Background

SoCha is the sole holder of an umbrella contract mechanism to provide monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) services to USAID/Central Asia. To support an upcoming final performance evaluation of the regional Water and Vulnerable Environment (WAVE) activity, SoCha is seeking a qualified senior-level Water Resources Specialist to provide technical subject matter expertise for a short-term evaluation consultancy.

The purpose of the WAVE activity is to strengthen technical capacity and regional cooperation on the management of shared water resources across five Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) for improved stability, economic prosperity, and healthy ecosystems. The Activity was implemented in the two principal transboundary river basins — the Syr Darya and the Amu Darya — and their sub-basins. It aimed to improve human capital and educational institutions that address both Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems Nexus (WEFE Nexus) issues; to improve sustainability and cooperation of basin councils for economic benefit; to support transboundary water cooperation and address governance needs; and to address regional and national environmental challenges around the Aral Sea.

The primary focus of this evaluation will be to assess whether the activity successfully met its goals. This will involve identifying the projects’ effective and ineffective components, examining challenges encountered during implementation and the strategies used to overcome them, gauging the long-term viability of the changes implemented, identifying any existing gaps that future projects may need to address, and extracting valuable lessons from the evaluation process.

Scope of Work

The Water Resources Specialist will provide technical subject matter expertise for the WAVE evaluation team over a period of six to eight months, likely to begin in October, 2024. She/he will work as part of an evaluation team, under the guidance of an evaluation Team Leader. This consultant will have the following responsibilities:

• Advise on IWRM practices at the local and national levels as it relates to informing the evaluation design, data collection, and analysis.
• Review relevant documents and complete background research.
• Contribute to designing the study approach.
• Contribute to development of qualitative or quantitative question guides.
• Conduct and document interviews to contribute to data collection.
• Contribute to synthesis, interpretation, and analysis of data as they relate to subject matter expertise.
• Draft assigned sections of the report and other communication outputs.
• Facilitate meetings with USAID to solicit input and to present findings.
• Any other task to successfully address the SOW.

Minimum Qualifications and Experience

• Advanced degree in resource management, engineering, environmental sciences, or a related field.
• More than eight (8+) years of experience working in the water sector.
• Strong demonstrated understanding of water-related policies and development challenges in Central Asian countries.
• Experience introducing and overseeing integrated water resources management practices at local and national levels.
• Experience applying knowledge from various disciplines as well as the insights from diverse stakeholders to devise and implement efficient, equitable and sustainable solutions to water and development problems.
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English.
• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing evaluations and assessments.
• Strong personal work ethic and teamwork approach.

Additional desired qualifications:

• Speaking proficiency in Russian is highly desired.
• Proficiency in other Central Asian languages is a strong plus.
• Past work experience on water issues in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and/or Turkmenistan is highly desired.
• Past experience working on USAID-funded programs or evaluations is highly desired.

Location

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The assignment involves three to four weeks of data collection across these countries (note Turkmenistan data collection will be fully remote). Evaluation planning and analysis may be done remotely.