Background

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the United Nations programme working towards a better urban future. Its mission is to promote socially and environmentally sustainable human settlements development and the achievement of adequate shelter for all. In October 2016, at the UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development – Habitat III – member states signed the New Urban Agenda. This is an action-oriented document which sets global standards of achievement in sustainable urban development rethinking the way we build, manage, and live-in cities. Through drawing together cooperation with committed partners, relevant stakeholders, and urban actors including all levels of government as well as the private sector UN-Habitat is applying its technical expertise, normative work and capacity development to implement the New Urban Agenda and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 – to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

UN-Habitat Regional Office for Arab States (ROAS) and country offices (COs) consider environmental sustainability and climate change as a priority issue that cuts across all projects and programs with its counterparts and other UN partners to achieve SDG goals related to environment and climate change. Future support will be linked to national SDG prioritization, both horizontally and vertically, by defining environmental challenges and developing a planning methodology to build up climate change resilience especially at the subnational level as well as enhancing social cohesion and improving people’s livelihoods and wellbeing. Hence, UN-Habitat has ambitious plans to deliver environmental and climate change projects including the Adaptation Fund.

The Adaptation Fund (AF) sponsored project titled “Increasing the resilience of both displaced persons (DPs) and host communities to climate change-related water challenges in Jordan and Lebanon” aims to support the development of a comprehensive response framework to climate change combined with the Syrian crisis especially in an urban context. The project’s main aim is achieved through identifying effective approaches and best practices to build urban resilience, focused on actions that address water challenges and that benefit both DPs and host communities especially women and youth. The framework is not only developed for the project’s target areas, but also for areas with similar contexts. The project will focus on supporting a sustainable water management approach, by reducing water use of unsustainable sources by means of reducing water losses and increasing water use efficiency and by increasing water supply of sustainable sources via supporting water harvesting and promoting the use of non-conventional sustainable water resources. The approach also includes promoting innovative, low cost and sustainable techniques and establishing urban-rural linkages as water challenges also impact agriculture and livelihood security. The project identifies DPs as the most vulnerable group due to socio-economic challenges that could affect affordability to access water in the target areas. However, the project also recognizes increased tension between DPs and host communities and the needs of poor Lebanese and Jordanians.

Water & Environment in the context of Climate Change scope of the Project:

Environmental and water challenge: Issues in Jordan are to some extent similar to those in Lebanon. However, Jordan is an even more water scarce country. In fact, it is the second most water scarce country in the world. Water demand distinctly exceeds supply as the annual water availability per capita has declined significantly, from 3,600 m³ per capita in 1946 to only 145 m³ in 2008. If supply remains constant, per capita domestic consumption is projected to fall to 90m³ per person per year by 2025, putting Jordan in the category of having an absolute water shortage that could constrain economic growth and potentially endanger public health. Jordan requires about 1,400 MCM annually (2014) but has, on average, only 848 MCM of freshwater supply available for various uses. Non-revenue water accounts for approximately 50% of total water consumption. In 2014, 229.3 Million Cubic Meters (MCM) were lost, out of the 428.1 MCM delivered for municipal needs, the MoWI strategy includes the reduction of non-revenue water from 52% to 25% by 2025.The increased demand for water has caused over abstraction of water resources to reach 160 percent in 2014.According to the Ministry of Water, of Jordan’s 12 groundwater basins, 10 are being pumped at a deficit. Overall, groundwater is being extracted at twice the rate that it is replenished. In 2017, 50.3 percent of the Jordanian population had 24 h/week of piped water supply or less and 49.7 percent of Jordanians were listed with higher than 24 supply/week. This trend will make some areas unliveable, reduce agriculture lands and put more pressure on already scarce water resources, potentially increasing displacement, the continuous risk of social unrest and conflicts and migration to host settlements already struggling to provide basic services.

Demographic challenge: With a total population of 10,558,717 in 2020, Jordan’s population has grown very rapidly, doubling more than ten times in 55 years. The largest increase took place during the last decade, especially because of the large influx of DPs since the Syrian Crisis started in 2011. This relatively high population growth rate puts pressure on government spending to deliver basic public services, and to stimulate economic development. Jordan registered an absolute poverty rate of 15.7 per cent for Jordanians only in 2018 while 78 per cent of the Syrian population is highly vulnerable, living below the Jordanian poverty rate.

Thus, the overall aim of the said regional project is to better respond to climate change impacts and vulnerabilities in the context of the Syrian crisis in Lebanon and Jordan. This will be done by UN-Habitat implementing the following components of the regional project:

1. Component 1: increasing the resilience of municipal governments through managing urban risks and vulnerabilities in the context of climate change, esp. water scarcity challenges, and urban (population) growth, incl. from Displaces Persons (DPs) migration.
2. Component 2: Increasing the resilience of citizens (DPs and host communities): Improve awareness, ownership and capacities to respond to climate change, incl. to operate, maintain and replicate resilient water harvesting, supply and irrigation systems
3. Component 3: Demonstrating what concrete adaptation measures respond to the needs of both DPs and host communities through increasing the adaptive capacity of the water sector via expanding unconventional water harvesting, supply and irrigation options, using innovative and replicable techniques suitable for the context; this Component includes executing the following Outputs (measures and techniques) in Jordan

3.2. Rooftop rainwater harvesting in Jordan

3.3. Greywater treatment and reuse in Jordan

3.5. Efficient treatment and reuse of wastewater in Jordan

3.7. Water-use Efficient irrigation of treated wastewater in Jordan

3.8. Permaculture demonstration –closed loop water system in Jordan    

4. Component 4: Improving knowledge and policies and regulations to increase urban resilience in the region: Project knowledge management (KM) and replication, incl. development of regional urban risks and vulnerabilities management model in the context of climate change and urban (population) growth (incl. from DPs migration)

The Project’s Water & Environment Engineer will work under the direct supervision and report to the National Project Coordinator for the Jordan’s part of the project (seated in Jordan) and will coordinate with the national Execution Entities (EEs) in Jordan with regard to aspects of Civil/Waster & Environment Engineer and WASH in the context of climate change. Particularly most of the support will be needed for the activities of Component 3: Increasing the adaptive capacity of the water sector: Expand unconventional water harvesting, supply and irrigation options, using innovative and replicable techniques suitable for the context (in line with AF outcome 4 and 6).

The engineer will follow-up and support all such activities focusing on increasing the adaptive capacity within the water sector through resilient and sustainable water supply, using innovative, climate change resilient water supply techniques, which are suitable for high DPs influx context and replicable and mostly benefit vulnerable groups, also through supporting other activities aiming at securing water-dependent livelihoods, especially in the agriculture sector to reduce the demand of unsustainable water sources such as (polluted) groundwater, while increasing water supply options from non-conventional and more sustainable sources, such as rainwater harvesting, greywater, and the reuse of treated wastewater from WWTPs.

The proposed interventions include rooftop rainwater harvesting systems and water saving devices, greywater treatment and reuse systems, efficient treatment and reuse of waste water, water-use-efficient irrigation of treated wastewater systems and permaculture demonstrations - closed loop water systems. Rooftop rainwater harvesting systems will be established in municipal buildings, schools and mosques and residential buildings in the target areas in Jordan (and Lebanon). Municipal buildings were selected as demonstration / awareness raising sites, while schools and mosques were selected because of high impact and awareness raising purposes, including through curriculum and religious leaders’ speeches inputs (see linked component 2). Residential buildings were selected to test these systems in all possible buildings with the purpose to identify how the rainwater harvesting intervention can be scaled-up to a municipal or national programme. In Jordan, various ministries requested UN-Habitat to set-up a national programme for rainwater harvesting. Techniques will be piloted in Irbid and Mafraq.

Besides that, grey water treatment and reuse systems will be established in schools and mosques in Jordan, also targeting religious leaders and children for awareness raising purposes (under linked component 2).

In Jordan, the quality of wastewater will be improved and water storage capacity increased to safely and efficiently irrigate agricultural land. In the target areas, release of untreated waste water and non-efficient use of treated waste water (due to lack of storage capacity and non-efficient irrigation techniques) has been identified as a major problem and priority. Besides that, permaculture demonstration sites will be established at Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) in Jordan , targeting students and surrounding farmers to replicate the techniques.

Duties and Responsibilities

Responsibilities:

The Waster & Environment Engineer will be in charge of following-up and supporting the implementation of all civil engineering and water and environmental structures and measures in the Jordanian’s part of the project (Irbid and Mafraq), which include but will not be limited to:

Function 1: Technical support

• Support in the planning, design, supervision, and management of all civil engineering, water and WASH activities undertaken in the project and other UN-Habitat’s country office projects.
• Take lead on the development/review of technical documentation (scope of work, drawings, specs, BoQs, etc.) related to civil, water and WASH interventions and projects.
• Ensure that all civil, water and WASH projects and related activities are implemented according to developed specs, Terms of References (ToRs), and guidelines, and report any breaches or concerns.
• Closely supervise the work of the contractor(s) during the implementation phase, ensuring high quality of executed works.
• Support the Project Coordinator in providing technical input to working documents, studies, and technical reports as required in the framework of project activities on the topics of climate resilience, transboundary water management and food security.
• Report and advise on all the lessons-learnt from implemented projects to inform the resilient and sustainable water management planning approaches.

Function 2: Coordination and project management

• Participate in the project’s National Steering Committee meetings (to be held bi-annually) to provide experience and briefing on the technical aspects of activities.
• Support the Project Coordinator in drafting and/or draft necessary project documents, including work plans, procurement plans, spending plans, M&E plans, risk matrices, O&M plans, progress reports, etc., ensuring that the projects meet UN-Habitat’s standards and requirements.
• Coordinate and follow up on all procurement processes related to civil, water and WASH projects.
• Engage and maintain direct dialogue with project beneficiaries, stakeholders – including municipalities, water establishments (MWI/Yarmouk Water Co.), Regional Technical Offices and UN agencies, among others.
• Participate in conducting trainings and awareness raising workshops for local beneficiaries as needed.
• Support in trainings and providing awareness/capacity building for local authorities and stakeholders in water management, resource use, contamination issues etc.
• Contribute to the knowledge management processes (knowledge acquisition, storage, distribution, and use).

Function 3: Reporting, monitoring and evaluation

• Support the National Project and Regional Coordinators, when required, in drafting progress and performance reports (periodic and annual) in compliance with Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) project guidelines and provide relevant data to the M&E specialist of the project
• Conduct frequent site visits across the country to supervise civil engineer, water and WASH activities.
• Support the Project Coordinator in documenting the lessons learned from executed projects – those related to the civil, water, and WASH activities – and in providing recommendations for replication and up-scaling of best practices.
• Undertake regular project reporting as required.

Function 4: Other duties

• Support in planning, designing, and implementing civil, water, and WASH related activities, based on field investigations and stakeholder consultations.
• Assist in developing tender documents for all water, wastewater and sanitation related projects.
• Actively represent UN-Habitat in WASH working group, UN task forces and collaboration forums, in close coordination with the Project Coordinator.
• Support in proposal writing, research and write-ups related to water and sanitation services.
• Take part of the regular project reporting.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

• Leadership: Generates commitment, excitement and excellence in others; Creates new opportunities for team, not just self to learn and take on new responsibilities; Actively shares knowledge.
• Communication & Relationship Management:

Synthesizes information to communicate independent analysis; Communicates ideas and positions with command and confidence; Finds common ground to solve problems.

•  Delivery:

Meets goals and quality criteria for delivery of products or services; Embraces complex challenges and opportunities for getting work done; Ability to embrace challenges with minimal supervision; Works to develop organizational awareness of UNDP’s approach to client service delivery and integrity and accountability.

Technical Competencies:

• Climate Change Adaptation

Fair Knowledge of climate change adaptation concepts

• Environmental and Social Assessment and Management Plans

Fair Knowledge of Environmental and Social Assessment and Management Plans

• Sustainable Development

Knowledge of sustainable development concepts, principles and issues and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations, covering the economic, social and environmental dimensions.

• Support to Project Management

Ability to help plan, organize, and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.

• Social Cohesion

Knowledge of methods and experience of supporting communities to achieve greater inclusiveness, more civic participation and creating opportunities for upward mobility. 

• Partnerships

Ability to engage with other agencies, donors, and other development stakeholders and forge productive working relationships.

Required Skills and Experience