Introduction

Established in 2001, the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) is an independent, non-political, non-profit international organisation with a mission to assist the governments of Central Asian countries in addressing environmental and sustainable development issues in Central Asia. By promoting dialogue and cooperation among all stakeholders involved in the environmental protection process, RECCA is now recognised as a leading regional centre of expertise in the field of environment and sustainable development.

The Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) is implementing the project ‘Climate-Adaptive and Gender-Sensitive Basin Management’ (hereinafter referred to as the Project), which is part of the regional programme ‘Climate-Resilient Water Management in Central Asia’. The programme is implemented by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and co-financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The aim of the project is to strengthen regional cooperation between countries in the region by providing information and theoretical support to national and regional river basin management organisations for the implementation of integrated water resources management (IWRM) principles.

From 2024 to 2026, the project plans to hold 24 gender-sensitive seminars at the national, transboundary and regional levels to build the capacity of basin organisations in Central Asian (CA) countries on integrated water resources management (IWRM) issues, taking into account climate risks. In 2025, the project plans to hold eight training sessions at the national level, two for each country: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Position Information

Coach’s Scope of Work

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager (PM), the consultant coach will deliver two national training seminars covering, but not limited to, topics related to national water legislation, Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), and basin planning approaches that take climate risks into account for water management organizations of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The trainings are scheduled for March 27 and 28, 2025. All activities will take place in Almaty, Kazakhstan, in an offline (in-person) format. 

The consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

1. Development of the concept and programs for two capacity-building seminars for staff of water management organizations of the Republic of Kazakhstan (each with a duration of 8 hours), and preparation of training materials (presentations and detailed explanatory texts), based on the results of a needs assessment of water management organizations conducted by CAREC. The results of this assessment will be provided to the consultant.
2. Delivery of two national seminars, including lecturing, conducting practical sessions, and facilitating sessions jointly with the PM.
3. Support in adapting the developed materials into an electronic format for publication on the CAREC Eurasian River Basin Management Portal (www.riverbp.net).
4. Development of video versions of the national seminar sessions for subsequent publication on the portal.
5. Preparation of a brief report on the outcomes of the seminars (the report structure will be agreed with the Project Manager).

Measurable Outputs of the Coach’s Work

The expected final outputs from the Consultant include:

a) Training materials for two national seminars published on the portal, consisting of presentations and a synopsis for each presentation, as well as video lectures recorded during the events.

b) Delivery of two national seminars in Almaty.

d) Brief reports on the conducted national seminars, highlighting key points, assessment of results, and recommendations.

Period of Assignment

Duration of the assignment: up to 45 days

Start date: March 3, 2025

The final work schedule of the Consultant will be defined at the beginning of the assignment, subject to approval by CAREC. The work schedule will establish clear deadlines for the completion of each expected output.

Performance Evaluation Indicators

Quality of work delivered in accordance with the above list, as well as compliance with the agreed timelines.

Contract Payments

The contract value includes individual income tax (IIT), which will be withheld from the payment for services rendered. Payment to the Consultant will be made by bank transfer in US dollars to the specified bank account, depending on qualifications, and will be divided into two installments:

●       First installment: 30% of the total consultancy fee, payable upon submission and approval by CAREC of the seminar concept and program.

●       Second installment: 70% of the total consultancy fee, payable upon submission and approval by CAREC of the final training report and other agreed materials.

Payments shall be made within 30 days after signing the acceptance certificate of completed works. Transportation costs (travel, taxi, per diem) and accommodation of the Consultant at the venue of the events shall not be reimbursed by CAREC.

Reporting and Supervision

The Consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Project Manager (PM). As the assignment progresses, the Consultant will share deliverables with CAREC for review and approval. CAREC will be responsible for training organization and participant mobilization.

Duty Station

The Consultant is expected to be based in Almaty and to carry out the assignment at the location of the events (Almaty).

Requirements

The Consultant shall:

• Hold an academic degree in water resources management or related fields and have at least five years of experience in education and training organization.

• Be a citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

• Have experience in delivering capacity-building courses for professionals in the water management sector (at a minimum, at the national level).

• Demonstrate strong professional expertise in the areas specified in the Terms of Reference.

• Possess strong analytical, presentation, and writing skills in Russian (mandatory).

• Have professional proficiency in Russian and Kazakh languages.

In their CVs, candidates must clearly indicate information on previous employment and/or training delivery experience, including the desired consultancy fee.

Applications should be submitted by email to empspecialist@carececo.org with a copy to wisspecialist@carececo.org, indicating in the subject line: “National IWRM Coach in Kazakhstan”.

Application deadline: Rolling, until the required number of applications is received.

Only candidates who meet the above qualifications will be invited for an interview.