Thematic area
Ecosystem Services
Programme
Adaptation and Resilience Building, Resilient Mountain Solutions (RMS)
Background
The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) seeks to enable sustainable and resilient mountain development for improved and equitable livelihoods through knowledge generation and regional cooperation.
ICIMOD is a regional intergovernmental learning and knowledge-sharing centre serving the eight regional member countries of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. Working in partnership with regional and international organizations, ICIMOD aims to influence policy and practices to meet environmental and livelihood challenges emerging in the HKH. ICIMOD provides a platform for researchers, practitioners, and policy makers from the region and around the globe to generate and share knowledge, support evidence-based decision making, and encourage regional cooperation.
ICIMOD works through its six Regional Programmes: 1) Adaptation and Resilience Building, 2) Transboundary Landscapes, 3) River Basins and Cryosphere, 4) Atmosphere, 5) Mountain Environment Regional Information System, and 6) Mountain Knowledge and Action Networks. These regional programmes are supported by four Thematic Areas – Livelihoods, Ecosystem Services, Water and Air, and Geospatial Solutions – and underpinned by the Knowledge Management and Communication (KMC) Unit. ICIMOD seeks to contribute to reducing poverty and vulnerability and improving the lives and livelihoods of mountain women, men and children, now and in the future.
The Ecosystem Services Theme focuses on the sustainable use and management of mountain ecosystems (mainly forests, rangelands, wetlands, and peat lands), agriculture, and their interfaces. It aims to strengthen knowledge and understanding on the human–ecosystem interface, drivers of ecosystem change, and changing availability of ecosystem services for the livelihoods of mountain communities.
The Resilient Mountain Solutions (RMS) Initiative is an integrated five-year programme under the Regional Programme on Adaptation and Resilient Building. The initiative aims to enhance the resilience of women and men in the HKH to socioeconomic and environmental changes by scaling up and scaling out existing resilient solutions and developing new knowledge and solutions through pilot action, studies, collaborative research, field demonstrations, and strategic outreach and engagement. The Ecosystem Analyst will be based in Ecosystem Services and be a part of the RMS team.
Responsibilities and task
Under the overall supervision of the Theme Leader of Ecosystems Services and with guidance from the Programme Coordinator of RMS, the Analyst will be responsible for the following:
- Support the implementation of all RMS research and pilot activities, particularly for Nepal, in close collaboration with RMS national partners, government departments, and in-house team members and ensure timely inputs, results delivery, communication, and scaling
- Take the lead in Ecosystem Services-related activities and ensure inputs from other sectoral experts as per the requirements of RMS work, particularly in Nepal
- Maintain effective communication with government counterparts, implementation partners, communities, and other relevant stakeholders on the RMS activities in Nepal and provide local perspective and insights and advise the implementation partners appropriately
- Lead/coordinate research – literature review, methodology development, secondary and field level data collection, analysis – and prepare reports pertaining to ecosystem management, ecosystem-based adaptation, and incentive/payment for ecosystem services
- Support and contribute to overall resilience markers research with methodology development, case studies, analysis, and reporting in consultation with the Research Lead and Programme Coordinator
- Provide overall support to the RMS team and components for the development of knowledge products, project reports and synthesis reports
- Produce journal articles, policy briefs, synthesis reports, and other knowledge products by analysing primary and secondary data from RMS research and pilot activities
- Assess, review, and keep track of the latest developments in national-level climate change policies and legislative instruments, particularly related to ecosystems – forest, watershed, and rangelands – in RMS partner countries
- Assist in the design and delivery of knowledge management and training activities, field-level consultations and workshops, and writing workshop reports
- Provide a range of technical support to achieve RMS outcomes and outputs or any other organizational goal in consultation with the Theme Leader and Programme Coordinator
Minimum qualifications
- A master’s degree, preferably in ecosystems-related fields, development studies, or related areas with at least three years of relevant work experience is required. A first-level university degree in combination with six years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the more advanced university degree.
- At least three years of research/implementation experience in subject areas relevant to ecosystems, forests, climate change adaptation, or community engagement, preferably in the mountain regions of Asia
- Good knowledge and understanding of policies (relevant to ICIMOD) on climate change adaptation, ecosystem management, forestry management and/or community-based natural resource management in the HKH countries
- Ability to interact with government departments in HKH countries and link ICIMOD’s regional programmes to the policies in the HKH region
- Good knowledge and understanding in the areas of gender and transboundary cooperation
- Fluency in speaking and technical writing in English
Competencies
- Cross-cultural impact: Adapts to various customs and practices and can resolve misunderstandings
- Result and impact orientation: Navigates through challenging situations to achieve concrete results, successfully transforming outputs to outcomes
- Teamwork and cooperation: Solicits ideas and opinions to help form specific plans and take decisions cohesively
- Networking and stakeholder management: Recognizes the needs of different stakeholders and partners to build capacity and solve project issues while maintaining existing professional linkages and building new ones
- Impactful communication: Applies active listening skills and tailors convincing messages for different audiences, integrating ideas from several sources
- Continuous improvement and innovation: Identifies opportunities for improvement, encourages new ideas, and implements new technologies to enhance workflow
- Analytical thinking: Simplifies complex issues to identify the crux of a problem or opportunity in order to make effective, timely decisions
- Behavioural flexibility and change management: Adapts to change and capably adjusts to new responsibilities and circumstances
Duty station
The duty station is Kathmandu.
Duration
This is a project position starting as soon as possible to 31 May 2022, of which the first six months shall be a probationary period.
Renumeration
Salaries and benefits of ICIMOD are competitive compared with other regional organizations; remuneration is commensurate with experience and qualifications.
Gender and equity policy
Qualified and eligible women candidates and those from disadvantaged backgrounds are highly encouraged to apply. ICIMOD upholds a gender equity policy and is supportive of women professionals. It operates a day-care centre at the campus and is committed to the integration of gender equity at organizational and programmatic levels.
Method of application
Applicants are requested to apply online before 18 June 2020 through ICIMOD’s online application system.
Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.
