Deputy Manager, Environmental Sustainability; Rain for Life Project; Climate Change Programme (Contractual)

Location: Dhaka Office

Date Posted: February 11, 2025

Last Date of Application: February 22, 2025

BRAC is an international development organisation founded in Bangladesh that partners with over 100 million people living with inequality and poverty globally to create sustainable opportunities to realise potential.

The BRAC Climate Change Programme (CCP) supports communities to develop their capacity to adapt to climate change and improve their resilience to climate change, as well as supporting communities and organisations to reduce their climate change impact. Eager to make a difference and help communities to tackle climate change? Work with us to protect resources, improving quality of life and raise awareness, while providing people with access to the tools and knowledge to adapt and respond to adverse climatic impacts and adopt sustainable practices. Working at BRAC is not like any other job. It is a platform where you can bring about real change for people who need it the most. We are not just dreaming of a better world, we are building it. Join us to find the way.

Working at brac is not like any other job. It is a platform where you can bring about real change for people who need it the most. We are not just dreaming of a better world, we are building it. Join us to find the way.

The “Rain for Life” initiative draws on insights from BRAC’s Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs-funded rainwater collection project in Mongla and responds to the needs of local populations. By the end of 2027, it is anticipated that 30% of the climate-affected population in Assasuni, Mongla, and Patharghata upazilas will achieve improved resilience through this initiative. 

The project primarily addresses the drinking water crisis faced by communities in climate-vulnerable coastal areas. It also aims to empower farmers to adopt climate-resilient methods for crop cultivation, fisheries, and livestock production. Additionally, the initiative will strengthen environmental resilience through biodiversity and nature conservation efforts, while raising awareness at local, national, and international levels about water accessibility challenges faced by communities at risk from climate change.

“Rain for Life” exemplifies the enduring bilateral partnership between Denmark and Bangladesh in tackling climate change challenges. The initiative seeks to build a sustainable and resilient future for vulnerable communities.

Job Purpose

To ensure the Rain for Life project effectively addresses the multifaceted challenges of climate change in coastal Bangladesh, BRAC is establishing a multidisciplinary team of experts. This team, comprised of individuals with diverse backgrounds and specializations, will meticulously analyse critical environmental factors. These factors include different climatic hazards like heatwave intensity and duration, cyclone frequency and strength, flooding extent, and soil and groundwater salinity levels. By deeply understanding how these environmental thresholds directly impact the livelihoods, economic stability, and social well-being of coastal communities, the team will guide the project towards interventions that are truly resilient, sustainable, and beneficial to the people they serve.

This position Deputy Manager, Environmental Sustainability is responsible to play a critical role in ensuring the environmental integrity and long-term sustainability of the Rain for Life project. S/he will support the technical aspects of climate change adaptation and mitigation within the project, working closely with a multidisciplinary team of experts. S/he will support the technical part of the Climate Change aspect in project design, planning, data analysis and implementation to ensure the Climate Change approach. S/he is expected to connect ‘nature, livelihoods, man-made systems and technology’, utilizing integrated decision-support tools, climate and economic impact forecasts and the potential consequences on communities and infrastructure systems, risk management techniques, future planning and adaptation strategies that will assist in informed decision-making. S/he will bring the knowledge of climate change and professional experience and networks to lead the advocacy and networking with an intention to mainstream evidence-based intervention. 

Key Responsibilities

• Responsible to analyse the local environment and climate change information required by the project.
• Support in project activities design, contextualizing different climate adaptive models of the programme Project design and implementation. 
• Develop a database of the environmental elements of the project areas, specifically the climate-vulnerable coastal area. 
• Conduct Community Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment (CCVA), Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), and Climate Risk Assessment in the Project Implementation Area.
• Ensure to develop and implementation of climate/environmental modeling frameworks.
• Support the implementation and monitoring of climate adaptation strategies in the project area.
• Conduct a systematic literature review on relevant environmental and climatic data and regularly update the research and implementation team through presentations, workshops, and/or project reports.
• Communicate the environmental and climatic information with the community in an easy language. 
• Work with partners to develop effective activity plans for improving environmental governance.
• Support the development of technical documentation, articles for publication, and official communiques.
• Prepare monthly, periodic, need-based reports. 

SAFEGUARDING RESPONSIBILITIES

• Ensure the safety of Programme Participants, people who come into contact with the organisation and team members from any harm, abuse, neglect, harassment and exploitation including sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) to achieve the programme’s goals of safeguarding implementation. Act as a key source of support, guidance and expertise on safeguarding for establishing a safe working environment.
• Practice, promote and endorse the issues of safeguarding policy among team members and ensure the implementation of safeguarding standards in every course of action.
• Follow the safeguarding reporting procedure in case any reportable incident takes place, and encourage others to do so.

Additional Job Requirements

• Computer Literacy (MS-Word, Excel, powerpoint etc.)
• Excellent speaking and writing skills both in Bangla and English
• Proposal and report writing
• Supervision of field operations
• Networking skills
• Environment, Climate Change, Economics, Disaster Management
• DRR and CCA
• Policy Analysis
• Financial Management and Budgeting
• Team building and leading capacity and ability to work under pressure and deadline
• Flexible to face new challenges
• Analytical thinking, decision making
• Gender Sensitivity
• People Management
• Donor Coordination

Educational Requirements

Master in Environmental/Climate Science/ Environmental Economics/ Management/ Agriculture/ Development Studies or any relevant discipline.

Experience Requirements

Minimum 03 years of work experience in environment and climate change study or any relevant field.

Benefits

Festival Bonus, Health and Life Insurance, and others as per policy.