Background

We are revamping water channel in Gocher, Botogah, Diamer to improve water availability for agriculture.Upon completion, the Water Management Committee (WMC) will be responsible for the routine operation, maintenance, protection, and sustainable management of the channel in coordination with the Village Organization and community. A qualified expert/trainer will therefore be engaged to build the WMC’s capacity in water resource management, channel maintenance, community participation, and institutional responsibilities.

Objective of the Assignment

The overall objective of the assignment is to strengthen the capacity of the Water Management Committee to effectively manage and maintain the rehabilitated water channel after completion of the project intervention.

Specific objectives are to:

• Build the capacity of WMC members on operation, routine maintenance, and protection of water channel.
• Strengthen community ownership and accountability for the sustainability of the rehabilitated water infrastructure.
• Develop clear roles and responsibilities of the WMC for water distribution, maintenance, monitoring, and coordination with the community and Village Organization.
• Promote efficient, equitable, and sustainable use of available water resources.
• Equip the WMC with practical knowledge to identify and address minor damages, blockages, leakage, erosion, and other maintenance requirements.
• Establish a practical mechanism for reporting major repair requirements to the relevant stakeholders.

Scope of Work / Key Responsibilities

Training on Water Resource Management and Channel Maintenance

The consultant/trainer shall:

Develop a detailed training plan, agenda, and methodology in consultation with the organization.

Prepare training materials, presentations, handouts, and practical exercises.

Conduct participatory training for Water Management Committee members on:

• Principles of community-based water resource management.
• Operation and routine maintenance of water channels.
• Water distribution and equitable water-use practices.
• Identification of blockages, leakage, erosion, and minor structural damage.
• Cleaning and desilting of the water channel.
• Protection of the channel from damage and encroachment.
• Safe and efficient use of irrigation water.
• Climate change and its impacts on local water resources.
• Community participation and collective responsibility for maintenance.
• Record keeping and reporting of maintenance activities.

• Demonstrate practical methods for routine inspection and maintenance of the channel.
• Facilitate group discussions and practical exercises based on local water-management challenges.
• Clearly defined WMC roles and responsibilities for post-completion management and maintenance of the rehabilitated water channel.
• Coordinate with the Village Organization and our team on major technical issues beyond the committee's capacity.
• Promote community ownership and collective responsibility for the long-term sustainability of the water channel.
• Training attendance sheet and photographic documentation.
• Final training completion report, including key observations, recommendations, and follow-up actions.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Master's degree in Water Resource Management, Environmental Sciences, Development Studies, Public Administration, Social Sciences, Civil Engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum five (05) years of relevant professional experience in water resource management, community-based infrastructure management, institutional development, or community capacity-building.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting community-level training on water management and irrigation systems.
• Experience in developing institutional frameworks, committee TORs, O&M mechanisms, or community management systems.
• Practical understanding of water-channel operation, maintenance, and community-based irrigation management.
• Experience working with community-driven development projects will be preferred.
• Excellent facilitation, communication, and report-writing skills.
• Knowledge of the local context and previous experience in Gilgit-Baltistan/Diamer will be an added advantage.

Key Outcome

At the completion of the assignment, the Water Management Committee should be able to independently undertake routine operation, inspection, cleaning, minor maintenance, protection, and community-level management of the rehabilitated 5 km water channel, while coordinating with the Village Organization and relevant stakeholders for major technical repairs or rehabilitation requirements.

Note:

We maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. All selected candidates will undergo comprehensive background checks and stringent controls. As an equal opportunity employer, we encourage female candidates to apply. This role needs to be filled as soon as possible, and applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and only short-listed candidates will be contacted.