Participatory Irrigation Management Specialist

Overview

Lead and support the assessment and rehabilitation of flood-affected irrigation infrastructure in a participatory approach.

You have:

• Advanced University Degree in Civil Engineering, Irrigation Engineering, Water Resources Management, Agricultural Engineering, or a related field combining engineering expertise with participatory natural resource management and community development expertise.
• At least 7 years of practical experience in the assessment, design, operation, and maintenance of small-scale irrigation systems, with specific experience in flood-prone/deltaic environments. Within this timeframe, a minimum of 5 years should focus heavily on participatory irrigation management (PIM), community-driven development (CDD), community-based disaster risk reduction (CBDRR), or similar community-led rehabilitation initiatives.
• Working knowledge (level C) of English
• Myanmar National

Organizational Setting

FAO is a specialized Agency of the United Nations whose mission is to contribute to eradicating hunger and achieving food security for all. FAO provides high quality technical and policy expertise to its member countries, thus assisting them in their efforts to meet their goals for eradicating hunger, reducing poverty and fostering improvements in agricultural and rural livelihoods in a sustainable manner.

Guided by its global Strategic Framework 2022–2031, FAO in Myanmar works to address both immediate humanitarian needs and longer-term development challenges, FAO supports food security and nutrition, resilient livelihoods, agrifood systems transformation, ecosystem restoration, disaster risk reduction, climate-smart agriculture, animal health and livestock, fisheries and aquaculture, sustainable natural resource management, agribusiness development, and inclusive agro-value chains that are capable to withstand the impacts of climate change, natural disasters, economic instability, and conflict. FAO’s operations in Myanmar are also guided by its mandate to support food security, resilient livelihoods, and sustainable agrifood systems, with a strong focus on reaching vulnerable and crisis-affected communities. Interventions are designed to respond to evolving needs on the ground, strengthen resilience to climate and conflict-related shocks, and promote inclusive and sustainable rural development. FAO emphasizes integrating humanitarian assistance with resilience building to support communities in transitioning from relief to recovery and long-term development aligned with the broader humanitarian–development–peace nexus.

FAO implements its programmes through a decentralized field presence and strong partnerships with national and international NGOs, civil society organizations, and community-based organizations. This approach enables timely delivery, context-specific programming, and effective access to hard-to-reach areas, while ensuring that local knowledge and community priorities are reflected in programme design and implementation. Operations are supported by robust systems for risk management, monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL), third-party monitoring, and Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP). These systems ensure quality assurance, transparency, and adaptive management, enabling FAO to deliver effective and principled assistance in complex and evolving contexts.

The purpose of this position is to lead and support the assessment, rehabilitation, and sustainable management of flood-affected small-scale community irrigation infrastructure through a participatory and community-driven approach. The incumbent will provide technical expertise in irrigation engineering and water management while facilitating meaningful engagement with local communities, Water User Groups, and project stakeholders to identify rehabilitation priorities, develop resilient technical designs and Bills of Quantities (BoQs), and oversee implementation. The position will ensure that rehabilitation activities are technically sound, climate-resilient, and aligned with local capacities and needs. It will also contribute to strengthening community ownership, improving agricultural water availability, enhancing livelihood recovery, documenting lessons learned, and promoting sustainable operation and maintenance practices. Through close collaboration with project teams and partners, the role supports FAO’s broader objectives of strengthening food security, resilient livelihoods, and sustainable agrifood systems in vulnerable and crisis-affected communities across Myanmar.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in Myanmar and under the technical guidance of the Land and Water Officer RAP (Lead Technical Officer), direct supervision of the Country Programme Coordinator, in close collaboration and coordination with the Technical Officers in RAP, National Programme Specialist, and FAO’s DIEM team.

Technical Focus

The Participatory Irrigation Management Specialist will assist in the development and day-to-day operation of the project activities and will perform the following tasks.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Review flood impact assessment reports and conduct detailed field assessments, engineering surveys and measurement of flood damaged small-scale community agricultural infrastructure, identifying specific failures such as erosion, breaches, sediment deposition and other structural weaknesses. • Provide strategic input on the technical, environmental, governance and social aspects of the project to ensure that irrigation rehabilitation follows participatory, community-led, conflict sensitive and climate resilient implementation modalities. • Design and implement a mixed-methods assessment framework for the baseline survey, including household surveys, focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews and community consultations regarding flood impacts on agricultural activities, irrigation infrastructure, water governance, irrigation management and community resilience. • Lead the identification, technical assessment, prioritization and selection of small-scale irrigation infrastructure for rehabilitation through consultations with local communities, Water User Groups and stakeholders, and support community-led implementation arrangements to ensure sustainable operation and maintenance. Facilitate community consensus, formal agreement and inclusive participation of women, youth and vulnerable groups throughout the selection, design and implementation process to ensure local ownership and sustainability. • Develop detailed technical designs, engineering drawings, Bill of Quantity (BoQ), technical specifications, cost estimates, and repair plans for prioritized irrigation infrastructure, ensuring methods are context-appropriate, flood-resilient, environmentally sound and aligned with the operational capacity of local Water User Groups. • Document the testing process of restoration, rehabilitation and maintenance methods, specifically capturing community insights, local innovation and lessons learned from trial-and-error approaches for future guidance and manual development. • Provide technical advice on implementation arrangements for pilot rehabilitation activities, including procurement planning, preparation of technical specifications, technical review of materials, logistics and personnel mobilization, and development of rehabilitation methods reflecting local field conditions, seasonality, hydrological conditions, labour availability and community capacities. Conduct post-rehabilitation assessments to evaluate infrastructure performance, water delivery efficiency, community satisfaction and operational sustainability, identify key challenges encountered during the participatory process, and develop actionable recommendations for future programming, including measures to enhance flood resilience and community preparedness. Lead training and capacity-building initiatives for farmers on sustainable operation and maintenance, agricultural water management, and safeguarding irrigation assets. • Develop and submit detailed technical progress reports, monthly work plans, technical assessments, lesson learned documentation, and support to Project Manager to prepare final project reports, providing relevant information, including technical inputs to inception, progress and completion reports and presentations to FAO. • Cooperate with Agronomists, the MEAL team, implementing partners, community implementation committees, and other project specialists to promote synergies between irrigation water availability, crop production, and overall livelihood recovery. Perform any other related technical, coordination, monitoring, reporting or capacity building duties assigned by the Project Manager to support successful project delivery. • Assess existing community-led flood preparedness and disaster risk reduction mechanisms and provide technical recommendations to strengthen the resilience of agricultural water infrastructure and farming communities against future flood events.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced University Degree in Civil Engineering, Irrigation Engineering, Water Resources Management, Agricultural Engineering, or a related field combining engineering expertise with participatory natural resource management and community development expertise. • At least 7 years of practical experience in the assessment, design, operation, and maintenance of small-scale irrigation systems, with specific experience in flood-prone/deltaic environments. Within this timeframe, a minimum of 5 years should focus heavily on participatory irrigation management (PIM), community-driven development (CDD), community-based disaster risk reduction (CBDRR), or similar community-led rehabilitation initiatives. • Working knowledge (level C) of English • Myanmar National.

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus • Teamwork • Communication • Building Effective Relationships • Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Selection Criteria

• Proven capacity to conduct structural damage assessments, build engineering specifications, engineering drawings and Bill of Quantities (BoQs) and facilitate community-led consultations • Strong analytical, problem-solving, facilitation, communication, and report-writing skills, with the ability to produce high-quality technical reports and recommendations. • Professional proficiency in English and the Myanmar language; advanced computer skills in standard office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). • Relevant experience with stakeholder engagement and developmental approaches that emphasize community self-reliance in the Ayeyarwady Region. • Previous experience with UN agencies (e.g. FAO) or international development partners and donor agencies. • Demonstrated skill in managing technical budgets, field contractors, and community labour while managing complex local stakeholder dynamics. • Ability to apply adaptive engineering solutions in shifting political or environmental contexts, translating complex technical blueprints into understandable terms for farming communities. • Proven track record of preparing high-quality technical manuals, feasibility studies, community process documentation, and donor-facing completion reports. • Ability to design inclusive planning frameworks that account for varying layers of socio-economic vulnerability and flood exposure.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
• For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

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Potential interview questions

Added 6 hours ago - Updated 4 hours ago - Source: fao.org