Participatory Irrigation Management Specialist

The Participatory Irrigation Management Specialist will 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 role involves providing technical expertise in irrigation engineering and water management, facilitating community engagement, developing resilient technical designs, and overseeing implementation to enhance food security and resilient livelihoods in Myanmar.

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.

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.
• 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.

Skills

• Irrigation Engineering
• Water Resources Management
• Participatory Irrigation Management
• Community-Driven Development
• Community-Based Disaster Risk Management
• Small-Scale Irrigation Systems
• Structural Damage Assessment
• Engineering Specifications
• Detailed Drawings
• Bill of Quantities preparation
• Community Consultations
• Technical Report Preparation
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Technical Budget Management
• Field Contractor Management
• Adaptive Engineering Solutions
• Feasibility Studies
• Inclusive Planning Frameworks
• Office Applications
• English Language Proficiency
• Myanmar Language Proficiency

Languages

English, Myanmar