Uganda: Regional Hydromet System Coordinator ( Re-advertised)

Position:

Project Staff: Regional Hydromet System Coordinator

Category:

Regional

Organizational Unit:

Nile Basin Initiative Secretariat,

Duty Station:

Entebbe Uganda

Approx. Contract period:

1 April 2018 – 31 Dec 2020

Reports to:

Deputy Executive Director/Head of the Basin-Wide

Program and Water Resources Management

Terms of Reference

1.Background:

The Nile-Sec is preparing for the implementation of a regional hydrological and meteorological monitoring system (in short the Hydromet system). The detailed design of the hydromet system was developed during 2014 – 2015 and the design was approved by the Nile Council of Ministers (Nile-COM) on 5 June 2015 (Minute 6.2.5).

Implementation of the first phase of the hydromet system is scheduled to start in 2018 with a funding obtained from the 10^th European Development Fund (EDF) as part of the EU – BMZ (Germany) Multi-Donor Action project. The first phase will mainly focus on installing and operationalizing the hydrological monitoring stations together with their data transmission, storage and basic processing systems. The hydromet system is planned to be implemented through the NBI centers and LVBC, with the overall lead at the Nile-Sec. The specific components to be implemented will be determined early in the implementation phase.

Implementation of the hydromet system will start with updating the design specification to ensure the proposed technology for the system benefit from recent developments in the river basin monitoring infrastructure and align fully into the existing national hydromet systems . Further, the implementation will integrate capacity building (training) of national staff of the hydrological and, as required, meteorological services agencies. It shall include the procurement of equipment, installation on site and system development at data centers (regional and national) as well as testing to ensure the entire system works smoothly and handing over of the system to relevant national agencies accompanied by training.

The Nile-Sec intends to employ the services of a project staff (Regional Hydromet System Coordinator) who shall provide the operational management of the implementation of the hydromet system. The Regional Hydromet Coordinator will be stationed at the Nile-Sec and travel throughout the Nile Basin riparian countries and outside the Nile Basin as required.

The purpose of employing the Regional Hydromet Coordinator is to ensure timely, coordinated and within budget implementation of the hydromet system in NBI member countries as per the finally agreed design and implementation plan. The Coordinator will provide technical as well as project management expertise in the implementation of the hydromet system.

The regional coordinator will be responsible for delivering the outcome and output indicators of the EU-BMZ project that is the source of the funding:

Outcome: Member states operate and maintain their respective monitoring stations and share information according to the agreed mechanism.

Output 1: A regional monitoring network of 53 hydrological stations in the Nile basis is functional and transmitting data to the regional data centres.

Output 2: Member states, the NBI and the RECs (LVBC and IGAD) have agreed on operational guidelines and a data sharing mechanism.

Output 3: All member states have budgeted for the operation and maintenance of their respective new hydrological monitoring stations in their annual budgets.

A.Key responsibilities

1.Implementation start-up activities: as part of the start-up activities, the Nile-Sec intends to develop and an agreed upon operational plan with all NBI member countries and NBI centers for coordinated and smooth implementation of the system. In this regard, the Regional Coordinator shall:

a) Develop a milestone plan that broadly outlines the approach and implementation activities, the required coordination among NBI centers, NBI member countries, LVBC and GIZ. The milestone plan shall include both the technical implementation of the system as well arrangements for data/information flow and system handing over and integration into the national network for each country.

A key element of the milestone plan on which mutual consensus will be required between NBI centers, GIZ, RECs and NBI member countries is the phasing of the implementation of the systems. The basis for this shall be the proposed implementation phases in the design of the hydromet system prepared in 2015. An important decision in this context is whether to start by installing very few stations in each country complete with data transmission, storage, processing and dissemination components or implement the system with the full network on site followed by the data transmission, storage, processing and dissemination components.

b) Advise Nile-Sec on staffing plan at ENTRO, LVBC and NELSAP-CU for local coordination of implementation;

c) Working closely with each NBI member country, compile information on custom requirements (if any) on equipment import and prepare logistical plan with information customs requirements, clearance times needed and any other operational conditions that must be fulfilled for each country. This information is needed to prepare realistic plan for delivery and installation of hydromet equipment;

d) Develop detailed work plan and budget for implementation of the hydromet system, covering aspects of in-house (NBI) capacity development, consultation with NBI member countries and procurement plan for all components of the hydromet implementation;

e) Liaise with GIZ to refine and finalize the milestone plan, work plan and budget;

f) Revive the Nile Basin hydromet Regional Expert Working Group based on the original working group formed by NBI during the design stage of the hydromet system. The Regional Coordinator shall liaise with the Expert Working Group in all key matters of implementation;

g) Working closely with national hydrological and meteorological services agencies, compile information on currently used main technologies of hydrological and meteorological monitoring equipment, known issues and preferred technologies of such equipment by each country. This information will be used to refine the design specifications of the hydromet system;

h) Review the status of stations that were installed in the NBI countries through NELSAP-CU and as part of IGAD – HYCOS and draw lessons that will inform the planning, installation and management of the network of the Nile Basin Regional Hydromet System. The lessons shall include, at a minimum, technology uptake, integration of the stations into the national network, operation and management issues and sustainability of the stations.

i) Organize the first Hydromet Regional Expert Working Group meeting as a milestone event in which the milestone plan, detailed work plan and budget will be reviewed and agreed upon; the finally agreed milestone plan will be presented to the Nile-TAC for approval.

j) Maintain up to date roster/database of national and regional stakeholders that will be engaged at various stages of the implementation

k) Work closely with the Nile-Sec IT/Software team to integrate the regional database with other stakeholder database prepared by NBI and their availability through the Integrated Knowledge Portal (IKP);

l) Develop an indicative first draft of the first three-four information products that will be developed based on the data-exchange from the system

m) Develop principles for the hydromet policy guidance on governance, budgeting, o&m and information sharing in the system with the involved stakeholders.

2.Updating the design specifications and implementation plan: it is foreseen that the design specs and implementation plan prepared in 2015 will be revisited and, as required, updated to ensure that the design specs are compatible with current technologies and benefits from improvements in technologies as well as fully aligned to the national hydromet systems, the regional stations are a part of. In this regard, the Regional Coordinator shall:

a) Provide technical expertise and project management support to updating and refinement of the hydromet system design;

b) As required, carry out (or organize) national consultations and selected site visits for refining cost estimates of on-site works;

c) Oversee the procurement of consultants, goods and works for updating the design specifications and implementation plan of the system;

d) Provide technical oversight and project management support in the development of refined tender documents for the various components;

e) Provide technical expertise and programmatic oversight in the preparation of the updated design specifications, implementation plan and tender documents.

f) Plan, organize and facilitate consultations with national stakeholders and the regional expert working group to ensure that the final design specs meets the requirements of each NBI member country;

g) Convene regional workshops of the expert working group to review and final clearance of the refined design specs and implementation plans;

h) Present the final design specs and implementation plan (including tender documents) to the Nile-TAC;

3.Procurement of consultants and contractors for implementation of the hydromet system

a) Advise Nile-Sec management on best procurement methods and procedure for major consultancies, goods and works for the implementation of the system. The procurement methods will take into account specific requirements of the various components of the hydromet system and specific country conditions where the equipment will be installed, regulations of NBI and GIZ;

b) Closely working with the regional expert working group, Nile-Sec management, NBI centers, LVBC and GIZ, procure consultants and contractors for implementing the various aspects of the hydromet system;

c) Liaise with NBI countries in the selection of local contractors for on-site works for the implementation of the hydromet system;

d) Organize regional expert working group meetings as required for review and evaluation of bid documents;

e) Organize national consultations as required;

f) Lead the contract negotiation process with selected consultants and contractors. Provide expert opinions and options for resolution of issues during contract negotiations;

4.Procurement, delivery and installation of hydromet equipment

a) Once contracts are signed, lead the procurement, delivery at destination countries and proper on-site testing of the system components. A proper auditable certification system is required to be in place to ensure smooth transport and deliver of equipment;

b) Plan, organize and implement training for national hydrological agencies field and office staff in the installation, testing and operationalization of the hydromet system components.

c) Working closely with NBI centers, LVBC and member countries, oversee the installation and testing of the system ensuring that all components work together. Ensure that the national hydrological services agencies’ field and office staff are adequately conversed with the installation, testing, troubleshooting and operationalization of the system;

d) Support national hydrological services agencies in the on-site installation of the equipment;

e) Ensure the all hydromet system components on-site are properly protected against inadvertent damage;

f) Supervise the final testing and operational handing over of the hydromet system in each NBI country;

g) Supervise the preparation and final operationalization of guidelines for operation and maintenance of the hydromet system;

5.Policy development, communication and basin monitoring Information products

a) Develop, consult and finalize the policy guidance on the governance, budgeting, operation and maintenance and data sharing of the system.

b) Develop a monitoring system for country compliance to the agreed standards regarding (a) budgeting and O & M of the stations and (b) data exchange

c) Develop a policy on sustainability of the system and draft MoU/contracts with each individual country specifying the required budget provisions for O&M for each station that has to be inserted into the national hydromet budget as a prerequisite for full role out of the stations.

d) Develop detailed specifications of t least three – four basin monitoring information products (basinwide, sub-basin specific, such as hydrological yearbook, enhanced flood warning, lake level management, etc.) that will be generated based on the data collected from the hydromet system;

e) Oversee the preparation and dissemination of information products; ensure the information products are available from the first year of implementation and improved versions are produced every successive year, to enable learning and improvement by throughout the implementation process.

6. Carry out other tasks assigned by the DED/HBWP-WRM or his designate;

B.Academic/Professional Qualifications & Experience

a) At least M.Sc in water resources engineering, hydraulic engineering, hydrology, civil engineering (with specialization in hydrology or water resources) or closely related fields. Ph.D. in the same fields is an added advantage;

b) Specialized training on hydro-meteorological monitoring systems design is a requirement;

c) Hands-on experience with WMO standards for hydrological and meteorological monitoring/practices is a significant advantage;

d) At least 7 years of relevant experience (after MSc) in river basin management , water resources management,

e) At least 8 years of experience (after MSc) with the design and implementation and management of hydro-meteorological systems;

f) At least 5 years’ experience in delivering multi-country projects of similar nature and complexity to the Nile Basin hydromet system is required;

g) Strong project management skills demonstrated through hands-on experience in coordination, implementation and management of complex water resources projects is required;

h) Knowledge of world bank and GIZ procurement rules is a significant advantage;

i) Hands-on experience in remote sensing and GIS is advantage;

j) Fluency in the English language is required; working knowledge of French is an asset;

k) Excellent inter-personal and communication skills is a requirement;

C.Implementationsetup

The Regional Hydromet System Coordinator shall be stationed at the Nile-Sec, Entebbe during the contract period, and work closely with water resources team under the overall supervision of the DED-HBWP/WRM of the Nile-Sec. The Regional Coordinator reports to the DED-HBWP/WRM or his designate.

D.Duration

The duration of the employment shall be 3 years (six months probation period) renewed annually based on satisfactory performance.

Interested applicants are advised to submit applications electronically to the Executive Director through wrmvacancy@nilebasin.org. Application/cover letter indicating the title of the assignment accompanied by detailed curriculum vitae should reach the Executive Director not later than 12:00 pm (Local Time in Entebbe, Uganda) 16^th April, 2018. Please clearly indicate a minimum of three referees and two former employers excluding the current employer with their full contacts. Women candidates are encouraged to apply.