Position Information
| Office/Unit/Project | UNDP Programme Unit (Prosperity) |
| Title | Technical Associate (Agriculture and Water Irrigation Engineer) for “Chabahar Water Resource Management” project |
| Level | NPSA6 |
| Duty station (City and Country) | Tehran, Iran |
| Type (Regular or Shortterm) | Regular (part time – %60) |
| Office- or Home-based | Home based and UNDP Office in Tehran (with regular missions to project site in Chabahar) |
| Expected starting date | 1st Feb 2024 |
| Expected Duration | 12 months with possibility of extension |
| Position Number/ | 205446 |
Office/Unit/Project Description
In I.R. Iran, UNDP has been working since 1966 to contribute to fulfil the country’s development aspirations as a partner of the Government of Iran. UNDP has also been engaging closely with other development partners, such as academic institutions and the private sector, by providing knowledge products, policy and technical assistance, and innovative development solutions, for more than 50 years. Connecting to UNDP Global network of expertise and South-South cooperation are an integral part of our work. UNDP is committed to helping Iran achieve the National Development Goals (NDP) and the Global Goals (SDG) as articulated in the Country Programme Document.
Against this backdrop, UNDP Iran is fully engaged in supporting a new development paradigm (a new normal) looking at digitalization, resilience and a more balance approach with nature in terms of economic development. The Prosperity team will design and manage projects related to socio-economic development, jobs-livelihoods, entrepreneurship, business development, social protection-poverty reduction and other related areas linked to and integrated with environment and health programming focusing on green economy, circular economy and waste management, area based development, and etc. that the Prosperity Unit will make the use of any analysis and research related to its focus areas looking at policy areas and new opportunities to integrate socio-economic development moving beyond incremental, single point solutions to initiatives that are a better fit with the scale and speed of deep systemic development problems and frontier challenges facing the I.R of Iran.
Unique environmental and geographical conditions of Islamic Republic of Iran along with periodic natural disasters, has led the arid and semi-arid lands of Iran like Sistan and Balouchestan county to encounter Scarcity of water resource imposing enormous economic, social, and environmental costs on communities. Sistan and Balouchestan is heavily dependent on agriculture with limited options and means to develop alternative livelihoods. At the same time, opportunities exist in some counties like Chabahar which can significantly reverse the socio-economic declines. These challenges demonstrate a pressing need to provide sustainable and clean water and energy solutions, including through promoting water efficient agricultural management practices for sustainable livelihoods in target communities. Consequently, the project for “Strengthening the resilience of local communities living in vulnerable situations against water stress in Chabahar area” seeks to provide sustainable and clean water and energy solutions, including through promoting water efficient agricultural management practices for sustainable livelihoods in target communities.
Scope of Work
Under direct supervision of the Programme Analyst and the Project Coordinator, the Technical Associate will provide required technical advisory and inputs for design, procurement, installation, commissioning and start up process of water irrigation system and establishment of climate-smart agriculture plan during the project life cycle to UNDP, governmental entities, stakeholders, and beneficiaries contributing to sound and effective technical support of the above-mentioned project implementation.
Provision of technical inputs and technical support services:
- Support the National Project Coordinator (NPC) in setting up and managing the project from a technical standpoint.
- Provide technical backstopping to agricultural activities of the project during the project (second component), for technical matters as well as project management and reporting requirements.
- Provide technical inputs and assistance for conducting feasibility study in collaboration with technical consultant firm including identification of project pilot “Hootak”.
- Designing water irrigation system based on target area needs and priorities.
- Development of for climate-smart agriculture solutions based on region climate complications.
- Technical advisory services during supply chain of water irrigation system including providing technical assistance during all stage of tendering.
- On-site presence and full technical oversight support for installation, commissioning, and operational phase of water irrigation system
- Assist with the development and preparation of required environmental management plans.
- Support to preparation for audits, spot checks, verification, and financial reviews
Coordination and project management
- Participation in periodic meeting with project government partners; Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Agriculture Jihad
- Conduct regular liaison with Sistan and Baluchistan and Chabahar relative authorities (Provincial and local level)
- Assist with capacity building and training in sound engineering practice for national and local government personnel as well as targeted local community.
- Provide support to the any government training program for their personnel in sound environmental management practices and appropriate health and safety standards during construction.
- Evaluate the results from demonstrations and provide input for the development of guidelines and training materials based on experience and results achieved from implementation phase of the project.
Reporting, monitoring and evaluation:
- Support the National Project Coordinator, when required, in drafting progress and performance reports (periodic and annual) in compliance with Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) project guidelines and provide relevant data to the M&E specialist of the project.
- Conduct frequent site visits to Chabahar to supervise project engineer activities.
- Assist in documentation of lessons learned throughout the project.
Institutional Arrangement
The NPSA holder will directly report to the Programme Analyst/Prosperity Unit and the National Project Coordinator.
Competencies
Core
| Achieve Results: | LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline |
| Think Innovatively: | LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements |
| Learn Continuously: | LEVEL 1: Openminded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback |
| Adapt with Agility: | LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible |
| Act with Determination: | LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident |
| Engage and Partner: | LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships |
| Enable Diversity and Inclusion: | LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination |
Cross Functional and Technical Competencies
| Thematic Area | Name | Definition |
| Business Direction & Strategy | Effective DecisionMaking | Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority area of expertise and resources |
| Business Development | Collective Intelligence Design | Ability to bringing together diverse groups of people, data, information or ideas, and technology to design services orSolutions |
| Business Management | Results-based Management | Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results |
| Business Management | Project management | Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals |
| Business Management | Working with Evidence and Data | Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making |
| Business Management | Monitoring | Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between plannedand actual activities and programme performance and results |
| Ethics | UN policy knowledge – ethics | Knowledge and understanding of the UN Staff Regulations and Rules and other policies relating to ethics and integrity |
Minimum Qualifications of the Successful NPSA
| Min. Education requirements | Secondary Education is required.University degree (Bachelor’s Degree) in Agriculture, Irrigation, Environment engineering or other relevant fields. |
| Min. years of relevant work experience | Minimum 6 years (with Secondary Education) or 3 years (with Bachelor´s degree) of relevant experience at the national or international level in designing and project implementation of water irrigation systems and climate-smart agriculture.Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems. |
| Required skills | Good understanding of project cycle managementAdept with complex concepts and challenges convention purposefullyAbility to get things done while exercising good judgement.Effective communication, analytical thinking for project formulation as well as ability to provide administrative supports for project implementation |
| Desired skills in additionTo the competencies covered in the Competencies section | -Experience with Iran context in Agriculture and Water Irrigation fields-Experience with working in international organizations, and/or government. |
| Required Language(s) | Fluency in Farsi and English is required. |
| Professional Certificates | N/A |
