Team Leader

KEY INFORMATION
Job Title: Team Leader
Position Type: Long-term
Duration/Level of Effort: 2025 – 2026, with possibility of multi-year extension
Position Location: Phnom Penh, Cambodia


OBJECTIVE
Cowater International is pre-positioning for an upcoming opportunity, the Cambodia Climate Resilience Program (CCRP) funded by DFAT Australia which comprises an investment of AUD 75 million over 9 years, with an initial phase of 4 years consisting of up to AUD 30 million, with an option for a further 5-year extension.

It is anticipated that the RFT for the Program will be issued May/Jun via Austender, with mobilisation in the second quarter 2025. The Program will work alongside existing Australian-funded regional and global water and climate programs, providing additionality.


SUMMARY OF PROJECT
A key priority for Australia’s engagement in Cambodia is supporting Cambodia to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change. As outlined by the World Bank’s Cambodia Country Climate and Development Report, climate change will exacerbate Cambodia’s existing vulnerabilities, with projected impacts including moderate temperature rise, more hot days, prolonged dry spells, and increased intensity of high rainfall events. In light of these projected impacts, there is a need to strengthen Cambodia’s adaptive capacity. Given the centrality of water to climate adaptation, the Program aims to bring Australia’s water expertise to strengthen planning, implementation, and management of water resources to reduce vulnerability and enhance climate resilience in Cambodia.

The Program will take a gender equality, disability and social inclusion and people-centred approach to reducing vulnerability to climate change and increasing resilient livelihoods and wellbeing. It will also work with local partners to support adaptation initiatives and build local leadership and capacity to respond to the impacts of climate change.


KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Technical Leadership

• Lead inception and implementation activities of CCRP based on strong understanding of integrated water resource management (IWRM) including climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies and disaster risk reduction (DRR) principles, policies, and best practices.
• Broker successful collaborations and/or negotiations with government stakeholders; private sector, CSOs and implementing partners at both central and provincial levels.
• Lead and coordinate strategic planning across the Program portfolio based on experience in water governance, watershed management, and conservation strategies and understanding of hydrology, water quality monitoring, and climate resilience in water management in developing country contexts preferably in Cambodia/Mekong or Delta regions.
• Ensure effective communication and coordination between all Program stakeholders, including the internal team, implementing partners, government of Cambodia, international and local short-term advisors, and Cowater International.
• Provide mentoring and quality assurance support to the Program’s technical team and implementation partners.
• Lead documentation, consolidation of CCRP’s achievements, lessons learnt in integrated water resource management (IWRM) approach for communication, advocacy and policy influence with government of Cambodia and DFAT.

Leadership and Managerial

• Develop and implement annual work plans, budgeting, and evaluation systems to ensure internal coordination.
• Ensure the Program is implemented, delivered, and completed professionally to achieve expected results and targets, based on approved plans and in a timely and value for money manner warranting coherence and synergies across Program objectives.
• Ensure efficient decision-making, communication, and reporting within the team and external stakeholders.
• Establish and maintain an effective team structure with clear roles and responsibilities.

Relationships and Coordination

• Serve as the primary liaison with and manage strategic relationships key stakeholders, government of Cambodia officials (centrally and provincially), DFAT, and implementing partners.
• Provide high level advice to DFAT and the government of Cambodia on strategic direction and implementation of the Program.
• Ensure the Program is accountable to DFAT, provincial and central government in Cambodia, and Cowater.
• Lead and support coordination of the Program’s partner investment committee.
• Ensure the Program cooperates with other relevant DFAT, donor and government funded programs and that strong working relationships are developed, particularly with DFAT and the government of Cambodia at national and provincial levels.
• Ability to facilitate multi-stakeholder coordination and strengthen public-private partnerships (PPPs).
• Supporting the Steering Committee to fulfil their functions including by ensuring timely, evidence-based, high-quality secretariat function and support.
• Leading the senior management team, providing performance management, motivation, learning, development opportunities and direction.
• Managing Program resources (human and financial) effectively, efficiently, ethically, and economically to ensure optimum delivery.

Political Economy and Risk Management

• Continually assess, evaluate, and interpret the wider context, including the policy landscape and other social, political, and economic changes that may have an impact on Program delivery for adaptive management
• Proactively managing Program risks, through regular monitoring and updating of the risk register and implementation of effective mitigation strategies, in consultation with DFAT and other key stakeholders
• Managing cross-cutting issues and DFAT environmental and social safeguards relevant to the Program.

Operations Management and Support

• Ensure contract oversight with sub-contractors and implementing partners follow DFAT and Cowater’s contract, procurement guidelines, and best practice.
• Ensure high quality deliverables to DFAT, including but not limited to progress, completion, and ad-hoc reports, technical notes, briefings  
• Oversight of Program’s monitoring and evaluation systems in line with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning plan (MERL), as well as the documentation of lessons and results to be disseminated effectively including clear, interesting, and evidence-based progress reports to DFAT, government of Cambodia, and other partners.
• Ensure the program is smoothly completed as per DFAT-Cowater contract, DFAT and government of Cambodia’s instructions and relevant laws and regulations.

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Advanced degree in international development, management, or fields related to water resource management and climate change. Master’s degree required.
• 15+ years relevant leadership or senior management experience leading and managing complex development programs, with experience managing Australian government programs preferred.
• Experience leading multi-cultural teams of 15-20 team members and establishing an effective working environment through mentorship, delegation and capacity building.
• 10+ years of experience implementing programs with a focus on water resource management, governance capacity building, public-private partnerships, access to WASH services, climate adaptation, and related themes.
• Experience managing programme budgets of AUD >5M per year, DFAT fund management experience preferred, with a preference for candidates with previous senior management experience on DFAT-funded projects.
• Demonstrated track record in working with counterparts at various levels of government, private sector leaders, and other stakeholders in strengthening civil society engagement, capacity, and participation.
• Experience managing funds and subgrants to international and local NGOs/stakeholders.
• Experience in Cambodia strongly preferred, as well as other Indo-Pacific countries. Alternative or additional experience in similar contexts will be considered.
• Excellent speaking, writing, and oral communication skills in English.

DESIRED ATTRIBUTES

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of constituencies and cultures.
• Proven track record fostering inclusive and collaborative learning, adaptive management, and data-driven decision making
• A demonstrated history of success investing in relationships with government representatives and other key partners
• Ability to work collaboratively and to foster a cooperative environment across technically and operationally diverse teams
• Proven ability to develop and manage financial management information systems
• Ability to think innovatively and practically and translate thinking into real world outputs.

APPLICATION PROCESS
Interested candidates are invited to apply by 16 May 2025.

To apply, please submit the following in a single email to cv@cowater.com:  

• Cover letter outlining your interest in the role and the Platform 
• Updated CV 
• Contact details for at least two (2) references 

For your application to be considered, please rename your documents as followed: Candidate Last Name, First Name, date, Title of the Position.

Equal Opportunity:
Women and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. 

Cowater International is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to hiring based on merit and qualifications. Cowater does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender identity, disability, age, or any other basis protected by law.  


ABOUT US
Founded in 1985, Cowater International is a leading global development consulting company. Headquartered in Ottawa and with corporate hubs in Auckland, Berlin, Brussels, Helsinki, London, Madrid, Manila, Nairobi, Singapore and Stockholm, Cowater International has successfully delivered a portfolio of over 2,500 projects and assignments in more than 95 countries. We work with governments, private sector actors and communities implementing projects that support socio-economic development, institutional strengthening, environmental improvements and advance equal opportunities for all. We are a diverse and experienced team committed to building a better tomorrow for the people we serve. Our adaptive approach to management has led to our yearly award-winning work and recognition as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies since 2017.

We thank you for your interest in building a better tomorrow.

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Cowater International is an equal opportunity employer, basing employment on merit and qualifications as they relate to professional experience and position expectations. Cowater does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender identity, disability, age, or any other basis protected by law.