The Water and Land Resource Centre (WLRC), www.wlrc-eth.org, is an autonomous institution dedicated to generating and sharing scientific knowledge to inform policies and practices. in water and land resources management. The Centre plays a vital role in Ethiopia and and the broader Horn of Africa. The Centre was reorganised in 2011 from the then Soil Conservation Research Project (SCRP), which was initiated in 1981 by Centre for Development and Environment (CDE) of the University of Bern, Switzerland, in collaboration with the then Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) of Ethiopia. With over 40 years of experience, WLRC has been instrumental in advancing research and disseminating evidence on water and land resource management.

BRIGHT is a five-year project implemented by WLRC, which stands for Basin Development Support for Resilient, Inclusive Growth, and Harmonized Transformation in the Water Sector of Ethiopia. The project targets five major river basins: Abbay, Awash, Rift Valley, Omo-Gibe, and Tekezie. BRIGHT aims to enhance Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) across these basins, ultimately improving resilience and reducing the vulnerability of local populations to drought and climate change in Ethiopia.

The project will establish climate smart IWRM hotspot catchments in each basin to restore the ecological balance of highly degraded areas using a tailored IWRM approach. This approach includes diverse catchment management interventions, with IWRM as the central pillar. To support this efforts, WLRC, seeks Resident IWRM Catchment Coordinator. This role will be responsible for proactively supporting and implementing IWRM in the selected catchment and related basin development activities under the BRIGHT project in the target basins.

Overall Purpose 

To provide technical expertise and support for the implementation of IWRM activities within a designated catchment, fostering community participation and ensuring the sustainable management of water and land resource.

Duties and Responsibilities of Resident IWRM Catchment Coordinator. 

Under the supervision/guidance of the resident basin coordinator (RBC) and hotspot restoration thematic leader, the Resident IWRM Catchment Coordinator shall support for the proper and effective implementation of activities within the hotspot through full participation of communities and local government. The technician will play a key role, provide technical support for the day-to-day routine task, and realize hotspot in realizing IWRM in the target basins. The specific duties and responsibilities include: 

• Community Mobilization and Organization: Map catchment boundaries, collect data, engage communities, form associations, organize training programs for communities and other stakeholders, and ensure inclusive IWRM participation.

• Community Consultation and Needs Assessment: assess needs, integrate local knowledge, foster dialogue, and document findings through participatory community consultations.

• Prioritization of IWRM and/or Watershed Interventions within the Catchment: Assess resources, evaluate options, prioritize interventions with communities, and develop implementation plans for IWRM.

• Participatory Development of Catchment Management Plans (IWRM focus): Consult stakeholders, provide technical input, support the development of plans and ensure community ownership of catchment management plans.

• Implementation of Catchment Management Plans: Oversee implementation, guide stakeholders, coordinate activities, and resolve issues in catchment management plan implementation.

• Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E): Develop and or adopt frameworks, collect data, conduct visits, and report on IWRM implementation progress and impact.

• Reporting and Documentation: Prepare, maintain, and submit timely reports on project progress, records, and challenges to stakeholders. 

• Training and Capacity Building: Enhance skills through training of trainers (ToT), conduct training, and develop materials for capacity building of local communities in the watershed.

• Liaison and Coordination:  Serve as a bridge between communities, the BAOs, the Resident Basin Coordinator, thematic leaders, WLRC and other government and non-government organizations and actively building and maintaining robust partnerships with diverse organizations involved in IWRM.

• Other Duties: In addition to core responsibilities, the RICC may be assigned other tasks, actively participating in team meetings and workshops, while consistently adhering to organizational policies and procedures.

Organization: Water and Land Resource Centre (WLRC) 

Reports to: Resident Basin Coordinator (RBC)

Place of Work: In any one of the following: Meshenti/Bahir Dar, Bishoftu, Wushwish, Arba Minch, Atsbi.

Classification: Fulltime

Starting Date: as soon as possible 

Remuneration: Competitive salary and benefits per the BRIGHT Project scale.

Terms of Employment: Four-year contract, renewable annually based on performance and budget availability.

Job Requirements

Key Skills and Qualifications:

• BSc Degree or higher in Natural Resource Management, Water Resources Management, Environmental Science, Agricultural Engineering, or a related field.

• A minimum of 5 years of experience in a similar role.

• Experience in community mobilization and participatory approaches.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

• Ability to work effectively in a team environment.

• Proficiency in data collection, analysis, and reporting.

• Experience working in the specific region or country.

• Fluency in the local language(s).

• Knowledge of relevant organizational, technical, and communication tools.

Duty Stations and Preferred Languages 

No.

Basin Name

Duty Station

Preferable Language

1Abay Basin 

Meshenti/Bahir Dar 

Amharic

2

Awash Basin

Bishoftu

Oromifa

3

Omo-Gibe Basin

Wushwish

Keficho

4

Rift Vally Lakes Basin

Arba Minch

Gamo

5

Tekeze Basin 

Atsbi

Tigrigna

How to Apply

Interested and qualified applicants who meet the above criteria are invited to submit their applications with a cover Letter, curriculum vitae (résumé) and three references to jobs@wlrc-eth.org on or before March 21, 2025. Please indicate “Resident IWRM Catchment Coordinator” and your preferred duty station in both your application letter and the email subject line. WLRC is an equal-opportunity employer.  

Please ensure your application documents are in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Applications that do not meet the specified requirements will not be considered. Applicants are responsible for covering the costs of application/examination; WLRC will not be accountable for these expenses.