tashkent with frequent travels within Central Asia

Job Description

Helvetas is an organization specialized in development cooperation and humanitarian response, anchored in Switzerland. Our vision is a just world in which all people determine the course of their lives in dignity and security, using environmental resources in a sustainable manner.

We are looking for a result-oriented and innovative Team Leader Groundwater Expert based in Tashkent with frequent travels within Central Asia

We are currently recruiting for a position related to a tender proposal, contingent upon funding approval by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

The project aims to support the countries of Central Asia in protecting and sustainably using groundwater resources by enhancing scientific understanding, management, cooperation, and governance of transboundary aquifers in five countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The project has four key outcomes:

1. Awareness and capacity development on groundwater resource development and management.
2. Policies, laws, institutions, and groundwater governance.
3. Sustainable groundwater monitoring and appropriate technologies at local, national, and regional levels.
4. Coordinating, harmonizing, and sharing data and knowledge at regional and national levels.

The project is divided into two phases over a period of 11 years, including an inception phase starting in May 2025 until January 2026, followed by two main phases of five years each (from 2026 to 2030, and from 2031 to 2035). The position covers both the inception phase and the implementation of the first phase from May 25 until December 30).

YOUR MAIN TASKS

During the nine-month inception phase, your primary responsibility will be to establish an operational project team. You will conduct context analyses, various mapping/studies and participatory processes to identify the needs, opportunities, and risks for the project intervention, in collaboration with relevant water stakeholders and partners in the focus area of the project. Based on the outcomes of the inception phase, you will develop a comprehensive Project Document for the implementation of the five-year regional project (01.02.2025 - 31.12.2030). As the Team Leader of the project, you will work closely with the Swiss Regional Water Hub at the Embassy of Switzerland in Uzbekistan.

During the main phase, you will lead the management of the project and its team, ensuring high-quality implementation by developing effective working relationships and cooperation with all actors involved in groundwater (including state organizations), project partners/academies as well as relevant SDC-funded projects in the project area. You will support and facilitate policy processes and dialogues at national, transboundary and regional levels, demonstrating the benefits of groundwater governance and cooperation between countries. This includes coordination with national decision-makers, partners/donors, transboundary water institutions and regional organizations. You will contribute to building awareness and capacity of national and regional stakeholders working on groundwater and integrated water resources management (IWRM) through various platforms, expert groups and training centers in Central Asia. At national and regional levels, you will promote and strengthen mechanisms and innovations to ensure that key stakeholders involved in groundwater play an active role in governance, in investment financing and in developing appropriate groundwater monitoring tools. Throughout the implementation of the project, you will contribute to the development and implementation of a robust system of monitoring and evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL) to ensure a high level of quality in the results achieved and their impacts, in the accountability of stakeholders and ultimately in knowledge management. Your tasks in administrative and financial supervision will ensure that the project complies with organizational requirements and procedures including reporting and controlling, preparation of financial statements with partners and other relevant requirements for a successful project implementation.

YOUR QUALIFICATIONS

• Academic degree (Master or equivalent) in civil engineering, water resource management and/or environmental sciences. A specific degree in hydrogeology, groundwater management or integrated water resources management (IWRM) would be an asset.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience managing the implementation of projects on groundwater management and monitoring, IWRM, water cooperation, and confirmed experience in high level policy dialogues, preferably in Central Asia.
• Demonstrated competences and experience in managing and coordinating regional projects of similar size and scope. Experience of working with SDC will be an asset.
• Professional experience in working on influencing policy, capacity building on IWRM and water cooperation, and on groundwater monitoring and data collection for water policy.
• Proven ability to identify and facilitate systemic changes and learn from other projects.
• Proven track record in cooperating with many stakeholders and in strengthening and building capacities of regional and national organisations.
• Knowledge of the regional actors involved in groundwater in Central Asia will be an asset.
• Excellent facilitating and networking skills with demonstrated experience in facilitation processes at high level and with all types of actors from the public and private sectors and from civil society
• organisations as well as universities.
• Strong managerial skills, including results-oriented management, strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation, human resources management and financial management skills.
• Strong experience in steering and mentoring, capacity to anticipate issues and identify forward looking solutions.
• Well-respected individual with no political or other affiliation that could adversely affect the reputation of the project.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, moderation, and presentation skills. English (oral and written) and good knowledge of Russian , and/or Central Asian languages are an asset.

OUR OFFER

We offer a two-year international or regional employment contract with possible extension, and attractive working conditions. The position is based in Uzbekistan, with frequent travels in the Central Asia region.

We look forward to receiving your complete application including motivation letter, CV, relevant work certificates and diplomas by January 11, 2025. Please send your application via our online recruiting portal. Profiles will be assessed on a rolling basis.

For additional information, please contact Bruno Poitevin (Bruno.poitevin@helvetas.org), Regional Coordinator or visit our website www.helvetas.org

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About the Organization

Helvetas, Swiss Association for International Cooperation, founded 1955 as Switzerland’s first private organization for development cooperation, is registered as a denominationally and politically independent, non profit oriented, specialised development association. Helvetas is primarily committed to working towards the elimination of the causes of poverty and marginalization in the South and the East. Its mission is to actively contribute to the improvement of the living conditions of economically, socially and politically disadvantaged people within the frame of the Human Rights, with a focus on self-initiative activities and self-help in rural areas. Together with some 44’000 members and their local groups, Helvetas is as well actively engaged in Switzerland with respect to solidarity in development, to promoting fair trade, and raising public awareness of the cultural wealth of development and transition countries. In its international programme, Helvetas concentrates its actions in four working areas: 1. Infrastructure in Rural Areas including initiatives regarding water and sanitation, access and mobilization, livelihood, rehabilitation and construction of basic infrastructure, 2. Sustainable Management of Natural Resources, also comprising projects in the fields of climate, disaster risk mitigation and sustainable livelihood management, 3. Education and Culture, including a number of successful initiatives in Vocational Education and Training (VET), support to and lobbying for reforms in the VET System, improvement of teaching and learning environments, modernization of curriculum, assessment and development of learning materials, human resource development, development of alternative financing approaches, awareness-building and income generation through artistic forms of expression, promotion of cultural exchange and diversity of cultural expressions. 4. Civil Society and the State, which integrates projects supporting good governance, decentralisation and civil peace building/conflict sensitivity. Helvetas’ development initiatives are guided by five approaches: striving for equality between men and women (gender), learning through dialogue between different cultures, protecting the environment, acting with economic and social responsibility and conflict prevention. Helvetas is not only oriented towards material needs, such as procuring food and improved living conditions, but also towards aims regarding social, cultural, and spiritual aspects. These include the overcoming of paralysing dependence, reduction of inequality between the sexes, ethnicity, castes, building up of self-confidence or the strengthening of responsibility towards other human beings and the environment. Helvetas acts on the basis of human rights and makes every effort that these are also respected by its partner organizations. Also important are the promotion of democratic, decentralised structures, opportunities for participation, and joint responsibility as citizens. For its international programmes, Helvetas’ mission is: - to cooperate on a partnership basis with and in favour of the poor and disadvantaged population groups in the poorer regions of development and transition countries - to share knowledge and experiences between Switzerland and partner countries as well as to further promote mutual exchange between partner countries - to strengthen local structures and sustainable development and to promote human rights - to develop suitable measures that prevent or mitigate violent conflicts Wherever indicated, Helvetas applies a multi-stakeholder approach involving partners of civil society, the state and the private sector in reaching development goals. On the basis of participatory approaches, Helvetas strengthens its partner organizations. Their institutional sustainability is a key concern which is addressed through capacity building of the partner organizations. Furthermore, to leverage the best utilisation of its knowledge, to strengthen internal learning and to share experience and lessons learnt with other development actors, Helvetas (in 2000) elevated Knowledge Sharing (KS) to a strategic level. Helvetas nowadays plays a leading role in KS for Development, striving for continuous learning through an intranet and face-to-face workshops. Helvetas supports facilitation of international Communities of Practice (CoP), e.g. the “Water-for-food”-network () or the “KM4Dev” (Knowledge Management for Development) (www.km4dev.org). Helvetas currently employs 77 staff (56 full-time posts) at the Head Office in Switzerland, and 45 expatriates (42 full-time posts) and 630 local staff in 20 developing and transition countries. In 2009, Helvetas had a turnover of around 64.3 Mio CHF; 54.2 Mio CHF for programme support abroad, 3.4 Mio CHF for information and advocacy activities in Switzerland, and 6.7 Mio CHF for administration and fundraising in Switzerland. Helvetas’ Board of Directors (15 members) determines the overall strategy based on the bylaws and executes financial control functions. The operational implementation is with the Secretary General and the Management Board (7; Heads of Departments and Secretary General) based on department and working area strategies and financial plans. The International Programmes Department (19 full-time posts) at the head office is divided into a geographic team (steering, coordination, controlling of the country programmes) and the thematic team (technical assistance and expertise, monitoring). In the partner countries, programme offices with programme directors (15) are responsible for the implementation of projects and country strategies. The finance department (4) at the head office operates the financial control system. The Programme direction and programme country projects are audited yearly by an external, independent auditing company (KPMG, Zurich). Helvetas is ZEWO certified, avails a risk analysis system and a well elaborated monitoring and evaluation system. Helvetas’ monitoring and evaluation system pursues three objectives: a) to provide information for strategic steering, b) to allow organisational learning and c) to assure accountability to its constituencies, donors and the ultimate beneficiaries. Helvetas conducts therefore a) periodic monitoring, b) internal and external evaluations, c) qualitative case studies and d) impact assessments in a set of selected projects. For the periodic monitoring Helvetas has developed an electronic Project Monitoring System (pms), which is linked to its Internal Control System. Helvetas introduced a decentralized management system in 1990, delegating a high degree of autonomy to the country programme directors. A project monitoring system enables the programme directors to delegate operational responsibility to national project managers and staff. The Helvetas programme offices are responsible for coordination and strategic issues. Helvetas has links with networks and partner organisations, e.g. being actively involved in the SDC governance network, the KOFF (Competence Centre for Peace Building) intervision group on conflict sensitivity and gender network at university of Bern. Strategic partnership agreements exist particularly with SCA, SKAT and KOFF.