Event and Knowledge Management Intern (Part-time)UNDP

UNDP TThis job posting for the Chief Technical Specialist (RMI ACWA Project) based in Majuro, Marshall Islands, provides a detailed overview of the role, responsibilities, required qualifications, and competencies needed for the position. The role is for an international personnel service agreement (IPSA) with a contract duration of one year, which can be extended. The position is offered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and is specifically linked to the Addressing Climate Vulnerability in the Water Sector (ACWA) project in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI).KNOWLEDGE
Background Information
The ACWA project is a collaboration between the Government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (GoRMI) and UNDP. It was launched in January 2020 to tackle the challenges posed by climate change to water security in the region. RMI, a small island nation in the Pacific, faces significant risks due to climate change, including the potential for reduced freshwater resources due to droughts, as well as contamination of groundwater from seawater inundation.
The geographical layout of the Marshall Islands, spread across over 2 million square kilometers of ocean and consisting of 24 inhabited atolls, makes water access and management particularly challenging. RMI has no rivers, streams, or lakes, and its inhabitants depend heavily on limited freshwater sources like rainwater harvesting and small surface ponds. This underscores the urgency of the ACWA project, which aims to strengthen water security, resilience, and governance across the islands, particularly for the rural communities in outer islands and atolls.
The project’s goals are threefold:
- Water Security: The focus is on improving rainwater harvesting systems and water storage infrastructure, especially in rural areas. This is critical for the approximately 28% of the population living in remote atolls, which includes a significant proportion of women.
- Water Resilience: There is a focus on protecting groundwater sources from contamination caused by seawater, which can infiltrate wells due to wave overtopping. This is important in maintaining the sustainability of water sources.
- Water Governance: The project aims to strengthen the technical capacities of national and local institutions, ensuring that water governance processes are climate-resilient, inclusive, and effective.
Job Description for the Chief Technical Specialisthttps://estm.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/job/23616
The Chief Technical Specialist (CTS) will play a pivotal role in the ACWA project by overseeing its technical components, ensuring the project’s implementation aligns with international best practices, and providing technical guidance throughout its lifecycle. The CTS will report directly to the Project Manager (PM) and collaborate closely with the Team Lead for the Resilience and Sustainable Development Unit and the Project Management Unit (PMU). The job responsibilities span a wide range of duties and require both technical expertise and strategic oversight.
1. Technical Oversight and Expertise
The CTS will work alongside the Project Manager to ensure the effective execution of the project’s activities. This includes overseeing the implementation of key adaptation measures, such as the improvement of rainwater harvesting systems and the rehabilitation of groundwater wells. The CTS is also expected to assess and mitigate potential project risks, ensuring that both environmental and social safeguards are in place throughout the project’s phases—from inception to operation. The role also involves monitoring the progress of project activities, liaising with government counterparts and other development partners, and providing backstopping for technical personnel within the PMU.
A key part of this responsibility is to ensure that all project activities are implemented with the highest technical quality, meeting the needs of the local communities while aligning with the project’s long-term sustainability goals. The CTS will also be expected to identify external technical support needs, bringing in specialists when necessary to address complex challenges in water security and resilience.
2. Policy Advice and Capacity Building
As part of the project’s technical leadership, the CTS will provide policy advice to the Government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (GoRMI) on water supply security, resilience strategies, and governance. This involves coordinating with UNDP and local institutions to develop policies that strengthen the nation’s water management capacity, especially in the context of climate change.
In addition to providing policy advice, the CTS is tasked with building the technical and managerial capacity of the Project Management Unit (PMU). This includes offering guidance on key aspects of the project, including environmental and social impact assessments, safeguards implementation, and grievance redress mechanisms.
The CTS will also work closely with stakeholders and community partners to ensure that the project adheres to the principles of Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI), incorporating gender mainstreaming activities and supporting the development and implementation of GESI action plans.
3. Project Management
A significant portion of the CTS’s role involves contributing to the effective management and operation of the ACWA project. This includes:
- Strategic input into annual work planning, budgeting, and procurement.
- Monitoring financial expenditures and ensuring adherence to the project’s budget.
- Coordinating with the UNDP Pacific Office and the Regional Hub in Bangkok to ensure that financial and operational procedures align with UNDP rules and regulations.
- Ensuring the project is achieving its targets through quarterly and annual progress reporting and evaluations.
- Coordinating efforts to manage risks and taking corrective action when necessary.
The CTS will be actively involved in all project management activities, ensuring that the project runs smoothly, stays within budget, and meets its timelines and objectives.
4. Knowledge Management
The CTS will also play a role in fostering a culture of knowledge sharing within the project team and with external stakeholders. This includes capturing and analyzing lessons learned from the project’s implementation and ensuring that these insights are disseminated to inform future initiatives. The role involves producing materials that document best practices and lessons learned and participating in broader knowledge-based tools and platforms within UNDP.
5. Strategic Partnership Development and Advocacy
Building partnerships is another key area of focus for the CTS. This includes identifying potential collaborators, both within the UN system and among external development partners, donors, and local institutions. The CTS will be responsible for advocating for the project’s goals, particularly in relation to strengthening water security in the Marshall Islands, and will play a role in preparing donor briefings, resource mobilization efforts, and other advocacy activities.
Required Skills and Experience
The role of Chief Technical Specialist requires a highly skilled and experienced professional in water engineering, environmental management, or a related field. The position’s core responsibilities and expectations are aligned with a strong technical foundation, but also require substantial management and strategic thinking skills.
Educational Requirements:
- An advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Water Engineering, Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, or a related field is required. Alternatively, a Bachelor’s degree in one of these fields, coupled with additional years of experience, will be considered.
Professional Experience:
- At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience (with a Master’s degree) or 9 years (with a Bachelor’s degree) in managing or overseeing large-scale water supply projects, especially those related to climate change adaptation.
- Experience in water resource management and climate change adaptation is highly desirable.
- Familiarity with the Pacific region or working in similar atoll environments would be an asset.
Technical Competencies:
- Proven expertise in managing water supply, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) projects, especially rainwater harvesting systems in rural or remote settings.
- Experience in project management, budgeting, and contractual management.
- Understanding of environmental and social safeguards, including the environmental management plan, indigenous peoples’ rights, and grievance resolution mechanisms.
- Strong skills in team leadership, including managing and mentoring project staff and facilitating discussions with stakeholders.
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- Fluency in English is required.
- Knowledge of Marshallese would be an advantage, though not mandatory.
- Working knowledge of another UN language is desirable.
Conclusion
This position is crucial for the success of the ACWA project, ensuring that the project’s activities are technically sound, strategically aligned, and meet the specific needs of the communities in the Marshall Islands. The role demands a balance of technical expertise in water management and climate change adaptation, strong leadership and policy advisory skills, as well as an ability to manage complex project dynamics in a challenging environment.
If you meet the qualifications and have a passion for improving water resilience in vulnerable communities, this could be an excellent opportunity to contribute to a vital project with significant long-term impact.
The Chief Technical Specialist (CTS) role within the Addressing Climate Vulnerability in the Water Sector (ACWA) Project represents a senior, strategic position that holds significant responsibility within the context of climate change adaptation and water management for the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced professional to contribute to addressing one of the most pressing challenges faced by small island developing states (SIDS) in the Pacific—ensuring water security in the face of climate vulnerability.
ACWA Project Context
The ACWA Project aims to enhance the resilience of water supply systems in RMI, which is particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts such as rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and droughts. These issues threaten the already limited freshwater resources, which rely heavily on rainwater harvesting, groundwater, and limited freshwater lenses in coastal aquifers. Groundwater contamination from saltwater intrusion, particularly in the outer atoll communities, exacerbates water scarcity, making it critical to invest in sustainable, climate-resilient water management systems.
The project operates in a broader international framework, where climate resilience, gender equality, and sustainable development are key themes. It aligns with RMI’s national development goals, UNDP’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. The project emphasizes community-driven approaches, ensuring that water-related vulnerabilities and the strategies to address them are tailored to the unique challenges of each atoll community. The ultimate objective of the ACWA project is to improve the sustainability of RMI’s water supply systems, increase resilience to climate impacts, and ensure equitable access to water for vulnerable populations.

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The Chief Technical Specialist (CTS) is expected to be a key contributor to the strategic direction and technical oversight of the project, ensuring that the project’s deliverables are not only technically sound but also aligned with the national needs and the broader global climate change agenda.
Detailed Responsibilities
The CTS has a diverse and challenging set of responsibilities that encompass both strategic leadership and technical management. These include:
1. Providing Technical Leadership and Oversight
One of the most critical aspects of the role involves taking charge of the project’s technical implementation, ensuring that all interventions are in line with international best practices. The CTS will oversee the installation and rehabilitation of water supply infrastructure, including rainwater harvesting systems, storage tanks, and groundwater filtration units. Given the particular challenges faced in remote and dispersed island communities, the role requires the CTS to bring both innovation and practicality to the solutions being implemented.
In addition to overseeing construction and infrastructure improvements, the CTS will guide the climate risk assessments for water systems, integrating findings into designs, and ensuring that all technical solutions are sustainable and responsive to the evolving climate realities of the Marshall Islands.
The role will require familiarity with climate-sensitive water systems and an understanding of the broader implications of climate change on water resources—both in terms of volume and quality. The CTS will work with the Project Manager and the UNDP country office team to continually review project activities and ensure they meet technical specifications, timelines, and quality standards.
2. Building Institutional Capacity
Another key component of the CTS role involves building the capacity of the GoRMI, local government bodies, and technical staff in the water and sanitation sector. This includes advising government ministries and local partners on policy and regulatory frameworks for water security, guiding them in strengthening water governance, and ensuring that climate-resilient water management practices are well-integrated into national planning processes.
The CTS will conduct trainings, workshops, and knowledge-sharing sessions to strengthen local expertise in water management, particularly in the context of climate vulnerability. This capacity-building function is essential to ensuring the long-term sustainability of project interventions and will contribute to the country’s broader goals for climate resilience and disaster risk reduction.
3. Ensuring Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI)
An important responsibility of the CTS is to ensure that the ACWA project operates in alignment with UNDP’s gender equality policies. The role demands a keen understanding of the gender dynamics in water management, particularly in island communities, where women are often the primary water collectors and managers. The CTS will integrate gender and social inclusion considerations into every aspect of the project, from planning to implementation and monitoring.
This will involve ensuring that women and marginalized groups are not only consulted but are actively involved in decision-making and implementation processes. The role will include the development and implementation of gender-sensitive action plans to empower women and ensure equitable access to water resources, which is central to achieving long-term, inclusive resilience in the face of climate change.
4. Monitoring, Reporting, and Evaluation
The CTS will oversee the monitoring, reporting, and evaluation (M&E) components of the project to track progress toward objectives and identify areas that need improvement. This involves developing robust M&E frameworks, including performance indicators for technical and financial aspects of the project. The CTS will coordinate periodic progress reports to ensure transparency and accountability to stakeholders, including donors and government counterparts.
The CTS will also ensure that there is continuous assessment of the environmental and social impacts of the project, ensuring that all activities comply with the UN’s environmental and social safeguards. The CTS will manage the project’s risk assessments and the implementation of mitigation measures, contributing to overall project sustainability and success.
Additionally, the CTS will provide quarterly reports, annual reviews, and detailed project completion reports that evaluate technical aspects and document lessons learned, which can be useful for future interventions and other climate resilience projects in similar contexts.
5. Resource Mobilization and Stakeholder Engagement
Given the strategic importance of the ACWA Project, the CTS will be involved in resource mobilization efforts, liaising with international donors, financial institutions, and other development partners to ensure continued funding for the project. This will require preparation of technical project proposals and updates, ensuring that all stakeholders, including UNDP, local governments, and NGOs, are engaged and updated on progress.
The role also involves advocating for the project’s goals at international climate forums, ensuring that water security in small island states is prioritized in the global climate agenda. The CTS will act as a technical representative for the project, forging partnerships that could lead to additional technical or financial support.
Essential Qualifications
To excel in this role, the Chief Technical Specialist must possess a combination of technical expertise, management experience, and interpersonal skills to navigate the challenges of working in remote island environments. The position requires a leader who can balance the technical, operational, and political aspects of water security projects while building relationships with various stakeholders.
Required Skills and Experience:
- Education: A Master’s degree in water engineering, environmental management, or a related field. Alternatively, a Bachelor’s degree with additional experience (at least 9 years) may be considered.
- Experience: A minimum of 7 years of experience managing large-scale water and sanitation projects, with a focus on climate change adaptation and water resource management. At least 5 years of experience in Pacific Island countries or similar atoll nations would be an asset.
- Technical Expertise: Expertise in water supply systems, rainwater harvesting, groundwater management, and climate-resilient infrastructure.
- Management Experience: Strong project management skills, including budgeting, procurement, and monitoring/evaluation.
- Language Proficiency: Fluency in English is required; knowledge of Marshallese or other Pacific Island languages is a plus.
Conclusion
The role of the Chief Technical Specialist is central to the success of the ACWA Project, and by extension, to the broader effort to enhance water security and climate resilience in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. This is a challenging yet rewarding opportunity to work in a dynamic, multi-stakeholder environment, making a tangible impact on the lives of vulnerable communities in the Pacific. Through technical leadership, policy advice, capacity building, and resource mobilization, the CTS will be instrumental in ensuring that the ACWA project achieves its goals and contributes to building a more sustainable future for the Marshall Islands