Local recruitment: Global Water Data Engagement Specialist

Who We Are

Our Mission

The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy seeks to improve quality of life through the effective use, taxation, and stewardship of land. A nonprofit private operating foundation whose origins date to 1946, the Lincoln Institute researches and recommends creative approaches to land as a solution to economic, social, and environmental challenges. Through education, training, publications, and events, we integrate theory and practice to inform public policy decisions worldwide. With locations in Cambridge, Massachusetts; Washington, DC; Phoenix; and Beijing, we organize our work around the achievement of six goals: low-carbon, climate-resilient communities, and regions; efficient and equitable tax systems; reduced poverty and spatial inequality; fiscally healthy communities and regions; sustainably managed land and water resources; and functional land markets and reduced informality.

Center for Geospatial Solutions Overview

The Lincoln Institute’s Center for Geospatial Solutions (CGS) generates data insights that help partners to design and implement equitable land, water, and climate solutions.

Internet of Water Overview

In our effort to address the impacts of climate change, including drought, flooding, pollution, and other water-related challenges, information is perhaps the most important solution. How much water is available for use in a particular location? What is the quality? How is it used? Answering such questions is the mission of the Internet of Water team—so named because it aims to do for water what the internet did for real estate, weather forecasts, and countless other sources of data.  The Internet of Water team modernizes existing systems for managing water data and helps government agencies and private organizations coordinate with each other and make their data more accessible. 

University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) Project Overview

Through collaboration with UCAR, IoW will conduct regional climate, weather, and water data code-sprints and training for two regions in Africa in collaboration with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).  You will rapidly deploy free open-source software for weather and climate data to cities in Africa that need it the most. It also requires you to provide additional training sessions to build capacity in the region to use the system in perpetuity at very low cost. The WMO Information System (WIS) connects all National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and regions together for weather, water, and climate data exchange. WIS 2.0 is the new technical framework for WMO data sharing which is designed to dramatically modernize WMO’s precursor legacy system, the Global Telecommunication System (GTS).  Currently, however, most data and products published through WIS are still distributed using the old system.  

Position Overview

The Center for Geospatial Solutions, Internet of Water team seeks a hardworking Program Manager for our Open Data Access for Urban Climate Resilience in Africa project.

The individual in this position will develop and support partnerships and networks with global stakeholders, through the planning and implementation of engagement, management of contract logistics and reports, and the development of materials about and for the program for diverse audiences, including high-level decision-makers. The Program Manager will be expected to take a leadership role and to provide other support as assigned for both CGS and for the larger Lincoln Institute of Land Policy related to this program. This individual will ensure that technical development activities associated with WIS2.0 are informed by stakeholder engagement activities, ensuring that data sharing is enabled by technology in a useful and socially relevant manner.

This is a full-time position that reports to the Associate Director of Global Engagement for the Internet of Water Initiative. The position requires up to 50% travel, primarily in Africa, with occasional travel within the U.S. The length of this project is anticipated to run four years and possible extension based upon performance and available funding.

What You’ll Do

• Champion as the thought partner, manager, and coordinator for all program logistics, ensuring that contract deliverables are met in a timely manner.
• Collaborate with diverse multi-cultural stakeholders, located across multiple time zones in different countries across Africa (specifically Ethiopia, Uganda, and South Africa), requiring nontraditional work hours.
• Serve as lead author and editor on program materials, including meeting agendas, technical presentations, publications, such as documents and reports for technologists (e.g., data producers and users) and about the project for CGS audiences.
• Plan, facilitate, and execute meetings and workshops including all logistics in African countries, ensuring coordination and alignment between technical activities and stakeholder engagement activities.
• Present and lead workshops, including providing logistical information and giving programmatic presentations about technical information to diverse muti-cultural stakeholder groups.
• Represent Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Center for Geospatial Solutions, and the IoW in high-level regional, national, and international groups.
• Contribute to the overall success of the team by participating in strategy sessions, establishing and maintaining strong relationships with all.
• Perform other coordination and management of tasks as requested.

What You’ll Need

• At least 3 years professional experience (excluding classwork, but including doctoral dissertation fieldwork) in stakeholder engagement in low/middle income countries.

• 3 years professional experience beyond academia, including working with diplomats and senior level officials in the US and African government agencies.

• Graduate degree required with preference towards water resources management, environmental sciences, geography, planning, public policy, or related field.

• Understanding of international water and climate policy and data.

• Experience accessing and analyzing hydrometeorological data.

• Familiarity with the technologies and the policies used to collect and share these data in low/middle income countries.

• Demonstrated cultural sensitivity and knowledge of the needs of African practitioners and elected officials.

• Helpful personality that thrives on keeping details organized for others.

• Experience with a wide range of office software including MS Office, Adobe Creative Suite, and project management software.

• Fluent in English including writing, proofreading for both words and numbers, research, and presentation skills.

• Demonstrated ability to be highly organized with strong project management and problem-solving skills.

• Extraordinary attention to detail.

• Self-starter; able to work independently, prioritize and multi-task; focus on delivering results.

• Strong collaboration, communication, and interpersonal skills working with a diverse population with demonstrated ability to discern and communicate important technical information in useful formats.

• Willing and able to give and receive constructive feedback towards improvement and continuous learning.