POSITION TITLE: Senior Technical Lead, Water Resources Management
LOCATION: Arlington, VA, or Little Rock, AR
DEPARTMENT: Agriculture, Resilience and Water
REPORTS TO: Technical Director, Water
Agriculture, Resilience and Water (ARW) Group
The Agriculture, Resilience and Water (ARW) group within Winrock partners with communities, businesses, and governments to develop scalable market-oriented solutions that advance inclusive agriculture led growth and water security, ultimately building the resilience of households to recover from predictable and unforeseen shocks. ARW’s approach to making agriculture and water systems more resilient to climate change has three focus areas: 1) improving agricultural production and water management systems, especially among the most vulnerable; 2) strengthening natural resource management; and 3) reducing environmental degradation. We also work with communities, public and private sectors to safeguard critical ecosystems. Currently, ARW manages a portfolio of 13 projects across 16 countries, totaling over $231 million dollars. Implementation is focused on partnership, as well as technical and data-driven innovations and learning, adapting, and scaling proven models.
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Senior Technical Lead, Water Resources Management, will provide technical support to international water-related programming on water resources management (WRM) related topics, lead business development efforts aligned with the organizational strategy, and provide project and administrative management on water-related projects.
Major Responsibilities:
- Provide technical expertise on Water Resources Management, including spearheading the Water Security Improvement process and the dissemination of other tools in Winrock’s programming at the nexus of water, climate and food security.
- Develop and implement WRM approaches and tools, through a collaborating, learning, and adapting approach grounded in evidence generated from current and past Winrock projects and aligned with USAID strategies and the competitive landscape in the sector.
- Assist project and country-teams in design, implementation, monitoring and documentation of evidence and learning from WRM activities, through remote and in-person guidance, capacity building, development of resources and review of project documents.
- Assist the Technical Director, Water on water-related opportunities supporting funding, thought leadership, external and internal communication, and technical advocacy, aligned with the organization strategy, in areas including water security, WRM financing, private sector engagement, WASH, water-agriculture-food-energy-climate linkages.
- Lead select business development efforts, including the technical design of approaches, writing proposals, support personnel recruitment, coordinate partnerships and ensure coherent budgeting and operational planning.
- Provide home office backstopping and program management to ensure programmatic excellence and compliance for assigned water programs.
- Work closely with the Chiefs of Party to achieve project objectives, and manage work processes associated with program outputs, deliverables and operational compliance, including, but not limited to, work plans, budget monitoring, procurement and grant packages, internal/external reports, and written and oral communications and correspondence with clients, donors and external audiences. Manage relevant databases, support monitoring and evaluation processes, and link project data with required donor reporting.
- Supervise Project Associate(s) and mentor operational and technical field staff to ensure sound project management, donor compliance, organizational success and individual advancement.
- Perform other tasks as assigned.
Qualifications and Background:
Education: Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s or advanced degree preferred in a field related to Water Resources Management, Environment, Hydraulics/Civil engineering, WASH, Geography or Public Policy and Governance of Natural Resources.
Experience:
- At least 7 years of progressive project/program management, on international development projects funded by USG/USAID or major donors
- Experience in technical and managerial roles in Water Resources Management projects, or WASH, Natural Resources Management, Climate Change or Environment
- At least 4 years of project/program development experience, including developing proposals for USAID and major donors
Other Skills/Knowledge:
- Demonstrated strong analytical capability and problem solving abilities required
- Strong program analysis, planning, new business development and conceptualization skills; Demonstrated writing abilities
- Demonstrated project management and financial management skills
- Excellent understanding of donors’ rules and regulations and partner institutions
- Demonstrated team building skills, previous staff management preferred
- Excellent organizational skills essential, including ability to coordinate a variety of tasks, meet deadlines, work effectively under pressure, and work as team player
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office required
- Excellent communication (oral and written) and interpersonal skills required
- English professional-level oral and written fluency required
- Fluency in Spanish or French desired
Other:
- Must be willing and able to travel without dependents to remote locations both domestically and internationally on short trips, up to 25% of the time.
- Must have valid employment status in US.
As a condition of employment at Winrock, all US-based Winrock staff, regardless of location or must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Winrock offers competitive pay and an excellent benefits package.
Winrock is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all people and value diversity and inclusiveness. Winrock recruits, employs, trains, promotes and compensates regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, or any other basis protected by law.
At Winrock we have a clear mission: Empower the disadvantaged, increase economic opportunity and sustain natural resources through unwavering dedication to accountability, equity, innovation, integrity and transformation.
Winrock knows that its success comes from the hard work and steadfast dedication of its diverse workforce. Winrock remains committed to maintaining diversity, inclusion and equity across the entire organization
