Principal Water Specialist GB

Purpose of Job

The Principal Water Sector Specialist is responsible for the technical aspects of projects within the water sector contributing to all phases of the investment cycle primarily involved in project preparation and to a much lesser extent project implementation and monitoring. In addition, the Water Sector Specialist will assist in assessing project opportunities, risks and addressing transition impact from an engineering point of view as well as supporting and promoting the integration of sustainable solutions in cities and regions the Bank operates.

The role also includes elements of supporting the Banks infrastructure strategy. The Principal Water Sector Specialist will distinguish themselves by the depth and complexity of water sector projects to be assessed for the SIG banking teams, as well as the ability to handle diversity of project structures and risks to be analysed with regard to technical innovation brought in particular by private sector clients of the Bank.

Background

• The Sustainable Infrastructure Policy & Project Preparation (SI3P) team is composed of technical, and financial specialists. It is tasked with enabling EBRDs Sustainable Infrastructure Group (SIG) to develop future-ready programmes and prepare high-quality projects for clients in line with the Banks transition mandate.
• The Principal Water Sector Specialist will be a member of the Project Preparation & Implementation (PP&I) Unit, which is part of the SI3P team and is accountable for providing timely, authoritative and quality technical advisory for projects in exploratory, preparation and delivery stages. The wider remit of the PP&I unit is the identification and development of cross-over project opportunities which include the integration of water, energy and food security as well as participating in the EBRDs Green Cities initiative largely through support to Green City Action Plans (GCAPs) which are an integral part of this initiative.
• The Principal Water Sector Specialist will provide technical authority to the SIG banking teams to originate and develop their pipeline of projects in the water sector. For each project, the Principal Water Sector Specialist will support the Operation Leader (OL) with project preparation, appraisal and monitoring (as appropriate) providing both pragmatic, sound, innovative and imaginative solutions or approaches that facilitate project signing and project monitoring post-signing.
• The Principal Water Sector Specialist will be recognised internally as providing the breadth of technical knowledge and expert independent advisory on new, novel and emerging technologies relevant to the Water sector. The Principal Water Sector Specialist will distinguish themselves by covering a wide variety of project types and structures, to include, inter alia, integrated water resources management, dams, drinking water treatment, drinking water supply, metering, sewer systems, stormwater systems, flood protection, river regulation, wastewater treatment and discharge, nature based solutions, digital solutions, irrigation systems, other less-conventional water sector projects including blue-green infrastructure etc.
• The Principal Water Sector Specialist will assist in the selection and appointment of external technical consultants and review, monitor and enhance the work of external technical consultants by providing independent technical scrutiny, assuring consistent and high-quality final deliverables in line with project requirements.
• Where appropriate, the Principal Water Sector Specialist may also advise and shape the softer reform components (e.g. Technical Cooperation) that enhance the sustainability of investments and as such may support the OL in securing funds necessary to develop these project-related elements. For certain projects he/she shall liaise with other banking teams from the Risk Department, Climate Strategy and Delivery (CSD) Department, Impact and Environment & Sustainability Department (ESD) and Competitiveness and Economic Governance (CEG) to facilitate project and policy development.

Accountabilities & Responsibilities

• Carry out, lead and/or supervise technical due diligence in order to appraise technical and commercial viability of projects in preparation.

- Screen initial project proposals to help inform the OL as to whether Bank resources should be committed to develop specific projects providing sound reasoning in that guidance

- Participate in pre-feasibility site visits

- Meet with key stakeholders including public and private sector clients to help facilitate the OL during the project life cycle

- Prepare project-related documentation (such as Technical Due Diligence ToRs) including internal Bank documents (CRMs and FRMs etc), where necessary review Loan…